Today's communicators: agents for change.Against a general backdrop of downsizing (1) Converting mainframe and mini-based systems to client/server LANs. (2) To reduce equipment and associated costs by switching to a less-expensive system. (jargon) downsizing , some communication staffs and budgets have actually grown. And increasingly, top communicators command senior executive posts and focus on organizational strategies, not just tactical issues. The one constant in today's business Today's Business is a show on CNBC that aired in the early morning, 5 to 7AM ET timeslot, hosted by Liz Claman and Bob Sellers, and it was replaced by Wake Up Call on Feb 4, 2002. environment is change. Organizations are reorganizing, restructuring and re-engineering at a furious pace. They are changing again and again in response to such powerful forces as technological advances, global competition, and a host of political and social factors. How well employees understand the rationale for change and how easily they are able to develop the skills necessary to contribute to their organization's success depends largely on one factor - communication. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. results from a recent Watson Wyatt study "Strategic Communication and Training," today's corporate communication function is gradually taking on a more prominent and strategic role. The need for efficient, effective, two-way information flow within organizations is a recognized need in leading organizations. Against a general backdrop of downsizing, some communication staffs and budgets have actually grown. And increasingly, top communicators command senior executive posts and focus on organizational strategies, not just tactical issues. Today's communicators do far more than report the results of the latest softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' tournament: Many are now charged with delivering critical business information to key constituencies. Changes for Communication Staff Study results identify a dramatic shift in the functional area responsible for communication. Many communicators, once identified as part of the human resources The fancy word for "people." The human resources department within an organization, years ago known as the "personnel department," manages the administrative aspects of the employees. or public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most function, are now a separate and distinct communication department, reversing a trend from the late 1980s. As senior management looks for more strategic integrated communication programming, they are finding that other staff agencies often lack the expertise or time to provide the required focus or skills spectrum. This is especially true for the types of broad communication initiatives that organizations must undertake to support organizational change. Further, more communication units now report directly to operating managers rather than to corporate managers. This is consistent with a trend at leading companies to shift certain corporate functions to operating units operating unit A type of operating company that engages in transactions with outsiders and that is owned by another business. For example, in 1995 the stockholders of Capital Cities/ABC approved a $19 billion merger with the Walt Disney Company, whereupon that provide better support of specific business objectives. As the structure of the communication function has changed, staffs have increased modestly in selected business-sensitive areas. This growth results from a greater emphasis on the strategic nature of communication and the vesting Vesting The process by which employees accrue non-forfeitable rights over employer contributions that are made to the employee's qualified retirement plan account. Notes: of responsibility to those areas seen as success-essential to the organization. Today's communication departments are becoming active in strategic planning Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. , supporting senior management's efforts to promote employee productivity and organizational growth, as well as preparing and delivering consistent message programming to both internal and external constituencies. A Strategic Role in Change Management Many senior executives have come to recognize the importance of a formal communication plan as part of the organization's business strategy. A communication plan provides a framework for action, which can make it easier to implement major changes over time and react quickly to new circumstances. Working from a plan also tilts the balance toward proactive communication, thus avoiding wasted time on purely reactive communication that does not support strategic goals. Communicators are constantly challenged to foster understanding and acceptance of change throughout their organizations. Based on the Watson Wyatt study, the leading key areas of emphasis for employee communication programs typically include the following: * Explaining and promoting new programs and policies * Helping employees understand the business direction * Educating employees about the organization's values and culture * Providing information about issues that can affect the organization's performance * Providing information and feedback to help motivate employees and improve job performance The goal of any communication program is to promote the exchange of messages between the right people in an effective and timely manner. Even with the increase in the strategic role of communication, many employees are quick to cite their employers' shortcomings A shortcoming is a character flaw. Shortcomings may also be:
