In this episode, Juergen Berkessel discusses the benefits and strategies of private podcasting for internal business communications. He explains how personalized, on-demand podcasts can enhance engagement and create a more interactive workplace. Technologies such as Slack and Discord are highlighted as effective tools for making internal podcasts more engaging and for promoting cross-team collaboration. Juergen emphasizes the importance of shifting from one-directional communication to a more inclusive and interactive format to maintain employee interest and participation.

https://podcastingresourcesguide.com/private-podcasts/

Episode Contents

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:54:00 - Understanding Private Podcasting

02:51:00 - Personal Experiences and Concerns

04:57:00 - Challenges of One-Directional Podcasting

06:32:00 - Innovative Solutions for Engagement

08:13:00 - Leveraging Discussion Platforms for Internal Podcasts

Topics Discussed

1. Private podcasts are a strategic asset for internal engagement, but content must be engaging.
2. Interactive elements and discussion platforms can transform private podcasting into a dynamic tool.
3. Fostering a sense of community around private podcasts enhances internal culture and collaboration.
4. Explore private podcasting for internal engagement and culture building in organizations.
5. Unlock internal communication with private podcasting and interactive engagement.
6. Dive into private podcasting as a tool for employee connection and feedback.

Welcome to the Podcast resources guide, where we dive deep into the intricacies of podcasting and explore innovative ways to enhance communication and engagement through this versatile medium. Today's episode is inspired by an insightful article from The Globe and Mail penned by Amanda Cupido, which discusses the emerging trend of private podcasting within businesses to boost engagement. I'm your host, Polly. And joining us again today is Juergen Berkessel, founder of Polymash, a digital strategy and podcasting expert. Juergen, it's great to have you here.

Thank you, Polly. I'm excited to discuss how podcasting is evolving within the corporate world as well as within much smaller organizations and nonprofits.

Let's start at the beginning. Juergen, could you explain to our listeners what private podcasting is and why it's becoming important for businesses today?

Absolutely. Private podcasting involves creating podcast content that is accessible only to specific groups such as employees within a company. This method is increasingly popular because it offers a direct and personal way to communicate complex information across an organisation. Private podcasts can address various internal needs from training and development to communications and culture building. They provide a platform for leaders to share insights and for teams to receive updates from team members in a more engaging way than traditional emails or newsletters. In terms of importance, private podcasting taps into the growing trend of personalized and on demand content. Employees today expect more from internal communications. They wanted to be engaging, informative, and accessible on their terms.

Podcasts meet these expectations by delivering content that employees can listen to at their convenience, whether they're working from home, commuting, or taking a break. Some cynics might view these initiatives are designed to get employees to do more work outside of regular working hours, but that's not really what it's all about. Moreover, this format allows for storytelling, which is a powerful way to connect with and inspire employees. Through podcasts, leaders often want to share successes, challenges, and visions in a more intimate and relatable manner. But often, there are also missed opportunities for bidirectional engagement between the leadership and employees that are often going unused and untapped with internal podcasts. We want to talk more about that later as well.

You've had experiences in both large and small organizations. How have you seen communication practices differ in these environments?

My experiences have really highlighted the diversity in communication practices across different organizational sizes. In larger organizations, such as the bank where I previously worked, the communication style was definitively top down. Leaders would disseminate information through formal channels, expecting employees to passively receive and act upon it. This approach often felt impersonal and disengaging leaving little room for employee feedback or interaction. One of our biggest challenges was often that we were a multinational organization and none of the teams really knew what everyone else was working on or how they were approaching their work. Contrast this with working for smaller organizations, non profits or start ups where communication tends to be more dynamic and interactive. In these settings I observed a more horizontal approach where ideas flow freely between team members at all levels. This not only encourages innovation but also builds a sense of community and belonging among employees.

It's evident that when employees feel they can contribute their ideas and have a voice in the conversation, Engagement levels are naturally higher. These observations have shaped my view on internal podcasting. Of course, you know, this is just my opinion, but for me it is about creating an internal culture, I believe that anyone who launches an internal podcast does so with the best intentions. While it's a valuable tool for disseminating information, it's critical that it not replicate the one directional, top down communication model. Instead, I feel we should strive to create a more interactive and inclusive environment. This can be achieved by incorporating features that allow for two way communication such as inviting employee feedback, questions, or even content contributions to the Podcast.

