HR Comm in Infosys
HR Comm in Infosys
PROJECT ON
INFOSYS HUMAN RESOURCE
COMMUNICATION
SUBMITTED TO: DR K RAJANI CHANDRASHEKAR
SUBMITTED BY:-
OBJECTIVE
The main objective of taking up this project is to understand the Human Resource
communication, its advantage, how it is useful to an organization, reasons for its failure,
why is it necessary in any organization, how it helps the management and other
departments.
We have taken five different aspects of human resource that involves communication.
Human Resource Communication plays one of the major roles in day to day working of
an organization. It is the major source of managing the Human Resource of an
organization.
Here we are going to talk about the HR communication in Infosys one of the leading
software industries. It is very well known for its awesome work and Human Resource
Practices. Here we have asked few questions to know about the Human resource
communication in Infosys, how is the flow of communication in the organization, their
HR initiatives and respective results.
COMMUNICATION
Communication is an important part of your job one that is often taken for granted.
When you think about it, almost everything you do calls for good communications.
When you hire a new employee, good communication skills help you pick the right
person and make sure the person you hire knows what the job involves. When you're
training, coaching, or evaluating an employee, you need to be clear about your
expectations and sensitive in dealing with problem areas. When conflicts arise, you'll
need your communication skills to resolve the issues without creating more.
When the department is going through changes or a reorganization, you'll need special
communication skills to get feedback and ideas from your staff and to give them news
that's sometimes not pleasant, while keeping them motivated. Honest communication is
one of the key ingredients in managing change as well as managing people.
Many topics covered in this Guide include communication skills. In this section, you'll
find some suggestions for developing those skills.
Guiding Principles
An important ingredient that runs through all good communication is listening. Listening
is a skill that can be practiced and learned. Your goal as a listener is to fully understand
your employee's experience and point of view. Give the employee a chance to talk for a
while before you say anything.
Responding
After you have listened and really heard, respond by conveying your interest and
respect:
Empathize: Put yourself in the other person's shoes and try to understand.
Validate: Acknowledge that the person's feelings are valid. This is a very
powerful tool because you are recognizing the person's right to feel that way,
regardless of whether you would feel the same way.
Restate what the other person has said: this allows you to make sure you
understand the feelings and shows you are listening. Point out the good things
the person has done or tried to do.
Clarify: Ask questions to get more information about the problem.
Human resource professionals uniquely position themselves at both the starting and
finishing points of the communication continuum. From an HR viewpoint, effective
organizational communication contributes to learning, teamwork, safety, innovation and
quality of decision-making in organizations. In an age of increased competition for
talent, communication has become a strategic tool for employee engagement,
satisfaction and retention. In fact, effective organizational communication contributes
directly to employee and organizational learning, an essential factor for competitive
advantage. The most successful HR professionals are consummate communicators.
Typically, their organizations over-communicate with all constituents, and their
leadership styles transmit the traditions and values of their company. Thus, as a
promoter of effective organizational communication, HR is a key strategic partner in
leveraging the relationships between employees and top management.
A large portion of problems companies face is connected with the quality of human
resources and efficient communication. Researches have revealed that an average
employee exploits only 50 percent of his capacity and this figure can be either increased
or decreased by motivation, targeted development and efficient communication.
Management can expect maximum return on investment in human labour if it uses the
human potential offered by employees, keeps all employees well informed and makes
them participate in company goals and projects. Management bears a great deal of
responsibility as their attitude to human resources reflects in their satisfaction and
performance. Just like corporate culture, successful human resource management must
cover all the employees of the company as each of them makes decisions that, in the
final stage, determine the fulfilment of company goals. Various forms of co-operation
Between employees and groups encourage communication in a specific way. Just for
illustration, it is possible mention several communication tools of personnel
management, such as meetings, teamwork, quality teams, brainstorming. The objective
of personnel management is to decide on a suitable form of the above presented tools,
motivation, development and assessment that promote the efficiency of co-operation.
With regards to the fact that communication is not a purely inborn skill and ability, it is
necessary to develop it. The theory of personnel management therefore uses a growth
management model. New employees are the most open and approach based on
expectations is very important since people, as many surveys show, tend to do what
they are expected to do. The theories place a focus on management, but lack analyses
of characteristics and recommendations for sales personnel, representatives and other
company staff that are in contact with customers and therefore determine, to large
extent, the success of the company. A company representative can only master efficient
and suitable way of communication with business partners if he, as an expert, acquires
certain preset skills and qualities. Even in these theoretical approaches we can
recognise certain one-sidedness that should be overcome in the future. To provide a
complete picture of current theories dealing with communication, we should also
mention a theoretical approach based on performance.
