Slowdown paradox – reduce or keep internal communication momentum going?

Do you communicate more or less or continue ‘business as usual’ during a slowdown?

 

Slowdown impacts communication budgets but research points to continued communication improving commitment even during these scenarios. Contradictory?

 

While most will agree that communication even during a slowdown is critical, very few communicators and leaders end up doing so.

 

 The reasons are manifold. As a support function, any form of internal communication involves effort, time and money. Companies prefer to invest in effort that generate more business rather than focusing on aligning employees to the organization’s goals. Apart from staff reductions, there is pressure on the function to show ROI from communicating during these times. If there isn’t a structured communication plan which the leadership has agreed upon, internal communicators is usually stretched to deliver on pressing issues during this period rather than focusing on messages which articulate the organization’s mission and goals. There is also a fear that communicating during a slowdown might weaken the organization’s position vis-à-vis the competition.

 

If for example, the company has been hiring over the last few years, we find it difficult to say that we have frozen hiring due to the current environment.

 

Also, if we have recently restructured our business, we still want to show we are doing well and under no pressure. Such is the urge to ‘look good’ in the eyes of our employees and other stakeholders that we forget that they have long memories.

 

A recent Watson Wyatt’s report talks of how we can undo all our great work if we ignore employees at this time of crisis.   It also highlights ‘engageable moments’ during these situations which internal communicators and organizations can leverage to continue the momentum.

 

The Business Today issue (March 8, 2009) talks of job losses in India and how companies are communicating. Interestingly, while the cover story recommends being ‘honest’ and ‘direct’ the company letters showcased from Wipro, TCS, TVS and others do not focus on possible reductions in force but talks of ‘cost management’ and ‘tightening the purse’.

 

 I  believe we have a gap in India. While there are layoffs taking place ‘below the radar’ in most organizations in India under the banner of ‘performance management’, employees get the wrong message that the company is not being forthcoming.

 

 

Employees fear that if they speak out, they are marked for elimination. Creating such a culture is surely detrimental for the future.

 

I would recommend that internal communicators demonstrate leadership by taking proactive steps and support message development and communication.  Dive into the organization’s history and revive stories around what is core to success. By sharing key milestones, success stories, people who live the values and traditions of the organization the positives will help employees look at the brighter side of this slowdown. Increase face to face connections and allow free flow of information. Empower your managers to have direct conversations with your employees. Involve employees in business decisions that help mitigate the slowdown The chances of your employees trusting your organization will be higher when things come around.