When it comes to internal communications, organizations are feeling the effects of the worldwide public health crisis; no more meetings around a table for now. As a result, DLBA is responding to this challenge by using it as an opportunity to bolster our internal communications ecosystem with new digital resources.
In the current situation, a deeper and more flexible platform than traditional conference calling is needed to keep the DLBA staff, Board, Committees and stakeholders connected. We needed to find an online method to combine video conferencing, online meetings, chat and mobile collaboration.
Joining thousands of other businesses and organizations striving for face to face interaction while working remotely, administration staff enlisted the help of the communications app Zoom, enabling regularly scheduled department and committee meetings to proceed without missing a beat. All participants can be seen at once during virtual meetings: Think “Hollywood Squares” or “The Brady Bunch.”
“With Zoom, we can be more flexible with everyone’s schedules,” said DLBA Executive Assistant Cherisse Evans. “We’re just scratching the surface with teleconferencing, and as we use it more I’m sure we’ll find other functionalities to implement.”
Virtual meetings etiquette takes some getting used to: for instance, using the “hand raise” function, a tool designed to prevent people from talking over each other; or muting oneself while speaking to family members or pets. “We have quickly laid out the basic procedures for the entire DLBA team so everyone can get involved,” said Evans.
DLBA is also in the process of implementing a well-designed and intuitive app that makes project organization and related communications very simple whether working remotely or in an office. It is particularly helpful for team projects involving different departments looking to reduce redundancy in communication.
There is a plethora of new internal communications apps available these days. These platforms are providing options for organizations to proceed with business as usual in a time when unusual is the order of the day. As we move forward, DLBA will continue to explore new ways to stay connected internally and externally.