Technology is a vital piece of workplace communication

How mobile is your workplace? Are your employees able to communicate with one another easily and through different means?
Small businesses are beginning to feel the shift from in-office working and collaboration to remote access and telecommuting. During this switch, some employees feel as if their needs are not being addressed, especially when it comes to communication.
A recent survey, Mobile Trends in the Workplace, found that the way employers choose to communicate has a direct effect on employee satisfaction and engagement. The survey also found that employers are frequently coming up short in terms of what kind of communication employees expect. 
The survey found that workers are constantly on the move, with 55 percent traveling for work regularly, and 40 percent completing the bulk of their work outside the traditional office setting. In addition, almost half of these workers use mobile devices to keep in touch with those back at the office.
Employees enjoy working outside the office for a number of reasons, the most prevalent reason being because they feel as if they are more productive when they do. Despite 60 percent of workers falling into this category, one-third said they are unable to access important work-related documents when not in the office, and 40 percent can’t access information at all on their mobile devices.
This breakdown has led 45 percent of employees to believe their employers don’t do a good job when it comes to communication and 33 percent wish they would communicate ideas or thoughts more frequently.
Keep the following three tips in mind for more mobile-friendly communication:

• Be open to new technology: Employees can often become frustrated if the technology they use every day is not up to par with the tasks they need to complete. This doesn’t mean each business has to have state of the art everything, but rather, should have the latest models possible and understand how to use them. As 70 percent of employees often use their own devices for work related materials, consider buying some of the same technology or implementing incentives for employees to use their own devices.
• Communicate more often than necessary: Often, important information can be lost in the day-to-day shuffle of expectations and tasks. Although it is not wise to micro-manage or schedule numerous meetings in one day, checking in with your team periodically may be a good idea to implement. Maintaining checks and balances ensures issues can be addressed if they arise and employees can obtain the help they need.
• Keep in touch with remote workers: Don’t forget workers that are not in the office! As telecommuting becomes more popular ensure your business has a plan in place to communicate with all employees.

As communication is key for the success of a business be sure to keep your protocols and methods in mind.
Training can also be mobile-friendly, and Mastery offers a catalog of near 800 video-based courses your employees can access on any device or browser.
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