Five Steps to Creating Captivating Employee Podcasts

February 28, 2020

Podcasts are more popular than ever – after all, you can listen anywhere and they offer a welcome alternative to the daily flood of text. And they’re an excellent tool for internal communications – they get your message out to employees in an appealing, user-friendly way.

At the same time, competition for attention is fierce, with hundreds of thousands of podcasts available on every subject imaginable. So, you need to produce a podcast that will captivate employees.

Follow these steps to create a stellar, impactful employee podcast:

Set your goals: Make sure you know what you want to achieve – for example, increase employee engagement, get employees on board with company initiatives. And it’s critical to keep those goals in mind as you figure out who your target audience is and what the podcast will focus on.
Create great content: Consider spotlighting employee stories or lively discussions with company leaders. And keep it short and “snackable” – 5-10 minutes is optimal. Too much content for one podcast? Create a series of short episodes.
Understand the time and effort that goes into producing a professional podcast: It’s not just a matter of sitting down and doing an interview. You need to make sure you’re informed about the topic, find the right guest, edit the recording and promote the podcast.
Natural conversation is key: Nobody wants to listen to a recitation of corporate messages. Don’t read from scripts – simply ask your guests good questions and edit later. Need inspiration? Listen to any of NPR’s podcasts and learn from the pros.
Make the podcast accessible: If it doesn’t cover confidential information, make the podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Soundcloud. That way, employees can easily tune in whenever and wherever it’s most convenient.

Now get to work! Be prepared and trust your instincts to create a podcast that will keep employees coming back for more.

Author: Diane Karsch

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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