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Communicating in turbulent times |
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| Keep employees in the loop |
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Written by Marjorie Wallens
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These are difficult and challenging times – for employers facing an uncertain economy and for employees picking up on divergent messages they’re getting from their employers or hearing from family and friends. We don’t live in isolation. So, whether your company is experiencing real economic hardship and facing job cuts or just trying to keep employees on track and focused, keeping employees in the loop with frequent, honest, and open communications can help your company through these uncertain times and bring business benefits, too. A recent and most vivid example of how transparent and honest communications to employees at all levels and the public can help a company survive is Maple Leaf Foods.
 A deadly outbreak of the Listeria bacteria at the company’s Toronto plant was linked to the deaths of 20 people.
Maple Leaf Foods CEO Michael McCain’s practice has been to send regular Friday emails to thousands of his employees. He shares details of his week, projects underway, and upcoming challenges. The memos to employees about the outbreak and how the company was proceeding were recently revealed in a Toronto Star article. They show a “level of frankness that was meant as a private, intimate conversation between the people of my organization and myself,” said McCain, in an interview with the Toronto Star. “A level of frankness that we would probably not replicate in the outside world.”
Nevertheless, the emails show that McCain’s candour, honesty, and frequency with which he communicated with his employees and the public will help the company recover. Recent surveys indicate 90 per cent of Canadians have a high regard for how the company weathered the storm and 80 per cent will buy its products again.
Candor and honesty is an all-important factor in all communications with employees. “Employees are increasingly skeptical, if not cynical, about the communications they receive at work,” says Roger D’Aprix, a well-known author and leading authority on employee communications. “Company leaders need to recognize the change in the employee/employer relationship in which talented and knowledgeable workers have become the very means of doing business in the Information Age.”
D’Aprix offers a logical and tested methodology to inform and engage skeptical employees in times of turbulent change. It includes:
- a discussion of how information should be handled;
- understanding the communication needs of the workforce;
- the need to and power of engaging employees in face-to-face
- communications;
- being open and transparent when communicating;
- doing audits and employee research;
- and developing a clear and compelling communications strategy.
“In my experience,” says Janet Candido, whose company, Candido Consulting, works with CEOs and company HR departments on employee-related issues such as compensation and organizational design. “You need to constantly keep employees in the loop. Talk to them about what you know, be honest about what you don’t know, and make sure your CEO engages employees on an on-going basis. If you don’t, your employees will just find other sources for their information and plug the rumour mill with misinformation.”
Six tips about communicating to employees in turbulent times
1 Assess your communications processes and procedures. How are you currently communicating to employees? How often and by what means? How effective is the process? This might require an audit or employee surveys to determine how relevant and effective your messages are and whether yourcommunication vehicles are effective or need to be revised.
2 Pledge to deliver transparent and honest information to employees and to share information with them first before going public. Remember your employees are the key interface with your customers, and will be the first ones to be asked by customers about company issues.
3 Create a targeted strategy to address the issues and solutions or challenges the company is facing. Be open and honest. Develop messaging to each target audience that will answer the questions that are on employee’s minds and want to know. Keep the messaging focused and consistent.
4 Communicate often. It takes time for messages to be absorbed and integrated into the workforce. Communications should be ongoing and two-way. Think of setting up regular all employees meetings where the CEO and senior team hold information and question-and-answer sessions face-to-face with employees.
5 Train management on communication skills. How skilled are your middle managers in communicating company messages and gaining buy-in from employees? Managers need to be supported and equipped with not only the right messages that will resonate with employees but have the skills to deliver the content. They may need to be trained to understand that effective communications is part of building and sustaining an open and positive corporate culture and helping employees cope with change.
6 Consider using social media via your company intranet to gain feedback. Develop an internal site and post FAQs, with answers, solicit feedback, and comment and respond to issues and questions as they arise.
Marjorie Wallens, principal of MJW Communications, is a communications specialist who works with companies to develop and implement strategic organizational communications to improve workplace productivity, change corporate culture and help companies communicate during turbulent times. Contact her at www.mjwcommunications.com, or by calling 416-961-5924.
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