The promotion of effective internal communication is big business. A simple Google search reveals a whole host of impressive, creative and slick-looking companies who position themselves as experts in the field of communication, helping employers and employees to work together towards the same organisational goals.
It’s no secret that it’s the people on the inside of a company that make it what it is on the outside and effective employee communications are undoubtedly an important part of any successful organisation.
However, judging by a recent survey by Ibis Communication, there are few companies who are actually taking this message on board by ensuring employee engagement. “Only 13% of all UK employees are fully engaged with the organisation they work for according to new figures … The survey of 1,425 employees also shows that one in four is actively isengaged.” (www.personneltoday.com, 19 June 2006). The report suggests that many employees simply do not feel valued by their employers and even struggle to trust them.
It’s clearly important that employers consider their approach to people management and internal communication, and this should come right from the top of the organisation. It’s often the senior people in a company who directly impact the commitment and motivation of staff.
If you are a people manager, how often do you take the time out to ensure that your staff are feeling valued? How often do you say “please” or “thank you” or “you are doing a great job”? This might sound obvious, but it’s so important to staff members. It features right up there with salary incentives and competitive terms and conditions of work.
There are a number of things you can do to help your employees know they’re recognised and valued:
Set clear objectives
Share goals and objectives with them, and let them know if these objectives change. You may think that you’re communicating well, but the employee may often be of a different opinion. Ensure you get feedback from staff so that all parities are clear on requirements.
Be confident
Be confident with your staff and arrive at work with a positive attitude. Don’t start the day growling about how high the mountain is that you have to climb. Try telling them instead that it’s going to be a great day – and then see if you notice any differences.
Spend time with your staff
Take time out of your schedule to feed back to your team. They need to know what they’ve done well, and what they could have done better, and as soon as possible after the event. And listen to them, respond and act upon any concerns they have and encourage them to talk to you about their personal career aspirations.
We all get bogged down in our day to day activities and schedules and it’s hard to make time for the less tangible outputs such as effective communication and feedback. But give it a try for a while. You may find the results extremely rewarding.
For further information contact Cliff Sewell or Philip Hill at Sewell Moorhouse – an independent and specialised accounting, financial and administrative recruitment consultancy based in Sheffield, Doncaster and Leeds.
DO YOU ENGAGE YOUR STAFF?