The Hindu Business Line : Employee loyalty is out but involvement is in

PEOPLE talk of two chief ministers down South, one of whom enjoys good reputation everywhere except in his own State, while it is the other way about for the other. Something similar can happen with companies too. Thus, you could have a happy organisation that is run like a family and everybody is pampered even if it be at the cost of eating out of capital. At the other extreme, which is more common, are the highly visible companies that perform well in all departments such as advertising and investor relations, but its own employees reek of rancour. For the latter case, Shel Holtz provides `a guide to crafting effective and appropriate internal communications' in Corporate Conversations, published by Amacom (www.amacombooks.org).

The blurb speaks of three results to look for in every employee communication: "Promoting loyalty, inspiring quality work that satisfies the needs of your customers, and encouraging your employees to represent the company in a manner consistent with the image you've defined."

It is a myth to think that employees are dumb. "Intentional or not, everything you do — or don't do — sends a message to your employees, whether it's your words, your actions — or your silence."

That is, "You can't not communicate." And you need to know how to communicate change and bad news, openly and sensitively, plus lay down standards in "the four major communication areas, viz., human resources, business-related, legal, and informal."

Employers expect their personnel to lockstep with company's goals and objectives out of loyalty. "Nobody's loyal anymore," says Holtz, because it is an emotional characteristic, not a rational one. And because a job for life is no longer a guarantee.

"Work occurs now in an information-driven economy, in which information must get into the hands of the people who need it on demand. Knowledge needs to be just in time." Hierarchical org chart won't help, because it is "a relic of an industrial economy" based on "the notion of command-and-control."

If loyalty is in the trashcan, involvement is in. "Gone are the days when an employee was content to show up in the morning, sit in his or her cubicle pushing a pencil for eight hours, take two coffee breaks and a lunch break, then go home." If you still find some people who fit that description, they are just the remnants of a bygone era. "Today, employees want to know they make a difference, that they fit into the overall plan. They want to believe that their brainpower is appreciated by the organisation, beyond the scope of the tasks outlined in a job description. They desperately want to be involved!"

An accountant can still spoil the game by suggesting a communication tool that is least expensive. No, don't select on cost basis; look at effectiveness. For instance, the value of achieving a bottom-line business goal can far outweigh the expenses associated with a print publication, even if costlier than posting the message on the intranet. Everybody is too busy to spare time for face-to-face communication. Therefore, off flies an e-mail rather than convene a group meeting. Holtz views this as a dangerous trend. "Trust is the primary outcome of face-to-face communication." So, don't junk it. Human beings are `hard-wired' to communicate in a face-to-face setting. "Leaders should talk to employees, not read to them." Perhaps, readers don't make good leaders.

It is not unusual to find CEOs gloating over big hit numbers for their electronic communication. "Hits is an acronym for how idiots track success," says the book. "You're better off recording unique visits, but even that is of limited value."

So, go beyond statistics and look at "the usability of your intranet" — that is, ease of use, finding what is wanted, and impacting work. "Intranets that are not usable can cost an average midsize company as much as $5 million annually in lost productivity."

Don't forget: Employee communication is business.

ManageMentor@TheHindu.co.in

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