Leveraging Alternative Communication Channels at Workplace

In this day and age of social media, where communication is as instant as making noodles, we are at a threshold of a paradigm shift in the way we convey our messages to the world. At the workplace, the way we leverage communication channels has also undergone a substantial change.

While there was a great emphasis on using notice boards and then email traditionally, the world is witnessing an increasing trend of adapting to alternate ways to cascade information. Established social media platforms paved the way for other channels constricted within the workplace, to emulate the formats and customize it for a specific audience. Microsoft-enabled channels such as #Yammer, have played an integral role in ensuring the same level of comfort that users experience on existing platforms such as #facebook. But how do we manage to make our posts more effective? How do we ensure that our posts can stand out from the clutter? Here are a few pointers that were effective in my experience:

Tag-Lists:

• Make a ‘tag list’: Posts become more effective when the relevant individuals are tagged. However, when there are multiple users involved (say, a group of organizers for an event), it is not always easy to remember all the names every time and one may end up missing someone or the other. Hence, it is always good to keep a list of names handy and toggle between windows. Since you only need the names to tag them on Yammer, you won’t need elaborate details. It would allow you to focus only on tagging without having to worry about missing out on people.
• Customize ‘tag list’ (if needed): Tag lists are great if you have the same names to be tagged. If you would like to change the names every time with each post, then suggest making a list of names first and then starting with your post.
• Time your tags: Tag names at last, once you are through with the whole content of the post and adding the images etc. It tagging goes in vain if the connection times or the page is not uploaded properly (speaking from experience – it has happened all too often with me).

Hashtags:

• Use #: Always handy to create hashtags. It is not only easier for you to search for the posts, but also builds recall value, since the hashtag is short and usually encompasses the theme of the post.
• Repeat hashtags: Keep a central hashtag (overarching one) and repeat them until takes notice and people begin to use it. If you have a large team or group of organizers, then all can use the same hashtags in their respective posts – it helps the tag to trend further.

Images:

• Use images: Always a good idea to add an image to your post. That not only makes the post more attractive and visible to others, but also acts as a separator from the previous ones.
• Use GIF images in comments: You would have seen some comments on posts that are only GIF images. The reason to use those is because the short movement of the images helps to attract viewers who are just scrolling the posts. Since Yammer is a personal, collaborative tool, it allows people to use GIF images. However, would suggest exercising discretion while using them, since too many can be off-putting.
• Ideal usage of a maximum of 2 GIF images as comments (not consecutively though).

What has been your experience with Yammer? What do you do to make your posts more effective on the tool?

*The opinion expressed in the article are of the author alone and does not represent the views of the organization that she belongs to.*