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Balancing face-to-face and technology-based communication channels in internal communications

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Balancing face-to-face and technology-based communication channels in internal communications

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Content BALANCING FACE-TO-FACE AND TECHNOLOGY-BASED COMMUNICATION CHANNELS IN INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS by Elaine Beliakoff A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS (STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS) May 2006 Copyright 2006 Elaine Beliakoff R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. UMI Number: 1437582 Copyright 2006 by Beliakoff, Elaine All rights reserved. INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI UMI Microform 1437582 Copyright 2006 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. DEDICATION fo /M _ y Bill Samarin, for the myriad of ways in which he actively supported me in my determination to find and realize my potential. For alM ’ays believing in me. to /M y /M otAe/"... Olya Samarin, who has been a source of encouragement and strength throughout my life. For helping me keep things in perspective. to /M y A w j^ h o M c/... John J. Beliakoff, who, since high school, supported me as a best friend, and continues that encouragement as my loving husband. For his love, humor, resilience and endless patience. to /M y g/-OM Ù^O/-gM t& .. Alex J. Samarin, a passionate scholar who has been a source of academic inspiration for me, for his support and love. Walter Bogdanoff, whom I deeply respect for his strength and humility, for always advocating my pursuit for higher education. Helen Samarin, whose friendship I cherish and whose support I appreciate. Nura Bogdanoff, for her love and support throughout the years. to my sister and brothers... Irene, Alex and Vasya R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. Ill ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Writing this thesis has been a tremendous learning experience. My husband, John’s, love and support during the past few months have been the most important factors in the completion of this project. My father. Bill’s, editing expertise, critical feedback and keen perspective helped maintain my momentum while my mother, Olya’s, continued love and encouragement proved critical throughout this project. Professionally, the greatest influences on this thesis were my Committee Members. Professor Jerry Swerling’s enthusiastic supervision and respectful guidance in the conceptual development of this thesis made the entire process an invaluable learning experience. Because of Professor Jennifer Floto’s, ABC, direction at the inception of my outline design, I thank her that this study comprises both depth and breadth. Dr. Rebecca Weintraub’s professional experience and advice added the polish and perspective to this project when it needed it most. I gratefully acknowledge her encouragement, sound advice and good company. Gary F. Grates of General Motors/North America offered invaluable resources and personal insight that helped steer this project in the right direction. Angela Sinickas, ABC, willingly shared with me her expertise and research. Cathi Killian of the Disneyland Resort kindly took me under her wing for a day, among many things providing me with an eyewitness experience of “Mickey’s Roll Call.” For the sincere interest she took in this project and her insights on face- to-face employee communication, I am grateful to her. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication ii Acknowledgements iii List of Tables vi List of Figures vii Abstract viii Chapter 1: Introduction 1 History and Overview of Internal Communication 1 The Impact of Technological Advances on Internal Communication 6 Balancing Technology with Face-to-Face Communication 10 Setting the Stage 11 Chapter 2: Literature Review 13 The Role of Technology 13 “Push” versus “Pull” Communication 14 Employees’ Preferred Method by Topic 17 The Four Push and Pull Variables 18 Techno logy-based Communication Channels 19 Intranets 20 Mass e-mails 21 E-newsletters 22 Company’s external Web site 23 Interactive technology 24 Video 26 Print as a Conventional Communication Method 28 Face-to-Face Communication Channels 29 One-on-one conversations 31 Meetings: Collaborative, town hall-style and briefing 32 Collaborative 32 Town hall-style 34 Briefing 36 Supervisor briefing cards 44 Video/satellite conferencing and broadcasting 46 Differing Internal Communication Methods between Small 47 Companies and Large Corporations R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. Chapter 2: Literature Review (continued) Who Should Be the Face in Face-to-Face Communication? 49 Supervisors - When the communication topic is 50 CEO - When the communication topic is 53 Communicating Major Organizational Change Face-to-Face 54 Return on Investment (ROI) of Face-to-Face Communication 59 When Face-to-Face is Not Possible 60 Chapter 3: Case Study - General Motors 63 GM and the Underlying Philosophies of ICIP 63 Organizational Structure 64 Workforce Profile 64 The ICIP Approach 65 Engaging Employees in Business Strategy 67 Communication Channels 70 Communicating Issues to Different Strata of Employees 70 Putting ICIP to the Test - GM’s Current Financial Situation 71 Wagoner’s recovery plan 72 Constraints to GM’s open communication policy 74 Timing and methodology of announcement 75 Evaluating ICIP in Day-to-Day Conmiunication 79 Intranet 84 Quarterly Earnings Broadcast 85 Newsletter 85 State of the Business meetings 85 Diagonal Slice meeting 86 Regular department meetings 86 Chapter 4: Conclusion 91 Employees Prefer Informal Face-to-Face Puli Conmiunication 92 Topic or Issue Dictates Channel in Day-to-Day Communication 94 Visualizing How Topic or Issue Dictates Channel 96 Strategy Transcends Channels in Extraordinary Communication 100 Bibliography 105 R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. VI LIST OF TABLES Table 1 : Techno logy-based Channels Used to Deliver Information to 13 Employees Table 2: The Four Push and Pull Variables 19 Table 3: GM/North America ICIP Program 68 Table 4: Evaluating General Motors/North America’s ICIP 81 Communication Program Table 5: Determining the Effectiveness of Communication Channels 84 Table 6: The Charme 1/Topic Matrix 97 Table 7: Determining Factors for Use of Communication Channels 100 R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. v il LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 : Reasons Employees Visit Intranets 16 Figure 2: Employees’ Preferences for Push and Pull E-Sources 16 Figure 3: Employees’ Preference for Electronic Channel by Topic 17 Figure 4: Eight Companies’ Percentages About Mass E-Mails 21 Figure 5: Employees’ Preferred Electronic Source 22 Figure 6: Employees’ Preference by Push or Pull Electronic Channels 23 Figure 7: Australian Employees’ Preferred Method of Receiving 27 Information About Their Immediate Work Area Figure 8: Mickey’s Roll Call 39 Figure 9: Team Talk 42 Figure 10: Supervisor Briefing Card 45 Figure 11 : Employees’ Preferred Information Source: U.S., U.K, 52 Canada Figure 12: General Motors: Employees’ Preferred Information Source 52 Figure 13: Percent of Employees Saying Official Communication Does 52 Not Tell Full Story Figure 14: Employees' Preferred Communication Channel for 55 Important Information Figure 15: Employees’ Reconmiendation: Best Channel for Building 55 Support for Change Figure 16: The Larkin Face-to-Face Communication Model 58 Figure 17: Elements of ICIP Compared to the Ideal Mix of Face-to- 87 Face and Technology-based Communication Channels Figure 18: Mock Supervisor Briefing Card to Communicate GM 90 Quarterly Earnings R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. Vlll ABSTRACT This study examines the extent to which professional communicators should rely on face-to-face versus technology-based communication channels in internal communications. The distinction between push and pull is established to describe the forces behind each channel’s capacity to engage employees. An internal communication program that is deliberately designed to balance the four Push and Pull Variables will be more closely aligned with a company’s business objectives, thereby resulting in a positive return on investment (ROI). This study reveals that employees are most receptive to face-to-face communication if it is informal, frequent, comes from their supervisors and is relevant to their local work area. A presentation of secondary research and a case study on General Motors’ “Internal Communications Improvement Process” (ICIP) supports this conclusion. The Channel/Topic Matrix is presented as a tool for communicators to maximize their program’s effectiveness by balancing their use of face-to-face and technology-based communication channels. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION There is little disagreement about the strategic importance of external communication in business. Effective communication to external audiences such as customers, investors and analysts is typically credited with making important contributions to increasing sales, maintaining shareholder confidence, etc. Too often, however, the internal audience - the organization’s employees - is overlooked and the importance of communicating to them undervalued. Even more common is the belief by senior management that even effective internal communication cannot appreciably affect the bottom line. If a company does employ an internal communications plan, chances are that it relies largely on traditional print-based channels and/or more modern technology-based channels to convey messages and organizational news. The possible overuse of technology-based channels is a timely topic for discussion since its extensive use in this field is only in its infancy (about 25 years). This study will reveal that even if a company uses a variety of traditional and technological mediums to communicate with employees, and even if that effort is well orchestrated, the results will not be optimized if the program excludes the most traditional channel of all: direct, face-to-face, person-to-person communication. History and Overview of Internal Communieations Internal communications as a discipline has evolved as business has evolved. Often, the role of internal communications in the 1950s and 1960s was to simply R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 extend community-based social activities into the workplace; company picnics, bowling clubs and similar activities sufficed to create a sense of belonging and appreciation among employees.' Such traditional, time-honored activities allowed for the development of interpersonal relationships with co-workers, heightening employees’ intrinsic values and adding to their overall job contentment. Communication methods in the 1950s and 1960s that focused primarily on improving employee morale were outmoded in the next decade as internal communications slowly veered away from industrial relations practices in the 1970s, says Michael C. Brandon, Director of Global Employee Communication Platforms for Nortel (Northern Telecom), Nashville.