Communication:

be clear

EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION IS

A new

Be stu

fi nds that wh i Ie sma II bus i nesses are

doing rna

things well, there is room for improvement

by Tamara L Gillis, Ed.D., ABC

the

direc

and

tor of a rehabilitation and voca- ces, both of which contribute to

tiona] services company. "As we an

have grown in size and number and

of communication

has become

we still

of communication practices.

Many respondents indicated that their company does not formally evaluate its employee communication pracriccs->only 25.3 percent said that they used employee opinion surveys, and JUSt 15.4 percent have used communication audits-c-bur they claim to know which practices appear to be most successful because of retention rates, faction and engagement the firm. Others "LJ~ljlJWjCU'Jcu that as the number of employees and locations has grown, formal communication practices have increased, With the need to train managers communication skills and evaluate the company's communication activities.

38.1 percent of respondents indicated that their

a for

cation in place, and more than half

cation

cornrnuruthat drive

employee engagement and productivity may be an opportunity for communication consulrancies that cater to this sector. Respondents indicated that organizational communication continues to be the responsibility of the owner or management team. As small companies grow, the communication responsibilities are often transferred to the human resources or sales and market-

tunction.

By the numbers

Com rn unicat ion Practices in Small Businesses,"

VIews, and recommendations for ~veloplngan;r improzing e:'=nployee communication !2r~crIces in small enterprises.

- The research findings identity:

Common employee communication practices among small firms.

Emerging employee cornrnu-

nication small firms. Cost-effectiveness of comrnu-

among

nicarion in terms of

on productivity and profitability for small firms.

employee retention, business of

communication practices in small firms.

small co medium-size

enterprises that use

of internal comthe

communication defined as "the process of information, c-cating under-

standing behaviors among

within an organization that reinforce

culture among employees, who can then

the company's message to external audi-

ences The greatest benefit

munic ation is a workforce that is

leads to posi-

t ive interactions \<vith customers.

the company in wwwiabccorvitoublications]

the long run. .. library

IABC Research foundation Expert Panel

ABOUT THE STUDY Meeting the Challenges of 21st Century Employee Communication provides hard data about the issues that organizations today are struggling with in employee communication, as well as stories and examples of how a wide variety of organizations are meeting these challenges.

For more information, visit www.iabc.comlknowledge.

ABOUT THE RESEARCHERS

Christine Gay, ABC, is a vice president and global leader of the Employee Engagement and Communication Practice for Right Management Consultants, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Michelle

Mahony, M.A., is a principal con-

sultant in Employee Engagement and Communication at Right Management. Iamen Graves, Ph.D., is the North American

leader for Organizational Research and Engagement at Right Management.

34

World I July-Augus!

Putting best practices into practice

New IABC research highlights four key challenges in corporate communication. Our panel discusses how those scenarios play out in real life

est-in-class employee communication addresses four business-critical challenges ranging from motivation to measurement. That's according to a new IABC Research Foundation study conducted by Right Management Consultants. Sounds good in theory, but how does it work in practice? And how can communication help bring employees in line with business Earlier this year, the IABC Research Foundation convened a

communication executives to find out. Here is the report from that discussion.

Moderator: What business strategy would you say has been implemented effectively throughout your organization?

two in the past five years and effectively doubled our sales inside of five years. If you look at the internal

company and that gone reasonably well-v-probably better than expected. As

you the first integration between Pfizer and the member companies started off with a hostile takeover. But

we worked hard to pre-

serve and candid

line of communication, includup front that this was not a merger of equals and that Pfizer was going to be the partner. We made it that if you want to stay in the you to land with Pfizer. This hard message for first people had unrealistic

expectations, and it was only after those expectations were managed that people recovered and started working for the resurrection of the company. There was a grassroots effort by colleagues who understood that the future of the company was at stake. So, in a sense, the real integration emanated from the bottom up.

