Archive for December, 2009
Only Consistent CEO Communication Can Drive Employee Engagement
Posted by: | CommentsEmployee engagement is the new buzzword – remember reengineering and rightsizing?
Companies claim that employees are their most important assets – and they are. But what a disconnect between words and actions. For example, many companies are allowing their employees to choose flexible work arrangements. This can be particular advantage to young families raising children. But does it really work in practice?
According to a recent Catalyst report, Work-Life: Prevalence, Utilization, and Benefits, “91% of women and 94% of men agreed that they could be flexible with their schedules when they had a family emergency or personal matter, but only 15% of women and 20% of men agreed that they could use a flexible work arrangement without jeopardizing their career advancement.” This is not encouraging employee engagement.
And what does it say to employees when there is a layoff and guards usher the “rightsized” employees out the door after they get the axe without even being allowed to pick up their personal belongings? Bet most employees are not engaged trying to do their best job for the company. After seeing mistreatment of other employees, those remaining are most likely engaged in looking for another job.
I’ve long contended that the CEO is the Chief Communications Officer of her company. The CEO is the driver of employee engagement – that is, motivating employees to do their best work for the company they believe cares about them. The CEO must be communicating directly to employees with the good and the bad and how they can help themselves and the company to be better.
There are excellent examples of CEOs who are leading the engagement process, but not enough of them. In previous posts, I’ve referenced Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com, who is famous for the wacky and wonderful culture he’s instilled there with employee engagement that’s over the top. He is in constant communication with employees and with their customers. Go to You Tube to see many videos of a happy and engaged Zappos work force.
The Issue: Maintaining Employee Engagement
For MGM Grand’s COO Gamal Aziz the challenge is maintaining the company’s remarkable employee engagement during tough times for the hotel and for Las Vegas. In a Business Week article and accompanying video, Mr. Aziz discusses how critical it is to continue to engage employees during a very difficult environment for this Las Vegas hotel and casino. He’s communicated with employees about the company’s problems in weathering the recession with fewer guests spending less money.
As a result, “employees are willing to give their all,” he says. For him, it’s about employees “having a voice” in the success of the company. Even though things are tough, he has committed to “not move away from commitment to employees.”
So what does it take for employees to feel engaged? Based on in-depth research involving millions of employees over the years, The Gallup polling organization has developed and identified 12 core elements of employee engagement that predict performance. Here they are.
The 12 Elements of Engagement
I know what is expected of me at work.
I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right.
At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.
My supervisors, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
There is someone at work who encourages my development.
At work, my opinions seem to count.
The mission or purpose of my organization makes me feel my job is important.
My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.
My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.
I have a best friend at work.
In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.
This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow.
© Gallup, Inc.
There are no doubt other drivers of employee engagement. I’d be interested in hearing from you with stories about what makes employees want to work their hearts out for their companies.
In His Crisis Communications, Is Tiger Woods Really Sorry?
Posted by: | CommentsYet another celebrity’s image crashes and burns with the revelations about Tiger Woods’ affairs. The rule in crisis communications is to get all the bad news out at once. Drip, drip, drip is not going to work because the news media will grab on to a hot story like a dog with a bone. In his situation, the bad news is so broad and torturous, that all the bad news may never get out.
But the point of this blog is not to discuss the merits of his communications and whether he miscalculated in trying to cover up the truth. This is the question: is he really sorry about his “transgressions,” as he calls them?
In truth, are celebrity mea cupas, like Tiger’s, really authentic? When celebrities get caught in illicit affairs, taking drugs, or beating their wives, they rush to the spotlight, often with wife in tow, to profoundly apologize for their misdeeds. They can’t believe the hurt they’ve caused their families and adoring fans.
This is my take on it: what they are really apologizing for is getting caught. Is it likely Tiger, or Eliot Spitzer, or LeBron James would have stopped their affairs if they hadn’t been outed? Were they sorry about being unfaithful while enjoying themselves behind closed doors?
Why Employee Communication Programs Fail and Hurt Bottom Line Results
Posted by: | CommentsBy Mary Lynn Coyle and Jeannette Paladino
Employee communication is often the poor stepchild of companies that ignore their employees’ overwhelming need and desire for information so they can do their jobs better. Yet research shows that organizations excelling in internal communications also excel in financial performance.
A Watson Wyatt study found that companies with highly effective communication practices have a 19 percent higher market premium and a 47% higher shareholder return. A Towers Perrin study found that four out of five workers are not engaged in doing the things that drive results. That’s why we believe that companies need to instill a total Culture of Communication throughout their organizations that is open, consistent, simple, and caring.
Why Employee Communication Programs Fail:
- Behaviors don’t match the message, especially senior executive behaviors
- Communicating is not viewed as an important process or asset
- Communication is blocked at many levels – up, down and across
- Complicated and lengthy approval processes prevent timely distribution of information
- Employees don’t hear things first, thus a loss of faith develops
- Too much is communicated and more important messages are lost in the clutter
If communication with employees is broken, you will never realize your corporate vision. “Broken” can mean something as elementary under-communicating or communicating the wrong messages. Employee satisfaction suffers, which, in turn, hurts customer satisfaction. And, if that happens, the bottom line is bound to suffer as well.
Change programs can fail when management doesn’t see the link between internal and external communications. It is employees who are most often the primary interface between the company and its targets. Customers are the most obvious and important external audience. Without them there is no business.
The global economy and new technologies are transforming the way organizations communicate. To bring their vision of a new, highly competitive company to life, it is essential for management to build and nurture a total culture of communication that includes internal and external audiences.
The Tenets of a Culture of Communication
We believe there are five components to a Culture of Communication. Trust is at the core – all communications must be reliable, truthful and contain the full story.
The other four components are:
- Openness – there must be an unwavering commitment to and support of a healthy two-way communications environment
- Simplicity – communications must be clear, meaningful and accessible
- Consistency – messages must be strategic and integrated
- Caring – there must be concern for the individual
Establishing a Culture of Communication will result in improved communication effectiveness that will help organizations achieve their change plans, growth plans and performance goals. Companies that create best practices in all areas of communications, both internally and externally, will truly transform themselves.
What is your company doing to create a Culture of Communication?
Mary Lynn Coyle is a corporate communications, branding, public relations and marketing communications professional with experience in management consulting, executive search, information and high technology, manufacturing, consumer products and non-profit arenas.
Mary Lynn Coyle is a corporate communications, branding, public relations and marketing communications professional with experience in management consulting, executive search, information and high technology, manufacturing, consumer products and non-profit arenas.Mary Lynn Coyle is a corporate communications, branding, public relations and marketing communications professional with experience in management consulting, executive search, information and high technology, manufacturing, consumer products and non-profit arenas.