^ As some forward-thinking CEOs began to value effective employee communication (and understand that it involves more than the company newsletter), internal communicators were empowered to include more channels in the communication mix. This support led to experimentation with technology-based communication channels, such as video. Jennifer Floto, ABC, identifies Newport Beach-based Pacific Mutual Life Insurance as one of the first companies to introduce video news programs to employees: “Video news programs in the late-1970s and early 1980s allowed employees to obtain information via an alternative method to the traditional company newsletter, or ‘house organ.’ In-house produced news programs at Pacific Mutual Life Insurance were recorded onto VHS tapes and played on televisions that were rolled into break rooms and lunch areas. * Personal interview via telephone with Gary F. Grates, former vice president o f Communications at GM/North America and now Senior Advisor - Strategic Communications Policy at GM/North America (2006, February). ^ Brandon, M. C. (Apr/M ay 1997.) From the Three B ’s to the High C ’s - History o f Employee Communication. Communication World [Electronic version]. Retrieved M arch 29, 2006, from http : //www .findarticles.com. ^ Personal interview with Jennifer Floto, ABC (2006, March). R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. However, while some companies in the 1970s were as cutting edge as Pacific Mutual Life Insurance, surveys conducted by the International Association of Business Communicators (lABC) during this time revealed that they were the exception and not the rule: ‘“ The need to educate top management on the importance of communication’ was listed as a major challenge in the 1970s."^ Still, communicators in the 1970s were slowly gaining credibility, not merely as “house organ” editors, but as bone fide business communicators. The 1980s proved to be a hotbed of ideas and experimentation in internal communication. Despite the technology buzz, face-to-face communication remained a powerful communication channel as Hewlett-Packard’s concept of “Management by Walking Around” (MBWA) influenced leadership views in the business world. MBWA became a management trend discussed in books, magazine articles and by word-of-mouth. MBWA was an especially relevant concept to company leaders in the 1980s because companies were expanding globally and experiencing growing workforces. According to Hewlett-Packard, “Increased competition, global markets [and] the advent of information technology created new challenges for management,” thereby resulting in a new outlook on internal communication and a new role for employee coiumunicators.^ While the original mission of internal communication was to increase employee morale, in the late 1980s “the new mission of employee communication Gordon, G. (2002, Aug/Sept.) A History o f I ABC Communication. Communication World, 31-33. ' “The HP Way." Retrieved M arch 29, 2006, from http://uob-communitY.ballarat.edu.au/~adsg/ Cp704/CaseStudies/W kl l% 20Hum an% 20Resources% 20at% 20Hewlett-Packard.pdf. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 became to inform employees about company 'news,’”* '' According to Floto, internal communicators arranged “brown bag lunches” to inform employees about company news. A precursor to today’s “more intimate two-way communication with top management,”’ brown hag lunches began as generally relaxed, informal informational sessions where employees could participate and ask questions of the CEO and the upper management team about company issues. The communication models used between 1950 and the late 1990s are no longer effective in the 2E ' century. The post-World War II era promise of cradle-to- grave employment deteriorated by the late 1990s, giving way to a massive shift in the employer-employee relationship. Whereas intrinsic benefits used to he enough to keep employees happy and working, the 1990s saw a major shift in employee values to extrinsic factors such as salary, health care plans and being involved in the business strategy. Moreover, with people having five to seven careers in theirs lifetimes^, the workforce has become very fluid. Because of this workforce fluidity, employers now find it necessary to involve employees in the business strategy, or at least assure their understanding of that strategy, in order to retain their talent. Today’s employees are interested in knowing how they fit into the bigger picture as well as how they affect the bottom line. Employees are asking the question, “Why am I working here?” The job of internal communicators is to provide employees with a viable answer, tapping into * Brandon, op. cit. ’ Floto, op. cit. Shalala, D. E. (1998, M ay 23). Com mencement address to East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsberg, PA. Retrieved January 21, 2006, from http://www.hhs.gov/news/speeches/estroud.html. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. both their intrinsic and extrinsic values. The answer involves empowering employees with meaningful information to create a sense of connectedness and cohesiveness, fulfilling their need to feel intrinsically allied with co-workers and leadership, while still providing a way for them to extrinsically relate to the larger business goal. The answer can be as simple as clarifying company benefits or operational procedures, or as complex as helping them to understand marketplace pressures so they can better respond to customers and/or understand the conditions affecting the company and their jobs. The answer engages employees at all levels, keeping them abreast of the business goals and the strategies being employed to achieve them; it arms them with the knowledge to make sound decisions.^ Ultimately, the answer to employees’ question, “Why am I working here?” requires management to provide them with timely and relevant information that optimizes job satisfaction and helps them do their jobs better. While the approach to internal communications has transformed over the past few decades, its benefits to employers remain steady and unchanged. Employees who are subjects of effective internal communications are, as employee communications guru Alvie Smith says, motivated to come to work every day, determined to yield quality products and services and willing to give top performance on their jobs. When employees understand their purpose, that is, when internal communicators successfully answer their question, “Why am I Rosen, S. (2004, Jul/Aug). Start the Conversation: Reflections on the Value o f ‘Talking’ in the W orkplace [Electronic version]. Communication World, 14-21. Retrieved January 23, 2006 from www.iabc.com. Smith, A. L. (1991). Innovative Employee Communication. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., p. 229. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. working here?,” employees respond by being productive team players that positively affect the company’s bottom line and achieve business goals. The Impact of Technological Advances on Internal Communication As internal communications has evolved throughout the years, methods of communication have also advanced. With the advent of technology, the portfolio of internal communication channels available for communicators to utilize has become quite extensive. Traditional methods of internal communication still being employed today include company newsletters, feedback programs (i.e. suggestion boxes), town hall-style meetings, bulletin hoards, video news programs, company activities, etc. With the integration of technology throughout most companies, voice mail messages/blasts, e-mails, e-newsletters and intranets (private computer networks for employees) have been helpful conduits for management to relay information to internal audiences in a timely and efficient manner. Without a doubt, the proven benefits of technology have shaped how the business world functions today. Technology has become integral to our lives and indispensable to businesses. On the external front for businesses, technology has made it possible for computers, fax machines and modems to bring the office “into homes, cars, airplanes and hotel rooms .’’ ^^Additionally, Khera Communications " “Technology Advances Put Small Business in the Fast Lane.” Retrieved January 21, 2006, from http://www.nfib.com/obiect/1583642.html. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 7 reports that businesses that invest in technology report positive impact in areas such as:'^ Automating business functions. Writing hundreds of form letters, printing complex invoices and instantly updating budgets are achieved with the click of a button. Data is easily managed, and can he reprocessed or changed slightly, saving on labor costs. Improving productivitv. Sophisticated, cost-effective software allows businesses to produce tax returns, maintain contact lists and develop professional presentations quicker than ever before. Enhancing communication and mohilitv. Cellular telephones and e-mail make it easier for everyone in a business to stay in contact, regardless of location. Business partners in New York, Shanghai and Buenos Aires can collaborate virtually on projects, without buying a single plane ticket or renting one hotel room. Improving marketing effectiveness. Small companies maintain direct mail databases, and entrepreneurs avail themselves of the rapidly expanding number of online computer services, such as America Online and various Internet Service Providers, for direct marketing to targeted interest groups. “Technology Helps the Small Business Rise to the Top.” Retrieved January 21, 2006, from http://www.morebusiness.com/running your business/technology/d912805095.brc. