275 Organizacija, V olume 57 Issue 3, August 2024 Research Papers 1 Received: 12th September 2023; Accepted: 1st June 2024 Effectiveness of Communication Tools in Slovak Enterprises Before and During the Covid-19 Pandemic Denisa MALÁ, Lukáš SMEREK, Martina MINÁROVÁ, Veronika BÓDIOVÁ Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Faculty of Economics, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, denisa.mala@umb.sk, lukas.smerek@umb.sk (corresponding author), martina.minarova@umb.sk, bodiovaveroni@gmail.com Background and purpose: The Covid-19 pandemic brought about a shift in the way businesses operate, accel- erating the adoption of digital communication tools. The study examines the effectiveness of communication tools in Slovak enterprises, comparing the dynamics before and during the pandemic. The study highlights the need for businesses to address communication-related issues. Methodology: An electronic questionnaire was used to collect the data. The representative survey sample con- sisted of 555 respondents. The results of the research were processed using the statistical tools McNemar Test, Pearsons Chi square test and Cramer’s V. Results: Before the pandemic, Slovak enterprises relied on traditional means of communication, with face-to-face meetings, phone calls and emails being the primary means of interaction. However, when the pandemic forced peo - ple to work from home, dependence on digital communication tools such as video conferencing and collaboration platforms increased significantly. Conclusion: The research findings indicate that during the pandemic, businesses recognized the importance of dig - ital communication tools for sustaining business operations and employee collaboration. In conclusion, the Covid-19 pandemic was a catalyst for the transformation of communication practices in Slovak enterprises. The findings emphasise the continued importance of digital communication tools in the post-pandemic era and the need for businesses to strike a balance between traditional and digital communication methods in order to optimise overall effectiveness. Keywords: Communication, Communication tools, Effectiveness, Slovak companies, Covid-19 DOI: 10.2478/orga-2024-0020 1 Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has brought in significant changes across various sectors, with businesses experi- encing profound transformation. As governments imple- mented lockdowns and social distancing measures to limit the spread of the virus, businesses had to quickly adapt to remote working conditions. This sudden shift accelerated the adoption of digital communication tools, which led to modification of traditional business operations and inter- actions. Slovak enterprises, as their global counterparts, faced the need to transition from in-person interactions to virtual ones. Prior to the pandemic, business communication in Slovakia relied mainly on face-to-face meetings, phone calls, and emails. These traditional methods, although ef- fective prior to pandemic, proved to be insufficient in ad- 276 Organizacija, V olume 57 Issue 3, August 2024 Research Papers dressing the challenges that remote working environments represented. As a result, enterprises turned to digital com- munication tools such as video conferencing, instant mes- saging, and collaborative platforms in order not to break off the continuity of processes and maintain efficient em - ployee collaboration. This study evaluates the effectiveness of digital com- munication tools within Slovak enterprises by comparing the communication dynamics before and during the COV- ID-19 pandemic. The results of the research provide en- terprises with an insight into the relevance of digital com- munication tools and help them realize the significance of addressing related challenges. Effectiveness of communication tools Effective communication has always been a critical el- ement of business success (Gomez et al., 2023). It enables the exchange of information, ideas and feedback between employees, management and external stakeholders (Bu- cata and Rizeccu, 2017). In enterprises, as in many other parts of the world, the choice of communication tools has a direct impact on the efficiency, productivity and overall effectiveness of the enterprise (Holá, 2012; Szeiner et al., 2022). It is of great importance to develop and maintain appropriate communication channels in the workplace that not only increase the workplace performance but have an impact on the behaviour and well-being of employees (Bencsik et al., 2019). The greater the team is, the greater demands on communication efficiency among its members are required (Stacho et al., 2020). The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted businesses around the world, forcing them to adapt to working from home and rely heavily on technology to communicate effectively (Boyadjiev and Vaneva, 2021). Especially, small and medium-sized enterprises are strug- gling to cope with the business uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic (Fernando, 2023). Prior to the pan- demic, businesses typically relied on a combination of traditional communication methods such as face-to-face meetings, phone calls, and emails to facilitate internal and external interactions. Erjavec (2021), Bojadjiev and Vane- va (2021) in their studies emphasized the importance of face-to-face communication for building trust, fostering collaboration and effective conflict resolution. However, limitations regarding communication tools, physical pres- ence and the need for shared space were observed. Emails used for information sharing faced problems related to congestion, misunderstandings, and delayed responses (Smolag, Slusarczyk, 2021). Telephone calls, used for in- stant communication, often had no permanent record and were difficult for larger enterprises to manage effectively. Prior to the pandemic, enterprises were undergoing a gradual digital transformation (Priyono et al., 2020). This transformation was particularly evident in the way busi- nesses used communication tools. Digital communication and media create new cultural forms while it concurrently interacts with the conventional communication and me- dia systems (Uçar et al, 2022). Digital communication tools including video conferencing platforms (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams), instant messaging applications (e.g. WhatsApp) and collaboration software (e.g. Microsoft 365, Google Workspace) have become tools for maintain- ing business operations and ensuring smooth communi- cations between remote and distributed teams (Smolag, Slusarczyk, 2021). The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic required the rapid adoption of digital communication tools and the in- troduction of social disengagement measures in enterpris- es (Boyadiev and Vaneva, 2021; Sanders et al., 2020). The efforts to minimize physical contact to the lowest possible level temporarily changed how people work and their free time. In jobs that can be performed without physical pres- ence, including education, working from home and online education came to the fore. The issue of work virtualization gained in importance. A revolution in dominant modes of communication is happening because of the rapid spread of the virus (Marjański and Sułkowski, 2021). Therefore, the IT sector, virtual devices, communication applications and online services were among those that benefited from the pandemic the most (Szeiner et al., 2023). Video confer- encing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams have emerged as essential tools for remote working and virtual meetings. Neil and Bowen (2021) highlighted the effec- tiveness of videoconferencing tools in facilitating visual cues, nonverbal communication, and increasing team co- hesion. Collaboration platforms, such as Microsoft Teams, enabled employees to communicate in real time, share files, and organize discussions effectively. These plat- forms have improved information sharing, reduced email overload and improved team collaboration through instant messaging and virtual workspaces. Growing collaboration on platforms creates requirements for abilities to work in teams, communication skills in virtual environment, multi- media skills, understanding and compliance with IT secu- rity and the ability to collaborate (Stacho et al., 2021). Mo- bile communication apps such as WhatsApp have gained popularity due to their accessibility and convenience. They offered quick updates, informal communication channels and made team building easier. In practice, cross-func- tional teams often fail due to misleading coordination in a competitive tension (Ton et al., 2023). These tools have been critical for keeping employees connected, informed, and productive in remote work environments (Torre, Sarti, 2020). However, privacy and security concerns have been identified as potential drawbacks (Smolag, Slusarczyk, 2021). The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the communi- cation environment in enterprises. It has accelerated the adoption of digital communication tools. As stated by Obrenovic et al. (2020) and Gonzáles-Te- jero et al. (2022) the development of effective communi- 277 Organizacija, V olume 57 Issue 3, August 2024 Research Papers cation techniques during Covid-19 has led to improved performance and mental support among individuals. While this shift