Successful communication is based on qualities a good manager should possess:
1. Tactfulness – this is connected with one of typical human characteristics and
needs – the feeling of importance and usefulness. If a superior shows interest in
his subordinates and co-operates with them, his subordinates will be more open
in terms of communication and co-operation.
2. Constructiveness – one of the preconditions of good and open communication is
the trust of subordinates in their manager’s ability to clearly define tasks,
responsibility, the extent of responsibility and standards to be achieved.
Otherwise, it is difficult for employees to offer or receive any feedback since they
do not understand what is generally recognised as being correct. It is based on a
structured communication process which ensures that no redundant information
is communicated, or, on the contrary, no key information is omitted.
3. Freedom to perform – another prerequisites and a guarantee of better
communication is the freedom which the superior gives to his subordinates with
respect to the performance of the assigned task. Success requires freedom.
Freedom is a key motivator for accepting and conveying information. This
simultaneously means to delegate responsibility for the quality of performance of
the whole task and decision-making powers. Superiors must provide all
colleagues with clear information regarding the level of freedom they are granted
with respect to the entrusted tasks.
4. Responsibility awareness – the following should be communicated: loyalty,
responsibility, authority, performance measures, support, trust and expectations.
Good general knowledge - to manage activities and decisions, it is necessary to
know who the information and facts are designed for and where they can be
obtained. The theory of management through exceptions explains this rule in
more detail. It is based on the principle of communication restricted to
exceptions, deviations, differences, discrepancies and exceptional successes or
failures.
5. Positive self-perception – the building of positive selfconfidence is based on the
management of relationships. It recommends communication of positive self-
respect and the feeling of importance. People need to know how their work is
evaluated. It is important for the manager to dedicate enough time to his
subordinates to explain all the critical points, to give instructions and arrange
details, to pardon unimportant problems and distinguish them from crucial
matters. Positive self-perception is closely connected with growth management.
For their development, employees require a number of impulses, such as
freedom, control, feedback, respect, friendly atmosphere and positive trust. Many
barriers are created only based on the incorrect assumption that the employee is
not able to perform the given duty or assignment.
With respect to the above said, it is imperative to realise the key aspect of company
development, which is the so-called stable system of communication expectations. This
means expected and predictable communication behaviour which is the cornerstone of
a communication system.
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Infosys Technologies Limited, incorporated in the year 1981 provides consulting and IT
services.
Infosys has been a pioneer in offering innovative solutions to its clients. The company
offers a wide range of software services, namely application development and
maintenance, corporate performance management, independent validation services,
infrastructure services, packaged application services and product engineering and
systems integration.
Infosys was the first Indian company to be listed on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. The
company reported a consolidated net profit of US$ 152.1 million for the quarter ending
March, 2006. It has five subsidiaries globally – Progeon Limited, Infosys Technology
(Australia) Pty. Ltd., Infosys Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Progeon S.R.O. (Czech
Republic) and Infosys Consulting Inc. It has presence across the globe with 30 offices
spread over USA, Europe, Australia and Asia. It currently employs people from 53
different nations. Though the USA has been the main source of revenue for Infosys, the
company is looking into expanding into Europe and Asia. Infosys (Australia) has won
several new clients and Infosys (China) is focusing on serving the local clientele. Its high-
end services occupy a premium position in the Japanese
markets and the growth rates are consolidating across Europe.
Infosys has a growth rate of over 50% and more than half a billion dollars in revenues in
EMEA
(Europe, Middle East and Africa) region, Infosys is one of the fastest growing Consulting
and IT Services organizations in EMEA region. Company’s revenue from Europe
increased from US$ 340.3 million in 2004-05 to US$ 495.6 in 2005-06, representing a
growth rate of 45.6 per cent per annum.
Infosys takes pride in building strategic long-term client relationships. Over 97% of our
revenues come from existing customers.
Vision
Mission
Values
We believe that the softest pillow is a clear conscience. The values that drive us under
score our commitment to:
Customer Delight: To surpass customer expectations consistently
Leadership by Example: To set standards in our business and transactions and
be an exemplar for the industry and ourselves
Integrity and Transparency: To be ethical, sincere and open in all our
transactions
Fairness: To be objective and transaction-oriented, and thereby earn trust and
respect.