Judith Jones: At The New York we have an that's typical

newspaper They're iconoclastic. They're not interested in being part of the room; they're not there to and hold

newspapers, or at the International Herald Tribune, The Bosron GIDbe or The New York Times, or our television or

stations-c-are the same page, see their work as the numbers. I t has to do

www.iabc.comrcw

/. KEY FINDINGS

Communicating toward the business strategy

In this latest IABC Research Foundation research project, Right Management Consultants conducted a global study to explore best in meeting today's top employee communication challenges, Information was collected from current literature, case studies, interviews with 22 best-in-class communicators on three continents. and a survey of IABC members from 472 organizations on four continents. Of the respondents, 40 percent work at the director level and 55 percent have been in the communication profession for more than 10 years. Based on this research, the four critical employee communication challenges that emerged were:

III Motivating employees to align with the business strategy-creating

a line of sight between employees and the organizational strategy.

III leadership and management communication-educating and engaging leaders and managers in their role in employee communication. ill! Managing information overload-breaking through the communication clutter.

l1li Measuring the return on investment of internal communication-link-

sure that employees understand what's important to your company. Pitney Bowes recently won an outsourcing contract with Bank of America [BofA] , which is a huge account that presented an interesting systems challenge. Suddenly we had all of these employees-most of whom are hourly and formerly associated with another BofA vendor-s-coming on board. We created an orientation to facilitate that integration, and next we're going to ask leaders to finish the sentence "Pitney Bowes is .... " \Ve've got to make sure they understand our strategic architecture and how it applies to them and their work.

THE PANELISTS

Moderator: How do you avoid mes- The IABC Research Foundation

sage overload? and Right Management went

lng communication to business results. through a collaborative process

Nancy Redmond: Sometimes there to assemble the panel. which

Motivating employees to align with the business strategy was by far the most critical of the four major communication issues, with 63.3 percent of respondents ranking it No.1 and 82.8 percent ranking it either No.1 or No.2. More than a third of respondents, 37.4 percent, believe that they handle this area effectively. However, the 25.9 percent difference between perceived importance and how effectively this area is being handled indicates significant room for improvement.

Through multiple regression analysis, the researchers identified four key drivers that help motivate employees to align with the business strategy:

III Ensure that employees clearly understand how they can help achieve the business strategy.

• Build employee commitment to the business strategy.

• leverage technology that helps employees understand the business strategy.

II Establish trust between leaders/managers and employees.

with enhancing creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment, and that is

very So we've extended

our but we have not

changed who we are and we are here: excellent journalism. Now we deliver it in multiple but the core business will

Moderator: In these days of mergers, outsourcing and distributed workforces, how do you motivate all those hard-to-reach frontline employees to align with the business strategy?

Rob Hallam: When

part of your [1!I'''''''',S real challenge. You've got to respect the host company's culture, but also got to make

never

is

are subcultures within an organization that need to communicate their own way. For example, Pepperidge Farm has eight manufacturing facilities all over the U.S., and their employees, most of them hourly, make up a big part of our workforce. Their engagement is really important to our business, but their focus mostly local. Each

has its own culture to

some allows

them to have population. As long as they're aligned with the values and

of the company, you want

let them continue this.

can many levels of messages ning around that can't process them all. As communicators, the challenge is to figure our is relevant and useful both for the company and

the

Ray Stevens: Staples' challenge is also our biggest oppor-

met earlier this year.

Moderator

Christine Gay, ABC, Right Management Consultants

Panel participants

Rob Hallam, vice president of communication, Pitney Bowes Inc.

Judith Jones, director, benefits communication and employee communication, The New York Times

Nancy Redmond, director, corporate and brand communications, Pepperidge Farm Inc.

John Santoro, executive director, leadership Inc

Ray Stevens, director, learning technology and communications. Staples Inc.

Trudy Wonder, senior director

HR communication and oper-

Merck & Inc.

Communication World I July-August 2005 35

Rob Hallam: "The Holy Grail

for communicators is measuring understanding beyond the 'smiles' test. My favorite question on employee surveys-and I've been guilty of this myself-is, 'Did you understand?' Everyone smiles and nods. Who is going to answer that question no?"

Judith Jones: "We're very open, and everything that's said inside the building goes outside too. We don't need to get employees on board with that approachthey're already there."

Nancy Redmond: "You can have so many levels of messages spinning around that people can't process them all. As communicators, the challenge is to figure out what is relevant and useful both for the company and for the people.

36 Communication World I July-August 2005

tuniry. It's consistency, consistency, consistency in communication, just like it's location, location, location in real estate. You lead the challenge of millions of customer interactions a day and want every single one to be a quick·· hassle-free process. How does t at appen each and every time in New York, California, the U.K. and Germany? We've done a lot of work toward that. We changed our corporate mission statement and retooled our values accordinglv, We're still going through that process to make sure everybody understands the importance of consistency.

Moderator: Let's talk about open and realistic communication. How do you achieve that?

Jones: We're very open, and everything that's said inside the building goes outside too. We don't need to get employees on board with that approachthey're already there. But every single person in that company is a writer. and when I first joined the company, it was a shock, because when you'd write a memo, you'd never know who might get it. You'd start getting telephone calls:

"I'm the metro desk editor, and I want to tell you about that comma you put in .... "

Hallam: You've just described communications hell.

Moderator: let's move to global communications. How does it work, and how does it not work?

Trudy Wonder: in time, Merck did more "one to all" communication. Now we back to the "think

act model,

When we have an e-mail to be delivered globally, we'll send it

our North American

ees, and then to divisional communicators in other regions to

decide: a) Does it need to be translated? b) Is this the right delivery mechanism? c) Does it need some additional context to make it understandable in the local environment? d) Do we just take the content and repurpose it?

Santoro: It's that challenge of recognizing the true definition of diversity, which includes personality, working styles and problem-solving methods. We get these Ph.D.s and folks that are working in product development and research and design, and it is such a different mindset. If you don't celebrate thatnot just tolerate it, but celebrate it-you'll lose those people, because most of them are very mobile, and they will go where they are most appreciated.

Moderator: In the best practices study, measuring the ROI [return on investment] of communication was rated lowest in terms of importance and effectiveness. I'd like to know, are surveys important in your organization, and are you finding some creative or effective way to do it?

Hallam: The Holy Grail for communicators is measuring understanding beyond the "smiles" test. My favorite question on employee surveys-and I've been guilty of this "Did you understand!" smiles and nods. ~lho is going to answer that question no? As opposed to the acid test of under-

sage, where all five of the

answers sound like could

And now there is credible evidence that shows the linkage from communication to engagement, and engagement to productivity, to turnover, to all of these costs, either revenue drivers or cost reducers inside a company. We need ro put our communications to that rest, and make that

John Santoro: "It's that challenge of recognizing the true definition of diversity, which includes personality, working styles and problem-solving methods."

Ray Stevens: "We changed our corporate mission statement and retooled our values accordingly. We're still going through that process to make sure everybody understands the importance of consistency."

Trudy Wonder: "At one point in time, Merck did more 'one to all' communication. Now we are shifting back to the 'think globally, act locally' model. When we have an e-mail to be delivered globally, we'll send it to our North American employees, and then to divisional communicators in other

www.tabc.comrcw

EFFECTIVE INTERNAL COMMUNICATION STARTS

26 Communication World I July,Augu,t 2005

Help executives understand the need for clear, concise com m u n ication by Rodney Gray and Larry Robertson

In this article, Rodney Gray, employee communication research specialist, argues the case for improving senior executive communication in organizations, Larry Robertson, communication advisor to senior executives, outlines what communicators can do to support CEO and senior executive communication,

Senior executives, especially the CEO, provide leadership to align the organization with its vision. They set the direction, and their behavior determines the tone and culture-how the vision will be achieved.

But employees are often not impressed. In countless organizations, employees say that their senior executives are not visible (which employees interpret to mean that they don't care), they give few clues as to the future direction of the company, they are not open and they don't involve and consult those affected

fail

sometimes

in

but sadly it is true of many.

Research reveals that

ing the communication of senior executives, especially the

may be [he most cost-effective way to improve employees' satisfaction with communica-

tion in their organizations.

"Finding the Right Direction," in the November-December 2004 issue of C\V, described how research conducted in Australia found that effective senior executive communication is generally one of the highest correlates of satisfaction with internal communication ( typically around 0.7 out of l.0).

However, on average, only 38 percent of Australian employees are satisfied with communication with their senior executives, and only 35 percent with communication with their CEO,. About two-thirds of employees are not prepared to say they are satisfied.

