Since we work more from home and office, the use of online internal communities has only increased. Where does this come from and what opportunities (and necessity) does this offer for internal community management? And what is the role of an internal community manager?
Communities are places where people find each other and where ideas, needs, experiences and knowledge are shared. ‘Together you achieve more’ is the advocated strength. They exist to create meaningful relationships, where a sense of belonging is central. Likewise online and within organizations.
Increase of communities
Since we work more remotely from each other, we see that the use of both (internal) chat apps and internal online groups or communities has increased. and that the added value of online communities has only broadened. This is not surprising, of course, because if the shared workplace expires, how do you still conduct the strategic dialogue? Where do colleagues find each other around overarching themes such as vitality and safety? And what makes employees feel connected to the organization when they cannot physically experience it? Correct. Through active online internal communities.
So there is a growing need from employees for online contact. But despite that, we see surprisingly that internal community management is less and less often formally designed. That is a problem, according to recent research. that shows that in the absence of community management there is 94% less activity and involvement in communities. while we know that precisely that activity is indispensable. In this way, with the help of online objectives, you can get in line and achieve connection.
The value of connection
Precisely with the aim of getting on line and achieving connection, we have seen an increase in the number of clients we can help with the (further)development of internal platforms over the past two years. Especially to secure and strengthen the connection with the organization, the work and each other. That sounds great, but what do we actually mean by it?
- Connection with the organization concerns employees’ relationship to the organization and its strategic direction.
- Connection with the work concerns employees’ relationship with the contribution and impact that they and their teams achieve through their work.
- Connection with each other concerns the relationships between employees themselves.
Where does the stronger focus on connection suddenly come from? On the one hand, we notice that many organizations experience less ‘grip’ since we work more remotely. On the other hand, employees are also increasingly feeling ‘lost’. This not only leads to lower quality internal networks for organizations and employees. But this also leads to less: cooperation, effectiveness due to lack of synergy, togetherness, direction, sense of security,trust, happiness at work and impact for development and innovation (including Gallup).
Since we work more remotely, organizations experience the need to actively bring colleagues together. But they seem to be unanimously frolicking with the ‘ how-to question.’ A solution to create connectedness in a hybrid situation is the strategic deployment of internal communities. these communities are a powerful means of establishing (impactful) interactions.
Fragmentation of platforms
Given the previously described growing popularity of internal communities, employees also see this. For the realization of connection with the organization, the work and each other, it is only not convenient if everyone starts their own community in their own place. We see that many organizations today struggle with a fragmented landscape of internal platforms. Research shows that within most organizations there are even more than three platforms to connect employees (Evolve, benchmark internal Digital media, 2018). Often these are initiatives initiated by the organization. Think of an intranet or Microsoft 365 in combination with so – called gated communities in WhatsApp, Slack, LinkedIn and Facebook groups.
On one hand, there is the growth of communities. On the other, there is the fragmentation of platforms and little attention to community management. As a result, there is hardly any insight and overview of what is happening in the communities. And to what extent a contribution to the intended goals is realized on connectedness.
A safe environment for open interactions
In addition, a community manager not only ensures connection, but also security. Not all employees enjoy communicating, sharing knowledge and working together when all colleagues can watch, Judge and sometimes even condemn. Peter Haan also wrote about this in his blog ‘Gated communities – when everything happens in private communities on different platforms’.
But no matter how safe such a gated community feels, it contributes less to the overall sense of belonging in the organization, because it reaches a relatively small group. And we know that the more employees post and respond to each other and the larger the group that reads this, the more connection is created. The community manager can ensure and promote the feeling of security among employees in order to freely engage in conversation with each other and share stories and ideas even in open groups.
Internal community managers as a connecting factor
Internal communities can provide a solution to the issue of connectedness in a hybrid situation. But only if there is also a community manager to guide the community. However, it is necessary for the traditional community manager to act as a more strategic connector. Someone who not only takes care of the development within communities, but creates relevant connections within, between and across communities. A role that monitors the connection at different levels and thus brings the added value of internal communities to practice.
What do you do in this role?
- You internalize the organization’s direction and know which players within the organization are indispensable for bringing that direction to life digitally and ensuring the strategy takes root.
- You monitor and oversee initiatives for building (gated) communities across various channels and ensure synergy where needed.
- You bring people together through communities across departmental and project boundaries, thereby contributing to the organization’s effectiveness.
- You encourage employees to participate in communities and dialogues that are relevant to them. Think of engaging new employees during onboarding or raising awareness on the work floor through a community about “hybrid working.”
- You moderate behavior and content based on prerequisites (style, tone, etc.) as well as their contribution to goals (themes, participants).
- You identify opportunities within existing or new communities for various employee groups and act proactively to capitalize on those opportunities.
- You distribute content across multiple channels when you see added value.
- You ensure a safe environment and experience for employees, where openness, togetherness, and mutual respect are central.
As we become more remote, the need for a community manager that connects employees with each other and the organization increases. Someone who has the overview in a fragmented landscape of internal platforms and brings people and conversations together. And someone who creates a safe environment for employees to openly dialogue with each other.
Want to know more?
Do you find this blog interesting and would you like to talk about it? Do you see a digital coffee with internal communitiesand strategic community management as a topic of conversation? Please contact Anouk at Anouk@evolve.eu or call 06 57 58 83 63.
This blog previously appeared on Frankwatching.