Communication is the Cornerstone
Talk it Out: Why Communication is the Cornerstone of Employee Engagement and Retention
Keeping your top talent happy in today’s competitive job market is getting more and more challenging. Employees may be initially attracted to an organization by salaries and benefits packages, but that’s not what will keep them in the long-term. There are multiple factors that impact employee retention, but the factor that seems to always be at the top of the list is communication.
Two-way communication helps employees to feel informed and heard and helps to ensure they will stick around. When open communication is fostered it is the cornerstone of a successful employee retention strategy. Here’s why:
Builds Trust
Employees need to know the big picture. Imagine you are working on something that you have no context for. You don’t understand the strategic plan and how your work fits into it. Employees continually express that without context they feel frustrated and devalued. Clear communication from leadership about company goals, upcoming changes, core values, and organizational mission shows employees they are valued team members. Lack of communication creates an environment of distrust towards leadership and leads to employees walking out the door.
Open Communication Encourages Feedback
When leadership communicates with employees, employees feel comfortable to provide feedback, voice concerns, and offering suggestions. Two-way communication fosters an environment of improving processes, improving morale, and engaging employees. Innovation and critical thinking thrive with open communication.
Recognition and Appreciation
Recognizing and celebrating employees’ work is a powerful motivator. Without open communication provides an avenue for leadership to be aware of their employees’ achievements. Acknowledging individual and team contributions is key to keeping employee morale high.
Creating a Culture of Open Communication
So, how to you build a culture of open communication? You need to be intentional with your communication plan. Here are some steps you can take:
Embrace Transparency: Share the good, the bad, and the ugly with your team. Open communication builds trust through explaining why decisions are made and then being honest about the issues the organization is experiencing. When employees see the transparency they know their leadership values and trusts them.
Multiple Channels of Communication: There is no such thing as over-communication. Offering employees various channels of communication will ensure that everyone is aware of the topic being discussed. All-employee meetings, department meetings, one-on-ones, and anonymous employee engagement surveys go a long way with building trust and engagement.
Active Listening: Don't just talk, listen! Employees that share their concerns and ideas need to know their voice is being heard. When leadership hears their employees and takes action employees know their input is a valued part of the organization.
Regularly Scheduled Feedback: Regularly scheduled one-on-one meetings, and performance reviews are a must. Performance reviews should not just be an annual conversation. These check-ins should be a regular event where progress is reviewed, recognition and guidance given. Leaders need to communicate that their door is always open to keep the conversation going.
Communication is a two-way street. When leadership fosters an environment of open communication they are creating a culture where employees feel respected, heard, and valued. This leads to higher employee engagement and a more productive workforce with a higher chance of keeping your employees. So, start the conversation and put the cornerstone in place to build your engaged team.