Not a pretty. picture. Little wonder that many executives that their workforce is "p,>'>c"'N"d " The high correlation between ineffective communication senior executives and low levels of

What's more, a ducred for the Allen Group in 2003 to

in

key drivers of effective change management found a strong statistical relationship between CEO and divisional executive communication and "organizational satisfaction and culture." This correlates strongly with employees' perceptions that "major changes appear well planned" and "implementation of changes is well handled," as described in CW CEO and divisional executive communication was found to be far more likely to influence employees' perceptions that change was well planned and well implemented than, say, immediate manager or team communication.

Communication audit results from other organizations reveal some very shabby scores:

II 10 percent of employees

that executives were aware of their concerns.

III 15 percent agreed that the head office communicated effectively.

Ii! 19 percent agreed that senior executives were visible.

19 percent agreed that executives their views and listened.

2 percent that

were informed of and

directions.

23 percent that execu-

tives communicated well.

www.Iabc.com/cw

It's not demands on

Overall corporate strategy. financial results. redun-

Feedback from the board of

sector, government). stakeholder issues. Kesponses to media attention.

also understand that the CEO and other execu-

CEOsseem to be listening

The write-in comments to the that at least a

much. as safes; .39

-R.G. &LR.

in and has worked with the IABC Research Foundation. He can be reached at rodlleYJ~rayil@ compuselVe.com.

based in

Australia.

He can be reached at robertsonburns.com.3u.

21

respect them and if our journey is to them. So communot different in

of those same words appear in mission statements. Most are "communication" words--for example, we, trust, commitment, openrern0'l1.1t1.011_ respect, engagement. Executives certainly the importance of communication-in theory. In practice, however, they fail too often.

Perhaps this is hardly surprising, given that most senior executives achieve their positions as a result of their success as managers and operators, not as leaders and communicators. They're evaluated more on business performance than on personal behavior. So the focus is inevitably on tasks before people. Yet there's a dear link between outstanding organizational performance and outstanding culture.

First and foremost, communicators must be exemplars. \Ve too must walk the talk as communication managers and as leaders. While our content, systems and

tactics be we II

",,,'--Vl1U, communicators must be advocates. To be ~U<_'--C;;'~<lU, we must earn the confidence and respect of our executives our worth. Given that focused on process and outcome, this requires our communication strategy with the

business strategy and our activities with the organization's We need to remind executives of the correlation between winning cultures and winning performances. Every executive meeting should end with clarity about what's to be communicated, to whom, by whom, when and how. Communication should be kept short and simple, whatever the medium.

Assure executives that repetition is a good thing, however familiar or even bored they themselves may be with the subject matter. Executives need to talk regularly to employees about the organization's purpose, activities, goals, points of difference, customers, competitors, and how their departments and their own personal efforts contribute. If aren't clear about we and our execu-

\..vm:'''!4l1<:O have work to do. communicators must

do smaller events.

We need to to our

\..V.llC'~!4l1C~ that in communica-

tion, like most in

what goes around comes around. So executives have

that if want to be listened and respected,

Clearly, no single activity or event will achieve this. As with any worthwhile journey, it takes time, persistence and resolve. A dose of humility helps too.

Results are the measure of organizational success, and each nr''''1'1''7''1"1,-"" whatever its nature or purpose, is a people organization. However brilliant the idea, product or strategy, executives can't achieve their organization's goals on their O\vTI. To succeed, they must strike a balance between tasks and

and so bring their employees on the journey. But employees will only come along if they're dear about where they're headed and why, and if they trust and feel appreciated by those taking them there.

As I put it to a CEO

"This r- r.)fTIr,'''''U'C

on the conversations." And communicators must take the lead in

Employee Communications Campaign of the Year 2010

Shire Pharmaceuticals: A Brave New Brand for Shire Pharmaceuticals

To create a unified corporate brand Shire's corporate team started by asking all employees what makes the company so special. Many longtime employees saw Shire as intrinsically and hisroricallv "brave." The team then devi~ed a multi-faceted brand initiative that ultimately became the cornerstone for new values and performance evaluations at Shire.

