The context of communication
In 2005, work published the WorkChoice Survey – a detailed investigation of what employees want from their employers. In a 39-strong list of features ranging from high rewards and career development to flexible hours and job security, the top-rated factor was ‘openness in communication’.
If open communication is what employees want, so employers will also benefit from the engagement that results from it. Workforces that are well informed and involved tend to be more conscientious and committed, motivated and productive. Studies from the CIPD, Gallup and the Institute of Employment Studies all report a strong correlation between employeeengagement and the bottom line.
Employers who fail to communicate well with their people actually suffer a double-whammy. Poor communication clearly hampers efficiency and bungles opportunities to inspire and unite people, but it also chips away at the individual’s sense of involvement and self-esteem. “If they can’t be bothered to tell me what’s going on, they must think I don’t matter.”
Open communication is not just a means to an end, but a valid business objective in its own right.
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