offers many benefits, it has also brought challenges such as communication fatigue, security con- cerns and the need to address work-life balance, which brings increased levels of stress. Stress on several levels consumes time, energy and individual attention, so it can hinder performance and cause increased employee turn- over (Berke et al., 2021; Kőműves, Berke, 2021; Ariani, 2021). Understanding these dynamics is critical for busi- nesses looking to adapt and thrive in the post-pandemic era, as digital communication tools continue to shape the way businesses communicate and operate both inside and outside the country (Krchová. Hoesová, 2021). Changes in the communication environment led us to explore differ- ences in the use of communication tools before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of our research presented in the following chapter. Aim, material, and methods of investigation The aim of the study is to identify changes in the perception of the importance of communication tools by employees of Slovak companies before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. The identified changes will help com- panies in deciding how to set up a communication system in the post-pandemic period and will provide a basis for the development of an action plan in case of similar situa- tions in the future. Data collection was conducted in 2023 in the form of a questionnaire survey. The electronic questionnaire was created on the Google Docs platform. Respondents were contacted in person or by email (500 people) and through the social networks Facebook and LinkedIn (3128 peo- ple). The survey sample consisted of 555 respondents who completed the entire questionnaire. The return rate of the questionnaire survey was 15.30%. The representativeness of the survey sample was verified by using the Chi-square goodness of fit test according to two classifiers - gender and age. For the identification of the basic set we used data from the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, namely the STATdat database with data as of 31/12/2022. We per- formed the testing at the significance level α = 0.05. The results of the tests are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Table 1: Representativeness of the survey sample by age Age Observed N % Expected N Expected % Residual < 25 99 17.8 82.3 14.8 16.7 25 – 40 168 30.3 173.8 31.3 -5.8 40 – 55 200 36.0 192.1 34.6 7.9 > 55 88 15.9 106.8 19.3 -18.8 Total 555 100.0 555 100.0 Null Hypothesis Chi-Square df Asymp. Sig Decision The categories of Age occur with the specified probabilities 7.245 a 3 0.064 Retain the null hypothesis a. 0 cells (0,0%) have expected frequencies less than 5. The minimum expected cell frequency is 82,3. Source: Own data, 2023 Table 2: Representativeness of the survey sample by gender Gender Observed N % Expected N Expected % Residual Valid 273 49.2 271.5 48.9 1.5 Male 282 50.8 283.5 51.1 -1.5 Female 555 100.0 555 100.00 Null Hypothesis Chi-Square df Asymp. Sig Decision The categories of Gender occur with the specified probabilities 0.017 a 1 0.895 Retain the null hypothesis a. 0 cells (0,0%) have expected frequencies less than 5. The minimum expected cell frequency is 271,5. Source: Own data, 2023 278 Organizacija, V olume 57 Issue 3, August 2024 Research Papers Before creating the questionnaire, we formulated the research questions. RQ1: How often were different communication tools used in the companies before and during the pandemic? RQ2: Was there a change in employees’ perception of the effectiveness of the most frequently used communica- tion tools? RQ3: Is there a relationship between perceptions of the effectiveness of communication tools during the pandemic and respondent characteristics (gender, age)? In the study of our research, we present an evaluation of selected questions that relate to the formulated research questions. In the first two questions, we asked respondents which tools were used in their company before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. In questions 3 and 4, we wanted to know which communication tools they considered ef- fective before and during the pandemic. We used the McNemar Test to assess differences in the use of communication tools, perceptions of their effec- tiveness, and barriers to communication before and during the pandemic. To determine the relationship of perceived importance of communication tools with gender and age, we used Pearsons Chi square test and Cramer’s V . We assessed the significance of differences and relationships with different groups of respondents at α = 0.05 level. We chose to investigate the differences between respondents’ gender because it should be stressed that gender