"Bold, innovative, creative, and smart plan," said one judge. "It provided a real rallying cry"

The campaign aimed to engage all 3,700 Shire employees, and the team needed lO()ll-fJ buy-in from 110 VPs who would then become ambassadors. Elements used to engage VPs included film

of patient stories and executives' own brave stories. Top managers were invited to the "Brave Room' at a company conference to record their brave stories.

Stories were shared in a podcast series and videos on Shire's intraner. The company's global emplo~ee ma¥azine also ,?rove messagmg. A Brave Tour then allowed employees an opportunity to tell their own stories on video.

All staffers also received a "Book of Brave" of images and captions that Shire savs "lead the reader from the wider world into the Shire world."The images were turned into wall art and integrated into office spaces.

"The 'Brave Bookwas a smart idea," said one judge. "Well executed." Another judge praised the overall effort, calling it "a differentiating and inspiring approach."

A survey showed 98% ofVPs agreed or strongly agreed with campaign messaging, and 96% felt the messages captured the spirit of Shire. The video and podcast pages became top-If pages in the intrancr's history, each getting 3,SOO-plus hits in the first two months. More than 100 staffers told stories during the "Brave Tour."

Shire reports that the Brave brand initiative has also inspired a CEO blog, a more relaxed dress code, and an activities-based space planning approach in offices.

Fleishman-Hillard and Novartis Oncology: Novartis Oncology Open Employee Generation Campaign "A standout, authentic campaign.

of this campaign Fleishcreated for Novarris

Employees were asked to about

TARGETE 0 AUlIliN ([

ttons nature,

III Fleishman-Hillard and Novartis Oncology: Novartis Oncology Open Employee Generation Campaign

iii! General Electric Get Inside GE

III! Insidedge and Molson Coors Brewing Company: Brewing Up Employee Commitment at Molson Coors

II MWW Group and Harrah's Entertainment: Keeping Harrah's Competitive: From the Inside Out

III Shire Pharmaceuticals:

A Brave New Brand for Shire Pharmaceuticals

FedEx Corp. provides customers worldwide with a broad portfOlio of transportation, e-commerre, and business services through operating companies competing collectively and managed (01- laboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. FedEx inspires its more than 275,000 team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities.

www.prweekus.corn AWARDS 2010

Employee Communications Campaign of the Year 2009 - Print Article - PRWeek US

Page 1 of 3

n" GE RCE WASHINGTON UNI ITY

«Return to

Year

Employee Communications Campaign of the Year 2009

March 05 2009

Winner

\Veber Shandwick and American Airlines: Just the fAActs; Spreading The Word About American's Labor Negotiations

American Airlines (AA) enlisted Weber Shandwick to help manage communications while it was approaching another round of labor negotiations with its three unions. It hoped to move beyond the airline's previous traditional tactics, such as newsletters and other printed materials. AA wanted a communications strategy that would not only provide frequent updates on the situation to numerous stakeholders, but also help shape the negotiation conversation.

To accomplish these goals, the agency helped the airline launch its first Web site dedicated to labor negotiations: AANegotiations.com. The site's primary audience was unionized employees that would be voting on their future contracts. It was designed to help explain the company's competitive position. as well as serve as a clearinghouse for information on the process both for employees and the media. AA

hoped it would also transparency of the negotiations and influence attitudes and perceptions.

Planning included reviewing the sites of other large companies that had sought to communicate during labor negotiations, as well as in-depth talks with senior communications what had, and had not, worked for them. A focus group was assembled, and

site with them, AANegotiations.com launched a months airline's

pilot's labor union began.

Employees could sign up for e-mail on also access information from third-party

sources, such as the media, might influence opinion. The e-mail alerts allowed the PR team to push

a even if employees weren't accessing the site regularly .

. prweekus.comlEmployee-Cornmunications-Campaign-of-the- Y ear- 2009/Prin! A

1/AtJnnQ

Employee Communications Campaign of the Year 2009 - Print Article PR Week US

Page 2 of 3

To create a trustworthy resource, the team realized it had to include hard facts and figures, be 1

accurate, and present it in a straightforward manner. To do so, the team got all data for the site from sources, such as the Airport Transport Association and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Other items on the Web site included Op-Eds by and links to news articles on the airline

industry

One judge called the effort an "innovative, effective program that brings an unprecedented level of transparency to labor negotiation."

