Get your workforce engaged! (104)<\/p>\n
In this fourth and final installment of our series on developing an \u201cengaged\u201d workforce, we\u2019re going talk about the need for effective communication.\u00a0 We touched on communication in the first installment of this series when we said, \u201cYour values, mission, and vision need to be in writing, and they need to be disseminated, explained, and discussed.\u00a0 They need to be repeated and reinforced regularly.\u201d\u00a0 But there\u2019s more . . . much more . . . that needs to be communicated clearly, concisely, and effectively.\u00a0 For more about the role of effective communication in developing an engaged workforce, please read below.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe art of communication is the language of leadership.\u201d<\/strong> Humes is an author, so he knows something about communication, and he has been a speechwriter for five presidents, so he also knows a thing or two about leadership.\u00a0 And when you think about it, he\u2019s right.\u00a0 After all, if a leader can\u2019t communicate to his people where he wants to take them, how can they follow her there?\u00a0 Think of a battlefield commander yelling \u201cCharge!\u201d without telling people in what direction to charge.\u00a0 Most likely everyone would charge off aimlessly in whatever direction they happened to be facing when the order to charge was given . . . not a very effective way to run an army, or a business.<\/p>\n When thinking about what you need to communicate, and to whom, think broadly of two buckets, one for communicating with your people collectively, the other for communicating with them individually.<\/p>\n From the collective bucket, you should be communicating: From the individual bucket, you should be communicating: These are not intended to be comprehensive lists of everything you should be communicating.\u00a0 You can probably think of things that should be added to them.\u00a0 Just remember, people are information junkies.\u00a0 Every employee satisfaction survey I\u2019ve ever seen puts \u201cknowing what\u2019s going on\u201d very near the top.\u00a0 So if you really want to engage your workforce, you need to do it both collectively and individually with timely, clear, effective communication.<\/p>\n (*) To briefly review our series on workforce engagement: So is this all there is to it?\u00a0 No there\u2019s always more.\u00a0 This is not the kind of thing you put in place and forget about.\u00a0 Developing and keeping an engaged workforce will always be a work-in-progress.\u00a0 But the benefits of an engaged workforce, even if it is not perfectly engaged, are so enormous, so transformational, that it\u2019s well-worth the effort.<\/p>\n (*)\u00a0 If you missed any of the series, or would like to review any of them, they are archived at my website, www.rocksolidbizdevelopment.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Get your workforce engaged! (104) In this fourth and final installment of our series on developing an \u201cengaged\u201d workforce, we\u2019re going talk about the need for effective communication.\u00a0 We touched on communication in the first installment of this series when we said, \u201cYour values, mission, and vision need to be in writing, and they need<\/p>\n
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 James Humes<\/p>\n
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the corporate mission, vision, values, and culture
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 strategic plans . . . where we\u2019re going and how we intend\u00a0to get there
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 changes in our marketplace, i.e., new competitors, disruptive technologies, etc.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 organizational changes (changing the way people and departments interact with one another)
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 operational changes (changing the way we get stuff done)
\nCommunications about these matters can take a variety of forms.\u00a0 They can be verbal through all-company meetings, departmental meetings, or brown bag lunches.\u00a0 Or they can be written through memos, emails, text messages, or signs posted in the lunchroom.\u00a0 The medium can be whatever works best in your environment, but the key is, for whatever medium of communication you choose, the communication must be clear, concise, timely, and unambiguous.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 performance standards.\u00a0 An employee needs to know what is expected of him or her and what a \u201cgood job\u201d looks like.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 performance evaluations (not to be confused with annual reviews).\u00a0 An employee needs regular feedback to know what\u2019s going well and where he or she needs to improve.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the big picture.\u00a0 An employee needs to know his job is important, and how her work impacts others and the overall performance of the company.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 interest.\u00a0 The people working for you need to know you\u2019re interested in them as human beings, not just cogs in a wheel.\u00a0 They need to know you will listen to them and will value their thoughts, ideas, and concerns.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 recognition.\u00a0 When an employee does something extraordinary, he or she needs to know it was both noticed and appreciated.<\/p>\n
\n1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In our introduction to the topic, we tried to answer the question, \u201cWhy should I want an \u2018engaged\u2019 workforce?\u201d\u00a0 We said an \u201cengaged\u201d workforce is both efficient and effective, is more likely to deliver a high level of customer service, and will minimize absenteeism and turnover . . . all of which positively impacts your bottom line.
\n2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In our first installment of the series, we talked about the need to have firmly established mission, vision, values, and culture in order for you to (in the words of best-selling author Jim Collins) get the right people on the bus.
\n3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In our second installment, we talked about the role enlightened leadership plays in developing an engaged workforce.
\n4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The third installment talked about the need to get all the people on our bus in the right seats . . . that is, to put them where their talents, skills, and interests will provide the most value.
\n5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And finally, this fourth installment discusses the need to effectively communicate with your people, both collectively and individually.<\/p>\n