10 easy ideas for your next company podcast

One of the biggest challenges for frontline and deskless workforces is finding internal communication channels that have the flexibility and accessibility that their employees need.

Poor workplace communication negatively affects employee engagement and business outcomes, leading to inefficiencies, errors, and attrition. Studies found that US companies lose $1.2 trillion annually due to ineffective workplace communications.

To address this, companies are turning to podcasts and audio communications as more effective ways to engage employees and reduce miscommunication across teams.

Creating audio content may seem intimidating, but it’s one of the best ways to get the message out on-demand and in real-time through an easily accessible medium.

Think of it as simply having a conversation with your team — the only difference is that it’s recorded and available to all, regardless of varying schedules, time zones, work shifts, etc.

Storyboard’s latest webinar, “Listen up: using podcasts to improve employee engagement,” features CEO and Founder, JP Gooderham, audio journalist and Executive Producer of “The Daily”, Theo Balcomb, and Psychologist & Executive Coach, Jake Tuber.

In this exclusive feature, these audio experts discuss why more companies are using podcasts to engage employees and reduce miscommunication at work, how internal stakeholders can launch a podcast successfully, and the best formats to kickstart the process.

 

Click here to access the webinar.

If you are struggling to find an easy way to share on-demand content with your company or team, it’s time to podcast.

Continue reading for 10 ideas that will help you launch your company podcast with ease, along with some of the biggest takeaways from the webinar.

An easy lift for any team

Quick team updates

Your frontline teams are highly distributed, with varying schedules and work shifts. Getting everyone together for a team meeting likely takes a lot of time and effort, with no guarantees that everyone will attend or receive the information that they need.

That’s why a podcast episode on an audio communications platform like Storyboard is the perfect way to deliver updates that can reach everyone, regardless of location or availability. Your employees can log in when it best suits their schedules, and easily engage with team discussions in the comments section of the episode.

They can even leave ratings and feedback that will help improve future content initiatives. Storyboard makes it easier than ever to stay connected with your team asynchronously, no matter how or where they work.

Audio communications

Whether it’s an important update for a safety procedure or a big win for your sales team, recording a voice memo and sharing it with your team is one of the most impactful and authentic ways to spread the news.

Audio communications can be as short as just a few minutes, or even up to an hour if you are discussing something impactful at length. The beauty of audio comms is that you can customize it however you need to best fit your and your team’s needs.

This form of internal comms is also incredibly authentic and gives listeners a chance to really hear your message, rather than just glancing over another text-heavy email or document.

Align and enhance

Ready to level up and bring your team together?

Here are three easy topic ideas to consider for audio comms as an alternative or supplement to your existing channels.

In-progress projects

This simple interview format highlights the work of different individuals across a company or team. Each episode can include a simple question and answer session, where the host asks what the employee is working on and an update on in-progress projects.

This style of podcasting humanizes co-workers across an organization. It’s quick, informative, and doesn’t require a formal script or post-production. It’s as easy as having a conversation with someone on the team and sharing the snippet with others who can benefit from it.

Get to know your C-suite

Want to highlight your higher-ups? Consider a series of interviews with members of the C-suite. These interviews may require a script and some prep for both the host and interviewee, but you don’t need fancy equipment or much editing.

C-suite features connect employees with leadership that they may not have access to otherwise and give teams a better sense of the company’s mission and initiatives.

Expert interviews

Time to take a deep dive! This educational interview-style features experts within your company, such as the head of the sales department or a specialty vendor that serves your organization.

Ask your guest speaker to highlight topics such as industry best practices and their personal experience in the field. This format is great for helping your employees gain valuable insights from someone who is successful in their workforce.

Whether it’s someone within your organization or an outsourced expert in your industry, conducting interviews is as simple as setting up a video call and hitting record.

Develop talent

Are you looking for on-the-go learning opportunities for your employees?

Storyboard’s CEO, JP Gooderham, calls these podcasts “on-the-spot” developments. In a nutshell, these are learning-on-demand or one-directional tutorials that you can easily share with your team.

Coaching conversations

Did your team have a major win this week? Did you discover new on-the-job learning opportunities that could benefit your employees?

These are both great opportunities to hit record and share your insights.

A coaching conversation-style podcast might just be a few minutes of audio, but it’s a powerful way to share helpful takeaways with your team. Think of it as an off-the-cuff learning opportunity where you share what went well or what other employees could learn from your experience.

Learning lab

If you’re consistently sending out the same tutorial or instructions to your team, it might be time to take that information and create an evergreen, accessible podcast episode.

Creating this style of on-demand content makes it easy for team members to absorb new protocols or information without sitting through another meeting or sifting through a lengthy PDF.

This format in particular applies perfectly for safety and compliance, JP Gooderham explains in the webinar.

Build community

Podcasts are one of the best ways to build comradery within a distributed workforce.

The right episode format can foster team building and can help engage co-workers in conversations regardless of whether they are on the same shift or in the same location.

The water cooler

Private podcasting allows employees to engage in casual chats without being location-bound.

A great way to create water cooler conversations is to ask listeners to leave questions, tag each other, and engage in discussions in the comment sections of your episodes. This can all be done within the Storyboard app. Our two-way communication tools create a back-and-forth experience and directly involve listeners in the conversation by making it easy for them to contribute their ideas and insights.

Collective oral history

Ready to level up your storytelling skills? Think of this podcast idea as a superhero origin story — but for your organization.

Keep in mind that this may be a higher-production podcast and could include multiple interviews with founders and stakeholders. By diving behind the scenes and sharing the backstory that brought the organization into being, you create transparency and educate your teams on the company’s past and future goals.

The company show

Go big or go home with a digital, conference-style podcast!

Consider this as a high-end, private event for your team. This style may include everything from high-production interviews and performances to audio highlight reels that celebrate your company’s accomplishments. You can really make this show your own and customize it to what your employees enjoy listening to.

A company show is your chance to bring frontline teams together and truly showcase that they are part of something special.

Start your company’s internal podcast today

More companies are using podcasts to fill communication gaps at work, promote their mission internally, and engage employees. Storyboard makes it easy for companies to record and share internal podcasts in a secure and engaging way.

We’ve included just a small sample of what you and your team can do with private podcasting and audio communications. Now is the time to get started and try it out for yourself.

Click here to learn more about how Storyboard can take your team’s communication and collaboration to the next level.