Most local governments and jurisdictions have limited budgets. This means every bit counts when it comes to providing services to the community. Staying in contact with government employees and officials doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Use text messages to arrange meetings, report/request status on projects, or convey information to staff members that spend most of their time out in the community instead of in the office.

Inter-department Relations

Coordinating meeting times and other events with different departments can be confusing and frustrating. When possible, send text messages with meeting dates and times instead of making phone calls or sending email. This gives employees the chance to confirm or deny their attendance immediately. This will save time when organising meetings. Even though you can send meeting requests via email, employees may not respond to them quickly enough or at all. Send a text message and you will see an increase in employee response time.

Virtual and Out-of-Office Employees

Working with those that aren’t in the office often or those that work virtually from home or other government office location can be tricky at times. Make sure all employees understand their tasks for the week and try to set realistic deadlines for deliverables such as reports, presentations, and other documents. Send SMS notifications when project deadlines approach. You can also arrange meeting times, request information, or to make sure an employee is where they need to be at a specific time.

New Employees

In addition to sending new employees office information, rules and guidelines via email or handing out hard copies, send a text message that explains where new employees can find this information should they want to review it or print off another copy. Many government agencies or local government offices have websites or shared online space for employees to post projects and other information. 

Changes to Policy

Send links to changes in office or government policy as soon as these changes are announced to employees so they can review the information and make the necessary changes to their work schedule. This includes changes in law, procedures, processes, rules and guidelines.

 

Website Updates

Provide links to new web pages or announce changes to an office or government website so employees can better perform job tasks. If employees rely on the website for providing information to citizens, announcing these changes as soon as possible allows employees to provide accurate information to those in need.