Mobile technology is the future of human resources and internal communication, and it is hitting its stride with 97% of the working population owning a smartphone.
What are some specific ways that mobile can help with communications?
Let’s start with the communication channels that mobile can eliminate, and their associated risk. In general, current methods of communication with hourly and non-desk employees are ineffective and immeasurable.
Phone Trees/Game of telephone: By the time phone tree messages trickle down to the hourly workforce, the message fidelity is not guaranteed. People paraphrase, mishear, and ignore. This is a huge problem for internal communicators, particularly when the message being relayed is urgent or important.
Slow communications through any medium: In case of emergency, what good do communications that come with a time delay do? Even if you have great processess for internal communications, a time delay can make it null. What is the fastest you could get a message to everyone in your company? Some messages cannot wait an hour to go out, much less a day or week.
Antiquated channels like static posters, payroll stuffers, digital signage: Most people don’t want to spend their lunch break checking to see if there are any new announcement posters on the bulletin board. The problem with this form of communication is how passive it is. There is no way to guarantee that people read it, and no accountability when it comes to acting on it.
Mobile communcations are always instant, are accountable assuming your platform has read receipts, and always have message fidelity as it is sent directly from the information source. Mobile channels are the first place to start when eliminating communication risks.
