Introduction to Public Relations Chapter 10: Employee Communication Copyright © 2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. McGraw-Hill/Irwin

EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION Successful employee communication requires: A healthy organizational culture Sound communication policy Professional implementation Understanding employee communication preferences and aptitudes What else?

WHAT IS ORGANIZATION CULTURE? Employees collective perceptions of: Policies, Rules and Standards Organizational Structure Leadership Values “The way things get done” and “how decisions are made”

TWO TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE Authoritarian cultures - centralized decision-making with the CEO and a few top-level managers Participative cultures – teamwork drives decision- making

PR AND WORKPLACE CULTURE Public relations contribute to a productive workplace culture in that: Establishes organizational policy in conjunction with HR, the TMT, BOD, etc. Helps in designing and implementing organizational change programs Provides expertise in employee communication for any occassion

IDEAL ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE The best workplace culture should provide feelings of: Confidence Openness Candor Satisfaction Involvement Pride Supportiveness

PR AND EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION PR practitioners’ duties in employee communication include: Promoting understanding and awareness of company goals Interpreting management and personnel policies Fulfilling employee information needs Providing channels for two-way communication Encouraging favorable attitudes and increased productivity

SOURCES EMPLOYEES RESPECT MOST Employees want to hear information from: 1. Immediate Supervisor 2. Small group meetings 3. Top Executives 4. Annual Reports 5. Employee Handbook 6. Orientation Programs 7. Local employee publications 8. Bulletin Boards 9. Mass meetings 10. Union, grapevine, & mass media

PR practitioners use the following internal media: ORGANIZATIONAL MEDIA PR practitioners use the following internal media: Publications Videos Television Intranets Email News releases Events & Meetings Posters and billboards Exhibits and displays Reprints of speeches Booklets and manuals Organization Websites Social Media

ATTEND TO EMPLOYEE INTERESTS Research shows employee interests rank as follows: Organizational plans for the future Job advancement opportunities Job-related “how to” information Productivity improvement Personnel policies and procedures How the organization is doing vs. competitors How individual jobs fit into the organization

CONTENT IN EMPLOYEE MEDIA There must be a balance between the information employees want and what they need. Typically, an employee newsletter contains: 50 % about the organization 20 % about employees – benefits, etc. 20 % relevant non-company information about competitors, the community, etc. 10 % personals, trivia and entertainment

EMPLOYEES ARE THE MOST RESEARCHED PUBLIC Companies know more about their employees than any other public. They know their… Name Contact information Company department Job Function Family status So media and messages can be focused accordingly – but don’t be creepy about it (i.e. too “big brother”).

PHASES / TYPES OF EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION Job and Company Orientation On-the-job Working Conditions Rewards, Recognitions and Promotions Work stoppage, termination or separation

SPECIFIC PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS Employees must be told first Must tell the bad news with the good. Must be timely with info Must inform employees on subjects they think are important Use media employees trust (online vs. face-to- face?)

SPECIAL INTERESTS: UNION COMMUNICATIONS Company-union relationships are typically adversarial in nature. They are governed by Federal and state statutes and regulations. (i.e. “union shop” and collective bargaining laws – National Labor Relations Act – 1935, and others) These laws and regulations limit management behaviors like discriminating against employees who join unions Employees unionize when they feel they are being treated unfairly PR practitioners can help resolve issues with unions and establish and maintain an effective ongoing relationship between unions and management

IN SUMMARY Employees are an audience like any other. But they’re different from other audiences because… They are more readily identified and targeted Their informational needs tend to be more complex More media are available to reach them