What are some specific challenges that organizations might face with 1 directional podcasting?

One major challenge is maintaining audience interest and engagement over time. If listeners feel they're just being talked at rather than being part of a conversation, their interest can wane. Another challenge is the potential for important feedback loops to be missed. In a one directional system, leadership might continue to push content that doesn't resonate with or even reaches the staff effectively. This disconnect can lead to disengagement and a sense of isolation among employees. Additionally, without feedback it's difficult for organisations to measure the impact of their communications effectively. Are the messages being understood? Are they influencing employee behaviour in the intended way? Without engagement metrics or feedback channels? These questions remain unanswered making it challenging to optimize content and delivery strategies. To overcome these challenges, organizations need to think creatively about how to transform their internal podcasts into more interactive platforms and that's a bit of a challenge.

Podcasts, by nature, are sort of private listening experiences not built around conversations that include the listener. This involves not just sharing information, but also listening to employee input. Technologies that facilitate real time feedback during or after podcast episodes can be incredibly valuable in achieving this goal.

Considering these challenges, what innovative solutions can be implemented to make internal podcasts more interactive and engaging?

There are several strategies that can breathe life into internal podcasts. One effective but old school approach is integrating interactive tools like surveys or digital forms where employees can submit their feedback and questions immediately after listening to an episode. But it's much better to allow for audio based feedback using audio feedback forms. Another strategy is to feature regular segments where employee questions are answered or where employees are invited to contribute their stories or ideas. This not only makes the content more relatable but also builds a community feeling by showcasing diverse voices within the organization. For instance, incorporating a segment called Ask the CEO could help demystify the leadership and make them more accessible to employees. Similarly, featuring success stories or challenges that employees face can help in building a more connected and empathetic workplace. Such formats encourage active participation and make employees feel like they are a crucial part of the organisation s narrative.

Moreover, leveraging technology to enable live interactions during podcast broadcasts can significantly enhance the interactive active can transform a passive listening experience into an active engagement opportunity.

Moving forward, let's discuss the practical technologies that smaller organizations, start ups, and nonprofits can utilize to enhance their internal podcasting efforts. Juergen, you've suggested platforms like Discord and Slack. Can you expand on how these can be beneficial?

Definitely, Polly. For smaller entities where resources might be more limited, platforms like Slack and Discord offer a cost effective and robust solution for fostering internal communication. Both platforms are well known for their ability to create organized channels for discussions which can be incredibly useful for hosting conversations around podcast episodes. Specifically, these platforms support audio functionalities which can be a cool feature for podcasting. Employees can record their questions or feedback in audio format and upload them directly in a designated channel. This can then be used for Q and A segments in future podcast episodes, making the process interactive and engaging. Moreover, having a dedicated space on these platforms where employees can discuss podcast content helps in keeping the conversation focused and accessible. It provides a private space for employees to express their thoughts and questions internally.

This setup not only supports the podcast format, but also encourages a culture of openness and ongoing dialogue within the organization.

It sounds like these platforms could also play a role in enhancing collaboration across different teams. Can you talk about how that works?

Absolutely. Internal podcasts often aim to break down silos within an organization by informing different teams about each other's work. By integrating a platform like Slack or Discord, organisations can further this goal. These platforms allow for the creation of multiple channels, each potentially dedicated to different themes or departments. Employees can then interact across these channels, sharing ideas and insights that can lead to new collaborative projects or innovations. This interaction is facilitated by the ease of use and the informal nature of Slack and Discord, which encourages more frequent and less formal communication than traditional emails or formal meetings.

With these technologies, it seems smaller organizations have powerful tools at their disposal to enhance their internal communications effectively.

Exactly, Polly. And the beauty of using these platforms is their scalability. As the organization grows, these platforms can easily scale to accommodate more users and provide more sophisticated features such as integrating with other tools, automating workflows, and enhancing security measures. This makes them a long term solution for internal communication that can evolve with the organization's needs.

Juergen, thanks for exploring how internal private podcasts and accessible technologies can revolutionize internal communications in smaller organizations. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on that.

Thank you, Polly. It's been great discussing how these platforms can support and enhance internal podcasting. I hope our listeners feel inspired to explore these options for their organizations.

To our listeners, thank you for tuning in. We encourage you to consider how platforms like Slack and Discord can not only support your internal podcasting initiatives, but also foster a more collaborative and engaging work environment. Until next time, keep innovating and communicating.