As companies struggle to deal with the worsening economy, employee communication is often neglected. Yet ignoring employees concerns can be costly in more ways than one. If not addressed, employee anxiety reduces productivity and may ultimately impact the bottom line via stress-related illness, absenteeism, and decreased employee engagement and loyalty.
I would like to suggest five strategies to maintain effective communication in trying times.
1: Dont Hide the C-Level
It is generally true that the senior management of a company should be more available and visible to their employees at those times when the unknown factors are greatest. These are not the times to wait to hold team meetings, rather it is critical to communicate regularly and let employees know the options senior management is considering and the process for making those decisions.
2: Stop the Anxiety that Comes From Silence
Unfortunately, many presidents and CEOs are reluctant to hold town hall meetings or webinars in times of uncertainty. They may be thinking, What on earth could I say when I dont even know for certain how the financial situation will impact us or what we will do about it? The temptation may be to hold off on communicating until you know more.
Unfortunately, silence only leads to rumors. If concerns and rumors are left unaddressed, momentum builds and leads to distrust. For employees to trust their management teams, leaders need to communicate openly and honestly about whats happening.
3: Recognize the Tension
When you dont have the answers, communicate possibilities and probabilities. According to communication experts TJ and Sandar Larkin, employees come to distrust their managers not because managers told them something bad, but because they told them nothing at all.
William Bridges agrees with this philosophy, based on his experience as an organization transitions expert. Bridges has discovered that staff members typically prefer to hear that there is no news at all, but they will be the first to be told when there is.
4: Communicate Practical Optimism
Financial industry employees everywhere began to panic when Lehman Brothers announced their bankruptcy in late 2008. Attempting a proactive response to the crisis, the President of the Navy Federal Credit Union in Vienna, Va. sent a letter to all staff addressing their concerns. The letter reassured employees that the credit union had never been involved in subprime lending and always operated in a very conservative manner. But the letter also acknowledged that the current financial crisis posed risk to all financial organizations, the impact of which was yet to be seen.
Leaders should aim to convey this positive blend of practical optimism. Employees dont want to hear watered down versions of the truth. Communication expert Robert Holland suggests leaders to communicate to employees in a manner such as: It is clear the financial crisis has affected everyone in a very individual way. These are anxious and confusing times for everyone, but let me share with you what our company is doing to make it through.
5: Stay in contact with remote employees
It is easy for employees in the field and operating in remote locations to feel neglected and fearful as to their future. One Denver director of a company based on the West Coast which is in the middle of a large restructure has implemented the following plan for getting information out to these folks:
1. A 15-minute meeting every Monday morning with all employees to share any news/decisions that have taken place over the weekend.
2. conduct a more structured all-hands meeting half way through the week, with an agenda including addressing those rumors going around the organization and sharing what is known and not known by senior management.
3. An end of week email to all staff summarizing what has transpired over the week with respect to the reorganization.
What makes a plan like this so appealing is that it is open and consistent. Employees are confident that they are being kept in the loop and are able to express their concerns. Some much needed laughs result from sharing the rumors circulating. The entire team feels supported and connected to each other.
However they ultimately choose to do it, successful senior management will take the time to recognize their employees anxiety and be open to honest two way communication. Successful leaders know that when tension is at its highest, good communication is a must for a smooth running organization. Wendy Mack
I would like to suggest five strategies to maintain effective communication in trying times.
1: Dont Hide the C-Level
It is generally true that the senior management of a company should be more available and visible to their employees at those times when the unknown factors are greatest. These are not the times to wait to hold team meetings, rather it is critical to communicate regularly and let employees know the options senior management is considering and the process for making those decisions.
2: Stop the Anxiety that Comes From Silence
Unfortunately, many presidents and CEOs are reluctant to hold town hall meetings or webinars in times of uncertainty. They may be thinking, What on earth could I say when I dont even know for certain how the financial situation will impact us or what we will do about it? The temptation may be to hold off on communicating until you know more.
Unfortunately, silence only leads to rumors. If concerns and rumors are left unaddressed, momentum builds and leads to distrust. For employees to trust their management teams, leaders need to communicate openly and honestly about whats happening.
3: Recognize the Tension
When you dont have the answers, communicate possibilities and probabilities. According to communication experts TJ and Sandar Larkin, employees come to distrust their managers not because managers told them something bad, but because they told them nothing at all.
William Bridges agrees with this philosophy, based on his experience as an organization transitions expert. Bridges has discovered that staff members typically prefer to hear that there is no news at all, but they will be the first to be told when there is.
4: Communicate Practical Optimism
Financial industry employees everywhere began to panic when Lehman Brothers announced their bankruptcy in late 2008. Attempting a proactive response to the crisis, the President of the Navy Federal Credit Union in Vienna, Va. sent a letter to all staff addressing their concerns. The letter reassured employees that the credit union had never been involved in subprime lending and always operated in a very conservative manner. But the letter also acknowledged that the current financial crisis posed risk to all financial organizations, the impact of which was yet to be seen.
Leaders should aim to convey this positive blend of practical optimism. Employees dont want to hear watered down versions of the truth. Communication expert Robert Holland suggests leaders to communicate to employees in a manner such as: It is clear the financial crisis has affected everyone in a very individual way. These are anxious and confusing times for everyone, but let me share with you what our company is doing to make it through.
5: Stay in contact with remote employees
It is easy for employees in the field and operating in remote locations to feel neglected and fearful as to their future. One Denver director of a company based on the West Coast which is in the middle of a large restructure has implemented the following plan for getting information out to these folks:
1. A 15-minute meeting every Monday morning with all employees to share any news/decisions that have taken place over the weekend.
2. conduct a more structured all-hands meeting half way through the week, with an agenda including addressing those rumors going around the organization and sharing what is known and not known by senior management.
3. An end of week email to all staff summarizing what has transpired over the week with respect to the reorganization.
What makes a plan like this so appealing is that it is open and consistent. Employees are confident that they are being kept in the loop and are able to express their concerns. Some much needed laughs result from sharing the rumors circulating. The entire team feels supported and connected to each other.
However they ultimately choose to do it, successful senior management will take the time to recognize their employees anxiety and be open to honest two way communication. Successful leaders know that when tension is at its highest, good communication is a must for a smooth running organization. Wendy Mack
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