Ravalier PhD Theis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

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concentrate on work while ignoring emails unless they are designated ‘Important’ (which is also to be actioned
upon). Also an email ‘buddy’ system has been put in place in order to ensure help with important emails should an
employee be off work for a period of time has been developed, and targeted email groups have also been set up to
again ensure unnecessary emails are not sent to the wrong individuals in the Service. Finally, management at
each level throughout the Service are currently encouraging the use of verbal communication strategies, rather
than email, in order to improve upon communicative efficiency.
Furthermore with respect to bottom-up communication, a number of feasible interventions were located
which had the potential to improve upon individual workplace experiences (Table 29, No. 4). The first of these
included a method of enhancing bottom-up communication by allowing employees to put forward anonymous
suggestions and constructive ideas as to how the Service could be improved. This has been implemented by
putting a number of suggestion boxes in communal staff areas throughout the participating service to allow for
anonymous and constructive ideas to be suggested. Secondly, the most powerful and positive method identified
as being able to improve bottom-up communication was the use of appropriate team meetings. Therefore by
ensuring management keep track of objectives and outcome actions and having these points brought forward to
senior management meetings, team meetings would be able to provide vital bottom-up and top-communication.
Ideas that are generated from both of these processes are to be encouraged and implemented by senior
management, with each idea given feedback as to the feasibility of newly suggested ideas in any of these
actioned-upon points.
The fourth area in which organisational improvements have been identified referred to the help available for
individuals should workplace stress become a source of tangible/emotional discomfort. This area, entitled ‘Help