Now that the global economic downturn has put many businesses under even more pressure to perform, they have to constantly adapt and change to survive.
Time and time again research has highlighted the significant role that leaders and managers play to keep employees informed, motivated and loyal to the company for which they work. With budgets becoming tighter and staff being reduced, communication with employees is becoming a high priority.
In times of crisis, employee communication becomes even more critical. Yet in many organisations globally, leaders and managers are not strong communicators. Based on a 2009 survey conducted by international PR consultancy Webber Shandwick Worldwide, 54% of participating employees had not heard from their leaders, and 71% felt that their leaders should be communicating more.
Leaders and managers, to a large extent, embody the change and need to take on the role as primary communicator to instil confidence and retain trust among employees. They need to explain to employees why the change is necessary, what the company is doing to effectively manage the process and how the change will impact them. HR, change management and communication professionals need to support them in this regard.
Typically, proactive internal communication during change tends to be neglected, with the result that employees often hear information about company developments from external sources, if at all. This not only creates the risk of misinformation and misinterpretation of a given situation, but it builds distrust among employees. If leaders then try to remedy the situation after the fact, this further erodes the company's brand integrity internally. It is therefore vital that leaders work hand in hand with communicators to ensure that employees are timeously informed about any developments within the business.
Portraying a negative situation in a realistic way is no easy task. Yet it signals to employees that the company is taking control of the issues at hand and is striving to be open and transparent in its communication. This in turn will go a long way to building trust and credibility for leaders - a vital outcome when attempting to keep the business on track through major change or difficult economic times.
According to a recent article published on Melcrum's membership website the Internal Comms Hub (www.internalcommshub.com), crisis calls for honesty in leadership. The article - Ten Commandments for Leaders in Tough Times - shares advice from The Company Agency (www.thecompanyagency.com) in the UK, on how CEOs can tackle communication during the downturn.
Based on interviews with 14 top leaders in business and the public arena, a key piece of advice is: tell it like it is. If employees believe that leaders are not being straight with them, it immediately undermines all trust and motivation.
Don't underestimate the value of giving people the basic reassurance that issues and problems are being dealt with.
Said one CEO, “People hate to feel that they are being left in the dark, but also be realistic about the fact that you won't have all the answers. Just be honest about that.”
Further, leaders and managers need to understand the importance of listening to their employees, and providing clear, consistent and credible responses.
“Employees don't like vacuums,” continues the article. “They make things up to fill them. People like to feel connected and engaged with what's going on, so now is the time to engage more with employees, to listen to what they are saying, remembering they're generally the people closest to customers.”
Visibility is also important. At times of uncertainty, particularly if employees feel threatened, during labour unrest for example, employees want to see their CEOs or MDs and executive management teams in person, on site, speaking directly with their staff. This makes employees feel that they can hold leaders and management more accountable. Simultaneously, leaders need to understand that they are under the spotlight. Employees become highly observant, following their leader's emotional reaction, watching every step, constantly needing reassurance that they can trust what they are being told.
However, when trust within the organisation is at a low, and employees are highly sensitive, for example having been informed of retrenchments, then it is not advisable that the CEO or MD is visible. A leader may still play a primary communication role, but employees need to hear directly from their line managers at times when bad news has to be communicated.
Therefore, leaders need to learn when to be in the limelight as the “face” of the organisation and when they should stand back and let communicators, together with their HR colleagues, support them in managing the communication to employees through the most accessible and relevant channels, including managers.
Employees also want to see leaders walking the talk. Employees need to believe that what leaders say, they truly mean.
During uncertain times, it is difficult for leaders to give their commitment to circumstances over which they do not have control. However, leaders must have a strategic plan to navigate their businesses through tough times, and they must stick to it and constantly communicate it.
As advocated in the Melcrum article: “The value of consistency, of knowing your strategic strengths and of doing as much as possible to continue to play to them, should not be underestimated. Doing so, and telling people that you're doing so, can be hugely reassuring.”
Organisations also need to try to retain an environment where the business of the day can continue “as usual”. This can be enabled by leaders communicating clear expectations and implementing programmes that enhance teamwork and enable employees to understand that their contribution towards surviving in difficult times is invaluable.
Employees need to be encouraged to be innovative and make a difference, for the overall benefit of their colleagues, and the company, particularly if cost savings can be achieved. Employees still need to be recognised and appreciated for their efforts. To this end, leaders can have a tremendously positive impact by taking the time and trouble to communicate directly with employees on the phone, by email, and if possible, in a one-on-one conversation, if only for a few minutes. After all, they are the people who keep business going. A little investment in time and personal relationship management with employees will reap immeasurable rewards, and help employees to remain optimistic in troubled times.
