Today, communication is increasingly accessible across organizations thanks to intelligent technology developed to streamline communication efforts. Overall, people are the most treasured asset to a business, and effective communication on all levels is the key to superior organizational processes.
Although the internal communication processes for shift workers may be a little different, they’re just as important to engage employees and galvanize them to be enthusiastic contributors with a vested interest in your company’s successes. So, how do you enhance the way you communicate with employees?
The Importance of Strong Internal Communication
Ultimately, poor communication results in losses of around $6 billion annually and results in employees disengaging from the company and its goals and culture. When employees are disengaged, the company may have to shoulder the following costs:
- Low retention rates: Disengaged employees have higher absenteeism and turnover rates, resulting in massive costs to the company.
- Decreased productivity: Workers who feel undervalued don’t work as hard and have no connection to the company value system, which can even result in underhanded behavior such as theft.
- More errors and injuries: Disengaged employees make more mistakes, and the chances of them being injured on the job are higher due to a lack of commitment and focus. They also make more work-related errors, which can be costly for the company.
When a workplace chooses to communicate with employees, it changes their work experience daily. Higher employee engagement has many benefits, including the following:
- Increased shift worker engagement with their role: Having a system that sends out company communications to every employee makes workers feel included in the operational processes and helps them see beyond their shifts.
- Better marketing: When employees feel connected to your brand, they’ll act as brand ambassadors and take pride in being a part of your organization. They’ll talk about you and share news about specials and events. Word-of-mouth marketing can have an impressive effect on your long-term bottom line.
- Enhanced operational efficiency: If messages are reaching each individual involved in a process, there’s less room for error, as everyone knows what the goal is and what they should be doing to achieve it.
- Increased collaboration and better company culture: When employees feel free to communicate, they work as a team, which is better for business and the overall culture within the company. Hourly workers will experience less of a disconnect with the company and its values.
- Empowered employees: Taking the time to communicate effectively with employees increases their confidence, as they feel respected and as though someone is listening to them. They’ll be comfortable sharing ideas and areas of concern, which can only benefit your operation.
Here are some simple methods to help you engage employees and enhance communication with your hourly workforce:
1. Be Accessible to Your Staff
Your staff comes from various backgrounds, so you must be accessible in terms of language and technology. Consider how your team would be most comfortable receiving communication from you and tailor your communication process to them. Ensure you formulate all messages to focus on the task at hand, so there can be a clear understanding of the duties your staff is meant to complete. Be both clear and concise in your language choices for a complete experience.
Consider the timing of your messages, especially with shift workers who may start work at different times of the day. Depending on their shift, an ill-timed message could be sent in the middle of the night, and there’s a greater chance your employee will forget the contents by the time they come into work. A superior communications system allows you to send messages at convenient times for each workforce member.
2. Alter Your Communication to Match Individual Employees
There’s no one-size-fits-all communications strategy. Tailoring your communications to account for the differences of the people you’re communicating with allows for better retention of messages and enhanced company culture. People perform better when they’re treated as individuals, so take the time to make hourly workers feel included and heard.
Some of the methods by which you can achieve this goal include the following:
- Keep hourly employees in the loop: Ensure all of your communications are inclusive, so your shift workers feel part of the bigger picture. Consider a communications system that sends brand, product and company updates to all workers at a suitable time for them.
- Enhance employee training programs: Management can send information quickly with the correct system, including training and safety material. A digital approach streamlines sending tailored messages to your hourly workforce. It allows them all to receive the latest instructions on a project in a concise and timely manner.
- Prioritize individual recognition: When people work hard, showing your appreciation and pointing out their contributions to the rest of the team can help with achieving higher employee engagement. Aim to be present and make any feedback or recognition more personal than a simple plaque on the wall.
3. Ensure Two-Way Communication Is Possible
To ensure higher employee engagement, communication can’t be linear. Management must open channels that allow hourly workers to communicate with them about various subjects. This process gives your employees a voice and a sense of collaboration, which is crucial to their overall engagement.
Two-way communication also streamlines operational practices by allowing shift workers to confirm they have received and understood a message. If workers want to trade shifts with one another, the appropriate accompanying feedback must be registered on an easy-to-access platform. If workers request time off, they must be able to monitor their requests’ status.
Employee communication is always evolving to be more inclusive. Specialized internal communications systems allow management to send targeted messages to various teams within the organization. Formal announcements are a thing of the past, and employees are better engaged with personal and meaningful communications.
Ensure Hourly Employees Are Happy and Engaged With Indeavor
Are you ready to engage your hourly employees with effective communication? Indeavor can help you boost productivity, streamline your processes and improve employee satisfaction with our innovative technology and unparalleled customer service. We’re here to help you provide the best possible solutions for your workforce.