Pursuit of Excellence: To strive relentlessly, constantly improve ourselves, our
teams, our services and products to become the best.
Infosys has focused on providing services that transform the way business is done
through the use of Information Technology, since its inception in 1981. The key strengths
of Infosys are summarized in the table below:
Area Competency
Service Offering One stop capability: Infosys today has
the distinction of being a one-stop shop,
providing services across the entire
business value chain from Business and
IT Consulting through Implementation &
Support services.
People Ability to attract and retain the Best
Talent: Infosys has been ranked the best
employer to work for in India by a number
of surveys. We have been able to attract
and retain the best talent. At the same
time, we have been able to inculcate a
culture that empowers employees and
motivates them to take ownership of their
duties. Infosys enjoys one of the lowest
attrition rates in the industry.
Process Delivery Excellence: With a record 95%
of all projects delivered on time and within
budget, we are clearly a leader in project
management and reducing the cost of
ownership for our clients. We effectively
leverage CMMI level 5 quality and
ongoing initiatives such as aligning with
the Malcolm Baldrige framework and the
six-sigma cross functional process
mapping to deliver high quality solutions
to our clients. Additionally, via the Infosys
pioneered global delivery model (GDM),
we are able to offer our clients‘ cost-
savings of 20% to 30% without
compromising on service levels. Our
superior knowledge management systems
enable retention of knowledge within the
project team and the organization. The
resultant efficiencies have helped us
deliver value to our clients at lower cost
and with fewer defects
Technology Technological superiority: Infosys has
brought together thought leaders within
the organization to form the Software
Engineering and Technology Labs
(SETLABS). SETLABs is the research
wing of Infosys consisting of specialists in
software architecture, methodologies,
emerging technologies and platforms.
SETLABs mainly focuses on:
1.Developing frameworks &
methodologies to address critical points in
solution lifecycle
2.Leading edge technology watch and
competence building
3. Assimilating knowledge a nd building
framework for
enterprise software like the EAI framework
4.Provide technology related services
such as
Architecture consulting and definition,
Inter net
security consulting and capacity planning.
Infosys had been adjudged the 'Best Company to Work For' in 2001 and 2002 but had
lost this position in the next couple of years (Refer Exhibit I for the 'Best companies to
work for in India' from 2001-2006). In the 'Best Employer' survey conducted by
Dataquest7-IDC8 in the year 2006, Infosys was adjudged the 'Dream Company to Work
for.'
Moreover, Infosys was also recognized globally and featured among the top 100
companies in Computerworld's9 'Best Places to Work for in IT – 2006'.
For participating in this survey, the companies needed to have revenues of over US$
250 million in 2005, and to employ 500 employees in the US. Infosys also featured in
the list in 2004 and 2005 (Refer Exhibit II for some of the honors/awards received by
Infosys).
Attracting the best and the brightest and creating a milieu where they operate at their
highest potential is very important. Our campus and technology infrastructure is world-
class, we pay a lot of attention to training and competency building, we try to have
sophisticated appraisal systems, we try to reward performance through variable pay.
These are all part of the same motive."
Since the early 2000s, Infosys' operations had been growing rapidly across the world.
The number of employees in the company also increased four-fold to 44,658 in March
2006 as compared to 10,738 in March 2001 (Refer Exhibit III for the number of
employees in Infosys between 1995 and 2006).
The company believed that its key assets were people and that it was important to bring
its employees on par with the company's global competitors. In spite of its rapid global
expansion, Infosys retained the culture of a small company. According to Bikramjeet
Maitra (Maitra), Head of Human Resources, Infosys, "We like to maintain a smaller
company touch and we have split the overall business into several smaller independent
units of around 4,000 people each."
THE HR PRACTICES
Most of the HR practices of Infosys were a result of the vision of its founders and the
culture that they had created over the years. The founders advocated simplicity and
maintained the culture of a small company. The employees were encouraged to share
their learning experiences...
Recruitment
While recruiting new employees, Infosys took adequate care to identify the right
candidates. On the qualities that Infosys looked for in a candidate, Nilekani said, "We
focus on recruiting candidates who display a high degree of 'learnability.' By learnability
we mean the ability to derive generic knowledge from specific experiences and apply
the same in new situations.
