O’Conall Street

It’s Irish News day again. This month I am focusing on internal communications and its influence over staff morale.

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Employee retention – particularly related to high-performing individuals – is an increasing challenge for organisations on these islands. Turnover takes a toll on the morale of existing staff, on business continuity and productivity. Ultimately, the loss of talent hits a company’s bottom line. There is a strategy for countering attrition: the practice of effective employee communication. And we know it works, by the company it keeps among those best-in-class organisations in Europe, Asia and North America.

The traditional Achilles’ heel for employee communications practitioners has been their struggle to link effective internal communication with performance and retention. Insidedge, surveyed 600 employees North and South to try and understand better the impact of communications on their attitudes.

The results were startling. In Northern Ireland 38 percent and in Republic of Ireland 32 percent of those surveyed expected to leave their current employment in the foreseeable future, while an overwhelming 74 percent of all Northern Ireland and 80 percent of RoI interviewees indicated that an improvement in communications would positively influence them to remain with their employers.

The findings also reinforce a commonly held belief: Employees trust face-to-face communication the most. The most trusted sources of information for Irish employees are their immediate day-to-day supervisors, immediate colleagues and senior employees who can mentor and advise them, regardless of title. Each of these has greater influence on behaviour and commitment than more common sources such as newsletters, email and intranets.

Unfortunately, all too many companies rely on non-personal forms of communication, instead of equipping and expecting their managers to communicate. Sensing a void of information, employees turn to each other to interpret company decisions and actions, and misinformation based on opinion becomes ‘fact’ to employees thanks to the legendary bush telegraph.

The survey indicated that the top-three most useful and effective ways to communicate with employees in Ireland are small workgroup or departmental meetings, led by division heads and/or immediate supervisors; open-door policies, suggestion boxes and other ways employees can take initiative to communicate with management; and informal get-togethers where employees can talk and exchange ideas.

Improving how you communicate is one part of the battle. Equally important is what and when you communicate. Ensuring that the information you share is accurate, timely, truthful and complete – and that employees have the opportunity to participate in an open dialogue – is the other half.

So, as you think about your plans for employee communications, keep a few things in mind. Listen to your employees. Regular research – whether through staff surveys, periodic and targeted focus groups or even event-specific feedback forms – provides an insight into what people care most about. By knowing what your employees believe you are better equipped to address their concerns, and in turn, build their trust. Just as external research guides the decisions you make in marketing to customers and consumers, employee research should guide your plans for internal communication.

Build a manager-as-supervisor culture. Study after study shows that managers and supervisors are vital communicators. Yet, so many companies fail to take advantage. It’s not enough to give your supervisors information.

Put your people first. How often has your company launched a new product, broadcast or published a new marketing campaign, or announced a new strategic direction without telling your employees who are the people who have to sell your products, represent your brand and execute your strategies? Have a plan to share important information with your employees first, so that they are ready to respond when customers call. Don’t let your people hear about new initiatives on the radio, TV or in the newspaper before they hear it from you!

Give it to them straight. Most companies are more than eager to share good news with their people, and to celebrate in success. People also want to hear the bad news, no matter how difficult it might be to take. Sooner or later, the word is going to get out. Wouldn’t you prefer that your employees hear it straight from you, than through the grapevine? Have a plan to share all of your news with your people. They will trust you more if you are willing to share not only the good, but also the bad and the ugly with them.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at 9:03 am and is filed under Business, Corporate Communications, Public Relations, Technology, The Media, Weber Shandwick. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.