differenc- es include important difference in needs, behaviours and attitudes and taking them into account provides new ideas and excellence, relevant for whole society (Misiak-Kwit et al., 2017). The importance of exploring age differenc- es is justified by several authors (e.g. Reis, Braga, 2016; Hitka et al., 2021), who explain that different generations tend to have different requirements in terms of motivation, communication, work organization or perception of their own person. Results and discussion To evaluate the use of different communication tools before and during the pandemic, we based our findings on the questionnaire responses of the survey. Respondents had the opportunity to select any number of communica- tion tools. We then ranked the most frequently used com- munication tools before and during the pandemic and used the McNemar test to determine whether there were statisti- cally significant differences in their use (Table 3). The null hypothesis of McNemar’s test assumes that the distribution of different values across categories are equally likely. We accept the null hypothesis only when using the intranet. Thus, there was no statistically signifi- cant difference in its use before and during the pandemic. For the use of all other communication tools, we find a statistically significant change, with only chat, cloud stor- age, shared calendars, and video calls becoming more fre- quently used during the pandemic. The same results were obtained in a study by Erjavek (2021), where respondents in companies in Slovenia preferred to use e-mail, video- conferencing, and chat during the Covid-19 pandemic. In our research, the most significant increase was recorded in the use of cloud storage, with an increase of up to 30.81 percentage points. All other communication tools were used less frequently during the pandemic. The biggest decrease in use was, understandably, in face-to-face com- munication (65.40 percentage points), meetings (47.03 percentage points), but also in telephone communication (46.48 percentage points). Comparable results were also reached in a study conducted in Macedonia, concluding that face-to-face communication was the most preferred communication tool before the pandemic and chats during the pandemic. Similarly, research conducted in Slovenia and Poland revealed that telephone communication was the most preferred communication tool (Erjaveka, 2021; Smulag, Slusarczyk, 2021). The same procedure was applied to detect differences in the perceived effectiveness of individual communica- tion tools. Respondents could express their view of effec- tiveness even if the tool was not used in their company. The results in Table 4 are similar in many aspects to the results in Table 3, documenting the accuracy of the actions taken by enterprises in introducing alternative communi- cation tools in a pandemic situation. When examining perceptions of the effectiveness of communication tools, we accept the null hypothesis that there is no statistically significant difference in the per - ceptions of written communication, corporate information systems, and message boxes. Thus, there is no statistically significant difference between them. Conversely, we reject the null hypothesis of equality of distribution of different values across categories for perceptions of the effectiveness of using telephone, face-to-face communication, emails, meetings, directives, chats, company periodicals, intranet, training, bulletin boards, video calls, cloud storage, and shared calendars. Of these tools, respondents considered chats (up 22.16 percentage points), shared calendars, video calls, cloud storage, and intranets to be more effective dur- ing the pandemic, while they considered in-person com- munications (down 59.46 percentage points), meetings, di- rectives, phone use, emails, company periodicals, training, and bulletin boards to be less effective. Similarly, a study conducted by an international financial group operating in the Central European market confirms that one of the most effective communication tools before the pandemic was face-to-face communication and ranked video calls as one of the least effective (Jakubiec, 2019). To explore the relationship between the perceived ef- fectiveness of the communication tools used and gender, we tested the null hypothesis H0, which assumes that there is no statistically significant relationship between gender and the perceived effectiveness of communication tools, using the Pearson Chi-Square test and Cramer’s V . 279 Organizacija, V olume 57 Issue 3, August 2024 Research Papers Table 3: Change in the use of communication tools before and during the Covid-19 pandemic % before % during Difference (perc. points) U  N* N  U** Ranking before Ranking during Ranking difference Telephone 93.51% 47.03% – 46.48 47.57% 1.08% 1. 