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Published on 26.04.2021
How the cycle of information, motivation, and feedback becomes a self-propelling factor in digital corporate culture
Anyone who has ever established a new work environment in their company knows this story: The market is changing, the competition never sleeps, and the management is unanimous: things can’t keep going in the same direction – a new solution is needed. The Project Team is ecstatic – there is a fitting solution that will eliminate many problems of the past and make everyone’s life easier. The employees are furious and… – Whoops, what went wrong now?
Identify target groups: Who are we actually doing this for?
In fact, it’s not a given that all employees will be comfortable with a new work environment from the moment it’s launched – let alone that they’ll be motivated to use new ways of working from the start. While project managers are often enthusiastic about the new possibilities, employees are skeptical and even dismissive. The reason for this is simple: Those who are tasked with the introduction of a new tool intensively study the contents and opportunities. For the time being, everyone else only sees the change as additional effort in their day-to-day work. On this rocky road, potential benefits still lie out of view, somewhere over the next hilltop.
This makes it all the more important to recognize that it’s not about the process, but about the people in the company. So, we should take them by the hand along the way, pick them up on the first hill with a small reward, find encouraging words again on the last climb and motivate them: “You’ve come so far, it’s worth it, we’re winning as a team!” To ensure that everyone is on board and that no one gets lost along the way, strategically planned communication must accompany the entire process from start to finish.
Strategic communication: Where do we want to go? And why?
Process communication established at an early stage not only makes it possible to inform and motivate employees in a targeted manner, but also to keep a finger on the pulse and obtain feedback: Where are the problem areas, who is running out of steam, does someone need a break or a boost, what is standing in the way? Inquiring about needs creates acceptance and team spirit.
In corporate communications, every form of change and cultural transformation is traditionally accompanied by a “campaign”. With strong core messages, a catchy slogan, and a chic key visual, the whole communication kit goes together: Newsletters and video messages, roll-ups and guidebooks, ambassadors and heroes, info and exchange formats…
But at the heart of it all lies the question: What should the campaign accomplish? This brings us back to strategy, with four specific points: Acceptance, empowerment, participation, and motivation.
Acceptance: Every employee wants to know “why”. Explain the benefits – for employees and customers; the entire team and the company!
Empowerment: Every employee wants to do their job well. Give them the opportunity: Convey the new skillset in a way that everyone can understand!
Participation: Every employee wants to be asked. Give them the satisfaction – through their feedback, you will learn and be able to avoid making mistakes beforehand!
Motivation: Every employee wants appreciation. The focus is not on the process, but on the people – on whom you can depend from now on!
Communication planning: What is actually going on?
The starting point for any strategic communication (just as for the new toolset) is an in-depth analysis. So before we set off, let’s take a look at where we are in the first place: In the forest or in the open field? Is the sun shining or is a storm on the horizon? Or, to put it another way: What is the current state of communication and what are the goals? Which channels are available? Which stakeholders are involved, what are their needs, and what is the atmosphere like? To do this, it is worthwhile not only to look into the “engine room” of the organization, but to interview parts of the workforce on precisely these questions. This gives us an idea of where the journey is headed and what to look out for along the way.
With our newfound knowledge under our belts, we explore the path ahead: What is the terrain like, how many hills do we have to climb, and where can we stop along the way? So – again, analogous to the tool – we go into the planning phase. Using the most important project milestones, we build a roadmap that includes action planning and a communication cascade. Based on the analysis, we know who needs what sort of information, where participation makes sense, and who we want to turn into ambassadors.
Campaign roll-out: Things get emotional!
Now we kick it up a notch and casually overtake the process rollout on the communications track. After all, we want to get to the finish line first, so that we can welcome our coworkers with applause. We also pick everyone up on the way already. To do this, we use the existing, established channels: Be it the good old newsletter or the video message that also flickers across the screens in the production hall. In addition, we run a few specials that our coworkers haven’t heard of yet – after all, we want to make them want to try something new.
The best way to do that is through emotions. In order to reach everyone, even those working from home, we turn to the last resort in digitalization: Pure analogy. Overwhelming haptics. And maximum appreciation. For example, every employee receives a care package where we not only give them an attractively presented guidebook with all the information they need, but also all kinds of useful and fun gimmicks – combined with an invitation to participate in, let’s say, a photo competition. And where does it take place? In the new working environment, of course. Where will the winners be crowned? In the new working environment, of course. And where do the employees have fun with the weirdest entries? In the new working environment, of course. And suddenly, a large part of the workforce is already sharing information via the new channels on day one and motivating each other to playfully explore the new possibilities (“Have you seen this yet?”).
Ensure acceptance and motivation: Join in!
But please don’t misunderstand: Of course, employees shouldn’t just be amused by a few pictures in the short term; gamification alone won’t establish a cultural change. That’s why there are not only high fives at the finish line, but also some food for thought. From now on, any information about the new toolset will be bundled here via pages, wikis, and FAQs, and learning sessions will take place directly in the new working environment. Ideally, there should be topic-specific communities, informal exchange forums, and events, for example, in the form of “AMA sessions” or “Fuckup nights” (Keyword: Error culture!). In this way, we constantly keep a finger on the pulse of the organization, reading the mood, needs, and challenges, to which we can respond with appropriate measures and updates.
By keeping exchange channels and feedback formats permanently open and moving them into self-organization, employees are always on the move and – best of all – they contribute to the content strategy at the same time: Wherever employees openly discuss successes and failures, creative solutions emerge that want to be shared. And if someone has a good idea, they should please tell us about it themselves. So how about a corresponding tutorial video? For a usable result, a modern smartphone and a small guide for the setup are enough.
With an organic mix of official news, help, and user-generated content, our new work environment also comes to life more and more – and in the end, the cycle of information, motivation, and feedback will become a self-propelling force for the digital corporate culture.
Take-aways
1. To reap the benefits of a new work environment from day one, you need motivated employees who recognize/understand these benefits for themselves.
2. Strategically planned communication that accompanies the overall changeover process conveys information, skills, and mindset for the new working methods.
3. Emotional campaigns with a target group-specific approach create acceptance, promote team spirit, and permanently revitalize the digital corporate culture.
👉🏻 This article is a guest contribution from our partner Kaltwasser Kommunikation.
