Tell it like it is

At a time when we’re being bombarded with grim financial news from every quarter it’s important to consider the impact on internal communication in the workplace.

 

In a recent survey of 514 American workers released by Weber Shandwick and published in PR Week more than half said their employers had not addressed their concerns about the impact of the current economic turmoil.

 

The workers were clearly worried – 70% expected the current economic situation to have a negative impact on the companies they work for, while 62% of those said their companies would have trouble meeting its goals.  The deafening silence from the top is no doubt contributing to their concerns.  And just because the boss isn’t talking about it doesn’t mean the staff aren’t.  Nearly three quarters of those surveyed said their colleagues are discussing the possibilities.

The important message for employers is to communicate openly with staff, and to do it early.  Don’t let rumour and speculation rule.  Rumours are generally worse than the truth and can lead to a downward spiral in motivation, enthusiasm and commitment.

Tough times are an opportunity for senior managers to communicate.  Gather the facts and make sure you communicate openly and honestly with your staff – and do it now.  Don’t let water cooler talk fill the vacuum left by a lack of real information.

The survey was conducted by KRC Research between October 3 and October 6 with a margin of error of +/- 4.4% at the 95% confidence level.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 at 10:23 am and is filed under Crisis Communications. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

One Response to “Tell it like it is”

  1. Krystal Says:
    October 21st, 2008 at 10:54 am

    Agreed- the rumour mill is deadly. I’d much rather know exactly where I stand, regardless of whether it is good or bad, at least then you can be prepared. (For example; no one likes road works outside their house, but at least if they let you know beforehand, you can make sure you park the car down the street so you can still drive to work in the morning, instead of being stuck wondering how long it will take for the tar seal to dry.)

    Honesty results in more energy spent working together towards a positive outcome, and less (to none) on speculating. This way even if the news is negative, the loyal will stay to fight the battle, the weak will run, and the staff worth keeping will be those who remain.

    Honesty is always the best policy – people notice when something is wrong.