1. 0 In person 80.54% 15.14% – 65.40 68.65% 3.24% 2. 7.  5 Email 63.78% 47.03% – 16.75 32.43% 8.11% 3. 1.  2 Meetings 60.00% 12.97% – 47.03 49.19% 2.16% 4. 8.  4 Directives 38.38% 15.68% – 22.70 32.43% 7.03% 5. 6.  1 In writing 29.19% 9.19% – 20.00 25.41% 5.41% 6. 10.  4 Magazine 24.86% 5.95% – 18.91 20.54% 1.62% 7. 13.  6 Boards 24.86% 3.24% – 21.62 23.78% 2.16% 8. 15.  8 Training 23.78% 4.86% – 18.92 21.62% 2.70% 9. 14.  5 Intranet 16.22% 24.86% + 8.64 10.81% 10.27% 9. 5.  5 Mailboxes 16.22% 4.86% – 11.36 15.14% 3.78% 11. 14.  3 IS 15.14% 12.97% – 2.17 12.43% 6.49% 12. 8.  4 Chat 11.89% 25.95% + 14.06 6.49% 41.62% 13. 4.  9 iCloud 8.65% 39.46% + 30.81 4.86% 21.08% 14. 3.  11 Calendars 0.54% 7.03% + 6.49 0.05% 7.03% 15. 12.  3 Video 0.00% 9.19% + 9.19 0.00% 25.95% 16. 10.  6 McNemar Test Telephone In person Email Meetings Directives In writing Magazine Boards N 555 555 555 555 555 555 555 555 Chi-Square 244.626 328.431 79.804 237.193 89.498 70.760 87.935 98.340 Asymp. Sig. 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 Null hypot. reject reject reject reject reject reject reject reject Training Intranet Mailboxes IS Chat Cloud Calendars Video N 555 555 555 555 555 555 555 555 Chi-Square 80.119 0.034 36.610 9.752 140.959 55.007 29.147 142.007 Asymp. Sig. 0.000 0.853 0.000 0.002 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 Null hypot. reject accept reject reject reject reject reject reject * Change from Using to Not using ** Change from Not using to Using Source: Own data, 2023 For gender, we identified a statistically significant re- lationship for telephone, written and email communication (Table 5). Although a Cramer’s V value < 0.3 suggests that this is a relatively small effect, we reject the null hypoth- esis based on a Pearson Chi-Square test p-value < 0.05. Thus, looking at the relative frequencies, we can argue that men found telephone communication more effective than women during the pandemic. Conversely, women found written and email communication to be more effective compared to men. A study conducted in an international financial group operating in the Central European market concluded that men perceived working from home to be more negative than women, citing lack of personal inter- action as the reason (Jakubiec, 2019). We came to a similar conclusion in our research, as men preferred the more per- sonally interactive mode of communication, the telephone. In the perception of the effectiveness of the other commu- nication tools studied, we accept the null hypothesis and 280 Organizacija, V olume 57 Issue 3, August 2024 Research Papers Table 4: Change in perceptions of the effectiveness of communication tools before and during the Covid-19 pandemic % before % during Difference (perc. points) E  I* I  E** Ranking before Ranking during Ranking difference Telephone 84.86% 69.19% – 15.68 24.32% 8.65% 1. 1. 0 In person 74.59% 15.14% – 59.46 61.08% 1.62% 2. 6.  4 Email 51.35% 44.86% – 6.49 18.38% 11.89% 3. 2.  1 Meetings 48.65% 12.43% – 36.22 39.46% 3.24% 4. 7.  3 Directives 23.78% 5.41% – 18.38 20.54% 2.16% 5. 12.  7 In writing 11.89% 10.27% – 1.62 8.11% 6.49% 6. 10.  4 Chat 10.81% 32.97% + 22.16 5.41% 27.57% 7. 3.  4 Magazine 9.19% 3.24% – 5.95 7.03% 1.08% 8. 13. 5 IS 8.11% 7.03% – 1.08 5.41% 4.32% 9. 11.  2 Intranet 8.11% 11.35% + 3.24 4.86% 8.11% 9. 9. 0 Training 7.03% 1.62% – 5.41 6.49% 1.08% 11. 16.  5 Boards 6.49% 3.24% – 3.24 5.95% 2.70% 12. 13.  1 Video 5.41% 21.08% + 15.68 1.62% 17.30% 13. 4.  9 iCloud 4.86% 18.38% + 13.51 3.78% 17.30% 14. 5.  9 Mailboxes 1.08% 2.70% + 1.62 1.08% 2.70% 15. 15. 0 Calendars 0.54% 12.43% + 11.89 0.54% 12.43% 16. 7.  9 McNemar Test Telephone In person Email Meetings Directives In writing Chat Magazine N 555 555 555 555 555 555 555 555 Chi-Square 40.415 311.037 7.292 168.776 80.960 0.790 81.333 22.756 Asymp. Sig. 0.000 0.000 0.007 0.000 0.000 0.374 0.000 0.000 Null hypot. reject reject reject reject reject accept reject reject IS Intranet Training Boards Video Cloud Calendars Mailboxes N 555 555 555 555 555 555 555 555 Chi-Square 0.463 4.014 20.024 6.021 70.438 46.803 58.681 3.052 Asymp. Sig. 0.496 0.045 0.000 0.014 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.078 Null hypot. accept reject reject reject reject reject reject accept * Change from Effective to Ineffective ** Change from Ineffective to Effective Source: Own data, 2023 argue that there is no relationship in the perception of their effectiveness and gender. The results of testing the relationship between the per- ceived effectiveness of the communication tools used and the age categories