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What Snapchat Can Teach Us About Communicating to Our Employees

August 17, 2018Lori Rohrbach

No matter what you think of your tween/teenager/millennial spending hours glued to Snapchat, you can’t argue with the rapid phenomena of this catchy social media tool. Snapchat is all about the visuals and the speed to sharing them with others. Users share photos and videos with friends, family, and colleagues at the touch of a button. Arguably, this app has revolutionized how we are communicate with others…and truly epitomizes “a picture says a 1000 words.” So, you might be thinking, how does Snapchat have any benefit to life outside of our phones and in the workforce? Here are two ways Snapchat can teach us about communicating to our employees.

 

First, Snapchat is all about the visual (no words necessary)- Snapchat is meant to move you. To make you laugh, sing, dance, maybe even cry. It’s all about the story-telling. As humans, and as communicators, many times we find ourselves trying to explain something over text, email, etc. when we know by sending a picture, video, illustration, etc. it would be so much easier to convey our message. That’s where Snapchat can teach us a thing or two. With Snapchat, at the click of a button we can send a video to anyone on our friends list. When it’s opened, the message is clearly conveyed in under 30 seconds. As communicators, we can learn from Snapchat by considering it an image, video, illustration or other visual can help us tell a story that is moving, clear and right to the point.

 

Second, Snapchat is all about speed and immediacy– Communicating effectively and consistently to customers, employees, and shareholders is undeniably important. But, in today’s competitive, fast-paced working environment, we need to do more than that—we need to be faster. What use to be okay to tell in 100 words, we now have to say in 5 words. Our constituents want their information, their reply, their answers… faster. Taking a page from Snapchat’s book—using visuals that one views in under 30 seconds– might provide communicators with one way to incorporate speed into communicating. This encourages us as communicators to construct much shorter messages and let the picture tell the story. Snapchat is teaching teenagers, and young adults how to be more concise when constructing a message while still effectively getting their point across. Hmmmm…

 

Whether you are a millennial like me or have many years of experience in the workforce, Snapchat can teach us a thing or two about using visuals to communicate our stories and messages while telling them in a creative efficient way.

 

Author: Jessica Turner

 

 

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Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

 

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

 

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources.  Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

 

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

 

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

 

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

 

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

 

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

 

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

 

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

 

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

 

 

Author: Erin Alderfer

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