Training
Training at Infosys was an ongoing process. When new recruits from colleges joined
Infosys, they were trained through fresher training courses. They were trained then on
new processes and technologies. As they reached the higher levels, they were trained
on project management and later were sent for management development programs,
followed by leadership development programs.
Infosys conducted a 14.5 week technical training program for all new entrants. The
company spent around Rs 200,000 per year on training each new entrant. The new
recruits were trained at the Global Education Center (GEC) in Mysore, which had world
class training facilities and the capacity to train more than 4500 employees at a time.
GEC, which was inaugurated in February 2005 was spread over 270 acres and was the
largest corporate training center in the world with 58 training rooms and 183 faculty
rooms.
The Infosys Leadership Institute (ILI) was set up in 2001 to nurture future leaders in the
company and to effectively manage the exceptional growth that the company was
experiencing. At the Institute, the executives were groomed to handle the changes in
the external and internal environment.
Performance Appraisal
The first step toward carrying out performance appraisal at Infosys was the evaluation
of personal skills for the tasks assigned to an employee during the period of appraisal.
To evaluate the performance, different criteria like timeliness, quality of work carried out
by the employee, customer satisfaction, peer satisfaction, and business potential, were
considered. The personal skills of the employees were also evaluated based on their
learning and analytical ability, communication skills, decision making, change
management, and planning and organizing skills. Each of these criteria was measured
on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 signifying above the expected performance level and 5
below the expected performance level).
The Culture
Infosys tried to preserve the attributes of a small company and worked in small groups,
with decision-making remaining with those who were knowledgeable about particular
processes. The managers played the role of mentors and used their experience to
guide their team members.
The Challenges
With the IT industry growing at a rapid pace, Infosys planned to recruit around 25,000
people in the financial year 2006-07, in order to maintain its growth. Though it had
started hiring its workforce globally, it mainly recruited engineering graduates from India.
If the industry continued to grow at a similar pace, analysts opined that companies like
Infosys would not be able to find enough people, especially with several multinationals
entering India and recruiting aggressively. To address this issue, Infosys started
recruiting science graduates with a mathematics background to create an alternate
talent pool.
Hence, the company was well known for its employee friendly HR practices. Though
Infosys grew to become a US$ 2 billion company by the year 2006, it still retained the
culture of a small company. Infosys attracted the best talent from across the world, and
recruited candidates by conducting one of the toughest selection process. All the
selected candidates were required to go through an intensive 14 week training program.
All the employees were required to undergo training every year, and some of the
chosen employees were trained at the Infosys Leadership Institute to take on higher
responsibilities in the company.
Infosys was one of the first companies to offer ESOPs to its employees. The company
followed variable compensation structure where the employees' compensation
depended on the performance of individual, the team and the company. The case
highlights many such best practices of Infosys in human resource management. It also
discusses the challenges faced by the company to retain its talented workforce.
QUESTIONNAIRE AND FEEDBACK
Q1. Human Resource Communications and Corporate Communications – are they one
in the same?
Both plan and develop written communication strategies to further the understanding
and perceptions of their audience. Both provide counsel and editorial support for
management communications.
Business communications transmits and manages messages that inform, persuade and
collaborate by speaking the language of the company. HR Communications creates a
“one company" culture, integrates acquisitions and facilitates information sharing
company wide. Both work at the highest levels of the organization, aligned with senior
management and the board.
Q2. Which of the three following communication styles dominate your culture?
Human Resource professionals uniquely position themselves at both the start point and
finishing point of the communication chain. New hire orientation and policy and
procedure manuals exemplify downward communication intended to help employees
perform their jobs. Employee opinion polls, employee focus groups and exit interviews
deliver information upward to solve problems and make executive decisions. Employee
newsletters help work teams requiring a coordinated action between units or locations.
Q5. Have they work experience at the highest levels of HR? Do they have the proven
ability to motivate themselves and others to generate strong results? To round out your
choice, have they led HR initiatives and cross-functional teams?
One-page field memos and one hundred page policy manuals present a challenge for
busy HR professionals. Your Human Resource Communications requires advanced
knowledge and professionalism. Our HR role, singularly positioned at both the start and
end of the communications continuum, offers an advantage to HR professionals who
initiate and advance HR correspondence for field and headquarters functions.
