Communication is Key in Managing Post-Pandemic Change
The workforce has experienced a seismic shift in how and where it does business, and as a result, employee expectations of their employers have changed along with it. According to the Pew Research Center, remote jobs doubled in 2021 and 75% of those employees do not want it to change back, preferring to remain remote or at the very least, a hybrid work environment. How can the business community continue to thrive and attract talent in this new world, and what effective change management strategies need to be incorporated to address these changes.
Polls are revealing that this time of change is having serious impact on employee engagement. According to the Pew Research Center 41% of managers saying they believe that business is changing too quickly to adapt, with 46% of employees saying they feel less connected to their employer, and 42% of employees feel that workplace culture has suffered.
Although employees prefer flexibility and a hybrid work system, it can create new challenges including miscommunication and a struggle to adapt. In addition, many may lose sight of the value of their benefits the less connected they are to their colleagues and employer.
What can we do? A comprehensive and strategic employee communications program may be the key.
HR must allocate more time and resources to increase better overall communications with employees. Since automation and technology are not going anywhere, a great start is ensuring your remote technology is up to date and integrated into everyday use. This will help guarantee changes are communicated consistently across your organization, especially when onboarding, remote training and establishing new ways of working.
Continue providing comprehensive benefits, but also make certain employees know their benefits package, understand its value, and how to access them. This can be achieved by providing ongoing education into seamless employee communications channels.
Be empathetic in your messaging – and let your employees know that you understand change is difficult and challenging for most. If you remain open to suggestions, this will demonstrate you are listening and are working hard at building a positive and open culture.
Navigating these times of unprecedented change is difficult for any business. Partnering with an employee health and benefits expert, like Assurance, will help you navigate through these times.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tony Alberico
Tony Alberico is a Senior Vice President and Practice Leader at Assurance. Tapping into 20-plus years of experience, Tony leads one of Assurance’s Employee Benefits practices, setting the vision and strategy of the team. He serves a key role in advising the company’s benefits consultants and helping them develop multi-year strategies for clients. As a team leader, Tony is also responsible for creating and maintaining strategic relationships with insurance carriers and vendor partners to continually bring value back to clients. Tony earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications from Augustana College. He currently serves as the Vice President of the MGA Scholarship Foundation, which has provided more than $35,000 in college scholarships to high school students since 2009.
