The importance of two-way communication in reaching deskless workers
Engage vital employees through tailored messages.
Deskless employees are often spread across multiple locations, regions and business functions. Internal communicators face a challenge in reaching some of these workers with traditional methods, so there’s a need for innovative solutions.
“We have to leverage what’s available to us and meet the employees where they are,” said Wick Kaminski, enterprise implementation manager at Blink, during Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference.
One method for reaching these mobile workers is with a mobile app that brings announcements, surveys, chat boards and communities directly to deskless workers.
However, Kaminski said successful implementation requires two-way communication. Providing the ability to chat with one another, comment on announcements and give feedback creates a communication loop and makes employees feel heard.
Apps allow for easy messaging in cross-departmental communities and affinity groups. To Kaminski, this is both a way to make field workers feel included and a method of creating new points of connection among staff.
In addition to creating community, apps also are key in managing emergencies.
Communicators can reach impacted employees fast by directing content to the team and location, which highlights important information for impacted audiences while reducing information overload among those in other areas.
With the recent hurricanes, “there were certain sites that needed to receive information about coming into the office or bunkering down. Blink made for a powerful tool because that management could send announcements that were targeted to those specific segments and regions,” said Kaminski.
To learn more about measuring the success of implementing an app in your communications strategy, watch the full Power Conversation below: