Get Creative With Employee Engagement

3 Must-Dos (and 1 Don't-Do) When Developing Your Internal Communications Plan

Here's a startling fact: not since World War II has the U.S. experienced such low unemployment rates. But unlike the post-war employment era, today's workforce isn't loyally bound to the same company for 30 years. It's more important than ever to hold on to your employees by communicating clearly, using mediums they are attracted to and ultimately treating them like the consumers they are.

But how do you effectively communicate to your peers? Email? Probably not the best strategy. We are all bombarded by emails in our day to day jobs, so if corporate communications come through as yet another email, chances are we will push it to the side.

So, what should you do?

On July 23rd, MultiVu Creative, alongside Rum & Co and Novo Nordisk, presented at the 15th Annual Public Relations and Communications Summit called EXL Pharma. The event was hosted on the campuses of Novo Nordisk, a recent client of ours. We had developed and produced a campaign for Novo's employee engagement entitled, "Never Stop Growing." The project worked to dispel the "old school" mentality of climbing the corporate ladder; promotion after promotion, year over year.

It was a no-brainer for our presentation. Not only was it considered a huge success for our client (Novo Nordisk's employee survey went up 7 points after releasing the video), but it also helped support our message that the corporate world is constantly changing.

Here are some key takeaways and things to remember when trying to reach your most important audience, your employees:

1. 1.

   Treat employees like consumers:
   Employees are consumers too. We joke that the written word is dead, but it is scientifically proven that the brain reacts better to moving imagery than to just text alone. And video offers an escape from the monotony of text. It demands attention and entertains viewers while you get a chance to communicate directly.

2. 2.

   Everyone likes to see their name in lights:
   People want to hear information straight from the source. Those mass emails sent around by the CEO don't really allow you to connect with leadership. Video allows the audience to subconsciously connect with that subject and in turn connect with the message. And putting employees on camera is even better than an executive. We are more likely to watch ourselves on camera than our boss. Besides, you are less likely to share a company press release on Facebook, but what about a video? Chances are you'll be pulling it up on your phone at the next family BBQ saying, "Dad look at this cool thing my company did—featuring me!"

3. 3.

   Show employees what you want them to do:
   Sending someone a list of things you want them to do is just adding another checklist to their already overwhelming day. But showing them what you want them to do and leading by example sends a different, more impactful message. Video evokes emotion and it also helps build trust with your employees. By strengthening their emotional connection, you are in turn building their loyalty to the company.

4. 4.

   Don't be a one hit wonder:
   It's true that corporate video has a shelf life; this isn't an episode of The Office. That's why you have to think of internal comms as a long-term strategy. We came up with the "Never Stop Growing" tagline, which our clients can now use as a headline instead of the theme of just one video. Take photos at your video shoot, allowing you to produce still collateral as well as video. You can also take the existing video and photos and turn them into social bites, infographics, posters. This gives you more bang for your buck and helps to keep the message top of mind over a longer period of time.

ABOUT THE EXPERT: Jillian Breslin

Jillian has been a MultiVu creative producer for seven years. She graduated with a B.A. in Journalism from Fordham University and has been with MultiVu ever since. She oversees and produces most of MultiVu's animated videos and leads the team's ideation sessions and workflow strategies.

Jillian has won a dozen video productions and storytelling awards including AVA Digital Awards, Bulldog, PR Daily, Content Marketing and Hermes. Additionally, she has produced a wide array of live action videos, PSAs, and animations for a variety of clients including Jelly Belly, Pepsi, LG, Pfizer, LEGO, Cotton Inc. and Walmart.