Three Internal Communications Trends on the Horizon in 2022
November 30, 2021
Expect the unexpected, and plan for all contingencies: those are the only consistent truths in the communications industry these days.
The good news: as we enter our third calendar year dealing with the ramifications of COVID-19, communicators have perfected quite a few skills that will continue to serve us well, even as the ground beneath our feet continues to shift:
- The ability to seamlessly and quickly pivot as priorities and information change (sometimes by the hour!)
- A keen understanding of company culture, and what makes employees stay…or leave
- Expertise in a variety of digital communications tools, and the strategy know-how to implement and sustain them.
Above all else, communicators are absolutely critical in helping people stay informed and connected at work. And that won’t change in 2022.
As you look to the year ahead, here are three internal communications trends to keep in mind.
(And speaking of planning for the year ahead, have you downloaded our 2022 Communications Toolkit yet? It has everything you need to build a purposeful, engaging communications strategy…and it’s free!)
2022 Internal Communications Trend #1: A renewed focus on employee experience
No, internal communicators alone can’t build a perfect employee experience. But there’s no discounting the role communications plays in getting employees onboarded and – even more importantly – folded into the company’s culture. From ensuring leader communications are transparent and empathetic to building thriving intranets, chat platforms, and/or mobile employee apps, there are so many elements in the employee experience that communicators can impact.
Why it matters: The better the employee experience, the higher a company’s retention rate. And that’s crucial during this Great Resignation.
2022 Internal Communications Trend #2: Ensuring a class-free employee base
Most companies will continue to operate with a hybrid model into 2022. While the flexibility a hybrid workplace offers is fantastic, it can pose a risk. Employees who work in-office more frequently might benefit from “who’s in the room” thinking – the unconscious tendency to lean on people physically present for important decisions. In 2022, companies will need to be intentional about ensuring all employees, whether they’re in the room or on the Zoom, are equally valued.
How can communicators help? By creating strategies to include all employees in meetings, by rolling out informal engagement events to encourage networking and information-sharing, and by being rigorous in using multiple communications tools and tactics to ensure you’re reaching everyone, everywhere.
2022 Internal Communications Trend #3: Making do with less…and more
Nearly everyone is feeling the weight of these past two years. Employees, including us communicators, have less time and, frankly, less energy, and a good communicator should operate from that baseline understanding. But we have more, too, in certain ways: there are more tools available than ever before, reaching more employees in ways that resonate with them. And, crucially, there’s a broader acknowledgement from every leadership level that employees’ health and well-being is one of the biggest factors in their feelings about work.
How communicators can mitigate this risk: Now more than ever, internal communicators have to navigate through an increasingly crowded message landscape. In 2022, be sure you’re opening additional avenues for feedback and transparent communications – and focus on streamlining your internal communications so that employees are getting the right information, at the right time, in the right way.
Which trends are you seeing on the horizon, and how can SPI Group help you navigate them?
