When you want to improve employee communication with stronger communication tools, it's time to look at ways to prioritize communication. 2018 is going to be the year your company grows, and you have to prepare your HR department with the tools necessary to meet the growing demands on their time. When your HR department is able to complete effective communication, time is saved. Employees can ask questions, request time off, or receive their work schedules through text messaging, emails and phone calls. When you want 2018 to be the year your company improves communication, it's time to listen, pay attention, and take advantage of technology.

Make Scheduling Easier

If your HR department is responsible for scheduling a large number of employees into various shifts, you can make scheduling easier. If you have an employee who needs to call out at the last minute, this can be done through text message marketing. When you have a shift that you need to fill at the last minute, a quick blast out to all of your employees will get the shift filled fast. You won't have to waste time calling each employee when you can send out a text message instead.

Make Meetings Run More Smoothly

When your HR department is setting up trainings or open enrollment meetings, preparation can make everything go more smoothly. Text messages are opened 98% of the time, and it is the most efficient way to get information to your employees. To maximize the effectiveness of a training, you can send out material to your employees to review before the meeting occurs. In order to keep your employees focused and make the job of your HR department easier, send out relevant texts before the meeting to keep everyone up to date with information.

Improve the Speed of Onboarding New Employees

Recruiting efforts can be made easier for HR, as well as onboarding new employees in 2018. When your HR department can receive and send text messages to potential recruits, gathering information to complete applications is easy. For new employees, managing new hire paperwork can be done through text messaging to allow for a faster, more efficient onboarding process.

Stay Organized and Keep Employees Safe

If you want to close for the day because of unsafe road conditions, let all of your employees know within minutes through SMS. When you send out a group message, you will keep everyone informed of the news to stay home. You will be organized, and each employee will know to stay at home and remain safe. Text messaging saves time and reaches everyone fast.

Open Up Lines of Communication

A company can only be as strong as the employees it hires. The leaders in your company need to have various ways to listen to employees. When two-way communication is allowed between workers, HR and administration, the lines of communication get stronger. Employees are able to voice concerns, while the HR department can send out surveys to ask for feedback. When in person meetings aren't possible, phone calls, SMS, video conferencing and emails will all increase communication.

When you are ready to revolutionize how your HR department communicates in 2018, consider the technology available. Your employees are already using text messaging for their personal communications, and the ability to text with work is the next logical step. Phone calls are easier on mobile devices, and employees with mobile email can answer questions even when out in the field.

About the Author

Ken Rhie is the CEO of Trumpia, which earned a reputation as the most complete SMS solution including user-friendly user interface and API for mobile engagement, Smart Targeting, advanced automation, enterprise, and cross-channel features for both mass texting and landline texting use cases. Mr. Rhie holds an MBA degree from Harvard Business School. He has over 30 years of experience in the software, internet, and mobile communications industries.