It seems like common sense, but an important component of change management is how you communicate change to employees. Whether you are faced with an acquisition or change in leadership, the way you communicate to your employee population can signal transparency as well as how much you value your employees.
The pace of change is overwhelming to employees in today’s work environment. To prevent unnecessary anxiety, senior leaders are advised to take the time to map out a communication plan that addresses the overarching change initiative, the specific milestones, timeframe, and audience to ensure that you proactively prevent potential stumbling blocks for your employees.
An example of a misguided communication is a recent situation I was made aware of in which a company communicated that the company was a potential acquisition target. The initial communication was on target since the company alerted and confirmed to their employee base that there was a good likelihood that they would be acquired in the near future. This type of communication is not uncommon in today’s ever-changing business environment. However, the second communication did not come for months, and when it did, it came in the form of, “We are being acquired, and if you are impacted, you will receive two weeks of severance for every year of service.”
Now, the anxiety set in since employees did not know if their location was being shut down, if their jobs were being impacted, or if they should start looking for a job. The preferred approach would have been to schedule an in-person meeting or a conference call with all employees to confirm that the company was being acquired and working through the details of the acquisition. Transparency comes in communicating what you can and are able to share at this time.
It is important to let employees know that you will continue to have regular updates and communicate specific details through their manager. Instead, the communication referencing severance served to distract the workforce of the company being acquired and created anxiety about the future stability of their jobs. Without facts, employees speculate, and many start looking for a job and ultimately become less productive. And, severance is one of those topics that should be discussed one-on-one if the employee’s job is impacted.
This is just one example of the fast pace of change in organizations today in which leaders benefit from taking the time to develop a communication plan to ensure that they have considered the why, the how, and what employees need to know to manage through the inevitable change dynamics in the work environment. It also reflects the culture of the organization and sends a message regarding how employees and their contributions are valued.
Given the challenge of talent acquisition and retention today, communication can and should be a key part of your change strategy to leverage as a competitive advantage for your business. Contact us today to help you deploy effective communication plans or talent development solutions for your company. Visit us at hrthought.com or call 407-504-7364.
