As HR professionals one of our main responsibilities is ensuring that we successfully relay information to our employees. We are responsible for the transfer of information, and must also focus on the manner in which we communicate. Employees are inundated with information and out of self-preservation often adopt a tune it out approach in order to quiet the “noise.” How do we grab their attention and prompt them to tune in? Reach people by figuring out what they relate to most. Learn their entertainment choices, and discover their inspiration points. First, how long do we have to relay the message? Believe it or not, six seconds! Pre-pandemic we had six minutes, but Covid containment seems to have tapped people’s thresholds for receiving information. Distracted and impatient, our audience needs us to distill a lot of information, and contain it in a raindrop. You need to explain your vaccine and mask policy in 15 seconds. If your company is offering a benefit that is not being utilized clean up the communication around it. Don’t write a novel. Give the punch-line right out of the gate. When communicating via email, put the punchline in the subject line. Frame everything around WIIFM? We all pay closer attention to information that is pertinent to just us. When answering questions take a cue from the world of standup. Keep the communication ball rolling. Respond, “Yes, and” instead of “Yes, but.” Effective communication is when your message lands in the way you intended. Widen your communication channels –utilize QR codes, video, and Zoom. Ask your C-suite “Is there something I need to know?” What you don’t know can hurt you.
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