Employee communication in times of change

There’s a quote that’s been on my mind a lot lately. It’s an oldie but a goodie: “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Well, the past year has certainly been historical, which begs the question: have we learned the right lessons? There’s been a lot to learn but, specifically, I want to talk about lessons we have (or have not) learned about employee communication.

For many, it was just about a year ago that our world got turned upside down. Lockdowns, mask mandates and work from home policies became the new norm. Thinking back on that, how prepared were most employers? How effectively were they able to communicate changes, prepare employees and manage the process of switching to a work from home or socially distanced environment?



While I’m sure there were exceptions, I’d venture to guess that for most organizations there were some struggles. Both logistically and process-wise it was a lot to manage. So, if we don’t want a repeat of those difficulties, what should be top of mind when it comes to employee communication?

We’re going through the same thing, only in reverse

There seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the pandemic. There’s increased access to the vaccine, some businesses are starting to open back up and we can see a future where we return to work as normal.

However, there’s a good chance work won’t be quite the same as it was before. With either increased options to work from home, enhanced safety protocols or new ways of operating – we’re going to experience a period of uncertainty and change as we return to normal. In essence, we’re going to experience a set of changes similar to when the pandemic started, only in reverse. 

What’s the next communication challenge to overcome?

I don’t think many of us saw the pandemic coming last year, but it’s a good reminder to always expect the unexpected. Sure, you can plan for the future, but you can’t always predict it. So, what will the next challenge be? It’s time to start thinking ahead to what employers will need to communicate to their employees.

As we hinted at above, in the immediate future, this may be communicating and management of a return to the workplace. But this may also be a chance to look to the future too. What sorts of new benefits might an employer be introducing? What kinds of programs (like wellness or a 401(k) match) might they want to get off the ground? Whether it’s a planned change or one that’s a response to the existing circumstances – employers should be weighing what they’ll need to communicate and planning ahead. That’s a question of messaging, but there’s another half of the communication equation: how will you deliver that message?

Let’s start today

If a company has the agility, the time, internal resources, and the established, successful processes necessary for reaching employees; well, then they’re ahead of the game. But if I’m being honest, I haven’t talked with many organization who would say with confidence they have that level of communication and engagement form their employees.

That’s where a voluntary enrollment can come in to help. Working with trained enrollment professionals to engage employees, an enrollment can be about so much more than benefits. 

The stakes for communication are higher than ever right now. Communicating with employees helps organizations show employees they care and, given our current situation, it’s an opportunity to protect their health and create a more effective transition to whatever the “new normal” will look like. A company’s culture matters and building that culture starts with communication. Attacking this challenge with the right resources will help make sure we avoid repeating some of the all-too-recent history we’re anxious to put behind us.