I wonder how many people that have always wanted to work from home are not prepared for the reality of it. (or regret wishing that). As offices move to remote working, communication with your team and amongst your team members is vital due to the loss of daily face to face contact.

Right now, many businesses are relying on email and Zoom meetings to communicate with their team. They will soon become bored and disengaged with this so have you thought about other platforms you can use to keep them engaged? How about using social media which is the name implies is focused on us being ‘social’.

Most businesses think of social media as a way to engage with potential customers however it can be used very effectively as an internal communication tool. Here are a few ways you can use it:

1. Set up a secret group on Facebook

Why a Secret group? Secret groups offer the same level of privacy as closed groups under a cloak of invisibility. No one can search for secret groups or request to join them. The only way to get in is to know someone who can invite you. Everything shared in a secret group is visible only to its members.

Closed groups can be seen by the public and they can request permission to join. So steer clear of these for staff communication.

So, what you would do is Invite all your staff to join the group.

You can share updates, anniversaries, birthdays, virtual social events, company news and interact as a team in a safe and closed environment. This is something you can continue even when you are back in the office, particularly if you have locations in different states.

2. Create a LinkedIn showcase page on LinkedIn

If you have a Company Page on LinkedIn you can also set up a Showcase Page. Think of it as a page on your website. Your showcase case page could be just for your team to use (although everyone will be able to see it). But what a great way to share & show how your team is working remotely to deliver your product or service.

Include staff photos and use it to highlight your culture as well as keeping your team engaged whilst working remotely.

3. Use Instagram to create a staff group where you can communicate and share images

If your team is big on Insta you can create a group just for staff and like the other socials, it can be a safe and fun place to stay connected during your working day.

Another option is to use Instagram stories to get your team to share real-life situations, challenges, fun remote working situations, and even those quirky dance moves… Have some fun with it and use this time to come closer together while working apart (odd as that sounds)

Benefits of using social for staff communication

• Boost team morale
• Help them feel connected and still part of the team
• Don’t clutter up their email
• Create more engaging experiences with visuals and videos
• Maintain or build a better company culture
• Foster self-development & learning
• Collaboration on projects
• Greater recognition for employees
• Build team relationships
• Feel a greater sense of unity and team spirit
• Have some fun

I think many companies will see the benefits of more remote working post-Covid-19 also so I believe this will be a big shift in how we work. (not to mention the benefits of reduced traffic and positive impacts on our environment).

Using social to stay socially connected with your team costs nothing and will allow you to remain engaged using a platform they are already using.

Need help to set up your team socials, give me a shout tanya@digitalconversations.com.au