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You Can't E-mail Face Time—Employees Want Bosses Up Close and Personal

Report submitted by Randstad

Face time. According to the fourth annual survey of the North American workplace, from Netherlands-based staffing organization Randstad, those two words that best describe the most preferred way for employers to communicate with employees. The 2003 Employee Review is based on findings from 2,826 telephone interviews conducted by RoperASW, making it one of the nation’s most extensive employee attitude surveys.

“E-mail is far behind face-to-face meetings as the means of communication most preferred by employees,” said Joanne Reichardt, vice president of corporate communications and public affairs for Randstad North America. “In short, everyone wants face time.”

Better employee communication leads to increased employee morale, loyalty, faith in management and productivity. In other words, it can help boost a company’s bottom line. Results from the Employee Review provide the following tips for improving employee communication.

1. Be fast or be last. In these tumultuous times, don’t for a minute think you can sit on information, whether it’s good or bad. Seven out of 10 employees (70 percent) say they want to receive partial information as decisions are being made even if things might change in the future. Be quick to let employees know about changes at work.

2. Cultivate the grapevine. Don’t let rumors about workplace issues get out of control. And don’t think the grapevine isn’t flourishing. While 83 percent of employers think workers first hear about major changes from them, 46 percent of employees say they get it from the grapevine.

3. KISS. (Keep it simple, stupid). Employees want clear and easy-to-understand information about what’s happening. Clarity is critical. During periods of change, half of employees (51 percent) say things at work seem unorganized. Don’t try to spin bad news into innocuous twaddle.

4. Tell the truth. These days, instead of wondering if the boss is capable, workers wonder if the boss is honest. And while seven in 10 supervisors (71 percent) say most people in business are honest, only half of employees (53 percent) agree with that assessment. Expect employees to ask the tough questions. Be prepared to tell them the truth.

5. Tell the whole truth. You can’t hold back pieces of information that might not be well accepted at the time in the hopes that later on employees will be in a better mood. They’ll resent not hearing the whole story at one time.

6. Provide a road map. Give them an idea of where the company is headed. While 83 percent of employers say they give workers that kind of information, only 68 percent of employees report receiving it.

7. Say something good once in a while. Sixty-seven percent of employees say management communicates the good news as well as the bad. Workers need to hear the good news from the boss as much as they need to take the bad.

8. Get personal. Whatever news you’re providing, employees want to know what it means to them personally.

9. Give details. If the company is facing really hard times, be clear about how layoffs will be handled and the exact criteria employed. Fear is not a motivator. Only 32 percent of employees and 26 percent of employers say people work harder when they are worried about their jobs. Open and honest communication in times of crisis or uncertainty is crucial.

10. Listen. Last, but by no means least, take the time to gather input from your people. Employees want to be heard. Sometimes they have good ideas. In companies that take action on employee feedback resulting in positive change, 78 percent of the employees say morale is excellent or good.

Clearly, the key to improving employee morale and loyalty—two attitudes crucial to productivity and business success—is communication. For more information about Randstad’s 2003 Employee Review, visit the company’s Web site at www.us.randstad.com.