CASE STUDY: HUMAN RESOURCE
COMMUNICATION
Microsoft started its Indian operations in the year 1990 setting up Microsoft India
Corporation (Pvt) Ltd in New Delhi. Later, Microsoft expanded its footprint in India by
bringing all its six main units of business into the country. The headcount at Microsoft
India Development Center (MSIDC) at Hyderabad grew from 20 in 1998 to more than
1,500 by the end of 2008, making it the company's second biggest development center
in the world.
Microsoft India's HR strategy was focused on building the organizational capability and
strengthening employee engagement to leverage the limited human resources to
achieve the company's mission.
Issues:
Introduction
In 2008, Microsoft India Corporation Pvt. Ltd (Microsoft India), the Indian subsidiary of
Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft), was ranked as number one in the list of 'Best
Companies to Work for in India' surveyed jointly by Business Today, Mercer LLC, and
Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) Global.
Microsoft India was also believed to be one of the most sought after companies for
information technology (IT) professionals and graduates in India.
In early 2009, Microsoft announced the layoff of five percent of its workforce worldwide,
as it reported its first drop in revenues in its history of business spanning over three
decades. The company-wide cost cutting measures were applicable to some extent to
its Indian operations, where the company laid off one percent (55 employees) of its total
workforce. If the economic situation deteriorated further beyond a point, the company
was prepared to prune its headcount further, globally as well as in India.
Did the economic situation also warrant a change in Microsoft India's human resource
(HR) practices? Or, were its strategic HR practices in alignment with the company's
mission, values, and strategy?
Background
Right from its humble beginning in 1975, Microsoft had been an innovator in computer
software and related services. Its product portfolio included the Windows series of
operating system software for clients and servers, the office productivity suite - MS
Office, business applications software, games, and software for mobile phones and
handheld devices.
Managing human resources in the IT sector has been a challenge for most companies
that have set up operations in India.
These companies aimed to take advantage of the relatively low cost of technically
competent labor in India as compared to the US and developed countries in Europe.
There was a huge demand for skilled personnel in this sector, but companies
confronted by a lack of sufficient numbers of skilled personnel to meet the demand.
Microsoft India recruited both fresh graduates from academic campuses and
experienced professionals in the IT industry. For campus recruitments, the selection
process included written tests and several rounds of personal interviews.
For trainees, Microsoft India conducted a training program named Leap Engineer
Acceleration Program (LEAP) which imparted technical and personal skills required to
carry out the job.
>>Career Management
Microsoft India provided both vertical and lateral growth prospects for its employees in
all the six business units present in India.
Microsoft India followed a flexible work timings policy for its employees. A flexi-time
policy enabled the employees to work according to their convenience liberating them
from rigid work timings.
Microsoft India provided offered compensation packages on par or higher than the
industry standards based on the technical skills and experience of the candidates.
Employee benefits were standardized across employees.
>>Performance Management
>>Women's Empowerment
Microsoft India conducted special recruitment drives exclusively for women in line with
the overall IT industry's aim of raising the female-male ratio in the workforce.
>>Work-Life Balance
In 2007, Microsoft India launched a program called 'Bring Your Child To Work' in a
move to improve work-life balance among its employees.
Conclusion:-
Though Microsoft India's HR practices received accolades from many quarters, the
'Best Employer Survey 2008' released by Dataquest said that overall employee
satisfaction at Microsoft India was below the industry average in India.
ARTICLE
Communication skills are key to achieving HR's
goals
HR Magazine, May, 2004 by Susan Meisinger
Film buffs regard that line as one of the most memorable in movie history. It was spoken
by the actor Strother Martin in the 1967 feature "Cool Hand Luke," starring Paul
Newman.
For those who haven't seen the film, it takes place in a Southern prison camp and
centers on the title character's (Newman) refusal to submit to the camp's dehumanizing
routine and the warden's (Martin) determination to break Luke's spirit and force him to
conform.
From the outset, it's obvious that these two characters are destined for trouble. And not
surprisingly, their conflict ends in tragedy.
We need to accurately convey our ideas, objectives, plans and outcomes. We must
communicate with other managers in language that resonates with their business goals.
All too often, I fear, we fall back on "HR speak" when we describe HR's achievements.
Consequently, our message isn't understood to add value in the eyes of others.
Most important, we must find ways to communicate the value of HR's contributions to
the organization's success. Even when we master the much-discussed core
competencies, we still must help others in senior management understand how HR
contributes at a strategic level. In short, we must use our communication skills to market
HR in "business speak."
I realize that this is easier said than done. The day-to-day activities of HR delivery and
the all-too-common need to "put out fires" seem to demand more hours than the day
provides. But we must find the time.
