October/November 2020 - Bay of Plenty Business News

22 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS October/November 2020
Honesty the best
policy for staff
communications
The year ahead will be one of the most uncertain for New Zealand
businesses. The world continues to grapple with the impacts of
Covid-19 and many directors will be wondering how their businesses
can survive the economic slowdown and the uncertainty that
changes in Government Covid-19 Alert Level restrictions can bring.
While some of us are
getting by okay, others
are barely holding
on. Many workers fear
losing their jobs and anxiety
levels will be high in many
workplaces.
Mortgage payments will be
top of mind for many of them,
as they question how they will
support their families if their
job disappears.
At a time like this, it is more
important than ever for managers
to engage effectively with
staff and contractors.
Do it right and you can keep
motivation levels high and productivity
strong. Get it wrong
and you can expect a staff apathy
and a growing number
jumping ship.
Keep the information
flowing
When times are tough some
business owners and managers
go into their shell. It’s no
fun sharing a difficult message
with staff and some people
tend to react by saying little, or
nothing at all.
This is a big mistake. Just
because you’re silent doesn’t
mean staff will be, and more
often than not speculation and
rumour are worse than the
truth.
Informing staff shows you
care and helps to build trust. It
allows you to share the steps
you are taking to overcome
the challenges the business
faces and demonstrates to staff
that there won’t be any surprises.
Things may not turn
out perfectly, but you’re all in
it together and they will know
where they stand throughout
the process.
Keeping staff informed
and engaged is also critical
for team morale and culture.
If everyone knows where you
are planning to take the business,
and what the strategy is
to get through the hard times,
they are more likely to work together
and put their energy into
the right areas.
Much more than a courtesy,
good communication with
staff can provide productivity
There are few things more damaging to
trust than a staff member hearing about
a major change in their own business
from a client who has been informed
first, or even worse – reading it in the
local newspaper.
and retention bonuses for your
business.
Tell staff first
THE LAST WORD
> BY JAMES HEFFIELD
Director of Bay of Plenty marketing and PR consultancy Last
Word. To find out more visit lastwordmedia.co.nz or email
james@lastwordmedia.co.nz.
Sometimes we are so eager to
please our clients or to tell our
story in the media that we forget
to keep staff in the loop.
This can be true for good
news – such as announcing the
launch of a new innovation –
or bad, such as the closure of a
regional office.
It’s good practice to tell
staff first, before announcing
anything more widely.
This can take the form of
a briefing their managers, or
even just a heads-up email before
a communication to people
outside your organisation
is sent out.
After all, there are few
things more damaging to trust
than a staff member hearing
about a major change in their
own business from a client
who has been informed first,
or even worse – reading it in
the local newspaper.
Be up front
Over-spinning a message is
another common mistake
some businesses make when
communicating neutral or bad
news with staff.
This may involve overemphasising
the positive while
avoiding any mention of the
elephant in the room, or overusing
buzzwords and business
jargon such as “streamlining
the business” or “right-sizing
our teams” to communicate a
restructure or impending job
losses.
It’s absolutely true that you
should think carefully about
what you communicate, the
tone of your message, and how
it’s delivered. But give your
staff some credit and realise
many of them will see through
the spin.
Honesty and up-front communication,
with compassion,
will be much better received
than a message that beats
around the bush or avoids an
issue entirely.
At Bayleys, we believe relationships are what businesses are built on and how they
succeed. We understand that to maximise the return on your property you need:
Professional property management
A business partner that understands your views and goals
Contact the Bayleys Commercial Property Management team today.
Bayleys Commercial
Property Management
07 579 0609
jan.cooney@bayleys.co.nz
SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008
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