The PR team said AA executives noted how the site decreased unsubstantiated rhetoric coming from labor leaders. The site is also regularly quoted in mainstream media, as well as aviation blogs. It was completed with a $200,000 budget and remains active.

Honorable Mention

1VIS&L and Philips North America: Simplicity Rewards

Philips Electronics sought a consistent way to engage and communicate its brand message of "sense and simplicity" to more than 19,000 employees in North America. To do so, the PR team and MS&L created "Simplicity Rewards," a customized loyalty program, in August 2007. Employees visit microsite

to learn about its latest products, record new customer leads, and test their understanding of brands and other topics. As they succeed and take part, employees gain points, which can be cashed in for products, travel, luxury goods, or household services. Participation after the first week was at 32%. By September 2008, it was at 69%. Philips added new elements like Simplicity Rewards Recognition cards that allowed managers to recognize staff in various ways. One judge lauded the effort as a "creative application of a consumer tactic in an employee program."

Finalists

• AECOl\;l Technology Corp.: AECOM" ~ 41,000

Countries

• Burson-Marsteller and Thomson Reuters:

Foundation

• GolinHarris and Piedmont Hospital:

• :MS&L and Philips North America:

• \Veber Shandwick and American Airlines:

to

a

IABC: CW Bulletin Chan

Page 1 of2

Tips for Writing Effective E-Mail

by lanis Fisher Chan and Natasha Terk

Related Resources:

..

E-mail has become the modern communication vehicle of choice, particularly in business. Unfortunately, e-mail is not used effectively all the time.

II

From using appropriate greetings to sending blind copies, Lynn GaertnerJohnson discusses e-mail etiquette and efficiency.

Respect your reader's time. How many messages arrive in your inbox each day? According to an article in last year's Communication World, "Too much e-mail' is one of the most frequent complaints heard in organizations today." The fact is that many e-mail messages do not need to be sent. Too often, we shoot back e-mail responses rather than consider whether a response is needed, and this can keep online conversations going without serving a useful purpose. We also tend to forward e-mail without thinking about whether the reader actually needs the information. Respect your reader's time-and your own-by asking whether the e-mail really needs to be sent.

..

Writing for the Web is more than just writing copy. Everything from the headlines to the graphics need to catch the viewer's attention.

Make sure the topic is appropriate for e-mail, and watch your tone. The results of a survey by the American Management Association and The ePolicy Institute revealed that one in five companies had e-mail messages subpoenaed in the course of a lawsuit or a regulatory investigation. Another 13 percent have battled lawsuits triggered by email.

Many topics are just too confidential or sensitive to write in an e-mail; in addition, carelessly written e-mail can convey an abrupt, offensive tone. Some good questions to ask yourself when writing e-mail include:

I want

a newspaper?

If I

and

IABC: CW Bulletin Chan

Here's an easy way to figure out your main point: Imagine that your

reader is about to go airport security on her way to an Important

meeting. You have 15 to shout out your message before she

disappears into the crowd. What would you say?

Make your subject line a "headline." An informative, compelling subject line catches the reader's attention and says what the e-mail is

about-giving the reader a reason to open the message. a key

word or words makes it easy for readers to search for messages

need to see again. And occasionally, the entire message can be put into the subject line: "Meeting time changed from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.rn., same place."

For subject lines to be useful, however, they must relate

the When replying to an e-mail, be sure to change the

changing the subject.

Use language that communicates clearly. "Sometimes you come across corporate gibberish so tortured, so triumphantly Incomprehensible, you can only shake your head in admiration," wrote David Lazarus in a San Francisco Chronicle article titled "Gobbledygook Boils Down to Loss of Grace." Language is the medium by which we communicate-or fail to communicate. Passive constructions, jargon, inflated language and unnecessary words only get in the way of your message. Get your point across as clearly as possible by using active language and plain English, and by getting rid of "clutter" that makes your writing boring and shifts the focus away from the important message.

