raising standards Communicating With Employees O Open, consistent communication with employees is essential to the success of your organization. This is why communication is a key item on ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) checklist. Simply put, employees who don’t know what is expected of them become disengaged and perform below their potential. It is important for leaders to set expectations and get employees engaged in order to see an increase in productivity and deliver superior service. The best leaders use a variety of engagement strategies for con-tinual communication. It is important that what the supervisor expects and what the employee thinks is expected are aligned. When workers do not know or understand their leaders’ expecta-tions, it is very difficult for workers to meet those expectations. Leaders who use an inclusive approach to communication and encourage employee input have more engaged workforces. Employee engagement is also higher when workers are wel-comed and encouraged to communicate with management about issues in the workplace and be a part of developing solutions. Workers who are able to share their ideas and be a part of the decision-making process become more committed to their organi-zation’s success. Employees who have the opportunity to communicate openly with managers and leadership are more productive than those who do not. There are many channels leaders can use to create two-way communication with employees: 1. Staff meetings Gathering workers together for a staff meeting, whether bi-weekly, weekly or daily, is probably the easiest and most basic way to communicate with workers. Staff meetings also provide a comfortable forum for employees to communicate with each other. Meetings don’t have to be long; often, five to 10 minutes is all it takes. 2. Leadership lunches Employees appreciate the opportunity to meet with senior lead-ers in a casual atmosphere. Some organizations organize group lunches with a sampling of workers and members of the leadership team. These events allow employees to ask leaders about the organiza-tional strategy and provide their personal input on how to increase success. 3. Quarterly meetings Quarter-end is a great time for leaders to meet with employees to discuss business results. By: Jim Peduto For the best business results, effective communication is essential. In a “town hall” meeting, leaders use time to present results, congratulate workers for great work and get them excited about the next quarter. These meetings also include time for employees to ask questions directly to leaders. 4. Team off-site meetings Sometimes, getting out of the daily work environment for a half-day or full-day meeting can provide a fresh environment for sharing ideas. The longer meeting time allows for leaders and employees to cover topics not usually discussed with regular communication. 5. Project debrief meetings Once a major project or startup is complete, it’s great to have a chance for employees to talk about what went right and what went wrong. Everyone walks away with lessons learned and ideas for the next project. 6. Traditional newsletters and memos Employee newsletters, e-mails, bulletin boards and other similar venues are all ways organizations traditionally communicate with employees. These channels work best for timely, important news. Lengthy e-mails and memos are not as effective; meetings work best for communicating on in-depth topics such as organizational strategy. Establish A Communication Rhythm The key to success is for leaders and managers to establish a schedule or rhythm to communicating with employees. Silence is the worst thing employees should be hearing from the top; it only signals lack of direction or disregard of employees and it harbors the proliferation of rumors. An easy way to get started is to use the six tools in a way that works best for your organization. The important thing is that communication is planned, meaningful and relevant. Employees want to know where the business is headed and where they fit in that journey. Keeping workers involved along the way with consistent, effec-tive communication will compel employees to act accordingly and contribute to success. CM Jim Peduto is the president of Matrix Integrated Facility Management LLC and the co-founder of the American Institute for Cleaning Sciences (AICS). AICS is the registrar for ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) certification program. Visit www.ISSA.com/CIMS for more information. www.cmmonline.com 41
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