Communication with employees is often the first thing to drop off when a company is struggling to survive in a bad economy. This avoidance can affect overall company performance for a number of reasons. Employee stress must be recognized and dealt with, or productivity will suffer and profits will be effected as employees call in sick for stress related illness, lose touch with the overall company goals and eventually develop reduced levels of commitment to the company.
Here are five techniques to improve communication with employees during tough economic times.
#1: Dont Hide the C-Level
In general, the more unknown factors that exist in a company, the more important it is for the companys leadership to be seen and available to the employees. Share the process by which senior management is weighing options and making decision before all of the decisions have been made.
#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: Acknowledge there is Stress
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, who is an organizational transitions expert, agrees with this theory. He has found that employees prefer their management to admit that they dont know what they are going to do about a situation, but that they will let them know, rather than stay silent and leave the employees to wonder.
#4: Communicate Practical Optimism
The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers last fall caused stress and anxiety in financial industry employees regardless of their employer. The President of the Navy Federal Credit Union in Vienna, Va. recognized this concern among his employees and sent them a letter immediately. The letter reminded employees that the credit union operated very conservatively, and had never participated in the types of lending practices that got Lehman Brothers in trouble. However, the president did acknowledge that in uncertain times, it would be foolish not to admit that the credit union stood some possibility of risk due to the financial crisis.
Company management should work toward conveying this type of practical optimism with their employees. People dont want to be patronized with a watered down version of the truth. Robert Holland, a communications expert, suggests management to convey a message such as: I understand every employee has been impacted by the financial crisis in a special way. It is an anxious time for everyone, and I want to share with you what our company is doing to make it through.
#5: Stay in contact with remote employees
In times like these, it would be easy for employees in remote and field offices to feel out of the loop and fearful. The Denver-based director of a West Coast company that is in the middle of a major restructuring is addressing these concerns by implementing a consistent communication plan consisting of:
1. conduct a short phone meeting first thing each week with all staff in order to communicate any new information that has happened since the prior week.
2. A more formal all-hands call midway through the week in order to share rumors or gossip people may have heard and to set folks straight as to the facts.
3. A Friday afternoon e-mail to all employees summarizing the weeks news regarding the reorganization.
It is the consistency and openness of this plan that makes it so successful. Staff members feel comfortable voicing their concerns and trust they are fully in the loop as to what is proceeding. There is a lot of laughter over some of the rumors that surface, which really boosts morale. The final result is a team that feels connected and supported, regardless of their location.
Senior leaders in an organization must find a venue and format that works for them so that they dont avoid acknowledging employees concern and participating in a healthy two-way communication. In order to be successful in the long run, excellent employee communication is not an option, particularly when stress levels and employee concerns are running at top levels.
Wendy Mack is a professional advisor, trainer, and author with a focus on directing and communicating change. Download her free e-book, Transforming Anxiety into Energy at
www.WendyMack.com.
