Successful Non-Desk Employee Communication
It’s usually pretty easy to communicate with employees who have desk jobs—you can shoot them an email, call their extension, use internal text communication apps, or simply pop into their office. On the other hand, non-desk employee communication presents some unique challenges that traditional business communication methods don’t always solve.
If you have non-desk employees, you have probably faced a few of these communication hurdles, like when non-desk employees:
- Don’t have a work email.
- Have a work email, but never use it.
- Refuse to download a communication app.
- Forget their email or platform login information.
This can easily lead to miscommunication and plenty of other issues, like being unable to:
- Send mass communication to the entire organization or company.
- Communicate about absences with employees in an efficient way.
- Notify everyone about emergency situations, like severe weather or a gas leak.
- Receive urgent updates from employees.
And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. The role of employee communication is often overlooked until these problems start to present themselves. So, with these hurdles in mind, how can you successfully connect with non-desk employees? Let’s look at types of employee communication and figure out which method works best for your company.
How Many Types of Internal Communication Are There?
There are dozens of ways to communicate internally within an organization, but some are more popular than others. And while each method has its place and works in certain situations, not all will promote successful non-desk employee communication. Here’s why:
It’s a tried and true method, but it’s rather useless for communicating with non-desk employees that don’t have email or won’t ever look at their email.
Phone Call
Sometimes it’s easier to pick up the phone and have a quick chat to talk business. But non-desk employees won’t always be able to answer their phones, and in certain industries, they might not be able to hear you on the phone if there’s a lot of background noise.
Face-to-Face
This is the easiest way to ensure your communication is understood. But if your employee is not in the same location as you, then this isn’t an option.
Messaging Apps
Google Chat, Slack, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, and many other messaging apps have been developed to improve workplace communication. But to use one of these, your non-desk employees have to have a smartphone and be willing to download an app.
Notice Boards
These are great for less tech-savvy employees and for getting out company-wide messages. But they don’t work for one-on-one or private communication. Plus, many employees might miss or not even read a bulletin board, whiteboard, digital display, or other similar notice board.
Two-Way Radios
Two-way radios are incredibly helpful at large job sites or workplaces. You can quickly get someone’s attention without running all over the place to hunt them down. But if you’re not within range of each other, this method won’t work.
You might find yourself piecing together a few of these communication methods to reach your non-desk employees. And while that may work, it’s still a hassle—and sometimes just downright annoying. Perhaps it’s time to step back and figure out a communication solution that works in all instances. To do this, you must determine which communication method your non-desk employees use the most.
What Type of Communication Do Employees Use the Most When Not at a Desk?
Texting is usually the go-to method of communication for non-desk employees. Think about it. Most of us have a cell phone, and it’s normally always on us. In the U.S., for example, 97% of people own a cell phone of some kind. Although not all of these are smartphones—only 85% have those.
So what’s stopping employers from meeting employees in the middle and using text messages to communicate successfully?
One common barrier is not wanting employees to have their private cell phone numbers. Many employers also don’t like having business messages mixed in with their personal messages. Another problem is that, since there is still a portion of people without smartphones, messaging apps won’t work to reach those employees. And some employers don’t like the idea of being unable to easily store these conversations in case any HR or legal issues come up.
How to Have Successful Employee Communication Through Texting
Enter Yourco! Yourco is the first product built specifically for two-way communication between HR, managers, and their non-desk employees. We understand the common workplace texting concerns, and here is how we’ve solved them:
- Every company gets a dedicated phone number unique to them, so no need to use your personal number.
- You can send text messages to employees from Yourco’s web-based app, which can be accessed from any device, keeping your work life separate from your personal life.
- Employees don’t need internet access or a data plan to receive messages, as all messages are sent via SMS.
- Our platform automatically retains a historical record of your text communications, so you can refer back to any conversation for any reason, from disgruntled employees to litigation.
If you’d like to fix the lack of communication problems with your non-desk employees, consider using Yourco. Still not convinced? Check out all of these employee communication examples and use cases to see if Yourco is right for you.
If you’re ready to get started, schedule a demo or try for free today! With Yourco, you’ll soon be on your way to successful non-desk employee communication.
