UPS and Lyft: 5 tips for stronger workplace communications

The way we communicate with teams has been changing dramatically. COVID changed it for the last two years. Hybrid work will change it forever.

• Why it matters: Our current systems to engage staff are broken. Over 60% of employees say the comms their company sends them aren’t concise or effective.

It’s become crystal clear that even if organizations have the best strategy, vision, and plans in place, they will fail without effective communication. That makes the role of a communication leader even more critical in engaging — and aligning — a modern workforce. 

Evolving your strategy is a journey, but UPS President of Content and Comms Deisha Barnett, and Lyft Senior Director of Internal Comms Denise Bertuccelli shared five key ways we can all start the year off stronger:

1. Create a single source of truth. Employees are overwhelmed by org-wide email, but starved to hear from managers. Communicate clearly and with the unique context each team needs.
2. Meet readers where they are. Data can show when employees check which platforms. Let that guide when and where you share updates — rather than trying to change their behavior.
3. Define each platform’s purpose. Email might be where you share key updates — it still is by far the most-used internal communication channel at companies of all sizes, with over 90% of communicators relying on it to share important news. Slack is maybe more nice-to-know. 
4. Check tone and wording. Empathy is still incredibly important in leader communications. Help them bring their walls down — humility and transparently will only build trust.
5. Test and learn. Agility is key in business and communication. Cut comms that aren’t having an impact, and help managers evaluate the content and cadence that have the power to boost culture.

As you sharpen your Hybrid 2.0 employee communications, these strategies will sharpen the updates you're already sending, and also set a strong example for how the leaders, managers and employees around you can communicate more clearly. 

• After all, perspective and direction comes from the top in any modern org, but the folks who lead each team play a pivotal role in reinforcing your "purpose and culture, which go hand in hand," Deisha says.

Go deeper: The powerful role managers play in modern workplace communication.

• Lyft, Edelman, Takeda and 200+ other organizations use a tool called Axios HQ to sharpen their communications. See a free demo.