By Alex McGill, Strand Partnership (am.strand@virgin.net)
When we survey organisations on behalf of client management, almost every CEO will explain at length the importance of their people understanding and buying into the goals and values of their company. They will outline the strategic priorities such as the focus on customer service or quality initiatives. They may also show us the roadshow presentations and corporate literature that has been produced to enthuse the workforce.
Yet we rarely find this understanding and "buy in" reflected in our conversations with the staff. Too often they feel that they are drowning in information but starved of real knowledge regarding the company's plans, as no-one ensures that the corporate message is appropriately tailored, targeted, interpreted and, vitally, acted upon. If the purpose of communication is to convey ideas and influence the actions and behaviours of others, communication that doesn't change the way front-line employees act is failing. For many firms, internal communications is a case of
- Too little - often the real thrust of corporate communication is directed at shareholders and other stakeholders. The people who are expected to deliver the corporate promise get insufficient information at every stage
- Too late - information is released when it is already old news. I have lost count of the number of times employees find out about mergers, redundancies, new contracts or the launch of new products in the press before they are "officially" informed
- Too one way - while employees are informed, eventually, they are often not consulted, told the reason behind the decision or invited to give their views when it would be sensible and appropriate to do so.
While this is detrimental to performance and morale in normal circumstances, it can prove life threatening to organisational aims during times of strategic change. In such circumstances carefully planned communication can help in overcoming employee fear and uncertainty; ensuring understanding and encouraging ownership of the change process. Careless communication, on the other hand, promotes rumour, fosters mistrust and undermines morale. When people have been kept in the dark; when changes are made but not explained and when staff do not feel consulted or involved, is it any wonder that they lack confidence in their leadership and what they are subsequently told?
In almost every survey ever conducted employees have voiced dissatisfaction with levels of communication and involvement in business issues. They also invariably cite face-to-face communication, formal and informal, as their preferred method of receiving important corporate messages. This is not surprising as it provides interaction and clarity while ensuring the message is made relevant to the individual's role and work area performance. Roadshows, brochures, memos and e-mails cannot do this.
Key communications tactics to consider include:
Tailoring and targeting the message: exactly which employees are you trying to reach and how specifically do you want them to react? Planning this is time well spent.
Adopt the appropriate approach: what style and method(s) need to be employed to get the message across? This will be dictated by the kind of message that you wish to convey and the appropriate degree of formality. Remember the importance of face-to-face communication in ensuring understanding and buy-in at individual level.
Two-way communication: how can you measure if the message has been received and accepted? Newsletters, e-mails and other one-way methods of communication are not alternatives for face-to-face. Make sure that you check the understanding of important messages by, for example, spot checks during walkabouts, telephone polling etc
Practise what you preach: how do you ensure that actions and behaviours are aligned with the words? What you do is as vital as what you say. If management actions are inconsistent with the message it will quickly be discredited.
Cascade the message: how are you getting the message to every part of the organisation, and how often and in what manner does it need to be reinforced? Do not assume that once is enough but keep communication consistent and continuous. Consider skip level meetings and senior management question times as part of the communications strategy.
Timing: how do you ensure the most effective time to inform employees? Too late and it may be seen as a fait accompli and provoke resistance. If you are considering withholding information, be prepared to explain why, as Murphy's Law dictates that someone will find out.
Transparency: what information are employees likely to want and how will it impact on them? Transparency creates trust. Answer questions whenever possible and explain why others cannot be answered. Focus on addressing their concerns first, particularly during any major restructuring exercise.
Finally, a reminder to all busy managers: if you do not have the time to get communications right, you will end up having to make the time to deal with the fallout.