Relics of Bygone Eras - 2nd Edition - Employee Communications (Part I)
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“We Don’t Communicate”
Too often you hear it in the hallways (or over conference apps, ironically) and see it on employee surveys, “We don’t communicate as a company. We send a lot of emails, but we don’t communicate.”
Employee communication is truly the lifeblood of any organization. The more timely, efficient, and consistent the communication flows, the greater chance that organization thrives. But you already know that.
But if we know this, then why has nothing changed?
Nothing changes because for decades employee communication has been viewed as tactical, blocking and tackling, and uses a “destination model” for disseminating information. It is “Here is your information, please read it”. It might be delivered in a form of “all employee” correspondence or emails with the subject line “PLEASE READ”, or posted on internal intranets with the occasional poster created for the break room wall.
Nothing changes because organizations continue to employ these outdated tools and techniques for message distribution, and nothing will change as long as organizations continue to view communicating as a task, something that needs to “go out by this afternoon”. It’s not viewed as a comprehensive and powerful strategy that can become a true competitive advantage for the organization. Internal communications are relegated to ad hoc, as needed information dissemination.
Change will occur when organizations view their employee communications as an opportunity to create a competitive advantage and communication becomes the strategic vehicle through which we continually connect our people to culture, values, purpose, goals, objectives and priorities. The essential elements that make up the fabric of any organization.
Employee communications, fundamentally, is how alignment within organizations is achieved. It’s how employees know who we are as a company and what we value. It’s how they understand the company’s direction and goals, and it’s how employees can prioritize and align their actions and activities to the direction and success of the organization. But this type of communication can’t have just a one-and-done, “We have now communicated with and informed them, check!” mindset. It needs to be coordinated, consistent, relevant and targeted.
Next week we will outline how change can occur and where it starts. In fact, here is just a quick preview. Most organizations can’t do it alone. Join us next week!
And for more detailed information about how to truly transform your employee communications, check out https://www.cornerstonelearning.com/engagement-communication.
