Intelligent SME.tech Issue 22 | Page 41

intelligent

// FEATURE //

Is your employee communication strategy

KEEPING UP WITH GLOBAL TRENDS ?

Effective communication drives a productive and loyal workforce and lies at the heart of any business ; creating trust amongst employees . Caroline van der Merwe , COO of SmartWage – an innovative HR and communications technology company – tells us more about how communication is key with a workforce and achieving this in the South African context requires employers to bridge the digital divide .
HE HUMAN NEED to

T communicate is as old as time . The first printing press – which introduced the era of mass communication – and status updates on Facebook , while hundreds of years apart , both have one thing in common – they demonstrate our desire to connect with one another through communication .

Recently , we ’ ve been bombarded with events that have put a spotlight on the desperate need for clear communication between employees and management .
KwaZulu-Natal ’ s devastating floods , the pandemic , load-shedding and the July riots all disrupted work schedules and business owners quickly realised the importance of effective employee communication .
Being able to check on the well-being of employees , to let them know that a factory had been closed due to a COVID-19 outbreak or to hear from staff who couldn ’ t get to work during riots or flooding was critical .
The problem , though , was that most employers weren ’ t able to effectively communicate with those most affected .
The problems South Africans are facing with effective communication
An effective communication strategy lies at the heart of any business ; it is the key
Caroline van der Merwe , COO of SmartWage
Intelligent SME . tech
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