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 8 • Increasing access to data. Increased access to, and manipulation of, massive amounts of data is made possible through sophisticated database programs and dedicated information technology (IT) departments. Maintaining large databases and processing information is accomplished quickly and efficiently. These technological advances also positively affect the way companies communicate to internal audiences. Intranets and e-mail have nearly eliminated printing fees for memos, newsletters and forms and expedited distribution of these communications. With more information at employees’ fingertips, they are better informed and are working more efficiently. Or are they? Internal communicators should be extremely concerned about the extent to which technology is replacing the human element. Face-to-face interaction between a CEO and his or her 1,000, 10,000 or 100,000 employees is close to impossible, so e-mails and intranet postings become the easy media for communication. Unlike a company with less than 50 employees where each person hears the company vision directly from the CEO, the goals and values of a larger company can easily be lost or miscommunicated without face-to-face conversations.^^ This miscommunication can result in frontline employees becoming misaligned with management’s vision, relaying ill-conceived or incorrect messages to customers, and thereby undoing the work of the senior management team. Rosen, 14. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 9 For example, a large southern California organization that employs 3,000 people disseminates company-wide e-maii messages to its employees four to five times per week. Through the author’s experience with this organization (the name of which will remain anonymous), it became apparent that these employees do not value mass e-maii as a channel of communication. While most e-maii messages teii employees about special offers at nearby venues or information about training opportunities and employee benefits, every so often an e-maii will relay critical policy changes initiated by the CEO. Many employees, feeling bombarded by the weekly barrage of irrelevant e-mails, have set up “e-maii spam folders” that immediately collect and dispose of ail company-wide emails upon receipt. Employees in this case never read the carefully written policies and announcements. They remain unaware of shifts in the company’s goals, and yet management continues to distribute important information via mass e-maii. Within the field of internal communications there exists a modern paradox rooted in the business world’s love affair with technology. Extensive use of technology can oftentimes create the illusion of a modern 21’ ’ * century business at the expense of true effectiveness, especially in the realm of employee communication. This paradox is such that companies think technology is helping their business because it gives the appearance of professionalism, or being “cutting edge,” but if used too extensively or inappropriately, can actually hinder worthwhile communication. It is the author’s opinion that the allure of technology can lead to an even more detrimental form of corporate self delusion when management is R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 10 pressured to look efficient and chooses to use technology that does not truly work to further their business goals. One might even say that a corollary to this is the analogy of the swinging pendulum; the pendulum started to swing away from face- to-face communication with the inception of e-mail and teleconferencing, continued its journey past the midpoint with intranets and more advanced technologies, and has presently reached the full extent of its swing with many companies experiencing an extreme overuse of technology that overshadows the more time-honored, more effective channel of face-to-face communication. Obviously, technology must have a crucial role in business effectiveness, but to what extent should it shape internal communication strategies? Should it be the basis for how management communicates, or should it be used merely to enhance the effectiveness of other methods? These issues insist that a balance must be made between technology and face-to-face communication as integral channels of a company’s internal communication approach. Balancing Technology with Face-to-Face Communieation Addressing the preceding paradox necessitates an exploration of the validity of the following hypothesis: While technology is helpful in communicating with employees, it is eroding the personal, two-way contact that is critical to influencing behaviors and building relationships between and among employees, managers and leadership. E-mail, intranets and voice mail blasts are not enough to engage R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. Il employees in business; rather, they are merely tools best used to complement the still-necessary element of face-to-face interaction. Thus, the purpose of this research is to understand how technology can be strategically employed as part of an effective internal communications plan. Setting the Stage It is important to initially clarify some terms that will be used throughout this study. First, it is true that there are different definitions of “employees.” For purposes of this study, employees will be defined as full-time non-executives (both white-collar and blue-collar). This definition excludes retirees and part-time workers. Establishing this distinction will enable the reader to better understand conclusions about General Motors as a case study in Chapter 3. The term “frontline employee” will be used to describe those employees who directly serve customers by way of operating machines, assembling/transporting goods and processing information; frontline employees include receptionists, retail sales clerks, truck drivers, sales order processors and tradesmen, such as mechanics and electricians.^"^ Next, the technologies referred to in this study include only major technological innovations and tools which, in and of themselves, enhance the quantity, if not the quality, of communication; i.e., Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), BlackBerrys, intranets, e-mail, instant messaging, video conferencing, satellite broadcasts, voice mail, blogs, multi-service and multi-line telephones, electronic bulletin boards, interactive movies, video streaming, closed circuit Larkin, TJ & Larkin, S. (1994). Communicating Change. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., p. 245. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 12 television channels, e-newsletters and e-magazines. By this definition simple enhancements to more traditional products and methodologies (computer design of traditional printed newsletters, for example) are excluded from consideration. Lastly, “face-to-face” interaction will he used in the context of either one person communicating in the same room with either one, a few, or many other people. Because video conferencing fits this definition it is also considered face-to- face communication, despite its heing technology-hased. The following study is structured such that a review of trade literature will he analyzed, followed hy a case study and presentation of conclusions. This research huilds upon existing articles on the subject of public relations and communications, as well as work published hy members of the International Association of Business Communicators who are accredited through the organization. These professionals are experts in the field, also known as Accredited Business Communicators (ABC). Much has been written on the discipline of internal communications and the integration of technology, but little attention has been paid to balancing its use with face-to-face interaction as a strategic communication channel. This study, therefore, offers an innovative approach to effectively communicate with employees. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 13 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW In the effort to understand the themes, trends and theory surrounding the use of technology and face-to-face communication with internal audiences, it is advantageous to he cognizant of the significant literature that already exists on the topic. The following provides an overview of articles, publications and personal interviews with industry experts. The Role of Technology Internal communication professionals, for the most part, have heen quick to adopt sophisticated technologies. Employees have become accustomed to sending and receiving e-mails, watching video streaming online and navigating the intranet. Table 1 lists several forms of technology used to deliver information to employees. Table 1: Technology-based Channels Used to Deliver Information to Employees • Voice mail messages/blasts • Interactive movies • E-mail • Instant messaging • E-newsletters • Video/satellite broadcasts/webcasts • Videos • Video/satellite conferencing • Intranets • Closed circuit television programs • Internet (mobile and stationary) • E-magazines Before delving into the pros and cons of each method of communication, it is necessary to first understand the forces behind each channel’s capacity to engage employees. Communicators often think of technology-hased and face-to-face communication in terms of two different approaches, called push and pull. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 14 “Push” versus “Pull” Communication In a recent interview, Dr. Rebecca Weintraub, former Director of Corporate Communications at Hugbes Electronics, explained tbe key differences between push and pull communications: “The nature of pull communication is such that employees actively seek out information; they have the choice whether or not to access an article or intranet posting, go to a presentation or actively involve themselves in a meeting. In push communication, information is thrust onto employees (or their computer screens), leaving them with little to do other than read it. With push communication, employees’ only choice is to ignore it.” '^ Push communication, then, is delivered directly to employees, giving employees neither the choice to receive the information nor the ability to affect the content of the communication. Examples of push communication include e-mails, videos, e-newsletters and voice mail messages/blasts. Pull communication, according to Weintraub, involves employees in the process of learning and understanding organizational issues. For example, one-on-one conversations and video conferences offer employees the option to actively obtain information that interests them. After all, Weintraub says, “Pull communication is receiver-oriented; it acknowledges that people prefer to choose what they learn, and allows them to learn on their own time, at their own pace.”^ * ’ Employees who acquire information via pull channels do so on account of their personal desire to know more about the products and services, industry trends or information about competitors. Personal interview with Dr. Rebecca Weintraub, former Director o f Corporate Communications at Hughes Electronics (2006, January). Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 15 The nuances of pull communication are best illustrated by clarifying how the intranet functions as a communication channel. Award-winning communicator Angela Sinickas, ABC says that as a technology-based resource, intranets are “passive in that once the information is posted, it may never be noticed until someone affirmatively decides to browse to see if there is anything new of interest.” Figure 1 shows that 68% of employees visit the intranet because they feel pulled there as a result of their routine and when they need to find specific information. Additionally, Figure 2 shows that when a company provides an intranet, but does not distribute an e-newsletter, employees still prefer pull channels over push channels. Overall, employees prefer technology-based pull sources, such as the intranet, 1.5 times more than push sources. SIDEBAR - Push vs. Pull Communication Push: E-mail, e-newsletters, e-magazines, e-magazines, webcasts, voice mail messages/blasts, videos and closed circuit television programs Pull: One-on-one conversations, collaborative meetings, video conferencing, intranets, Internet (company’s external Web site) Sinickas, A. (2004) The Role o f intranets and Other e-Channels in Employee Communication Preferences. Journal o f Website Promotion, 1-8. Retrieved January 28, 2006, from www.sinicom.com. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. Figure 1: Reasons Employees Visit Intranets 16 28% 17% I Part o f M y Routine 51% B W hen A lerted to N ew s o f Interest □ Only W hen 1 N eed Specific Inform ation □ Other Figure 2: Employees' Preferences for Push and Pull E-Sonrces Reference: 19 Com panies W ith Intranet and E-News Com panies With Intranet But N o E-News Com panies W ithout Intranet 15-Company Average 15% 24% 35% 44% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Average % o f Respondents Preferring "Push" vs. "Pull" E-Sources I Puli (Intranet + Web) I Push (E-m ails and E-Newsletters) (*The percentages in this figure do not add up to 100% because the surveys in Sinickas ’ study allowed people to select up to, but no more than, two preferred Sinickas, A. (2004, Jan/f eb). Intranets, Anyone? Communication World, 34. ' Sinickas, op. cit., 8. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 17 Figure 3: Employees' Preference for Electronic Channel by Topic Reference: 20 Recognition News Financials Goals 23% I Competitors Products Industiy How I Can Help K M ü | r* .. Overall Average 0% 2#% 40% 6 ^ 4 80% IO m % A verage % Preferring Each Electronic Channel fo r Each Topic I Intranet □ W eb site H Mass e-mails ■ E-newsletter Employees’ Preferred Method by Topic Sinickas’ research on employees’ preferred communication charmels reyeais that workers prefer to pull for information about products, competitors and industry trends. Figure 3 shows that employees prefer information on the following topics to be pushed to them: Company goals, financial results, news, employee recognition, and how they can help the company reach its goals. Ultimately, Sinickas opines. ' Sinickas, op. cit., 8. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 18 “The most successful communication practices combine both ‘push’ and ‘pull’ approaches by sending e-mails or periodic e-newsletters with headlines and brief summaries of news with embedded links that let people jump to the intranet or company Web site for more details, if desired.”^' While topic or issue should dictate the appropriate medium, personal discretion about the organization’s culture should be used to determine whether a push or pull style is appropriate. If a company’s priority is to engage employees, and employees are willing to search for information at their own pace, then a pull method is suitable. If it is enough to present information without a need for employee participation, then a push method is fitting. The Four Push and Pull Variables Building upon the aforementioned observations by Sinickas and Weintraub, this study identifies four new variables for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of communication programs: Technology-based push, face-to-face push, technology-based pull, face-to-face pull. Table 2 matches communication channels with their corresponding descriptive variable. These more definitive terms will be used in the following two sections and throughout this study to differentiate among the different media channels and their communication styles. Additionally, Chapter 3 will apply these four variables in a practical, real world case study involving General Motors. Sinickas, op. cit., 4. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 19 Table 2: The Four Push and Pull Variables Push and Pull Variables Example Channels Techno logy-based Push E-mail, e-newsletters, e-magazines, voice mail messages/blasts, closed circuit television programs, video/satellite broadcasts Face-to-face Push Town hall-style meetings, briefing meetings Techno logy-based Pull Intranet, interactive movies, company’s external Web site Face-to-face Pull One-on-one conversations, collaborative meetings, video/satellite conferencing, briefing meetings Technology-based Communication Channels In order to appreciate the relative effectiveness of technology in internal communications, it is helpful to first understand the circumstances under which employees prefer to receive information via technological methods. Research about employees’ channel preferences reveals the pros and cons of technology-based communication channels. In a study conducted between 1997 and 2004, Sinickas researched employees’ preferred information sources on eight topics: Company goals, financial results, company news, products and services, competitors and how the company compares with them, industry trends and news, employee recognition, and how they can help the company reach its goals.^^ Sinickas defined electronic sources to be intranet, mass e-mails, e-newsletters and a company’s external Web site. An abridged version of Sinickas’ observations per technology-based channel follows: ^ Sinickas, op. cit., 8. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 0 Intranets^^ Most intranets are perceived as valuable by an average of 85% of employees who have access to them. The following statistics refer to respondents in Sinickas’ study: • Half of all employees wanted to have an intranet available as a communication tool, but not to the exclusion o f other channels. • 40% said they preferred to receive most of their information on the intranet. • 10% said they did not want to receive any information through an intranet. Intranets have proved solid and demonstrable return on investment (ROI) for companies: • Over one-fourth of respondents overall said using the intranet helped them save the company money (27%) or helped avoid making mistakes (28%). • About one-third (38%) reported that the intranet helped make them more efficient or helped them answer customer questions (29%). Intranets are technology-based pull communication channels, in that employees must individually seek out information embedded within the portal to best serve their needs. ^ Sinickas, op. cit., 4. Sinickas, op. cit., 7. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. Figure 4: Eight Companies’ Percentages About Mass E-Mails 21 1 0 0 % n 8094 - 0% 3 % o f those w ith access saying they get inform ation they w ant or need for their jobs — average o f those saying they get information they w ant or need for their jobs Mass e-mails^ ^ In a study of eight companies, an average of 80% of respondents said that mass e-mails afford them with valuable information (Figure 4). Interestingly, though, Sinickas’ research also shows that companies with the highest volume of mass e-mails translates into a declined opinion that it is a valuable source of information. The sentiment among employees in the southern California organization mentioned on page 9 supports this research: Employees received so many mass company-wide e-mails that they created special “e-mail spam folders” to collect and dispose of these e-mails, mostly because employees felt they were a waste of time to read. Mass e-mails are an example of technology-based push communication, as employees are not given a choice about the content, nor are they given a choice to receive it. " Sinickas, op. cit., 4-7. ^ Sinickas, op. cit., 8. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 2 E-newsletters Data show that e-newsletters are one of employees’ most highly preferred electronic sources. Figure 5 shows that although e-mails and intranets are more widely used, employees will choose an e-newsletter covering “where the company is going and how it is doing in getting there” as one of their top two sources. E-newsletters are also a type of technology-based push communication. Based on the author’s experience, an e-newsletter differs from mass e-mail in that communicators will normally conduct surveys about what most interests employees prior to including such information in the publication. The relevance to employees of information in e-newsletters is likely to explain why they are more highly preferred than other technology-based channels on half the topics examined in Sinickas’ study (Figure 3). Figure 5: Employees' Preferred Electronic Source E-newsletter 59% 19% E-mails Intranet 81% 16% 85% 21% 1 ----------1 ---------- 1 --------- 1 ---------- 1 ---------- 1 ----------1 ----------1 ---------- 1 0% 10% 20% 30% 4W % 50% 6W % 70% 80% 90% I % who have access to each source □ % preferring as one o f top two sources Sinickas, op. cit., 6. Sinickas, op. cit., 8. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 3 Figure 6: Employees' Preference by Push or Pull Electronic Channels Com panies With Intranet and E-newsletter Com panies With Intranet Only Com panies W ithout Intranet 1 19% 22% ' 1% 1% 094 2094 41)94 6C M 4 8094 1 0094 A verage % Preferring Each Electronic Channel fo r A ll E ight Topics I Intranet □ E-new sletter H M ass e-mails B W eb site .29 Company’s external Web site A small percentage of employees (1-4%) in Sinickas’ study preferred to visit their employer’s external Web site as a source of information. This indicates that a company’s external Web site really does not need to target employees, because they do not rely on it for information to do their jobs better. Figure 6 illustrates that employees rarely visit their companies’ external Web sites for information. Interestingly, Figure 6 also shows that in companies where more electronic channels are available to employees, the “overall preference for electronic channels increases.Like an intranet, a company’s external Web site is considered a type of technology-based pull communication. Sinickas, op. cit., 6. ’ Sinickas, op. cit., 7. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 4 Additional forms of technology used in internal communications include voice mail messages/blasts, closed circuit television programs, and e-magazines (all technology-based push communication charmels). Interactive technologv In the service and sales industries, many companies are using new advances in technology to tell their stories to employees to educate them about the brand, messages and company direction. Based on the author’s experience, a video is most often shown during New Employee Orientation. However, more effective than a one-time viewing of a short 20-minute video is an interactive experience that involves decision-making. Avaya, a telecom equipment manufacturing company, created a technology-based pull technique which involved showing its salespeople a series of short films highlighting successful sales stories. As a story unfolded, employee audience members would empathize with the sales representative’s predicaments. The movie was then paused at certain moments to allow the 2,400 employees to use handheld devices to vote on what would be their next move. For example, would they talk to their boss, set up a product test, or roll over and play dead?^^ Avaya’s internal communicators said that employees were thoroughly engaged in this series of interactive movies, and it turned out to be a very successful storytelling tool for the company. Employees were not merely being fed information through an e-mail or newsletter; instead, they were invited to be active players in Gronstedt, A. (2004, Sept/Oct). Living the Brand: How to Turn frontline Employees into Brand Ambassadors. Communication World, 15. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 5 delivering the company’s brand message to customers through the interactive movie experience. As the Avaya example proves, interactive technology can he a valuable tool used to turn employees into brand ambassadors. Technology can never substitute for the “intimacy generated by nonverbal cues in face-to-face conversations,”^ ^ hut there is potential for “telecommunication and computer technology to take the place of proxim ity.The section titled “When Face-to-Face is Not Possible” on page 60 further explores this concept. SIDEBAR - Use Technology to Reach Field Employees World-renowned management consultant Anders Gronstedt raises an important point for internal communicators: “Field techs rarely appreciate that they’re more important in shaping public perception of the company’s brand than the people who crafted the brand message, logo and ad campaigns in the first p la c e .A huge problem arises when employees do not identify with the company’s messages and goals. If face-to-face communication is difficult to achieve with distant field employees, technology may he able to bridge that gap. Minerd, J. (1999, Feb). The Decline o f Conversations: With Everybody Wired, We Are Starved for Face-to-Face Conversation [Electronic version]. The Futurist, 33.2, 18(2). Retrieved February 23, 2006, from Expanded Academic database. Kraut, R. E. & Fish, R. S., Root, R. W., & Chalfonte, B. E. (1990). Informal Communication in Organizations: Form, Function, and Technology, in Oskamp, S. & Spacapan, S. (Eds.) (1990). Human Reactions to Technology: Claremont Symposium on Applied Social Psychology. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, 42. Retrieved January 27, 2006, from http : //www .cs.cmu.edu/. Gronstedt, 14. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 6 Video SIDEBAR - “It’s an expensive distraction from the communication that really matters. -Dr. TJ Larkin and Sandar Larkin Before choosing to produce and show a video, communicators should be aware of the following statistics: • Employees prefer face-to-face 2.5 times more than video. • U.S. employees rank video ll'^ out of 14 preferred methods of communication.^^ • U.K. employees rank video 13'*’ out of 16 communication methods. • Australian employees rank video their least preferred method of receiving information (Figure 7). While employees obviously do not prefer to receive information via video, this technology-based push method can be effective if used under two conditions. According to Larkin and Larkin, it is appropriate to use video when (1) communicating technical information with immediate application, and when (2) senior executives are responding to a dramatic event of concern to all employees."^^ The department store J.C. Penney uses a video network under the Larkins’ first condition, to “show sample merchandise to managers in stores who Larkin & Larkin, 99. Larkin & Larkin, 97. Foehrenback J. & Goldfarb, S. (1990, May/Jun). Employee Communication in the 90s. Communication World, in Larkin & Larkin. (1994). Communicating Change. New York: M cGraw- Hill, Inc. The Industrial Society (1989). Blueprint fo r Success: A Report on Involving Employees in Britain. (S. Webb, Ed). London, in Earkin & Larkin. (1994). Communicating Change. New York: McGraw- Hill, Inc. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 7 then place orders on a central computer.”'^ ' Under the second condition, a critical announcement that affects all employees, such as impending layoffs or a merger, merits the CEO’s presence on closed circuit television or video satellite. Because it is essential that a leader is visible in a crisis or major change, video facilitates nearly instant communication hy transmitting images and messages to numerous employees in distant locations. 100% 1 90% - 80% - 70% - # 60% - § 50% - 0 40% - 30% - 20% - 10% - 0% - Figure 7: Australian Employees' Preferred Method of Receiving Information About Their Immediate Work Area Reference: 42 90% 9% 0.50% Verbal Print Channel V ideo Larkin & Larkin, 100. Ibid. ' Larkin & Larkin, 97. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 8 Print as a Conventional Communication Method According to research, there are very few benefits to distributing the traditional printed company newspaper, or newsletter. First, frontline employees are typically not avid readers; the Conference Board reports, “up to 10 percent of workers are either functionally illiterate or, just, marginally literate.Larkin and Larkin raise an excellent point about the folly of companies communicating via print when it is obviously not the best way to reach employees about major change: “How do we explain the paradox that, on the one hand, the U.S. market for remedial textbooks teaching employees how to read is worth an estimated $500 million and, on the other, that 86 percent of U.S. executives rely on print to communicate important internal changes to employees?"'^ Larkin and Larkin argue that the company newspaper fails as a communication channel because it cannot do what executives and communicators expect it to accomplish. Too often, executives expect newsletters to improve morale, communicate internal changes and move employees toward improved quality."^'^ Truth be told, these goals can only be achieved by engaging employees in a shared vision by employing a comprehensive communication program utilizing a variety of push and pull channels; to expect a company newspaper to single-handedly facilitate these changes in a workforce is umealistic. Moreover, while a newspaper may serve to record and inform employees of a company’s activities through the years, it “does not change the behavior of large numbers of frontline employees.”" ^ * ’ Lund, L. & M cGuire, E. P. (1990). The Conference Board, Literacy in the Work Force, Report #947, in Larkin & Larkin (1990), Communicating Change. New York: M cGraw-Hill, Inc. Larkin & Larkin, 118. Larkin & Larkin, 120-121. Larkin & Larkin, 122. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 2 9 Face-to-Face Communication Channels Consumer behavior research shows that a word-of-mouth recommendation is almost 13 times more influential in a person’s decision to purchase a new product than print or television advertising/^ To draw a parallel to internal communication, face-to-face communication with a manager ahout an organizational change makes an employee nine times more likely to support the change than if he or she read it in the company newspaper/^ Observahly, then, there is something to be said for people hearing information first-hand in a face-to-face situation. SIDEBAR - “No matter how many messages are blasted out of headquarters, it will never be enough. Face-to-face must be added to the communication mix.”'^ '^ -Dr. TJ and Sandar Larkin What is it about face-to-face communication that is more captivating, more influential, and more telling ahout other people than print or technological methods of communication? The Futurist reports, “Human voice and gesture provide constant feedback about speakers’ feelings, background, and trustworthiness.”'^ '^ E-mails, voice mails and instant messaging cannot possibly accurately reflect human facial expressions, vocal intonations and hody movements; sadly, so much meaning is lost when nonverbal cues are removed from communication! In a 2002 study about the meaning of nonverbal behaviors in social interaction, Lisa Slattery Sultan, f ., Farley, J., & Lehmann, D. (1990, Feb). A M eta-Analysis o f Applications o f Difflision Models. Journal o f M arketing Research, 27, 70-77. Hay Group, Key Driver Analysis, published in Esler, D. R. (1997, Feb/M ar). Communication M easurement— An Oxymoron Bites the Dust. Strategic Communication Management, 2, 11-34. Larkin, TJ & Larkin, S. (2005, Hov/Dec). Change the Communication Channel: Web, Paper or Face-to-Face. Communication World, 16-18. Minerd, op. cit. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 3 0 Rashotte, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, writes, “Nonverbal behaviors tell others whether a subject is performing a behavior enthusiastically (with a smile) or reluctantly (with a roll of the eyes).”^' In internal communications, positive nonverbal cues in face-to-face conversations have the potential to make employees feel involved and appreciated. Certain elements of face-to-face communication cannot he translated into a written e-mail or e-newsletter. Style, for instance, includes whether or not a person moves his hands while speaking, or to what extent he makes eye contact with his subject. Style can also include the inflection of one’s voice, and whether or not he raises his eyebrows at a seemingly sarcastic comment. “Style is probably one of the most abstract, multifarious and profound elements of human communication,” writes Assaf Kedem, a senior employee-communications consultant at Merrill Lynch. He recommends that communicators “supplement written messages with verbal communication, as there are certain catalysts to the style and diction of human speech, such as body language and voice intonation, that may better convey your sentiments in particular situations.The nuances conveyed, for example, in the facial expressions, hands movements, etc., of face-to-face interaction are not replicable in written e-mail communication. Rashotte, L. S. (2003) W hat Does That Smile Mean? The M eaning o f Nonverbal Behaviors in Social Interaction. Social Psychology Quarterly, 65(1), 93. Retrieved February 23, 2006, from Expanded Academic database. Kedem, A. (2005, Mar/Apr). It’s All in the Delivery. Communication World, 17. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 31 One-on-one conversations A one-on-one conversation is face-to-face pull communication in its purest form. Arguably, a one-on-one conversation more effectively creates meaning and understanding between people and does not merely move information around, as a technology-based channel would. According to employee research specialist Rodney Gray and communication advisor Larry Robertson from Sydney, Australia, “We must seize every opportunity to engage spontaneously and meaningfully in our own affable style with others around the workplace.Communicators like Gray and Robertson say that the success of a company depends on the quality of its daily conversations. If it is true that an organization will be more likely to succeed if people talk to each other, then it should be a priority to improve the volume and quality of one-on-one conversations between employees. It is not enough for conversations to occur in the workplace; the content of the conversations must be pertinent, forward thinking and involve a valuable exchange of ideas. Reflecting on a study conducted about the role of conversations in organizational learning, Cheryl Zurawski says that “learning can result from the simple act of engaging in conversation.”^ " ^ These opportunities to learn are “presented by the need to reduce uncertainty about work performance, to gather information to improve future performance or to explore new opportunities for working better, faster or smarter.”^ ^ Informal one-on-one conversations can create Gray, R. & Robertson, L. (2005, Jul/Aug). Effective Internal Communication Starts at the Top. C o /M /M M M /c a U o M tL orW , 28. Zurawski, C. (2004, Nov/Dec). In Praise o f Small Talk. Communication World, 2A. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 3 2 rich relationships that ensure quality communication flows throughout an organization. For organizations that are averse to such open communication, it is worth heeding the advice of Gray and Rohertson: “However hrilliant the idea, product or strategy, executives can’t achieve their organizations’ goals on their own. To succeed, they must strike a balance between tasks and people, and so bring their employees on the journey. But employees will only come along if they’re clear ahout where they’re headed and why, and if they trust and feel appreciated by those taking them there. One-on-one conversations have the potential to build the bonds of trust and appreciation of employees toward leadership, leading ultimately to a strong and loyal workforce. Meetings: Collaborative, town hall-stvle and briefing Another type of face-to-face communication is a collaborative meeting, such as a regular department meeting. face-to-face pull social situations can be either one-on-few or one-on-many, offering two-way dialogue between and among employees. The Scooter Store, a Texas-based company that provides electric scooters and power wheel chairs, involves the entire company’s workforce of 13,000 employees in daily collaborative meetings called “huddles.” Beginning at 8:30 am, frontline employees meet as a department with their managers, discuss “the day’s Gray & Robertson, op. cit., 29. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 33 business priorities, anticipate problems and put rumors to rest."^^ They each share their top goal for the day and armounce whether or not they accomplished the previous day’s goal. Next, managers leave for a second 15-minute huddle with their directors, followed by another 15-minute huddle between directors and vice- presidents. Finally, vice-presidents huddle with the CEO and finish by 9:30 am. These unique huddles provide a highly interactive bottom-up system of communication, ensuring that each employee has a daily connection to the CEO. Moreover, while these face-to-face meetings cost The Scooter Store time away from workers’ routine tasks, renowned public relations pioneers Cutlip, Center and Broom say they are “economical in the long run because of both the ideas they produce and the team-building effects.”^ ^ While collaborative meetings like The Scooter Store’s “huddles” seem like a model for one-on-few face-to-face communication, they are by no means a cookie- cutter solution for every company. The truth is that depending on the culture, size of the company and receptiveness of employees to dialogue-centered communication, collaborative meetings in other companies may be less pull, and more push. In the case of The Scooter Store, the company began holding huddles when it employed less than 100 people. As the company grew, it tied bonuses to employees’ quarterly performance, so that employees closely followed their daily performance charts and Rosen, 18. Cutlip, S., Center, A., & Broom, G. (2000). Effective Public Relations. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, p. 297. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 3 4 felt involved in the company’s progress.This face-to-face system pulls employees toward its purpose - to involve them in the company’s daily business strategy. ToM ’fi-hall style meetings A larger, multinational corporation may find it difficult, if not impossible, to conduct huddles. Town haii-styie meetings present the opportunity to share information with employees in person, but largely as a face-to-face push mechanism. In his personal “blog” (a weblog, or online journal), Microsoft employee Doug Mahugh describes a town hail meeting he recently attended at the corporation’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington: “Friday, January 20*, 2006: I just got back to my desk from a ‘town hall meeting’ across the street, where Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer discussed Microsoft’s plans for this year and answered questions from the audience. Questions were also submitted via e-mail, and of course it was being webcast on the Microsoft intranet... people were directly asking questions on the topics of the day, including things like the recent furor over MSN’s agreement to cooperate with the DOJ in requests for search records. Ballmer fielded that one, and although I certainly don’t 100% agree with his reasoning, I appreciated his straightforwardness in explaining it clearly.”* ’'^ Mahugh’s account suggests that Microsoft employees appreciate the candid, open communication between employees and leadership in a town hall meeting. However, not all those who experience town hall meetings share that same Ibid. * Mahugh, D. Personal blog entry. Retrieved April 1, 2006, from http://chilco.textdrive.com /~dm ahugh/2006/01/20/microsoft-town-hall-meeting/. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 35 sentiment. Public relations theorist James E. Grunig says that employee- management town hall-style meetings are often used to “give the appearance of a participatory management style rather than for engaging in any kind of honest dialogue with workers.”^' While a “Q&A” session always invites interaction between employees and executives, Grunig explains that employees largely distrust town hall meetings because they are more one-way than two-way, with leadership “talking at” employees. One of Grunig’s participants in a focus group about town hall meetings echoed the feelings of many others when she said, “We march to the auditorium, and after we’re all seated, the big shots walk onto a stage and give speeches. What makes a town hall-style meeting effective? According to Grunig, a town hall-style meeting can be effective if and when “management is truly committed to dialogue and information sharing.”* ’^ Some suggestions to successfully involve employees in a town hall-style meeting include: Establish an informal setting, give employees a full week before the meeting to submit questions, allow employees to type questions (if they are worried about anonymity), anive before employees come to the event and mingle with them afterwards on the auditorium floor. Guiniven, J. (2006). Spotlight on Employee Communications. Suggestion Boxes and Town Hall Meetings: Fix 'em or fo rg e t 'em . Retrieved April 1, 2006, from http://www.prsa.org/ Publications/magazines/Tactics/0200spot2.html. “ Ibid. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 3 6 Briefing meetings Briefing meetings can be conducted as both push and pull face-to-face communication channels; push briefing meetings are more often employed but are seemingly less effective, and pull briefing meetings are less often employed and arguably more effective. Push briefing meetings are generally monthly, one-hour meetings run by supervisors for frontline employees. Before a typical briefing meeting of this kind, “supervisors usually receive an information packet of overhead transparencies, [which includes] graphs representing corporate performance statistics."^ Additionally, supervisors are encouraged to present information pertaining to their local work area. For the most part, internal communication experts do not recommend that organizations promote push briefing meetings largely for the same reasons IBM stopped employing them in 1980: IBM officials found that briefing meetings are “not relevant to local needs and interests [and] are too detailed, formal and rigid.”* ’^ Moreover, largely because of their push nature, it was difficult to get supervisors to commit to prepare for and hold briefing meetings. While experts and company testimonials preach that briefing meetings as a push method are basically ineffective, some corporations are defying those forces by converting them into pull mechanisms. The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, for example, holds pull briefing meetings that are anything but rigid and formal. Thirty minutes after the park opens every day, middle managers (Theme Larkin, op. cit., 107. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 3 7 Park Stage Managers) meet with frontline managers (Guest Services Managers) for a 15-minute interactive update called “Mickey’s Roll Call.” At these daily meetings, the day’s designated Theme Park Stage Manager leads “Mickey’s Roll Call” in an informal setting, most often at a location within Disneyland park before the throng of eager guests arrive. The lead Theme Park Stage Manager reads from an operational script called “Resort Today” (Figure 8), prepared daily by the communication department. After highlighting each park’s important ride closures, shows, events and operational notes, the leader initiates a “round robin,” inviting each frontline manager to ask questions and/or share in a group dialogue about work- related issues. Guest Services Managers linger for a few minutes after the briefing meeting ends, chatting with fellow frontline managers before dispersing to their local work areas to hold similar five- to ten-minute “Minnie’s Roll Calls” with their frontline employees. “Minnie’s Roll Calls” ensure that this information trickles down to those employees (called “cast members”) who have the most contact with Disneyland guests. Additionally, hand-held two-way radios ensure that the communication that took place in the morning’s “Mickey’s Roll Call” continues throughout the day, with frontline managers updating each other about rides opening, concession stands closing, etc., and relaying that information to frontline employees as it happens. Pull briefing meetings such as “Mickey’s Roll Call” effectively engage frontline managers in communication about corporate-wide campaigns (such as charity toy drives or employee events), as well as information relevant to their local R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 3 8 work area (such as ride closures, restroom renovations or show times). Rather than just presenting information to frontline managers and employees in a push method, they become actively involved in the process, asking questions of leaders and initiating informal face-to-face conversations. According to Cathi Killian, Director of Guest and Cast Communications at the Disneyland Resort, “Cast members appreciate Mickey’s and Minnie’s Roll Calls because their leaders synthesize the information for them, allowing cast members to ask for more information ahout specific topics appealing to their interest... Mickey’s and Minnie’s Roll Calls successfully arm managers with valuable information, fostering a dynamic and openly communicative work environment among cast members at all levels of the organization.”^ Additionally, in anticipation of cast members’ questions regarding re sort-wide campaigns, “Team Talk” is distributed to managers; this 2-sheet document is e-mailed to frontline managers and supervisors, offering talking points and answers to cast members’ questions. As an example of this, Figure 9 demonstrates how managers might share with cast members how they can apply for and participate in the 2006 Health and Wellness Challenge. Because these channels were deliberately designed as face-to-face pull methods, cast members are actively involved in the exchange of information that occurs in “Mickey’s Roll Calls” and “Minnie’s Roll Calls.” More effective than the traditional push briefing meeting, the Disneyland Resort’s “Mickey’s Roll Call” serves as a model for companies seeking ways to successfully communicate face-to- face with employees in a pull method. ^ Personal interview with Cathi Killian, Director o f Guest and Cast Communications, Disneyland Resort (2006, March). R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 3 9 Figure 8: Mickey’s Roll Call Cowfejy. /(eaorf, Coaf C o/M fM M «;car/ow m m » 'w efA '-rcW C f.ïH êR P L P A E f N O T A A N K * < K j ü y C R O C Q p ^ tA il^ s is % it< ls tï îfs p f * v W » d f o î î l V 'J î R r i g f ë tu b W c ! io û h à n ;i5 K o d e * . 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'.' / : v ’ 1 3 i W J*:rra{,*.,k :r " r * . ; - ! ; » 8 > - S * > A . i Î ' - - 4 . ‘ * U S ' " i * ' 3 £ - - - « ‘ ; v . ‘5 , ' - ! 3 * ; % _ 5 . i â ' ] " 1 : S !: 3 ■ . Z Z ' '^1 * 'i‘ L 7 n ^ - J * f 0 ‘ - g S s . * : - V “ ■ » f - 3 . ; • * " O . . 5 - ' ^ * ’ » - 4 . . . PARKEYEkTS . ,_. O U g S T G R O U P * M C K E T g R O L L C A L L R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 0 Figure 8: Mickey’s Roll Call (continued) f (f E C A S T tC W f A T k E ; » ^ "?fc'. A u x f h M p i w *#* @ * n # % W b y C R O C ï C # L w W » w d R e to M Qp^.^sitnfi Cst^ntpiri jrf,d a.'® |5 isv : v n ly # r < 1 % c o * n a g v y W b w f n o O c * . RtscRT ■ tj-^n7 iMAa [& ' D V m to w n D lsneÿ® DïsW ct I Re&oft Hotela_____ Rg> ü R K S » f# g :rrs. cL t'3..'R K s i H O T g L C V E K fS '. M iC kC fSW L L eA L L R E fW B a H W E N T S - C IO S U K E S rN T U tT A W Æ N I D )H TR !C ; eVCNTg R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. Figure 8: Mickey’s Roll Call (continued) 41 OPERATIONAL NOTES C M f & ' E . asyon? woTei» # iS K ii.td k m w a b tw o m 'K * ! ! RESORT NEWS C # s t ù m q m u n R y rw n d 5 Q « n t A u q tk n ; T t M Ü v , T T A n * tin. lA H a f tk jf Ç o v t* ,? % T l O 3 ^ ! ) -2 D J m . ïn U m B fW k P a w : % : ( ; " , " ' I -. ‘; - . ‘»j f : * , ^ >" " . S W * A : i p K t@ M k f m f r , a u A k f bm tb B * ( % M y A n A , fW o A c a '^ C u w r $ c n % * r c % d e c f« çtf k k e « tx p a ic f B a i, g C l tg iW » @ , ' 4 1 ? n f ? î ^ . « M A R K W I T H Y O U R C*3T W K t O H i T kFwi' C W M M lW f " A W # t's . . . . ^ " • - G a e iv 'a A w rew c ». f-.- I' »*r' If/! 'Y hüT to - ! pj L - i U K C W W 'f r ' i M R (R 0 5 & g L O O O D R I V E T w * m E n C )rR » d C i|O A Y A k i!tth » R i(fi P'WRk'is thr*QhK-t CoiW/, M aiw i b ' 9. « M M ,Y > . W 5 M ry tt.c R w Cra * f'l-lj 4 )/-% :$ . E R w * N ( < * T Y w m u » b * « * 3 v f i* ! o m e R F « r .M ld l(^ i q u c !* i% O '- h « ip * * 0 rte a tK B c iL pkw « E H O a W t « g a c N A , * X K ! j( iiM d o % % o iA W . w iK A * 4 ). A y a* ii% & !% M E cn d (ô !P * d ü o v w ccn a^ 3 @ W ,W K .4 E « M M T ? W U ) 5 M r Y W % % m O ! T « i : C C W X I V f M ) C » R ? /.R * y W a V R V . C f d W A :b ! , R (f era * f'l-lj 4 )/-% :$ . E R w * » k < * T i E u m . E ç rjy « A .ln * K n 3 W * tw e a 4 r:,d 3 M g 3 n d k x * (:# R rP * & e (p 5 a k 'u ii* h Y a w liW itf. p W (m - , y , " % -4 _ . c { " ; M * Î d ' - V W ' K J i V ' î r y u « j m îiw A a a % : » r « w A K t *1*! O rm o fM M % % iak*ly/jKrg% r . fm m aw Rtax: znf W l Y 9 W fM y 3 f t i T C aM u f A I * g a x M K *rv*. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 2 Figure 9: Team Talk Cowfgjy. /(eaorf, aW Goaf C o/M fM M «;car/ow D is n c jjla M T E A M T A L K Health & W ellness Challenge • W HO N E E D S T O K N O W : Alt Disneylanc)«Resort C ast M embars m * V W H E N : J a n u a r y 13 . 