5 keys to communicating with employees as (gasp) adults

Let employees know what’s going on in the organization.

Employees want to know what’s happening in their organization. Where are we now? Where are we headed? Are we growing? What problems are we trying to address? What changes can we expect? If you keep people in the dark, you will ensure they feel detached from the organization.

On the other hand, sharing information with employees on a routine basis helps strengthen their commitment to the organization, even through the bad times. Make it a habit to routinely let employees “in” on what’s going on in the organization.

Pay attention to rumors.

Rumors begin when employees “fill in the blanks” with whatever they think is the real story. Sometimes it is the real story. However, more often than not the story is distorted and even untrue. Managers who ignore rumors can quickly lose control of the situation. They are also missing an important opportunity to communicate openly with their employees.