of the respondents, we used Pearson Chi-Square test and Cramer’s V to test the null hypothesis H0, which assumes that there is no statistically significant relationship between the age categories of the respond- ents and the perceived effectiveness of the communication tools (Table 6). In identifying a statistically significant relationship between perceptions of the effectiveness of communica- tion tools during a pandemic and age categories, we can respond positively for telephone and written communica- tion, the use of meetings, video calls and intranet. Like previous testing, Cramer’s V values are < 0.3, indicating a relatively small effect. However, the calculated p-values of the Pearson Chi-Square test < 0.05 for the above-men- 281 Organizacija, V olume 57 Issue 3, August 2024 Research Papers Telephone In writing E-mail Male 80.20% 7.70% 40.70% Female 58.50% 12.80% 48.90% Together 69.20% 10.30% 44.90% Pearson Chi-Square 30.666 3.875 3.842 Phi -0.235 0.084 0.083 Cramer’s V (df = 1) 0.235 0.084 0.083 Asymp. Sig. (2 sided) 0.000 0.049 0.049 Null hypot. reject reject reject tioned communication tools force us to reject the null hy- pothesis. By looking at the relative frequencies, we can assess for which age group a given communication tool appears to be more or less effective during a pandemic. In the perceived effectiveness of the other communication tools studied, we accept the null hypothesis and argue that there is no relationship in the perception of their effective- ness and age categories. We were then interested to find out how many respond- ents perceived the effectiveness of the tools during their actual use during the pandemic. Thus, for each communi- cation tool, we considered only the replies of respondents who had practical experience with each tool during the pandemic. In Figure 1, the communication tools are grouped in a matrix according to the frequency of their use in the companies and how effective they were considered by the employees who actually used them during the pandemic. Employees considered the telephone to be the most ef- fective communication tool (90.80% of users), yet it was only used to communicate during the pandemic in 47.03% of businesses. Even lower proportions of tool use were identified for emails (47.03%), face-to-face communica- tion (15.14%), meetings (12.97%), and shared calendars (7.03%). On the contrary, more than half of their users found them to be effective. These communication tools, given their effectiveness, are the ones that should be devel- oped and promoted in companies. Smolag and Slusarczyk (2021) also consider e-mail, telephone, and MS Teams to be effective distance communication tools. In the case of face-to-face communication and meetings, there may be complications during pandemic situations, but when safety regulations are followed, employees still find them more effective than some other communication tools. Table 5: Relationship of perceived effectiveness of communication tools during a pandemic with gender Source: Own data, 2023 Table 6: Relationship of perceived effectiveness of communication tools during a pandemic with age categories Telephone Meeting In writing Video Intranet < 25 71.70% 10.10% 18.20% 31.3% 5.1% 25 – 40 59.50% 8.90% 4.80% 26.2% 9.5% 41 – 55 76.00% 19.50% 10.50% 13.0% 16.5% > 55 69.30% 5.70% 11.40% 18.2% 10.2% Alltogether 69.20% 12.40% 10.30% 21.1% 11.4% Pearson Chi-Square 12.012 15.249 12.381 17.161 9.843 Phi 0.147 0.166 0.149 0.176 0.133 Cramer’s V (df = 1) 0.147 0.166 0.149 0.176 0.133 Asymp. Sig. (2 sided) 0.007 0.002 0.006 0.001 0.020 Null hypot. reject reject reject reject reject Source: Own data, 2023 282 Organizacija, V olume 57 Issue 3, August 2024 Research Papers Source: Own data, 2023 Figure 1: Perceptions of the effectiveness of communication tools in actual use Active contact among employees has a significant im- pact on the efficiency of the company and the effective - ness of individual employees’ task performance, as well as on their loyalty and motivation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of employee motivation, needs and demands in almost all motivational factors changed sig- nificantly, not excluding the communication environment (Hitka et al., 2022). Effective communication is crucial for the success of an enterprise in the marketplace. If em- ployees provide information ineffectively, it exposes the enterprise to not only loss of time but also money. Invest- ing in modern communication tools in an enterprise has a positive impact on their resilience in times of various crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, as the breakdown of communication between employees was one of the first impacts of the pandemic (Roffia, Dabic, 2023). Practical implications This study on the adoption and effectiveness of digi- tal communication tools in Slovak enterprises has several practical implications that enable the enterprises to operate in the post-pandemic environment. Adoption of digital technologies results in the en- hanced operational resilience, which can be described as the enhancement of the enterprise’s resilience against fu- ture disruptions. This ensures continuous communication and collaboration regardless of external conditions. By in- vesting in digital infrastructure and training employees in their use, the enterprise can reduce potential risks associ- ated with the shift to remote work. The other advancement brought in the enterprise is optimization of communication strategies. Development of hybrid communication strate- gies utilizes the strengths of both traditional and digital approaches. While face-to-face meetings or phone calls may be preferable for certain interactions, digital tools of- fer more flexibility. Clear guidelines on using each method can improve the overall enterprise efficiency. Employee training and development is another implication that may tackle the gap in digital literacy among different genera- tions of employees. Investing in training programs leads to the enhancement of employee digital skills and reduces resistance to change. One of the implications for potential further research is the advantage gained from informed decision-making should enterprises decide to evaluate their own communication practices by similar analysis. This, naturally, leads to enhanced collaboration and inno- vation, mainly due to the fact that digital communication tools simplify collaboration and information sharing, and thus support innovation. Promoting a culture that encour- ages the use of digital tools may strengthen teamwork and problem-solving processes. The transition to digital communication tools can also result in cost savings as the need for physical meeting spaces, travel expenses, and/or printed materials may reduce significantly. All this enables an enterprise to maintain its competitive advantage in the 283 Organizacija, V olume 57 Issue 3, August 2024 Research Papers increasingly digital world. In conclusion, the practical im- plications of this study emphasize the critical role of dig- ital communication tools in modern business operations. By adopting the suggested approach to communication, investing in employee development, and taking advantage of the relevant information, Slovak enterprises, as well as global ones, can optimize their communication practices and enhance their overall effectiveness in the post-pan- demic era. Limitations and future research The article focuses on the effectiveness of communica- tion tools in Slovak companies before and during the cov- id-19 pandemic. Although it brought valuable knowledge, it revealed several limitations that must be mentioned. we consider the implementation of the research in Slovakia as one of the limits, which limits the possibility of generaliz- ing its conclusions to other countries and regions. Among other limitations, we perceive the use of questionnaires as a method of data collection, which may be influenced by the subjective opinions of the respondents. However, in order to obtain a quantitative overview, we stand behind the selection of the mentioned method and its validity. The article also focused only on selected communication tools, not on all possible tools used by businesses. This fact all emerged from the available secondary literary sources. Furthermore, it only examined the employees’ perspective, not that of management or other stakeholders. At the same time, these limits open several possible directions for future research. First, the implementation of similar studies in other countries and regions would allow international comparison and identification of cultural dif- ferences in access to communication tools. Supplement- ing the quantitative data with qualitative methods, such as in-depth interviews or case studies, provided a deeper understanding of the issue. it would also be interesting to investigate the long-term effects of the use of digital communication tools on the performance, motivation and well-being of employees. Another option is to analyse the perspective of man- agement and identify the challenges associated with the implementation and management of digital communica- tion tools in the enterprise. Focusing on specific factors such as company size, industry or generational differences and their impact on the effectiveness of communication tools could yield useful insights. Exploring potential risks and challenges related to