Internal communication in the age of teleworking

In this context, an internal communications plan is essential to ensure the smooth flow of information within the company.

Communication tools such as collaborative platforms, videoconferencing and instant messaging play a key role in this new way of working remotely.

Clearly defining objectives, target audiences and the messages to be conveyed is essential to guaranteeing the effectiveness of internal communications.

Project management, for its part, must integrate this virtual dimension and implement an appropriate strategy to maintain team commitment and ensure the smooth running of remote projects.

By putting internal communications at the heart of their strategy, organizations can overcome the challenges of telecommuting and strengthen team cohesion despite the distance.

How can we meet this major challenge?

What are the best practices to adopt?

Dive into the new dimensions of internal communication in the context of remote working.

The objectives of transforming internal communications.

Communication within companies has had to adapt to this new way of working.

Teams must now give priority to digital tools for exchanging and collaborating, which can sometimes lead to a loss of proximity and conviviality.

However, it is essential that managers maintain a climate of trust and transparency to foster job satisfaction and project coherence.

Clear, regular communication keeps employees motivated, reinforces their sense of belonging and involves them fully in the company's objectives.

So, despite the challenges posed by telecommuting, effective communication remains an essential pillar in ensuring the success and fulfillment of teams.

This new reality raises several major challenges:

Maintaining a sense of belonging and team cohesion
Combating professional isolation
Ensure the smooth flow of information
Maintaining employee commitment
Supporting remote management

According to a recent Gartner study, 41% of employees feel less connected to their company's culture since switching to telecommuting. This finding underlines the urgent need to adapt internal communication strategies to this new paradigm.

The pillars of effective internal communication when teleworking.

1. Structure communication with clear rituals

In the absence of a common physical environment, the establishment of communication rituals becomes essential.

These recurring meetings structure working time and help maintain a collective rhythm:

Weekly team meetings to review projects and objectives
Daily stand-ups to share the day's priorities
Regular feedback sessions to maintain continuous improvement momentum
Virtual get-togethers to preserve social ties

These rituals are most effective when they follow a consistent, predictable format, with clearly defined objectives and respected timing.

2. Diversify communication channels for effective collaboration

Remote communication must be based on an intelligent combination of synchronous and asynchronous tools:

Videoconferencing for team meetings and exchanges requiring rich interaction
Instant messaging for quick questions and informal communication
Emails for official communications and information to be documented
Collaborative platform for centralizing documents and teamwork
Intranet or corporate social network for corporate communications and knowledge sharing

The challenge is to define clear rules of use for each channel, to avoid information overload and the dispersion of attention.

3. Equipping teams with comprehensive communication kits

For every major project or new corporate challenge, providing teams with ready-to-use communication kits proves particularly effective. At Ouilivewe systematically offer a kitcom for each challenge, to ensure smooth, structured management of its launch.

This kitcom includes :

Customizable presentation templates
Explanatory visuals and infographics
Key messages to relay and FAQs
A suggested communication calendar
Tips for adapting messages to internal audiences

This approach harmonizes messages while giving managers the resources they need to communicate effectively with their teams, even at a distance.

4. Promote transparency and bottom-up communication

In times of uncertainty and physical distance, transparency becomes a fundamental pillar:

Share strategic information regularly to maintain a shared vision
Create safe spaces for employees to express their concerns
Set up regular opinion surveys to take the pulse of teams
Organize question-and-answer sessions with management

These practices help not only to maintain trust, but also to quickly identify weak signals of disengagement or difficulty.

The right communication strategies for successful teleworking project launches.

The launch of new projects or initiatives is a critical moment in the teleworking context, all the more important to ensure good communication between team members.

The use of survey tools can prove essential in gathering everyone's opinions and ensuring that everyone is on the same wavelength. This will increase the group's productivity and efficiency, by ensuring that objectives and tasks are clearly defined.

A specific application can also be useful for coordinating and monitoring the various stages of the project.

A number of best practices can be identified to ensure team buy-in and mobilization:

Create a memorable virtual event

Project kick-offs should be treated as real events, even from a distance:

Personalized invitation and countdown to build anticipation
Dynamic format alternating concise presentations and interaction
Use of real-time visual collaboration tools (virtual whiteboards)
Storytelling to give meaning to the project
Social events integrated into the session

Deploy a complete kitcom for each challenge

Our expertise in preparing and distributing communication kits is a major asset for remote project launches.

