Communication strategy: conquer the hurdles that are inhibiting dialogue with your employees.American American, river, 30 mi (48 km) long, rising in N central Calif. in the Sierra Nevada and flowing SW into the Sacramento River at Sacramento. The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill (see Sutter, John Augustus) along the river in 1848 led to the California gold rush of manufacturers are a cornerstone cornerstone Ceremonial building block, dated or otherwise inscribed, usually placed in an outer wall of a building to commemorate its dedication. Often the stone is hollowed out to contain newspapers, photographs, or other documents reflecting current customs, with a view to of the U.S. economy, emblazoned with the best values, innovations and processes. However, of all your organization's processes, communication is likely the most pervasive pervasive, adj indicates that a condition permeates the entire development of the individual. , yet the least understood. Effective employee communication within the manufacturing arena certainly has its own unique set of issues. What are the hurdles inhibiting in·hib·it tr.v. in·hib·it·ed, in·hib·it·ing, in·hib·its 1. To hold back; restrain. See Synonyms at restrain. 2. To prohibit; forbid. 3. you from having clear, open and consistent communication with your employees? "Employees won't won't Contraction of will not. won't will not won't will listen": The adult learning process occurs in four sequential steps: 1) Awareness, 2) Motivation, 3) Understanding and 4) Appreciation. Depending upon where your employees fall within this continuum Continuum (pl. -tinua or -tinuums) can refer to:
"The manufacturing environment is not conducive con·du·cive adj. Tending to cause or bring about; contributive: working conditions not conducive to productivity. See Synonyms at favorable. to communication": Not true. In fact, there is much that other companies could gain by mirroring the methods used by many manufacturing firms to communicate key information. Leverage an existing visible area by providing additional information on company performance, health plan costs, pending legislation, company core values and answers to frequently asked questions. Be creative and consistent, and they will come. For example: "External non-production costs add approximately 22 percent to unit labor costs of U.S. manufacturers."--according to the National Association of Manufacturers. Would translate more effectively as ... "Nearly $5 per hour worked is spent on external non-production costs." "There are too many language and cultural barriers to communicate effectively": Communicating effectively in a diverse environment has less to do with translating materials into multiple languages than it does with simple awareness and understanding. When faced with a language or cultural barrier, be patient and forgiving, respond slowly in thought not speed (literally speaking slower has little value), engage your active listening Active listening is an intent to "listen for meaning", in which the listener checks with the speaker to see that a statement has been correctly heard and understood. The goal of active listening is to improve mutual understanding. skills (e.g., what is the real question being asked?), use intermediaries if necessary, and allow extra time for confirming and reconfirming the issue. "Internet-based communication tools are not an option for our employees": Do you have a 401k plan? If so, contact your 401k vendor and inquire in·quire also en·quire v. in·quired, in·quir·ing, in·quires v.intr. 1. To seek information by asking a question: inquired about prices. 2. about the frequency of Web-based account changes and inquiries made by employees. You will likely be surprised by the prevalence of online activity. Remember that whenever technology is introduced there must be some counterbalance of human response and intervention A procedure used in a lawsuit by which the court allows a third person who was not originally a party to the suit to become a party, by joining with either the plaintiff or the defendant. in order for it to be effective. "There is not enough time in the day to focus on the best means of communication": Let your employees do the work for you. Rick Tate, a business consultant, said it best with, "Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions." Be realistic with your employees and solicit their feedback on how they prefer to receive information and deliver on it. There is a business case for effective employee communication. If planned and consistently executed, communication can pay dividends to the bottom line through employee goodwill, retention, recruitment and improved productivity. RELATED ARTICLE: 5 tips for effective communication 1. Know when to talk and when to listen. 2. Address what can be controlled, and be clear about what cannot be controlled. 3. Whenever possible, try to establish a cause-and-effect relationship. 4. Consider focus group and town hall meeting methods of gathering and responding to feedback. 5. Use your "change people" as internal coaches to support the message(s). Dean A. Hill is senior benefits consultant and communications strategist strat·e·gist n. One who is skilled in strategy. Noun 1. strategist - an expert in strategy (especially in warfare) strategian market strategist - someone skilled in planning marketing campaigns at Gallagher Benefit Services Inc. in Troy, a Bronze-level member of the Detroit Regional Chamber. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
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