Keep e-mail professional. The e-mail vou wnte savs e lot ebout vouJt

tells readers that you are thorough, and attentive-or not. It

indicates that your message is to be not. It implies

that you know what you are talking about-or not. People sometimes think that attention to details such as spelling and grammar matter only when writing to clients or senior people In their organization. But appearance always counts. Even if the person receiving the e-mail knows you well, keep in mind that your e-mail can easily be forwarded to others. Ask, "What if a company director or a client happens to see this e-mail? What image of me-and my organization-does it convey?"

Will

Janis Fisher Chan and Neteshe Terk are partners in Write It Well, an Oakland,

California-based company that helps people communicate in the

the are adapted from

Page 2 of2

IABC: CW Bulletin Clear Communication Tough Times

Page I of 3

Clear Communication in Tough Times

How to Make the Best

of a Tough (Communication) Situation

by \Vilma Mathews, ABC, IABC Fellow

Editor's note: This article is the first in a three-part series about communicating during a downturn.

In recent months, communication to employees and shareholders about the economy has been rampant. From stomach-dropping headlines to indecipherable discussions of stimulus packages, both public and private media have tried to calm the hysteria but have often only added fuel to that fire.

Noted futurist Faith Popcorn issued a release saying that 2009 will be a year "marked by unprecedented fear, anxiety and uncertainty. It's the end of the world as we know it"

The current recession isn't the first one in history. Popcorn's doomsday statement could have been issued several times in the 1900s. After all, a recession is a financial phenomenon that can happen at any time, anywhere and for a host of reasons.

For corporate communicators-many of whom are experiencing their first recession-the challenges can be overwhelming, both personally and professionally. But this can be (and should be) a master's-level learning experience on financial and employee communication.

There are three phases in this communication plan:

bad news while it's and

news.

Phase One

IABC: CW Bulletin

Communication in Tough Times

Page 2 of 3

Slow

occurs daily in businesses and organizations. It "H'-'HF,~ to better software or a reorganization of senior or a different casual Friday dress code.

Slow. small changes may not be welcome. but they're

like a bite of food you don't like just to please the cook.

The result: You don't suffer ill from taking a bite, the

cook is happy and it was a one-time occurrence.

Abrupt changes, however. can shake organizations-and employees-to the core. The unexpected departure of the CEO. A new owner. A free-falling economy. Rising oil prices. Harsher regulations. A devalued currency. Bankruptcy. Abrupt changes make your heart race and cause you to go into fight or flight mode. Most often, people take the route to flight.

Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D., says this type of change "confronts the entire organization with the possibility that the very roles. actions and attitudes that were most responsible for past success will be insufficient, and perhaps even detrimental, in the future."

Communicators should see these shifts-slow changes or abrupt ones-as opportunities to educate, inform and secure their audiences. If employees, investors, retirees, customers, and other

audiences are attuned to the dynamics and day-to-day cycles of D' . his . 1

h h I Iik I h b ' I h ISCUSS t IS artie e

c ange, t ey are ess ley to overreact w en su stantra c ange .

comes along, If these audiences are well informed about your

specific business-its challenges, plans, successes and failures-

then they are less likely to overreact when things go awry, If

these audiences trust the company, they are less likely to leave it.

Employees are, obviously, the most immediately affected by

change, but other information, too.

II

IABC: CW Bulletin Clear Communication in Tough Times

Page 3 of3

top priority.

Investors are the first to flee when things bad. Their financial

movements and prognostications affect other audiences such as suppliers and potential employees. Ongoing, in-depth communication with investors can help this audience make smarter. more accurate decisions.

Nonprofit organizations live and die by the health of the business community. When businesses die, nonprofits are unable to fulfill their missions, and communities suffer. Nonprofits also can lose their volunteer leadership during recessions, putting them in the position of losing both a high-profile leader and substantial annual donations.

Treat your retirees. customers, nonprofit partners and investors like employees-talk to them and with them so that they understand what your challenges are. And treat your employees like investors, future retirees. customers and community volunteers, for that is what they are.

Never overestimate their knowledge but never underestimate their intelligence. Too much information isn't too much.

