The communications landscape has
shifted dramatically. It’s hard to
believe that only 10 years ago the fax machine was considered state-ofthe-art technology, and if an employer
provided any type of company newsletter, it almost certainly required a
postage stamp. In today’s world, trying
to work without Internet access is
unthinkable, and online communications means more than a fancy Web site
and an e-newsletter.
Between ever-changing technology and
a society that has accepted online interactions to be almost as real as face-to-face interaction, employers have adopted entirely new ways of bringing employees and resources together. Today, online
communications is about forming connections, creating and implementing
plans, and putting things into action in
ways that were previously unimaginable.
Various communication channels, such
as e-mail, e-newsletters, live chats and
notice boards, are being used by businesses, and these channels are vital to
creating and sustaining business in
today’s increasingly technological world.
But, it’s also essential that these channels offer friendly, accessible, open-face
interaction, so that employees feel comfortable doing business without face-to-face interaction.
Smart Business spoke with Renay
Wolfrays, the communications coordinator of JRG Advisors, the management
company for ChamberChoice, about
online communications and how they
can help your company compete in
today’s — and the future’s — market.
What are the best ways to communicate
with employees?
There are numerous ways to communicate with employees and one, in particular, that continues to grow in popularity
is online employee communications.
Employers are utilizing online communication tools to cover a broad range of
topics with employees. Everything from
benefit summaries and election forms to
employee handbooks and the company
holiday schedule are being shared with employees electronically via employee
intranet sites.
Should a company’s intranet be utilized?
Some companies may shy away from a
company intranet for fear that it is too
complex. However, many employers are
utilizing employee intranets to simplify
tasks, such as employee benefit open
enrollment, that are otherwise overwhelming. Hosting open enrollment
online allows employees to review benefit enrollment information and deadlines,
make benefit elections and review their
personal and dependent data without the
need to complete a mountain of paperwork. It is also common for the employee intranet to include insurance company telephone numbers and links to their
Web sites for provider network data and
other helpful information. Everything the
employees need to make informed decisions is available to them online, for
review at any time of the day or night. In the end, the convenience of a streamlined and more efficient enrollment
process is realized by both the employer
and employees.
How does this work for companies with
multiple locations?
There is an added benefit for employers
with multisite and/or multistate locations. Online communications offer
employers a way to communicate the
same information to all employees,
regardless of where they are located. A
company intranet offers a way to maintain a level of cohesiveness and ensure
that the same message is being delivered
to all employees, regardless of whether
or not they are all housed at the same
location. An employee intranet site can
also be departmentalized, which enhances a company’s ability to communicate more effectively and efficiently with
individual departments when necessary.
Why is an effective online communications
system so important?
Whether a small entrepreneurial firm or
a large Fortune 500 company, employee
communication is critical in today’s hectic and fast-paced business world. Employers should have a plan for communicating with employees, and the plan
should be tied to the company’s strategic
business plan to ensure that the good
intentions to communicate with employees actually happen. Online employee
communication systems offer the tools
to help communicate important company information in a consistent, timely
and useful manner.
RENAY WOLFRAYS is the communications coordinator of JRG Advisors, the management company for ChamberChoice. Reach her at
(412) 456-7011 or [email protected].
