Workplace Communication
What is Workplace Communication?
Workplace communication refers to the internal conversations that employees have with each other in order to share information, ideas and knowledge. Workplace communication happens daily and using many different mediums, including face-to-face conversations, voice calls, e-mail, and other electronic messaging and meeting apps.
What Are the Compliance Risks of Workplace Communication?
Companies in certain industries such as financial services, securities trading, healthcare, insurance, and more are required to adhere to a number of regulations surrounding workplace communication, including the capturing and archiving of internal employee communications that are business-related.
As hybrid work environments have become more popular, it has become increasingly complex for companies to manage employees’ communication with each other, especially when they start using their own personal devices.
Some of the main risks that companies come up against when it comes to workplace communication include:
- Difficulty producing records when needed – part of the requirements for maintaining records of workplace communications include being able to produce relevant recordings or copies of messages when requested by auditors or regulators. If companies are not properly tracking and storing workplace communications among employees on all channels, they can run into challenges should they be required to present the data.
- Constant additions of new modes of communications – new communication platforms crop up faster than companies are able to put policies in place regarding their use. In addition, as new features are added to platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, there may not be methods in place to capture information generated via those features. For example, virtual whiteboards used during Zoom meetings fall under the US Financial Industry Regulation Authority’s requirements of types of workplace communications that must be captured and archived.
- Context challenges – conversations that take place over messaging apps can be difficult to follow, especially as there may be significant time lags between messages and other, irrelevant to the business conversations, may also be part of the same message thread.
How to Ensure Workplace Communication Compliance
Employees may expect and be used to the fact that communications with clients are monitored and required to comply with legal regulations, but they may be more lax with internal communications with colleagues. This is a mistake, as these communications are also bound by the same laws and regulations and could get the company in trouble if those rules are breached.
Companies must have clear policies in place that outline exactly what the compliance requirements are when it comes to workplace communication. These policies must also be explained to employees and regular training sessions should be provided, especially as new hires join the company.
Once the policy is created, the next step is implementation which is made much simpler with the use of technological tools. Our platform enables companies to capture e both internal and external communications across all platforms. An automated system ensures that no messages fall through the cracks and that companies remain in full compliance even as regulations are updated and change.