Many organizations today are faced with the challenge of aligning their people with the organization's mission and motivating team and individual performance. These challenges continue to underscore The underscore character (_) is often used to make file, field and variable names more readable when blank spaces are not allowed. For example, NOVEL_1A.DOC, FIRST_NAME and Start_Routine. (character) underscore - _, ASCII 95. the need for seasoned communicators to develop and promote effective communication. Effective communication is that which provides employees with the information they need to do their jobs in a way that is consistent with the organization's values and business plans. Communication Media, Old and New Most organizations use conventional media to communicate with their employees. According to the Watson Wyatt survey, the most widely used media are: * Ongoing or regular publications * Employee memos (as needed as needed prn. See prn order. ) * Bulletin boards * Employee handbooks An employee handbook (or employee manual) details guidelines, expectations and procedures of a business or company to its employees. Employee handbooks are given to employees on one of the first days of his/her job, in order to acquaint them with their new company and * Benefits summary plan descriptions While these methods remain popular, new technologies are growing in popularity. Study results point to significant increases in the rise of electronic mail, interactive software and telephone response systems. Many companies have yet to embrace technologies such as video conferencing See videoconferencing. (communications) video conferencing - A discussion between two or more groups of people who are in different places but can see and hear each other using electronic communications. , multimedia and video disk training, but newer technologies will clearly play an increasingly important role in the future. Informed communicators should know how to invest in resources wisely to capitalize on Cap´i`tal`ize on` v. t. 1. To turn (an opportunity) to one's advantage; to take advantage of (a situation); to profit from; as, to capitalize on an opponent's mistakes s>. technological advances. Opening the Channels for Upward Communication Programs traditionally emphasize downward communication (management to employees). Research shows, however, that employees also value and need accessible channels for upward communication (employees to management). Formal upward communication processes appear to be on the rise. Increasing numbers of organizations are beginning to employ structured methods such as opinion surveys and focus groups. These have been closely related to various quality initiatives and drives to improve customer service. Successful upward communication depends on effective information channels, both formal and informal, that enable ideas to flow from the bottom to the top From the Bottom To The Top is Sammie's debut album. The two singles, I Like It and Crazy Things I Do led From the Bottom To The Top. Track listing # Title 1. The Bottom 3:05 2. I Like It 4:12 3. Can't Let Go 4:18 4. of the organization. Communicators can facilitate this process by working with senior management to develop and promote key messages using the most effective media. Looking to the future, the most effective communication strategies will be those built on input from employees at all levels of the organization. Measuring the Effectiveness of Communication With many companies lacking a formal communication plan, it is not surprising that few organizations measure the effectiveness of their programs. In fact, most of the organizations surveyed indicated that they have no formal review process for measuring communication's return on investment (ROI (Return On Investment) The monetary benefits derived from having spent money on developing or revising a system. In the IT world, there are more ways to compute ROI than Carter has liver pills (and for those of you who never heard of that expression, it means a lot). ). Of organizations that do measure ROI, the leading methods are employee surveys, focus groups and management judgment. Very few conduct formal communication audits. Reluctance to measure results continues to weaken the communication professional's ability to provide credible strategic support for corporate initiatives. Without measurement, there is also no way to gauge effectiveness, or more importantly, to improve effectiveness and substantiate To establish the existence or truth of a particular fact through the use of competent evidence; to verify. For example, an Eyewitness might be called by a party to a lawsuit to substantiate that party's testimony. resources. If communication professionals are to be successful positioning the function as one based on strategic management, they must be able to measure ROI. This will require more objective measurement methods. Efforts must focus on measuring the effectiveness of communication versus the frequency of communication. Whether done internally or by an external resource, rigorous measurement of communication ROI will be one of the critical business imperatives. Positioning for Success Effective communication programs do not happen by accident. They require needs analysis, careful allocation of resources allocation of resources Apportionment of productive assets among different uses. The issue of resource allocation arises as societies seek to balance limited resources (capital, labour, land) against the various and often unlimited wants of their members. , detailed design and professional implementation. And the programs must be developed and maintained in direct response to the strategic goals and business interests of the organization. The communication professional should have a seat at the strategic planning table. But to secure this seat requires building value and recognition, through valid measurement and business-specific programming. Communicators must also redefine their functions so they do more to help their organizations succeed in the learning environment. Giving employees the information to develop the knowledge and skills they need to do their jobs right - and to navigate corporate changes effectively - is the most critical challenge facing businesses today. The question is: Will communicators rise to the challenge? Paul Sanchez Paul Sanchez is a New Orleans-based American guitarist, a Singer-songwriter, best known as a member of cowpunk band Cowboy Mouth from 1990-2006. Biography Sanchez grew up in New Orleans, in the Irish Channel section, a working class Catholic neighborhood. is the international director of Watson Wyatt's Communication Consulting Practice in the firm's New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. office. |
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