Cutting the noise – Blue Prism shares their experience at the recent Simply Conference

Emails, calls, texts, newsletters, notifications, WhatsApps, bulletins, digital signage, posters…dealing with the sheer amount of communications received at work can often feel like a full-time job. 

For many employees, this overload can make it difficult to sift through what is really relevant and what is just ‘noise’. The consequences of this communication overload are numerous, but ultimately it can mean that employees may struggle to have a clear view of how their role contributes to overall business objectives – which can be very demotivating and can also result in important communications and actions being missed.

At the recent Simply IC conference, I spoke with Brian Lall, Head of Creative Communications at Blue Prism, who shared how their use of the Firstup platform to deliver their company-wide BluePrism News Network (BNN) has been integral in tackling these overload issues. 

Prior to the launch of BNN, the company found that just 25% of communications being delivered were relevant to those receiving it, with the rest either being “saved for later” or “if I have time” and, worst of all, simply “noise” – such as the dreaded ‘reply all’ messages. 

This “email storm”, as Brian described it, meant that important communications were being lost.

The objective of the BNN portal was to streamline communications and deliver materials in a way that worked for the employee – meeting them where they are. Based on the premise of taking just 5 minutes a day, BNN has become a one-stop shop where employees can access all news – allowing them the additional option to personalize their news feed with stories that are relevant to them. 

Since the introduction of BNN, Blue Prism has reported a huge boost in employee engagement levels, and interestingly, social advocacy. Because employees are more informed about what Blue Prism is doing, and how their role contributes to that, coupled with the ability to easily share stories from BNN to their own social channels, it has driven a much higher rate of brand advocacy from employees themselves, which of course in itself is hugely valuable to any organization. 

It’s also no secret that higher levels of personalization results in higher levels of engagement, and when these communications can then be delivered to the employee at a time and place that works for them, it becomes even more valuable – not to mention freeing up time that was previously spent searching through emails! 

When communicating with a diverse range of people, a one size fits all approach rarely fits anyone, and it is essential that business leaders take the time to consider what their end-users need, and how to deliver them the right content in a way that works for them.

After all, engaged employees perform better, stay longer, and keep customers happier – all of which are good for the bottom line.

Alex McCall is EMEA Account Director at Firstup