Communicate with care, strike the right chord
"COMMUNICATION truly is the glue that holds an organisation together," says Bob Nelson, author of `1001 Ways to Energize Employees'. Innumerable studies from almost every corner of the globe have linked effective managerial employee communication to improved productivity and morale. Why then, do employees often cite poor or no communication as a major source of their unhappiness at work?
Nearly 70 per cent employees are frustrated with their companies' communication efforts, according to a new study conducted by Jack Morton Worldwide, New York. Of that number, 36 per cent expressed unhappiness over the modes of communication their organisations use, while 34 per cent believe their employers did not communicate enough.
Whether you are a one room, two employee, bootstrap start-up or a large Fortune 500 company, poor or improper communication can result in costly mistakes. An established plan coupled with common-sense guidelines is thus essential for better communication. Such a plan prevents unnecessary conflicts and eventually improves employee engagement and productivity.
Communication becomes strong and people work together better if communication methods are standardised. The first step in this direction begins with a formal communication plan directly linked to their strategic business plan.
Employees, and in particular, managers at all levels of the hierarchy, need to be educated and trained in the art of effective communication. Only training, commitment and practice can help determine what, when and how to communicate.
Keep everyone informed. Employees expect to know what is going on within the organisation, how their work fits into the whole picture, and what the future holds in store.
Therefore, it is the duty of every organisation to keep staff informed about any non-confidential information that has a direct bearing on their work. Think about it: Are you communicating with employees on a regular basis? Do employees know how their jobs connect with the overall direction of the company? Are they among the first to hear about a management change, a major acquisition or a change in company policy? Is there free interaction and exchange of information between the management and employees? You can learn a lot about a company from the way its employees respond to these questions.
The medium has the power to make or break the impact of communication.
Today, there are myriad ways to communicate with employees: newsletters; email; voice mail; video conferencing; blogs; power luncheons; walking around; grapevine power; and, of course, meetings. Although email is by far the most popular medium of intra-office communication, avoid emailing emotions. Emails are fine for communicating data and factual information, but as the survey indicates, employees prefer to have more interactive forms of communication to learn about strategic changes and other important matters. Choose the medium with care, depending on the situation to strike the right chord.
Communication is a two way process, and hence it is vital that you create adequate feedback mechanisms to capture the voice of your employees and understand their point of view. There are many venues to obtain feedback from employees on their communication needs such as staff surveys, communication audits, team meetings with feedback capture, bulletin boards and helplines. Irrespective of the method you adopt, ensure that there is constant interaction between the management and employees.
An efficient communication system can bring about positive results fairly quickly provided sufficient time and attention is devoted to it.
As study after study has repeatedly proved, effective communication is the key to good management.
BINDU SRIDHAR
faqs@cnkonline.com
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