‘Tube’ time

It’s perfectly understandable that more and more companies are relying on the Internet to communicate to employees: It’s quicker than print, it’s certainly cheaper—heck, it’s even better for the environment.

It’s not, however, better for all the employees at those companies who never see a computer in the course of their average workday.

Nokia has many such workers, particularly in its factories. Thus, in 2000, the company installed “Tube,” or television, monitors in nine Nokia locations in the United States and Canada.

“We’re always looking for alternate channels to get information to employees,” says Mary Graves, Nokia’s senior manager of employee communications.

Since then, the 7,200 employees at these locations have been able to get nonstop access to broadcasted company news (all other Nokia employees in North and South America can view Tube broadcasts via the intranet).