It is essential that leaders can (even momentarily) disconnect from the constant demands of productivity and immerse themselves in the experience of human connection. It's during these moments that they realize the key role relationships play in raising engagement levels. Once leaders prioritize connection, there are infinite tactical options, most of which stem from a solid internal communications strategy.
Corporate social responsibility helps build trust, raise awareness, and encourage social change. Although there are tens of thousands of companies doing their part, large global corporations’ efforts have far-reaching results that can impact major world issues from hunger and health to global warming. Here are examples of how some major brands are doing CSR successfully.
The rise of remote work has drastically changed the relationship between companies and their employees. Nearly 60% of employees who can work from home would prefer a hybrid work schedule going forward. At the same time, roughly 60% said they want more structure from their employers when it comes to deciding hybrid work schedules. Less clear for employers, though, is how frequently employees might come into the office. Check out what these business leaders and experts think about the future of hybrid work:
In the early stages of any crisis, it can be difficult to know what actions to take. And in the face of a human tragedy on the scale of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, you may be tempted to act now and think later. Alternatively, you may wonder what marketing could or should do at such a time, especially if your sector or industry is not immediately impacted by the crisis. Although marketing is sometimes seen as secondary in managing and mitigating enterprise risk, marketers are accountable for their brands and serve as the de facto voice of the customer. Consequently, it’s important that you ensure you have a seat at the decision-making table. Once you get there, take these five essential steps.
While organizations are just beginning to regain some stability, many of tomorrow's challenges are already knocking at the door, and they need to be prepared to meet them. The expectations of all stakeholders have evolved, and some of these imperatives are here to stay. Here are the trends our corporate and financial communications experts see for 2022…
The pandemic has dramatically increased the speed at which digital is fundamentally changing business. McKinsey’s latest survey confirms that the future will belong to companies that put technology at the center of their outlook, capabilities, and leadership mandate. Check out this comprehensive report to ensure your business is leading with the right focus moving forward.
If you want an open company culture, start this one habit - participate in the corporate Blog. When people read personal blogs from their co-workers, it helps to build positive relationships, increases productivity and saves time as knowledge is shared effectively and easily. An internal blog sends a clear message that an organization actually wants to hear from all of its workers. When people at an organization actually start blogging, a culture can begin to develop where people feel comfortable offering their perspectives or giving feedback. Personal blogging, in particular, gives workers a space to express themselves. It can let them know that it’s okay to bring their passions, their interests and their sense of humor to work!
Leaders must tap into a different skill set to effectively deliver their messages and be engaging in a remote environment. Virtual venues require you to transition from reading nonverbal cues in the moment to getting curious about your participants before, during, and after presentations to ensure your message lands. Here are six ways to deliver well-received presentations when you and your audience are bound by the limitations of virtual communication.
The pandemic has hastened a rise in remote working for knowledge-based organizations. This has notable benefits: Companies can save on real estate costs, hire and utilize talent globally, mitigate immigration issues, and experience productivity gains, while workers can enjoy geographic flexibility. At the same time, concerns include how to communicate across time zones, share knowledge that isn’t yet codified, socialize virtually and prevent professional isolation, protect client data, and avoid slacking. Research into work-from-anywhere (WFA) organizations and groups that include the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Tata Consultancy Services, and GitLab (the world’s largest all-remote company) highlights best practices and can help leaders decide whether remote work is right for their organizations.
Many employees are now doing the work of three or more people. They’re doing their own jobs, their childcare worker’s jobs, and their children’s teacher’s jobs… and a key divide seems to be between parents and non-parents. “I’ve noticed that there is a huge split among my trial lawyer colleagues. Those without children are, for the most part, getting a lot done. Those of us with kids at home are litigating as if sinking in quicksand,” said Gordon Kaupp, a lawyer in San Francisco. Companies need to get analytical about the optimal role of remote work going forward. Lots of research shows that telecommuting typically makes workers more productive….but not without the right structure.
It takes a lot to get to the top of an organization: a high IQ, emotional intelligence, technical competence, and a variety of personal characteristics, such as fortitude and resilience. Even with those qualities, many leaders fail at the top job — often because they don’t know how to get the organization to do what they want. What they lack is organizational intelligence. OQ, as we’ll call it, consists of five competencies: sending messages that reinforce strategy, fostering an ethos, using “action strategy,” rebelling from the top, and staging moments of theater. Let’s look at each, drawing on examples from our own experience and that of well-known successful leaders.
Is work today permanently different from what it was before Covid-19 and the work-from-home shift? We don’t know yet, but the data can give us ongoing, real-time information that we can use to influence what happens next. Microsoft believes that what we learn about these changes will be key to organizational resiliency in the months and years to come.
What kind of storytelling is relevant and most effective during times of flux, upheaval and uncertainty? How can companies make teams feel empowered, positive, connected… so they can continue to give customers the quality interactions they’ve come to expect? When so much has changed and templates for how we do business are being redefined daily, great storytelling connects employees to their work. In every organization where there is a strong sense of moral motivation, leaders are always storytellers. So, it’s worth figuring out how to make an impact doing this well, and training our communications, marketing and sales teams to have alignment here. The stories we tell ourselves and each other will shape the way companies fare in the coming weeks and months, especially during the pandemic. How will your company do?
At times like these, communication is everything. Preparing ‘on target’ messages in a timely and meaningful way during the current COVID-19 crisis is critical for companies large and small - leaders must now be prepared to communicate early and often, even if still trying to understand the extent of the problem and its many impacts. Finding a strong voice (that comes across as open and honest) is key to maintaining credibility. Figuring out how to build empathy into every correspondence furthers that trust…
