What awaits internal communication in 2022? – 5 trends and challenges.
In 2022, two words will be particularly important in internal communication, even more than before: employee experience. Why? This will be the focus of attention of internal communication leaders as more and more organizations realize how important the employee experiences are for the efficient operation of the whole company and the quality of customer service. It will be more significant especially since working in a dispersed team is the new norm. What, then, will internal communication have to contend with? What changes await us in this area? Let’s see…
1️⃣ Multichannel internal communication is a must!
The changed work model requires a different internal communication strategy, and new technological tools must be the basis for implementing this new strategy. Moving from internally built intranets and their replacement with specialized Employee Experience Platforms (EXP) will become more and more common. Where does this trend come from?
Organizations tend to treat employees’ experiences like the experiences of their customers making their digital workplace more intuitive and comfortable. That significantly supports their engagement and productivity. With an omnichannel approach, you put yourself into the shoes of an employee, you get to know his needs and preferences so you can adjust the appropriate information channel, but you need a special tool. This tool is EXP – Employee Experience Platform – one unified platform that allows you to communicate, exchange knowledge, interact, and analyze the interactions to improve the processes. Two-way communication is obligatory if you want to treat your employees respectfully. Currently, there is a strong tendency to build EXP using cloud solutions that ensure data security, transfer high speed, and high computing power.
2️⃣ Progressive digitization of workplaces will boost digital employee experience
Along with returning to offices from home, organizations will develop mobile applications ensuring employees positive experiences in the offices. What does it mean? The applications will be an addition to the Employee Experience Platform and will offer a responsive mobile version of the digital workplace, but something else will be more important. The offices will be more often intelligent, and mobile systems will facilitate functioning in office space. The applications will allow the employees, for example, to book a desk, parking space, or conference room. Thanks to the applications, an employee will be able to check what is on the menu in the cafeteria or at which desk his manager sits. There will be many functions of such applications. They will provide employees with instant messaging or will allow controlling, for example, air conditioning, window blinds, or the volume of music in the background.
3️⃣ Higher level of personalization and automation
With the willingness to provide the employees with the most positive employee experience, the organization will adjust the tools to an individual user. The high level of personalization will make the operation of the systems much more intuitive. It will be seen especially in the functioning of the knowledge base. An intelligent knowledge base suggests the most appropriate results for your position. It learns your preferences and knows what kind of information you will need the most. For this to happen, the digital workplace will be supported by artificial intelligence. The commonness of AI is not enough. Augmented reality will be used more often as well. Organizations will also increasingly use bots to automate certain processes, thereby facilitating work and supporting productivity.
4️⃣ Analytics – that counts!
The desire to automate the processes will necessarily require an accurate and ongoing data analysis. Collecting data will be the key to analyzing the employee experience level and optimizing processes conducive to building the most positive employee experience. Thanks to data analysis, it is easy to see recurring processes that can be automated. They also allow you to develop extensive algorithms.
Today, organizations can conduct advanced analytics of employee activities, interactions, and processes thanks to multi-channel platforms. HR’s and Internal Communication’s role as the analysts will increase.
Josh Bersin, HR Predictions for 2022
I suggest you start a crusade to ensure every HR business partner, specialist, and generalist takes a course in analytics and learns about storytelling, hypotheses, and the basics of Excel, statistics, and charting.
5️⃣ Focus on well-being
HR leaders will focus even more on the employee as a person. Caring for wellbeing will not be limited to the workplace. It will be extended and will concern the entire life of the employee. The pandemic is a significant factor that accelerates the promotion of such an approach making the mental and physical condition of the employee of greater interest. Organizations will be more willing to finance activities to improve employee well-being, also using digital tools.
McKinsey & Company, Using digital tech to support employees’ mental health and resilience
Digital solutions can offer therapeutic approaches or support positive behavioral change on a large scale. They are accessible at any time and from anywhere, providing help on-demand without the long waits often needed for in-person therapy. They are also convenient, easy to use, and anonymous.
Internal Communication in 2022
We are currently witnessing spectacular changes taking place in internal communication. Digital transformation, employee-centered approach, advanced analytics – all this will develop significantly this year. We are sure that 2022 will bring even more positive experiences to all employees!
How can Workai support your internal communication in 2022?
Workai’s goal is to help companies improve internal communication, knowledge management, and employee engagement by providing ready-to-go and easy-to-use tools in the cloud, with mobile version and AI. It improves the engagement and productivity of the employees with gamification. It integrates with the most popular business services.
It also allows to measure all employee interactions, create informational campaigns, and deliver relevant reports on how the company is performing in defined areas. Workai enables you to personalize internal communications to any audience or group – based on organizational structure, positions, location, experience, and more.
📅 If you want to see how we can support your internal communication, book a demo session with one of our specialists!