When you get pregnant and start telling people, a lot of information comes your way. (Whether you ask for it or not!) With the amount of knowledge there is to gain, it quickly becomes overwhelming. Over time, I learned that I needed communication in different formats to get all my questions answered.

The same goes for employees who are often bombarded with content: strategy updates, benefits details, performance management check-ins, changes to processes and more.

With all these topics to share, it’s important to provide employees with different communication options.

For example, veteran employees may only need quick reminders about the performance management process, while newer employees may want help understanding all of the details.

Here are three approaches to help your content meet the needs of employees:

1. App-sized (short and sweet)

Mobile pregnancy apps provide ongoing tidbits of information. Apps keep content brief, simple and allow you to keep track of key information. Most even provide fun visuals (like what size fruit your baby is) and share tips.

If you don’t have an app, providing quick bites of information over a period of time is a great way to keep a topic fresh for employees. For example, you might only have performance management check ins two or three times a year. To keep performance management a priority for employees and help them achieve their goals, you could:

• Send out short, timely email reminders with key dates to help employees stay on track.
• Create visual posters that track progress throughout the year.
• Share quick tips in a monthly newsletter.

2. Forum-sized (just what you need to know)

When you’re pregnant and have questions like, “When will I start to show?” or “When should I tell my family?” you want to get straight to the answer without having to read through lengthy articles. That’s why an online forum—a place where you discuss specific topics or questions—is a great way to get the information you need to know.

The best way to use a company’s online forum, like Yammer or Chatter, is to set up groups related to specific departments or key areas. Employees could have simple questions like, “When is open enrollment?” or “How do I apply for a job internally?” You could answer these questions in a forum for HR questions.

If you don’t have forums, you can still provide employees with quick ways to find the information they need for one-off questions. You can save employees time by adding or enhancing search on your intranet to allow employees to find information based on specific topics. Most engagement tools have search engines, allowing employees to find the information they need. 

3. Binder-sized (all the details)

When I went to my first doctor’s appointment while pregnant, I got a ton of information. My doctor rattled off all the things I shouldn’t eat and shouldn’t do. I was so overwhelmed and felt like I’d forget it all. Luckily, he gave me a binder full of all the details. It was well organized in different sections, making it manageable to navigate and read.

In some cases—like open enrollment—employees may want all the details to make sure they are making the right decisions. But providing all the details doesn’t mean you have to jam pack a 100-page guide with every single benefit. You can still create a concise, organized guide that provides the most important details about each benefit with links to more information. The goal is to inform your employees without overwhelming them.