Hybrid Work: We are ALL Communicators

One of the biggest shifts for communicators in adopting hybrid work is embracing the concept that everyone is a communicator and our job as pros is to help enable better communications throughout our organization.To those of you who have decided that you are not a communicator or that this is an insurmountable task, we respond with, “Yes you are and no it is not.” The better response is, “Yes you are because it’s in your professional interest to be if you want to be ahead of the curve over the next 10 years.”I hope that you are fortunate enough to be working for an organization that places value on professional communicators and public relations professionals. Pros are invaluable. Yet, current communications processes don't scale their value in a hybrid workplace where effective communication is a critical capability required for success.A communications team not only constructs public messaging, responds to critical feedback, and drives the marketing and engagement strategies of the organization; they also guide the communication efforts of all employees. A good communications office will inform, advise, coach, and enable all employees in the organization to become more effective communicators.Why? Because every person in your organization must communicate professionally with somebody else. It could be with customers, clients, community partners, consultants, contractors, or just colleagues. Ineffective communicators at any level of the organization struggle to climb the career ladder and worse could damage the reputation of the organization.Not every person has to communicate at the same level as professional communicators, but every person must approach effective communication as an essential job requirement.Improving Organizational CommunicationsYour abilities and competence as a communicator will get you halfway there. Self-awareness prevents you from saying something you regret or delivering a message in an ineffective manner.Additionally, the professional communicators should be leading professional development sessions with all staff to improve interpersonal communications and build confidence as communicators. This is critical to enabling successful hybrid work. Communications pros should guide a variety of skills and requirements. For instance, all employees should receive basic interpersonal communication training. Leaders, on the other hand, may require additional training in creating Soundbites.Scaling Yourself During CrisisAt all times, but particularly during an emergency or crisis, the ability of all employees to communicate effectively is essential. Every employee has a role to play during a crisis and communication is a core pillar for an effective response.During a crisis, all employees and stakeholders must have the same accurate message. Talking points and briefing documents are very effective tools for this purpose. This way, anybody engaging with a stakeholder has the right information to communicate. Communication with all stakeholders during a crisis is too big a job for any communications office. They will require the support of many other folks from a variety of roles. You can enhance your value to the organization by improving your skills as a communicator. Furthermore, these new and improved skills will help you during team meetings and in future interviews when the next promotional opportunity comes along.ConclusionCommunication is most definitely your job. It does not matter if you are a CEO, customer service representative, frontline worker, accountant, or public relations manager – you are a communicator.To enhance your value to the organization, your interpersonal skills must be up to par.