Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so it got us thinking – what would Eximia love to see in the share plan world this year?
So, here are our top five things we hope 2021 brings us.
1. Greater focus on diversity and inclusion
More companies are taking bolder steps to boost inclusivity – which is great news. Share plans are a fantastic way to support this, celebrating equity and inclusion by providing a tangible solution to bring all employees together behind a common goal. However, more can be done to put those most in need at the heart of everything you communicate. For example, making sure every video is subtitled means anyone hard of hearing or cannot watch with volume can still enjoy the content. Also, if you have a global audience, make sure you create multiple versions subtitled in different languages.
2. Shine a spotlight on the ‘big picture’
Employee share plans are not just a financial incentive – they should be more than that. They’re a great way for employees to get behind a company’s bigger picture, where they not only want to learn more about its vision and long-term strategy, but help shape it for the future. That’s why we want to see more businesses thinking beyond functional communications, and embrace storytelling to explain where the company is heading and keep the conversation flowing in a consistent way.
3. Less jargon, more human
Share plan experts can be guilty of assuming everyone knows terms like ‘vesting’ and ‘dividend’ – but many people don’t. To ensure your campaigns are inclusive and accessible for all, it’s vital we do what we can to be jargon-busters, simplifying the complex in a language everyone understands. Yes, sometimes there’s no way around using a technical term, but there’s nothing stopping us providing clear and concise definitions too.
4. Regular bite-sized comms
In and out of work, we’re bombarded with ever more information, so people have less time to absorb what you’re sending. That’s why we need to deliver our messages in the snappiest format, whether that’s turning a lengthy document into an infographic or short video, or not using three words when one will do. A takeaway tip from us is, open a document you’re currently working on and identify every ‘that’; now read the sentences without using the word – when a sentence still makes sense, remove it. To find out about more padding words you should avoid, check out this video.
5. Listen more
Even though it’s an important indicator, success shouldn’t be measured on take-up alone. When reviewing your campaign, find ways to test your audience – including surveys, focus groups, one-to-one interviews or looking at the data behind the communications – and focus on topics like awareness, understanding and appreciation. This will help build on successes, find new opportunities to improve and evolve your campaigns so they’re right for your audience.
If you’d love to refresh your approach to communicating employee share plans, Eximia can create tailor made campaigns that inspire conversations and drive greater engagement for your business. Get in touch today so we can explore your current challenges and how we could help.
