THE CHANGING LANDSCAPES OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION IN THE WFH ERA

The global COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a barrage of risks. Aside from the obvious and primary threats to health, safety and economic stability, it affected nearly every aspect of life as we know it. Landing itself in the midst of that never-ending list was the cause of internal communications. In the large scheme of things, this may seem like it belongs in the periphery; that it doesn’t actually need to be made a priority. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, companies and organizations that chose to transform, and thereby strengthen their internal communication channels and models, not only survived by way of transparent and authentic communication, but thrived in the pandemic.

A slight shift in perspective will reveal the importance of internal communications; the vital role it plays in an organisation’s success. If one were to define internal communication as a function, you could say that it is the model for effective communication among people in an organisation, across departments, in both horizontal and vertical fashion. But essentially, internal communication is just…communication. It is capable of breathing life into an organisation. If done right, it has the power to amplify a brand’s purpose, build a community based on trust and transform the ethos of a company (for the better).

Contextualised in the pandemic, internal communication departments across industries, were at a tipping point. Let’s be honest - mailers, newsletters, and emails were already on their way out. And, with work from home becoming the new norm, the threat of saturation or inadequacy with respect to these traditional modes of communication, loomed like a great big rain cloud. What was the result? The recognition of podcasts as a relevant channel of communication. And, there’s no two ways about it – podcasts are bursting at the seams with potential. Even just in the past two years, the podcasting industry grew by leaps and bounds. And, while this growth may be attributed to circumstance, the adoption of podcasts continues to move in an upward direction because of the sheer power it holds.

Internal and Corporate Employee Communication Services in India

Think about it – audio content is personal, authentic, and honest. When you receive information through voice, not only are you immediately engaged and motivated to listen, you’re more likely to trust what you’re hearing. And this factor of authenticity and transparency played a vital role in communications during the pandemic. In times of uncertainty, there is no better way to address questions, communicate information and start conversations than through voice. And podcasts, as a medium, facilitate that possibility. Whether it be vertical communication or lateral, company-wide communication, or internal vs. external facing content, podcasts revolutionised internal communications during the work from home era.

People were hard at work, rallying to meet deadlines and push through the difficult times to ensure stability for their organisations and themselves. Not to mention doing that within the confines of their homes, losing all connection with the outside world. This “new normal” threatened to (and eventually did) push a lot of people to the brink of burnout. And traditional text communication proved to be stagnant in this context. But with the emergence of podcasts, people were more engaged with company activities, they were more invested in the possibility of forming a new kind of connection with their teams and the doors of communication just blew wide open.

Just ask us. We, at Timbre Media, were given the opportunity to support organisations across industries, and cater to their audio/ podcasting needs in this trying team. From content creation to distribution and clearly defining our clients’ communication needs, we helped transform internal communication departments world over. Podcasting as a tool of internal communication in the work from home era has proven to be, not just engaging and new, but also extremely effective. Our customised audio content ranges from learning and development and infotainment to marketing and employee engagement – content that intelligently serves its purpose. In our work over the past decade, and especially during the post two years, we have facilitated effective employer branding and brand positioning, offered a channel for increased employee engagement, and recognised the value of podcasts as a tool for internal communication.

At large, we’re the podcasters for India Inc. For your company, we’re the secret weapon you need to transform your internal communication needs.