Part two ofthis series willfocus on communication during layoffs. restructuring and similar upheavals. Part Three will discuss lesson .. ' to be Iearnedfrom "survivor syndrome. "

Wilma Mathews. ABC, IABC Fellow, hasfour decades of business communication experience, with an unfortunate amount

spent on plant closures and other unpleasant

communication challenges. She nowfocuses on writing and editing for those clients who think that

" announcements employees

La presente sintesis fue realizada con base en las aportaciones de las areas de comunicaci6n de mas de 40 empresas, la gran mayorla afiliadas a la AMCO, en torno a las acciones que han tornado para prevenir en sus correspondientes organizaciones la influenza.

Sugerimos com partir este documento con el area de Recursos Humanos de su empresa, ya sea para comprobar 0 adoptar, sequn sea el caso, las medidas presentadas.

1. Envio de comunicados interrros informando sobre los sfntomas y recomendaciones de higiene para evitar el contagio.

2. En estos se incluyeron links a sitios con recomendaciones oficiales y especializadas:

3. el

01 800 - 0044 - 800

4. En algunos casos se incluyo la relacion de hospftales a los que los empleados podrian acudir haciendo el cargo a la empresa.

5. En los centres de trabajo donde los empleados no cuentan con equipo de compute, los jefes son responsables de hacer extensiva la informacion al personal.

6. Se promueve la partlcipacion activa en los comites establecidos.

7. Documentar en video la situacicn prevaleciente en la Ciudad de Mexico.

1. Monitoreo y apoyo constante del servicio medico para detectar entre los empleados

cualquier malestar en vias respiratorias y/o sintomas asociados a la influenza.

2. Se solicita al empleado informar sobre la sltuacion referente a sus familiares.

3. Uso de tapabocas (mascarillas en plantas industriales) y gel antibacterial.

4. Entrega de termornetros, guantes y toallas sanitizantes para la limpieza de objetos

de trabajo como son teclados y telefonos.

5. Uso de pariuelos desechables y deben tirarse en bolsas de plastico y cerrarlas.

6. Suspension de juntas y/o entrenamiento, asl como traslados.

7. Suspension de actividades deportivas dentro de las instalaciones de la empresa.

8. Restricci6n de acceso a proveedores y visitas.

9. Las damas en periodo de qestacion 0 en etapa de lactancia NO acuden a laborar hasta nuevo aviso.

10. En la mayor medida posible, hacer uso de la practica del Home office, laborando en casa, desviando sus lIamadas a los telefonos a celulares y/o a su domicilio.

11. Sustituir las reuniones mediante conferencias telef6nicas u otros medios utilizando las diferentes tecnofogias de informacion.

12. Flexibilidad de horarios para el personal que se mueve en transporte publico.

13. Solo se presentara a laborar el personal clave que por la naturaleza de su trabajo no pueda ausentarse.

14. No se permits el acceso a las oficinas de hijos en companla de sus padres.

15. Por motivos indole laboral, el personal que labora como servicio social y becarios,

NO acuden a trabaiar.

16. interna 0 externa son de uso y

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1. M6dulo de servicio medico instalado en las instalaciones de la empresa.

2. Mantener las areas de trabajo abiertas y ventiladas.

3. EI acceso al servicio de comedor es controlado, escalonando los horarios, con estricta limpieza posterior a su uso,

4. Se sugiere a los empleados que lIeven sus propios alimentos, como son Box-lunch o com ida para consumirlos en sus propias areas de trabajo.

5. Reacomodo de las areas de comedor para evitar al maximo el contacto cercano y se establece un minimo de comensales por mesa.

6. Los alimentos se sirven en utensilios desechables y unlcarnente el personal del comedor servira los alimentos.

7. Distribuci6n de botes para dep6sito de panuetos y tapabocas.

8. Desconexi6n 0 disminuci6n de la intensidad del aire acondicionado, as! como la revisi6n de filtros.

9. Limpieza constante de areas de contacto cornun como son sanitarios, chapas de puerta, pasillos, copiadoras e impresoras, etcetera.

10. Suspensi6n del uso del reloj checador.

11. Cierre de instalaciones deportivas

1. Activaci6n 2.

los comites definidos en caso de crisis 0 situaciones especiales.

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