It's unlikely that we will ever find ourselves in a situation like that in "Cool Hand Luke";
however, if HR's role isn't seen as critical to establishing and executing strategy, "failure
to communicate" might be one of the reasons.
RECOMMANDATIONS
>>Deliver HR Communications in an engaging interactive way:-
Internal brand messages can be lost if they are buried in email or on the intranet. Bring
brand messages to life with interactive, visually engaging HR Communications channels
such as messages on screensavers. Involve staff in creating brand values using quick
and simple staff survey tools and plug and play discussion forums. Find out what staff
know and think using fun staff quizzes.
"You don't know what you don't know". Break annual staff surveys into quick easy
chunks delivered directly to targeted staff's computer screens. Keep channels of HR
communication open all year round.
Use HR communications channels like Snap Mag which allow staff to submit their own
items into an aggregated staff magazine and/ or provide cost effective, easy to
use discussion forums and blogs to give staff a voice.
Younger staff entering the workforce have come to expect the types of communications
tools that they use in their personal lives. Social media tools and innovative visual HR
communications channels can them provide them with an environment that suits their
needs.
Provide a 'line of sight' between business goals and individuals roles (See "Improving
Manager Communications")
Snap Mag aggregates 'mass email' updates from across the organization into an easy
to read format that reduces interruption time and increases message cut-through.
When we have staff suffering from email overload it can be a real challenge to
communicate with them. This is especially true if messages, such as HR
communications, are not considered urgent or immediately important to staff.
Ensure staff are fully informed of changes to the business that may affect their role in
the future. Use desktop alert messages and newsfeeds with message
acknowledgement buttons. Full reporting in the SnapComms HR Communication
System allow you to see exactly which HR messages have been delivered and to
whom.
Use fun staff quizzes to measure, manage and build capability across the business.
Use benchmarking tools to measure against KPIS or minimum standards. Identify
where further training is required.
CONCLUSION
We all know how important communication is to human resources managers. It is how
we reach out to our core constituents - employees, members of leadership, vendors,
clients, and recruits - and how we manage the flow of information. Effective
communication skills are a cornerstone of almost every HR function. With so much
riding on communication, it makes sense to put more thought and effort into honing our
skills.
1. Have the difficult conversations – Confrontation can make even the boldest of us
feel squeamish. Unfortunately, avoiding tough issue doesn't make them go away. In
fact, problems can escalate the longer they are left to fester. While it may make you feel
uncomfortable to tackle the problem of that domineering manager you've received
several complaints about, or the vice president who hasn't promoted a female in years,
you are leaving your organization vulnerable if you don't. First, go for understanding -
and it may not even be the confrontation you were dreading!
2. Match the method (and the messenger) to the message - There are many types
of communication: e-mails, memos, voicemails, in-person meetings, and presentations.
Each of these communication methods has its place. Unfortunately, the methods are
often used inappropriately. E-mail is a great way to let employees know about small
changes in their benefits package, but it's not a suitable means for announcing a
merger. Just like you wouldn't want your spouse to break off your marriage via text
message, you shouldn't fire someone through an e-mail. It is also important to consider
who delivers the message. A major change in the company, positive or negative, should
be communicated by a major player-not a junior person in HR.
3. Praise in public, punish in private - When you have something nice to say, tell
everyone, and tell them often. When it's not so nice, then talk to only the specific person
or group. All too often, when there is good news to share, a public acknowledgement is
overlooked. On the other hand, when there is something (or someone) to criticize, it is
often done in front of everyone. In one case, the CEO of a company was addressing the
entire organization and complaining about the company's poor showing on Wall Street
and said, "Who is not working hard?" What every employee heard, was an accusation:
"Why aren't you working harder?" This type of statement puts employees on the
defensive and creates an unpleasant, if not hostile, working environment. If this kind of
communication is used by the top of the organization, what message does that send to
managers and how they should behave within their departments? Managers don't need
to be Pollyannas, but they do need to respect their employees. Behaviors need to be
addressed, but people are not to be demeaned.
5. Keep it regular - If you dread those monthly staff meetings because there is so much
to cover, you may want to consider weekly meetings. Communication is easier to
manage when it is done routinely. Like exercise, once you get into a groove, it becomes
part of your life (and you become healthier for it). Regular communication is like
exercise for an organization. Being "in the know" also puts employees at ease and
allows them to focus on their work.
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