3 Communication Strategies to Engage Your Deskless Workforce

Deskless workers comprise 80 percent of the global workforce, making it essential to engage them via internal communication. In this article, we discuss:

• 3 challenges faced when using communication for employee engagement
• Technology ideas to realign internal communications for deskless workers
• How UPS used Twitter to build an employee communication form

Deskless workers are a massive part of the economy, comprising approximately 2.7 billion professionalsOpens a new window – that’s 80 percent of the global workforce! Employers cannot afford to ignore their deskless workers, as it could result in losing out on a massive productivity share, not to mention additional costs incurred on replacing disengaged workers who leave the organization.

For this section of the workforce, internal communications can be a major driver of engagement. Traditionally, it has always been a challenge to engage this segment, without the convenience of spot meetings, watercooler conversations, or regular events that bring employees together. But with the advancement of technology, it is less challenging to communicate with them to keep them engaged. Before we look at the communication strategies to engage remote employees, let’s look at the challenges that organizations face.

Top 3 Challenges When Using Communication for Deskless Employee Engagement

The state of employee engagementOpens a new window for non-desk employees is disappointing, to put it mildly, and weak internal communication strategies have a major role to play. According to a 2018 studyOpens a new window , only 10 percent feel truly connected to the organization, while 84 percent report “not enough” information received from management.

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Top 10 Employee Engagement Apps for 2020Opens a new window

“Most remote workers feel totally disconnected from their corporate overlords,” Henry Albrecht, CEO of employee experience tech provider LimeadeOpens a new window , told us in an exclusive interview. As a result, organizations trying to use communication for employee engagement run into the following challenges:

1. The one-size-fits-all model does not work

The communication strategies applicable to on-site workers may not apply to a deskless workforce. For instance, email is a staple for white-collar employees, while a lot of blue-collar employees do not have corporate email IDs. Also, on-floor executives in retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and others have limited access to email, meaning organizations need to look at other means of communication to engage with this group of their workforce.

2. Mobile-based internal communication brings its own challenges

Mobile is often viewed as a magic bullet when it comes to communicating with remote/deskless workers. However, a non-customized, off-the-shelf application that broadcasts content at regular intervals isn’t enough.

“It’s not just a matter of physical reach. Messages need to be relevant enough to add value and efficient enough to fit into their busy lives. For example, floor workers might need to see an updated safety procedure during a 20-minute lunch break, while a barista might want an update on same-store performance while riding the bus to their next shift,” Henry explains.

3. Communication clutter could even bring down engagement

As per the report cited above, nearly a fifth of employees feel management only communicates “good news.” In other words, there is a gap between the messaging intent and the real requirements of deskless workers. For communication to drive employee engagement, it has to be “intuitive” and “personal,” said Henry. “Intuitive communications are clear and deliver value in 15 seconds or less. Personal communications are relevant to the individual and delivered with a sense of care.”

Learn more: 20 Fresh Employee Engagement Ideas for 2020Opens a new window

So, how can organizations meaningfully leverage communication for employee engagement in deskless/remote situations?

Communication Strategies to Engage the Deskless Workforce

1. Design an OS-agnostic mobile employee application with offline support

While BYOD is widely accepted as an employee experience best practice, this holds true specifically for remote/deskless workers. More often than not, this segment already uses their personal devices for professional purposes, from creating checklists to scheduling meetings and sharing day-to-day queries. A mobile app that supports any device/OS will give every employee – regardless of location – the ability to communicate on the same platform. Offline support with draft message scheduling is an essential part of this, as some deskless workers may work from low network coverage areas.

Learn more:

What Is an Employee Engagement Survey? Definition, Process, Vendors, and ExamplesOpens a new window

2. Create a digital workplace with easy file sharing

As mentioned, contractual deskless workers do not always have corporate emails; that is why digital workplaces are an effective workaround for organizations looking to effectively use internal communication for employee engagement. One could choose any collaboration software, such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Workplace by Facebook, all of which are compatible with users outside the immediate organization. They also make file-sharing easier: from daily reports to useful resources or even industry-related memes/GIFs. This gives deskless workers the freedom to share their voice – and be heard.

3. Regularly check in via one-on-one meetings and surveys

To gauge if a communication strategy for employee engagement is actually working, it is important to constantly review its impacts. There are two ways to do this: first, there are several employee survey apps out there such as SurveyMonkey which let deskless employees give their feedback on workplace initiatives. Keep in mind that these surveys should be short and quick, so that they encourage employees to respond even on the go. Second, senior managers can use video conferencing software to conduct regular townhalls, interspersed with site visits to initiate a direct line of communication.

Learn more: No Worker Left Behind – 4 Ways to Engage and Retain Remote EmployeesOpens a new window

A Look at UPS’ Communication Strategy for Employee Engagement

Logistics company UPS has a sizable deskless workforce and uses social media to create a forum for regular conversations, engagement, and recognition. Its Twitter handle (@UPSersOpens a new window ) has over 24,000 followers, comprising the immediate employee base as well as their friends and families. It is important to note that UPS isn’t using Twitter to share critical corporate messaging – instead, this is purely a platform dedicated to communication with its teams all over, which can be accessed at its employees’ convenience.

Learn more: 

How to Engage Employees in 2020: 10 Impactful SolutionsOpens a new window

In Conclusion

With nearly half of workers reportingOpens a new window that they do not “see company values in action,” organizations would benefit from going the UPS way to make a strategic effort to show that they care about their entire workforce.

Henry concludes, “Communication that demonstrates organizational care inspires employees to connect and engage with each other – and further fosters trust, engagement, inclusion, performance and effectiveness.”

How are you leveraging communication for the engagement of your deskless teams? Share your insights on FacebookOpens a new window , LinkedInOpens a new window , or TwitterOpens a new window . We are always listening!