These kits enable teams to quickly take ownership of the project and relay it effectively:

Detailed presentation outlining background, objectives and schedule
Prioritized key messages for different internal audiences
FAQ anticipating questions and concerns
Visual aids (logos, banners, email signatures) to create a visual identity for the project
Communication templates for the various stages of the project
Guide to using project-specific tools

These "turnkey" resources make it easier for local managers to take ownership of the project, and they play a crucial role in disseminating information to their teams.

Supporting the post-launch phase

Post-launch follow-up is just as important as the event itself:

Regularly scheduled reminder calls
Share initial successes, however modest, to maintain momentum
Visual milestones showing progress and upcoming deadlines
Celebrating milestones to maintain motivation

Technology for remote internal communication

The boom in teleworking is accompanied by an explosion in technological solutions dedicated to internal communications. Notable trends include :

All-in-one communication platforms

Solutions such as Microsoft Teams, Slack or Google Workspace centralize the various channels of communication, making it easier to switch from one mode of interaction to another and reducing the dispersal of information.

Accessible content creation tools

The democratization of tools such as Canva and Adobe Express means that communications teams can quickly create professional visuals and micro-learning adapted to the digital format, without the need for advanced technical skills.

Asynchronous video solutions

Platforms such as Loom or Vidyard facilitate the sharing of complex information via personalized videos that employees can view at their convenience, combining the advantages of video communication and asynchronicity.

Next-generation intranets

Modern intranets are evolving towards social and mobile platforms, true information and engagement hubs adapted to contemporary digital uses.

Pitfalls to avoid in remote internal communication

Despite the many possibilities offered by digital tools, several pitfalls lie in wait for organizations:

Information overload

The risk of inundating employees with information is particularly high when teleworking, where notifications multiply. How to avoid it:

Clearly prioritize messages according to importance
Consolidate non-urgent information into periodic communications
Respect disconnection periods to preserve work/life balance

An exclusively top-down approach

Top-down communication alone risks creating a feeling of disengagement.

To remedy this :

Regularly solicit feedback from teams
Promoting grassroots initiatives and ideas
Create open, non-hierarchical forums for dialogue

Excessive formalization

By trying too hard to structure remote communication, we risk losing the spontaneity and informality that make human interaction so rich. The challenge is to :

Preserving spaces for informal conversation
Encourage exchanges not directly related to work
Maintain a human and authentic tone in communications

The importance of managers' role in remote communication

Local managers play a pivotal role in the effectiveness of internal teleworking communications.

They are both :

Relay institutional messages, which they contextualize for their teams
Capturing the concerns and difficulties encountered in the field
Collective leaders maintaining team dynamics
Facilitators to help prioritize information and give it meaning

To help them assume this key role, several actions can be implemented:

Training in the specificities of remote management and communication
Turnkey communication kits for each major initiative
Regular sessions for managers to share best practices
Personalized support for complex situations

Towards an internal corporate communication culture adapted to hybrid work.

The future of in-house communication is likely to take shape in a hybrid model, where face-to-face and distance learning will coexist. This evolution calls for the development of an inclusive communications culture that :

Does not favour or penalize any working method
Ensures equal access to information regardless of location
Capitalize on the specific advantages of each interaction modality
Adapts to individual preferences and constraints

Conclusion

Internal communication in the age of teleworking represents both a challenge and an opportunity for organizations to reinvent themselves. By adopting a structured yet flexible approach, relying on adapted tools and providing teams with "turnkey" resources such as kitcoms, companies can not only maintain but reinforce their cohesion and operational efficiency.

Beyond tools and processes, it's the human dimension that remains at the heart of the issues: listening, empathy and authenticity remain the pillars of successful internal communication, whatever the work context.

Organizations that cultivate these qualities while embracing the possibilities offered by new technologies will be best positioned to thrive in this new era of distributed work.

As we collectively navigate these new waters, one thing is certain:

internal communication has never been so important. Indeed, it impacts not only employee motivation, but also retention and satisfaction within the company.

The sharing of documents and information between the various internal players is therefore essential to maintain fluid and transparent communication. In this article, we highlight the importance of internal and external communication in this ever-changing working environment.