Utility companies face nuanced challenges when it comes to employee communications. With workforces split between office-based staff and field workers in remote or rural locations, creating a cohesive communications strategy is crucial.
At blue goose we support utility businesses to help them effectively bridge this gap and keep all employees informed, engaged, and connected. Whether it be change and transformation, values, EVP or anything else.
Below, we share some of the common challenges and solutions.
The Challenge of a Dispersed Workforce
Utility companies often have a significant portion of their workforce operating in the field, maintaining infrastructure, responding to emergencies, and providing essential services. This geographical dispersion can lead to:
- Inconsistent access to company communications
- Feelings of isolation and less connection to the business
- Difficulty in fostering a unified company culture
- Challenges in delivering timely updates and critical informationWith potential divisiveness at play between office and field workers, it’s important to make sure they feel not just connected to the business, but also valued by it.
We must also understand context and emotion. These employees are driving to locations, sometimes in difficult and remote terrain, completing their jobs and then driving to the next job or home again.
Understanding their emotional states and moments of time when they are more and less likely to engage in communications is vital.
To overcome the obstacles, utility companies need to implement robust and flexible communication strategies that can cater to both office-based and remote employees. Here are three key areas to focus on:
1. Leveraging Technology for Inclusive Communications
i) Mobile-First Approach:
Implement a mobile-friendly communication platform that allows field workers to access information on-the-go in easy to read and understand communication formats.
For example a company app or a responsive intranet system accessible from smartphones and tablets.
Platforms which aren’t locked down to employee domains such as WhatsApp and social channels can also be effective where work email addresses are not needed for access.
ii) Multi-Channel Communication:
Utilise a variety of channels to ensure messages reach all employees.
This might include printed material such as posters and leaflets, email, SMS, mobile apps, intranets, and bulletin boards in key locations
iii) Video Conferencing:
Use video conferencing tools to conduct virtual town halls, team meetings, and training sessions.
This helps remote workers feel more connected to the office-based team and leadership.
Enable on-demand videos as well for those who cannot access a live stream at a given time.
2. Tailoring Content for Different Audiences
i) Segmented Messaging:
Develop targeted content for different employee groups.
Field workers might need more operational updates or targeted campaigns of things that might help them alongside the inflexibility of their roles eg: employee benefits, while office staff may require more administrative information.
ii) Visual Communication:
Use infographics, short videos, and images to convey complex information quickly and effectively, especially for field workers who may have limited time to consume content.
iii) Regular Updates:
Establish a consistent schedule for company-wide updates to keep all employees in the loop and time-prepared in advance, regardless of their location.
3. Fostering Two-Way Communications
i) Feedback Mechanisms:
Implement easy-to-use feedback tools that allow all employees to share their thoughts and concerns, such as mobile surveys, suggestion boxes in field offices and in-the-moment feedback such as thumbs up or down for ‘did you find this useful?’
Utilise ‘trusted’ local leaders: make sure managers who are often more trusted and influential at a local level (than central comms) are briefed with key information and given tools to update their employees and collect their feedback.
They’ll be able to tailor and get the best from their local teams.
ii) Employee Champions:
Identify and empower field-based employees to act as communication liaisons, helping to disseminate information and gather feedback from their peers.
iii) Leadership Visibility:
Encourage leaders to regularly visit field locations and engage with remote workers, demonstrating a commitment to inclusive communication. Where this is not possible then make them central and visible as part of the overall communications strategy and activation moments.
Every business is of course unique with its own set of challenges and experiences of what has worked or hasn’t in the past, but by considering these strategies, utility companies can start to create a more connected and informed workforce, regardless of where employees are based.
In our experience, the key to effective communication in a dispersed workforce is flexibility, accessibility, and a commitment to inclusivity.
You can read more about how blue goose has helped multiple deliver engaging and impactful communications to dispersed employees in our case studies.
If you want to talk to us about your communications challenges and hear how we are helping utility companies then contact blue goose here.
