Nov. 16, 2007 at 1:40pm

Five tips to get the word out to employees

Posted by Shari Campbell in Internal Communications
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"Our employees never know anything about what we’re doing!”

It’s a frustration I hear expressed frequently by communications professionals in organizations large and small. So how do you get the attention of your employees and keep them informed about your company’s news, events and strategic initiatives? Here are five tips I’ve culled from friends and colleagues:

1. Location, location, location. Retailers tell us the location of their business is one of the most important factors to its success. It’s also important to think about when communicating with your employees. Consider putting newsletters, posters, copies of ads or other important communications in the places where employees gather – break rooms, the company cafeteria, the coffee pot or water cooler – even rest rooms are fair game for vital messages.
2. Use the latest technology. Tacoma’s MultiCare Health System uses flat-panel TVs and computer kiosks to “push” information out to employees. Simple PowerPoint slides rotate short messages on the screens, which are placed next to the hospital’s latte stands, cafeteria cash register, employee entrances and other high-traffic employee areas. The messages are short, colorful and easy to grasp with a quick glance at the screen. And the location and placement of the flat panels make them difficult to ignore.

   The organization also makes computer kiosks available to employees and visitors at its main campus and its many locations in Pierce and South King counties. Information about the organization’s news, events and goals is available via the kiosks and, as an added bonus, employees can use them for personal use.

   CRA, a communications consulting firm in Pennsylvania, takes it one step further. They encourage employees to use Facebook and MySpace as a way to get to know each other better and to promote communication across their offices.

3. Don’t forget face-to-face communications. A colleague from the East Coast frequently complains to me that people in the Northwest forget to pick up the phone or just hold a good old-fashioned employee meeting. “I’ve been working with a client in Seattle and the organization’s culture is to send e-mails, even when someone is sitting just 10 feet away!”

   Many employees still appreciate it when the CEO holds an all-company forum, or takes the time to visit a branch office. Remember that personal communications are still important. Employees respond well when the CEO or other leaders take the time to share information about the company with them.

4. Think like a guerilla. Guerilla marketing tactics can be a great way to get information to employees. Some of my favorites include posters in elevators, messages on pay checks/stubs, name-badge ribbons for major initiatives or projects, T-shirts, customized Post-It notes and Burma Shave messages on sidewalks.

   Another tactic we used recently for a client was to create dynamic “tool kits” for managers, much like the press kits we create for reporters. The kits included a quick memo from the CEO to managers, key messages and talking points, and a simple one-page handout for employees. It was a big hit with the organization’s management staff because it made it easier for them to deliver the message to employees. Oh, and because the company was a health care organization, we packaged the “tool kits” in first-aid kits, which attracted attention and was a helpful gift for the managers.

5. Bottoms up. Employees tend to be more engaged when they believe the organization listens to them and genuinely cares about what’s important to them. If you’re frustrated by apathetic employees at your company, ask yourself a few simple questions: How does my organization solicit input from employees at all levels of the organization? Do we truly value comments and suggestions from employees? How do we demonstrate to employees that we listen to them – that their suggestions make a difference?

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