digital tools, e.g. cyber security, privacy or excessive workload is also an important topic. The article could also benefit from a deeper analysis of the cultural and behavioural changes that influence com- munication tool effectiveness. This includes examining how organisational culture and employee attitudes toward technology influence the adoption and perceived effective- ness of new communication tools Last but not least, future research could develop and test best practices and models for integrating traditional and digital communication approaches in the post-pan- demic work environment. These proposed focuses can not only deepen theoretical knowledge, but also provide prac- tical knowledge for businesses on how to effectively use communication tools and manage related challenges. Conclusion Teleworking and social distancing measures have made communication tools essential to keep employees engaged, informed and productive. The adoption of dig- ital tools has been positively correlated with the ability of businesses to adapt quickly to teleworking, ensuring mini- mal disruption to their operations. The study highlights the importance of digital communication tools in maintaining business continuity and employee engagement in times of crisis. Understanding the evolution of communication tools in this context is vital for businesses seeking to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing business environment. The findings presented in this study show that the ef- fectiveness of the work depends on the appropriate choice of communication tools. They also reveal that telework- ing poses new challenges in internal communication with employees in order to strengthen their bonds and relation- ships. To provide effective implementation of these tools in the Slovak business environment, it is necessary to address constraints such as technological differences, information overload and potential privacy/security threats. Further re- search is needed to explore the long-term effects of using these communication tools and to identify best practices for the post-pandemic work environment. 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Recommendation in the Age of Digital Communication: a Proposal for Business, Education, Social, Private Life Recommen- dation Scale (BESP-L) for Human Resources Commu- nication. Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(2), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.46287/gblc4798 Denisa Malá works at the Faculty of Economics at Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, where she holds the positions of Associate Professor. She teaches subjects such as Logistics Management and Quality Management in both Slovak and English. Her publishing activities primarily focus on Behavioral Quality and Green Logistics. She has practical experience in building the systems of quality management. She is also a regular assessor of national projects and the Member of the editorial board of the scientific journal Výkonnosť podniku. Lukáš Smerek works at the Faculty of Economics at Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, where he holds the positions of Associate Professor and Vice- dean for International Relations and Cooperation with Practice. He teaches subjects such as Human Resource Management and Managerial Communication in both Slovak and English. His publishing activities primarily focus on Human Resource Management. He is an active member of several non-university domestic and international organizations such as the European Marketing and Management Association (EUMASS), the Slovak Academic Association for People Management (SAAPM), and the Association of Lecturers and Career Counselors (ALKP). He is also a regular assessor of national projects and the editor of the Journal of Human Resource Management – HR Advances and Developments. Martina Minárová holds the position of Associate Professor at Department of Corporate Economics and Management, Faculty of Economics, Matej Bel University. In her pedagogic activities, she focuses on Corporate Strategic Management, Leadership, Business Ethics and Emotional Intelligence. She has coordinated and co-coordinated several research projects supported by the Slovak Agency for Scientific Support (VEGA) and cooperated with the organization Better Future in the area of resilience, emotional intelligence, and creating a desired organizational culture. Veronika Bódiová works at VÚB Bank Intesa Sanpaolo Group in Bratislava, Slovakia. She works there as a credit risk analyst, handling credit risk documentation and reports. During her studies at the Faculty of Economics of Matej Bel University, she also dealt with Human Resource Management.