Digital technology is changing our lives in infinite ways, and one of the most obvious of these is the way that we communicate with each other. Gone are the days of popping round to someone’s house unexpectedly or even making a telephone call – now we much prefer to message, email, video call, or connect via social media. Naturally, this has extended beyond our personal lives to the office, and these days digital communication at work is at the least advantageous and at the most essential. It’s not just for remote workers either – even in-house staff can reap the benefits. Here’s why.
What is digital communication?
Digital communication is any form of communication that takes place online. This ranges from social media apps such as Instagram and Twitter to email and instant messaging. These days there are also a wide variety of digital communication tools aimed specifically at facilitating work communication. From online collaboration on documents to virtual project management, if this is an area that you haven’t explored before, you might be pleasantly surprised by the technology on offer. See mattermost.com to find out more about what’s available.
What are the advantages of digital communication in the workplace?
There are a whole wealth of advantages to be gained from using digital communication at work. Firstly it enables your staff to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently by improving collaboration and communication between employees. For instance, you can use Google Docs or Microsoft 365 to work together in real-time in a more efficient way than trying to share one desk and computer or use instant messaging services to get information from one another quickly. Virtual project management tools such as Trello also allow people to instantly see what stage a particular project is at and what is next on the agenda.
Another great advantage of digital communication is bringing together employees from different locations and time zones, who might otherwise never get the chance to speak to each other directly. If you have remote workers in your company, it’s crucial to ensure that they feel like part of the team and enjoy the same level of employee experience as those in the physical office.
Digital communication is also ideal for making your staff feel more comfortable at work. For example, many people who are shy find it difficult to speak up in meetings or are reluctant to pick up the phone or disturb someone at their desk. By making digital communication available, you can allow people to make contact with others in whatever manner they feel most at ease with. This, in turn, enables them to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.
In addition, these days, digital communication is one of the best ways to engage with your customers. Social media and email marketing are efficient at generating leads and boosting interaction with your brand and also enable you to showcase your company’s unique personality in a more personal manner. All of which is more likely to lead to a sale and/or higher customer loyalty.
