VOLUME 6: Employee Communications Matter

Imagine waking up one morning around 6:00am and seeing an email from your CEO that says, “Layoff Announcement.” It doesn’t matter how groggy or tired you are, a headline like that will wake you up immediately. Now, imagine when you open and read the email, your company’s CEO announces that there will be 10% layoffs across the organization, and those who are impacted will be notified by 2:00pm that same day. If you are not contacted by 2:00pm, your job is safe.

How do you think this would go over with employees? Is this the right or wrong way to communicate major news for the company?

Believe it or not, this type of email notification is typical in some organizations. It’s akin to being told to stand in the corner and wait until you’re told otherwise. While the executive leadership team might aim for transparency, the manner of communication can turn good intentions into unnecessary angst and stress, leading to lower productivity and higher attrition.

There is no easy way to communicate news such as layoffs without causing stress or anxiety. When considering your communication rollout, whether for a reduction in force (RIF), restructuring, leadership change, benefits change, or any other major announcement, transparency is important, but completeness of knowledge is even more critical.

Employees want to know as much as they can about things that will impact their jobs, projects, and colleagues. Many argue that great leadership means keeping employees informed every step of the way. While this is true in theory, it only represents a half-truth.

Transparency in an organization...

...is one of the key ingredients to trust. If employees feel that major decisions impacting their careers or belief in the company are being kept secret, they will hesitate to commit fully to their roles. It is difficult to dedicate yourself to an organization if you do not know whether your contribution will make an impact or be appreciated. This uncertainty often stems from poor communication practices, where only fragments of information are shared, leading employees to speculate and fill in the blanks themselves.

Ensuring effective communication across your employee population is often one of the roles played by the Chief of Staff. Although transparency is essential, the true secret behind effective communication is clarity.

 What Does Clarity Mean?

To create and nurture an open and transparent culture, it is imperative to establish systems that allow for effective and expected information sharing. Trust with your employees can be built in three ways:

AUTHENTICITY

The way your CEO and leadership team show up, discuss strategies, and address issues helps employees see the journey their leaders are going through. It enables them to feel they have a role to play along the way. Seeing your leaders as real people, thinkers, and solvers fosters trust and enables employees to assume positive intent for the company’s direction. Employees want to follow leaders they respect and believe in. They want to know that the information from their leaders is genuine and well-considered. People follow people, not just titles. It is crucial that employees feel a connection with the leadership team as their representatives in making strategic decisions.

REGULARITY

Building an effective rhythm of the business (ROB) or rhythm of operations (ROO) requires integrating a complete rhythm of communications. Regular communication is key. How often does the CEO communicate with all employees through emails, video messages, vlogs, or in-person/virtual meetings? Employees should feel safe receiving updates from the CEO or leadership team. Regular and timely updates on progress, goals, and strategies help normalize information flow across the company and prevent the perception that communication only happens during crises.

CLARITY

Clear and comprehensive communications are crucial. No cliffhangers, please. Cryptic or vague communications create unnecessary stress. If you don’t fill in the blanks about the impact of decisions, employees will speculate and often arrive at the worst conclusions. It’s unhealthy to leave open-ended questions, forcing employees to guess what might happen. It’s not about sharing only good news but ensuring that when you share news, it has a clear start, middle, and end. Wait until you can answer the unspoken questions before communicating.

Trust is not just given; it is earned.

Set up systems where employees feel seen and heard, with many opportunities to hear from the top levels of the organization, not just during crises. The way you drive strategy across your company is a big indicator of whether you’re enabling effective or ineffective communication infrastructure. As more people in your organization feel directly connected to the company’s vision, mission, strategy, and results, the level of trust and transparency grows exponentially.

Bottom Line...

Bring your people into the fold. Share openly and willingly, but not partially. The picture you are painting doesn’t have to be perfect, and you may not know all the answers, but you should be able to communicate the impacts of the information you are sharing. Transparency is key, but making people feel they can see the full picture is often more important. Knowing that there will be forums for employees to interact with and be heard by their leaders makes a big difference. Employees are more forgiving if they believe their leaders are considering their best interests. Sharing content prematurely may feel like transparency but can create chaos, making employees feel uncertain and unsafe.

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Thank you for joining us for this edition of "The Executive Chief of Staff" Newsletter. Stay tuned for more insights and strategies in our next volume.

About Chief of Staff Leaders Circle

Chief of Staff Leaders Circle is available for hire to help organizations facilitate successful Town Hall meetings, Senior Leadership Team meetings, offsites, and strategy sessions. Our professional services ensure that your leadership communication is effective and impactful. Let us help you build trust and transparency within your organization.