Congratulations, we made it.
We made it to December and through a second year of running a business during the pandemic. But while we made it, we also learned. And boy, did we ever learn.
We learned how to adapt and to use private company podcasts to connect with your workforce, a workforce that has taken the brunt of the past two years, a workforce that demanded greater transparency and work-life balance from its leaders.
At FieldCast, we learned how to champion your company’s podcasts and help you improve internal communications and workplace culture. From the day we met, we didn’t hold back, and we shared what makes us different, how you can rely on us, and how our expertise would be the key to launching your successful internal company podcast series.
Before we go rushing into a new year where fresh challenges await, we’d like to take a moment and share what our leaders learned in making FieldCast a leading podcasting company.
1. Companies Embraced Podcasting
No matter the industry, we heard over and over how companies were struggling to find new and exciting ways to connect with their workforce. From the financial industry to healthcare, automotive to technology, travel to government to manufacturing, we stoked the fire of ideas that someone in your company had already started.
“We learned that private podcasting acts as a company-wide glue, giving employees a medium to stay connected to one another,” says Chris Pietrow, Enterprise Business Development Manager at FieldCast.
2. Content That Matters
Capturing your employee’s attention is key. “Everyone is busier than ever, so for a company podcast to be successful, it must include not just nice to know information, but need to know,” says Ted Canova, Chief Content Officer at FieldCast.
3. Content That Excites
When an employee decides to listen to a company podcast, it’s important to balance your business goals with the listener’s sensibility. “We learned the best internal company podcasts don’t just provide valuable information, they’re also interesting and fun to listen to,” says Steve Jarvis, Executive Vice President of Development at FieldCast. “If the content doesn’t include human interest elements and breaks from the business, it’s just not as compelling.”
4. Content That’s Unique
Most companies have an internal marketing plan, a calendar of content they design, produce, and deploy throughout the year to connect with their workforce. But it’s important to not just cut and paste that content and place it in a company podcast. “We learned that having unique content, not just re-hashing content already available in other mediums, builds repeat podcast listeners,” says Steve Knill, Chief Operating Officer at FieldCast.
5. Podcasting Builds Culture
With employees working on site, at home, or hybrid, we saw how internal podcasting brought everyone together. From critical updates from the top or celebrating work of an associate, podcasting connects leadership with every employee through the ranks. “We learned how company podcasts played a role in connecting a company, much like a sports franchise connects with its community, especially for companies with disparate business units located all over the world,” says Pietrow.
6. Podcasting Is Your Authentic Natural Voice
The most successful podcasts are not over scripted, they need authentic and natural voices. “We learned that too much scripting sucks the life out of an otherwise interesting podcast,” says Jarvis. “A podcast needs to be natural for it to create authenticity and intimacy with the listener.”
7. Podcast Content Must Be Private and Secure
Before we started producing podcasts, we developed state-of-the-art technology that was built to withstand some of the most rigorous security review processes. And we didn’t stop there. “We learned how important it is for companies, even those with complex approval processes, to integrate SSO systems so employees could access their company podcasts using their usual company credentials,” says Kevin Rice, Chief Technology Officer at FieldCast.
8. Podcasting Breaks Down Silos
Companies are turning to podcasting to bring down silos that get in the way of collaboration, productivity, and culture. “We learned that internal podcasts are a natural way to open doors for employees by giving them an easy avenue to connect with one another,” says Pietrow.
9. Podcasting Shows ROI
We know the financial cost of hiring and onboarding new employees. We also know how much costlier it is, financially and culturally, when that employee doesn’t work out. “No wonder companies see the value in using their internal podcasts as an efficient and exciting new tool to recruit, retrain, and retain the modern workforce,” adds Canova.
In 2021, much of what we learned was made possible through our spirited collaboration with so many outstanding clients. As we turn the corner to the new year, we have our eyes open to find new and exciting ways to connect with your workforce. Together, we build culture.