| |
| |
|
Management Information |
|
|
|
Multiple Channels, Multiple Times
I've just been reading about the frustrations of a Human Resources manager. He's tired of having to answer the same questions about benefits over and over again. I understand that, having been on both sides of the issue, both as a consumer of benefits and in communicating about them on behalf of corporate clients. Benefits can be the slippery eels of internal communication. But, to put the issue into context, this is another case of complex communication. In this case, a large volume of information that's not easy to understand. Descriptions of benefits typically involve a high level of density: in other words, they contain a lot of information in a small amount of 'space'. Many of them resemble insurance policies -- long on legal language and short on examples and anecdotes. As a result, the information is accessible to only a small proportion of the whole group. How do you deal with this kind of communication challenge? Multiple channels, multiple times. That means repeating the message many times, and sending it through as many different channels as possible. For example, when one of my clients changed its benefits package to offer more choices, it used this strategy. Collectively, the overall value of the benefits would work out the same for the company. But, individual employees would have to make choices, and in many cases the value of the individual benefits they received would depend on how wisely they made their decisions. In turn, that could lead to the equivalent of 'buyer's remorse' and complaints. The company took a proactive approach to the changeover. It began planning well in advance of the switch, and its preparations included the equivalent of focus groups to identify concerns, questions, and problems. Then, in the month or so before the changeover, it began communicating on several fronts. It held information sessions with employees, it sent each employee an information package, it sent out a special edition of its newsletter, it offered in-house computer programs for calculations and enrollment, and it offered appointments with benefits personnel if employees felt they needed individual counselling. Employees got the information in several formats, and at several different times, greatly increasing the odds that most of them would make informed decisions. The odds that they would understand their choices went up because of different learning styles. And, needless to say, their ability to learn varies from time to time. Some people learn best by reading (and you may be one of them since you're reading this article). Others may learn more effectively by listening, while yet others do best when they act in some way (like using a computer program). Similarly, you may not be receptive to new information about a benefits program right now because you're focused on an important meeting later today. Or perhaps you'll be more interested in the subject after you talk with a friend and colleague at lunch tomorrow. By using multiple channels and multiple times, we provide our readers/listeners/participants with several different learning options. That, in turn, means we increase the odds there will be a time and method that's optimal for them. About The Author Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Each week subscribers receive, at no charge, a new communication tip that helps them lead or manage more effectively. Click here for more information: http://www.CommunicationNewsletter.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Argue Your Way To Business Success "Jack" (not his real name) is a vice president of a publicly traded company. Recently, Jack's stress and anxiety levels have been high enough to impact both his working and his personal lives. Creativity and Innovation Management: The Creative State Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Tales from the Corporate Frontlines:Choosing an Effective Employee Recognition Program This article relates to the Recognition competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. It tells the story of how one company found the right recognition program by paying attention to employee feedback. Profits and Business Success - 5 Profit Traps to Watch Out For The old saying 'You have to spend money to make money' can be a dangerous one. Every business has it's costs, but not every business owner takes the time to distinguish between what is an essential expense, and what is a 'nice to have' expense. Overcoming Perfectionism Perfectionism can get in the way of building or marketing a successful business. It can prevent us from moving ahead quickly or from taking advantage of business opportunities. Innovation Management: The Quality and Quantity of the Idea Pool Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Two Critical Success Factors in an ITIL Implementation Any IT manager who wants to pursue the IT Service Management journey by implementing the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) needs to understand two very important factors well in advance.? The first factor is to have dedicated, trained and committed process owners. The Top Three Problems IT Managers Face and How to Overcome Them Todays business environment has changed drastically from just a few years back. Rather than working exclusively with equipment, data, and systems, todays IT managers face issues such as cross training, personnel management, interdepartmental communication, and a widening job scope for all IT employees. How to Beat the Turf Mentality Want to hear a fascinating story? Let's sit in at a meeting of the human resources department of a large corporation. A number of human resources specialists are gathered in the board room. Quick Tip - Effective Meetings Earn a Profit Most people treat meetings as a free resource that can be used to deal with any issue. As a result, huge amounts of time and money are wasted on trivia. Recruitment - Do You Know What Youre Looking For? The time will come when you'll need to interview someone to join your business or your existing team. If you work in a large organisation then this could be someone from inside the company. The Seven Cs: Partnership Danger Signs - Conflict Becoming the Norm - Part 2 A series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that can indicate a partnership is in trouble.Conflict Becoming the Norm - Part 2In a previous article, I wrote about how unresolved conflict can create havoc in your business and can often end in a failed partnership. Increasing the Return on Your Training Investment Insightful leaders and organizations recognize that training is a valuable tool for personal and professional development and therefore set some sort of an annual training budget.Most everyone I've ever talked to has been to both excellent training (hopefully ours!) and training that was, well, not so good. Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Training is in the Eye of the Beholder This article relates to the Training competency, commonly evaluated in employee surveys. It comments on the value of training to both the company and its workforce. Communicating with Case Studies A few weeks ago, a couple of colleagues and I discussed a new business idea. But, we had trouble expressing how this new business would provide value. 9 Strategies for Writing Accounts Payable Procedures The Cash to Cash Cycle Part Four of SeriesNext: Complete Cash to Cash CycleThe white flag is just a nose away?toward the Million dollar prize in cash savings for your business?So far, in Inventory and Accounts Receivable, we've found $250,000 each in cash savings. Then we found another 250K in Sales and Marketing. What is the Most Difficult Part of an Improvement Program? Answer: Starting one.Most of us realize that there is probably a better way to perform certain functions or tasks, but improvement programs seem to take second seat to getting the product out the door. How Bad Communication Can Hold You Back and How to Break Free of It The reason jobs are often not done right and employees are fired is because of lack of skill. Right? Wrong! Poor communication and ineffective human relations are the major causes. Take Control of Your Paper in 3 Easy Steps Do you have piles of paper on your desk. Many do and don't know how to deal with them. The Myth Of Relationship Selling Revealed At Last The second you quit being the 'best deal' for your customer, he'll drop you like a hot potato. Regardless of how many lunches you've bought him or birthdays you've remembered.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
