With so many choices of channels for communicating with employees, we communicators sometimes feel pressure to select the most effective channel for the intended audience and the desired message. One channel we hear about all the time now is Mobile. Needless to say, almost every employee carries some sort of self-owned or company-issued mobile device (phone, laptop, tablet, iPod, etc.) to the workplace and beyond. Communicators find this mobile technology’s “always-on” communication capability hard to resist , even if that means adding another channel to the already crowded channel mix.
However tempting it may sound to join the mobile technology bandwagon—especially when other companies have already begun experimenting with it—there are some things you should consider before adopting mobile communication for employees:
Challenge #1: Mobile is unlike any other communication channel.
Mobile isn’t a universal communication platform, unlike email and others. There is large variation in mobile devices (features phones vs. smartphones), operating systems (iOS vs. Android), and network connectivity. Moreover, mobile devices are more prone to loss or theft and generally have less mature security controls. Use this interview guide to proactively identify technological and legal roadblocks while planning your mobile communication initiatives .
Challenge #2: Communicators are often unable to extract the best value out of mobile channel.
Communicators often think of mobile in terms of technology and design mobile-based solutions that are generally popular or demanded by their employees. However, running to the solutions before considering the real problem we are trying to solve can result in employees failing to adopt the solution we’ve created. See how you can use your communication objectives to determine the most effective use of mobile technology .
So, what should comms do?
- STOP thinking of mobile as just another communication channel.
This leads comms to focus on creation of content and messages for the channel. In the process, they often end up replicating content from existing channels to mobile platforms, without adding any value to organizational objectives or employee needs.
- START thinking of mobile as a tool to achieve business objectives.
Work back from common business objectives such as increasing sales or improving employee productivity to guide your mobile communication strategy. This will also help you build a strong business case to get leadership buy-in.
CEC members, here are 3 key considerations while planning a mobile communication strategy for employees that we recommend for you.
CEC Related Resources:
- Mobile Communication for Employees
- Mobile Communication Device Capability Selection Tool
- Mobile Communications Planning: Business Partner Interview Guide
- Mobile Communications: Glossary of Commonly Used Terms
CEC Related Blogs:
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