September 4, 2007

Use print to reach a diverse workforce

Labor Day is a great time to think about employee demographics and how to best reach and engage your organization’s workforce. A common challenge communicators face is that employees are spread out in various locations and have different needs and preferences. While it’s unwise to take a one-size-fits-all approach, print publications are an effective tool for communicating to a diverse workforce. Here are some considerations for using print to support your organization’s demographics:

Workgroup	Why print works for this demographic
Manufacturing	Individuals spend the majority of their time on the factory floor and have little or  no access to electronic communication. As a result, most rely on print publications (located in break rooms or literature racks) to stay informed.
Customer Service	Similar to manufacturing employees, customer service reps have limited time for reading internal e-mail announcements or exploring the intranet during working hours.
Remote workers	Individuals, such as flight attendants and repair/service personnel, don’t have a designated office space. As a result, they rely on hard-copy materials sent to their homes to stay informed.
Sales	Many sales reps consider their car as their workplace. Similar to remote workers, sales reps value print because of its portability.
IT	Your IT team is overloaded with communication (e-mail, voicemail, etc.). Print publications cut through the clutter and create interest.

To learn more about the history of Labor Day and workforce demographics, check out the following resources:

• Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means
• Labor Day facts from the U.S. Census Bureau
  How many people are in the U.S. labor force? What do they earn? What are their benefits?
• National Association of Manufacturers’ (NAM) 10th Annual Labor Day Report
  Get a snapshot of the economy with an emphasis on manufacturing and workers.