For roughly the last six months, I’ve been working in the internal communications and employee engagement space. It’s something that I was familiar with as an end user, but now I understand the “why” and “how” behind workplace initiatives.
There are a lot of discussions in the industry about which department(s) should be responsible for internal communications and employee engagement. Some believe that the responsibility should fall on HR, some believe it should fall on marketing, and some believe that an entire department dedicated to internal communications is the key.
As I continue to learn and grow in this space, I must admit that I don’t think that the responsibility should fall on a single team; it must be shared. There needs to be goals set in regards to what good levels of employee engagement look like, and if they’re poor, how these levels will be improved.
For those of you who are unfamiliar, employee engagement is the emotional connection that someone has to the role that they’re in, and the company that they work for. Basically, it gauges how invested someone is in the place that they make money.
For work, I wrote about employee engagement trends that are big for 2020. In the research phase, I learned a great deal about what’s most important to employees.
Aside from wanting to feel like their role gives them purpose or allows them to make a difference, employees are looking for transparent leaders that operate with integrity, and relationships with their co-workers.
That last point got me thinking about what I need and value in a workplace. Every place has its pros and cons, but where I really thrive is in spaces that allow for collaboration and social interaction.
It’s not realistic to think that you’ll be friends with everyone, but working somewhere that people are open to conversation that doesn’t necessarily pertain to the day-to-day helps.
The first tech company I worked at was hyper-social. I met some incredible people there, some of which I’m still in touch with, but depending which team you were on, there was an unspoken expectation that you’d be participating in activities after work.
The second tech company I was at had a totally different vibe. There was a main space for eating lunch, but I would see a lot of people eating at their desks (which was not the norm at the last company). I was big on taking my breaks and eating in the main space, and it became a thing.
The company I’m at now is pretty quiet during the day, as a lot of people are heads down and we have a lot going on. I totally understand, but it certainly took some getting used to. I feel like things have improved on the team overall after some changes at the start of the year, and people are more inclined to approach for conversation.
We are inherently social creatures, and as we spend the majority of our time at work, it needs to cater to that. Admittedly, I love when it’s quiet sometimes because I basically just write for a living. However, I’m enjoying getting to know my co-workers and what makes them tick.
It’s okay to be heads down and in the zone, but be open to new people and new perspectives. Even if you do get to talking about work with another employee, be attentive. What they have to say can open your eyes to a different part of the business, and possibly inform how you go about certain parts of your role in the future.
Khadijah Plummer Consulting 