200 G 3 j! # 1 For mow Inkmtaüon about # K 2 O U 0 V W # n « » C lW h n g * . pkeea v@ it Uaaey tab on M y O /M o y T H U . S p e c ttlc tp w W o n a canbadkodadki Laune Dunne at 8232.4Z75. f PURPOSE: Provxie lead@mt%«vlih taM&Qpolnls to share W itt: I eeou:tK w toappty«m dpanM paM kt@ *gm entim M #V V e& *isaG h8lletgei As pan at the 0!M^t]i%fwx%CMtM8mbera. Grew Memberasno Imaglo»*:» tmm scroe* the wgment am mvXed lo lake pert la n WatW%s5 ChatWnoe trom Mamh - Decamber 2000. Penictp»nts«wab*pfavW«dwtlhm*auraeBtoawi6tiaagN**igthelr vmanws aoeU. which may Include better nutnbon. emoldna ceeseakm. wdght manegemenl Anew and more. How to Apply Applications will be accepted from Jan. 13 — Fab, 3, 20W Cîisî Members may pScK up/submrt an application at any of the loUowing locations: * TEAM CmiBm (Park side. TDA, Off Site) ' Disney Learning Gemsrs (The Center,. TD A , DPPH) * Cast Health Center * Forms are aiso avaiiaoie ano can be submitted on My Dfntmy TEAM, Disney Difference tab » Pay â benefits » - Health and Wellness. Criteria * A ll active Cast Members, ages i8 and older with at least 12 months of oonbnvou) service. » Applicants must be interested In pufsuxng a goal m at least one of the foBowing wellness areas; fitness, nutntfon, weight management, »mok*ng cAMaÜon and/or generW hoWth manogomenL * Applicants must he w illing lo be featured in a vaiiety o * oommuNoeüon vohkios, mcW tMng th* D^wyfend R*5ori Uno, 7 1 E A M a h f * C A S T T V . P a rtic ip a tio n in th e C h ailen g e Participants will b e featured throughout the year showing their progress In a v a r ^ of communioaHon veNdee, inofudff^lho L m . MyOm&y TEAM and CAST TV. Along with gaining a healthier lifestyle, participants wHI also receive the following incentives: * Wellness Chsiienge orientation * Monthly sessions w iW i a wsliness coach who will provide guidahm towards Corr^eny and community rasourcaa * Quarieriy motivational celebrations with loaders and/or wellness guest speakers * One wcHness wookend trip to me Walt Disney World» Report for paiUcipsru and one guest (West coast participants wilt travel to Walt Disney World for one weekend and East coast paActpanta v v ili (r a v B l to O isn eyfen d * R esoft A x anolber w eekend.) 6 Y D w w ia i'd R d w ff C a s t C o m f F u n K g iW 's T W # inform ation will be diatHWted 3 i: m sc 0 EIT M eeffng 0 R O C M e e t i n g gl R O M M M eetm g C opies: Please p ro v W a G O p k S O fg W g document lo L e a d e r s h i p t e a m m e m b o f s w h o w m c o m m v n k a ta ih # topic lo tnek team. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 3 Figure 9: Team Talk (continued) B îæ e y iû n d T E A M T A L K Health & W6(lhe^ChaHeiM m W H O NEED@ T O K N O W ; Ah D iap ty ien d iR esai C ast M m w ; Q : W * u ( y @ T paw hiy tfhMta k h W eRAeaa Chal A: vÂ ^ oompeno^W ivyK rorw r 6r^ Resoîts %&%SS C h & * A X I6 (i y , < & c * a c W A sm W * . in tü fy w & v /e . v % k x ) e*c ), he t(yii>ïns3te tLe., fiM esS 3paak:n$, Q (* T 3 k > ^he mmt f e n ? . U fttiiitw k tM I O : W 'h ; r* c « tv 4 a m y $ p e c * a f tv e O n * # * cffeh n g # fcr p a rA c fp a ttn (i? ! A ; F * ; r tt o f Cun^^y w v a iîn e s s p fs m w v h :t t ! L !v;:% w ab»;w ihr> jR n& 7;'D i^y7% 4.V .m ncY [% fm :6bb> > j^^ I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 5 3 ' r - - ,i. 0: W h y i$ the ch a ffeag e opfj; W f u K part-^m t 0 # > t M e m b e fs C itiy ? : a m a » a a iw H iA ! C aai M e m b e r aw f * w en t to a p P ^ y tc be M tne c h a W e ftg # . j O i ! f ! am not ?* W e W d k f p g w tk lp e t* k * the W e h n t» » C h a tW n g * , x K * tn ere I heattk re&oufc*» A tfW avaWah^ to mw? j A : # p s m q : S if i é R ra g y â x k e d j rssûufce$ #%Wdinj A e % kA g$o@ w w t( anw p rc^bfn I ttwxHmii, to f?9% p o<Aiev8 For m orr ^T t^aU o n . \ ; 5*t W I D U - r ^ if f '- 'V âm, D iii^ e y O lM e r o A c e * c b P a y & B o n o R te H s a i;h an d W * * \c 3 e I ' ' I Q; Il i gnï choses tor CW ^Wtig#, what w#! M tôt m #Ÿ I A: A9 %r fi'Cff/* !0 ma C''*KîenQC. v%* b*; t@Kav to yît^to nstw . ; G : A » a * w % f , W * c * i) ( support th * W e fM ü s s C h a tleh g e p a rtfo ip a n » * ? A :K b ^ 3 ï;T d w .irrk % h w d W k " a k w k )th f:G fh ^ % ? A A n t;:ifa q o t* !fh f& w t^ 8 !ù rty r ' : / r ^ r % «;( t . Ox, ■ ^ K .' a a ^ n v ^ ^ ^ '. V o A- ffai i « Q * ff ^ xma.Gl'.r ot niy (w.n '& : 't, ; ? ^ ^ :_, C_-y L ' " « j u 'wzi _ ,2'sj" ,' V " ’ - ' ;:A A 3^'-. " r ^ L - - *'i'' 'C ' T - , ' 1 . '. s L ' . t . - • x x 'T I? - » . , C , . ' ' X- ' ? Î - ^/ ' ' . f ^ . f f & r Z 4e ^ ¥,îiaus!'»“ t^ 3t3 0'ct tî r * A ; ^'’ i ''r o " * T 4 - ^ A - X - ‘ î ^ ' ' th ' 'x . y ^ ','« *’ , s ' X f _ x r * ^ t --1 . , T ' J ' ' V- - • r ' i. é R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 4 Supervisor briefing cards Larkin and Larkin suggest that supervisor briefing cards can be a highly effective form of informal face-to-face communication. Dedicated to informing employees and controlling rumors about an impending hostile takeover, one manufacturing company distributed supervisor briefing cards to 3,000 supervisors around the country. Lhese small, laminated cards were printed on both sides with simple bullet points; their purpose was to empower supervisors with accurate information to communicate directly to employees (Figure 10). Lhe bullet points served to guide conversations between a supervisor and employees, a conversation that Larkin and Larkin say possibly sounded similar to this: “Hey, Betty, is it true that Warmco bought this company last night? [She reaches into her pocket, pulls out the card, and answers.] No, they didn’t. They’ve just got 5 percent. They could sit there with that 5 percent for years, or they could buy more. No reason to be alarmed until they have 15% because that means they are going for the whole thing. Oh, OK, thanks."^^ Supervisor briefing cards ensure that employees’ questions about a crisis are answered with the facts, disallowing uncertainty and rumors to develop. Moreover, because “negative quotes from uninformed or angry staff can quickly undo an otherwise positive news media or community relations effort,”* ’^ supervisor briefing cards may stop communication problems before they begin. It is possible that Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 92. ^ Howard, C. M. (1996, Spring), face-to -face Communications: Payback is Worth the Effort [Electronic version]. Public Relations Quarterly, 41(1), 11(4). Retrieved f ebruary 23, 2006, from Expanded Academic database. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 5 because this channel is proven to be an effective communication tool in times of major change, supervisor briefing cards can potentially also be effective in day-to- day communication. Figure 10: Supervisor Briefing Card (Front) Supervisor Briefing Card N o. I W arm co Positioning to Buy O ur Com pany • N othing is certain • I f we w ait for certainty - there w o n ’t be any com m unication • W e guess a 25% chance W arm co will try to buy us M ore inform ation? Call for taped m essage 800-555-5555 (Back) Price? • Rumors are Warmco will offer our shareholders $32 a share • Current price is $28 a share Where would Warmco get the money to buy the shares? • Borrow money from banks How would Warmo repay the banks? • Try to run us with a bigger profit • Probably break us up into pieces • Selling some pieces to other companies to repay loans W hat parts would Warmco sell? • We don’t know When will we know w hat’s going to happen? • Warmco now owns 5% o f our company • They can sit on these shares or buy more ® Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 93. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 6 Video/satellite conferencing and broadcasting Partly due to culture and largely due to size, companies such as UPS (370,000 employees operating in over 200 countries)™ and General Motors (325,000 employees operating in over 32 countries) simply cannot involve all employees in collaborative meetings or huddles, like The Scooter Store, or pull briefing meetings, like the Disneyland Resort. Instead, these companies may employ technology-based face-to-face communication, such as video/satellite conferencing or broadcasting, as part of a more involved communication program. The nature of video/satellite conferencing and broadcasting lends itself to be considered a form of face-to-face communication because it can capture nonverbal behaviors and cues. Satellite conferencing has made it possible for executives in large companies - like Hughes Electronics in the 1990’s with more than 80,000 employees - to communicate directly with employees scattered around the country. At Hughes Electronics, employees in the auditorium (which was the broadcast location) were able to ask questions live, while employees in remote conference rooms and auditoriums - watching on large televisions or oversized projection screens - could call an 800-number and ask their questions on air.™ Highly coordinated communication events like this might also involve employees from other locations e-mailing or telephoning questions, and executives answering those questions live on an oversized projection screen. ™ UPS Web site. Retrieved February 28, 2006, from http://www.ups.com . Kraut, 14. Weintraub, op. cit. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 7 There is a key differentiation between conferences and broadcasts rooted in the fact that they can be considered both technology-based pull and push channels. Video/satellite conferences pull when they involve employees’ thoughts and opinions by way of a conversational, question-and-answer process; video/satellite broadcasts push when they are used for a one-way announcement or presentation. Under this definition, webcasts are considered a type of push video broadcast. Differing Internal Communication Methods between Small Companies and Large Corporations Truthfully, a small company with less than 25 employees has no need for an intricately designed internal communications plan. Face-to-face interaction with management can occur daily in a small company, ensuring that all employees are aware of the leader’s vision, mission and goals. A study conducted on small companies (25 to 100 employees) by the Policy Studies Institute in London (PSI) reported that direct face-to-face communication is “not only more effective but also less expensive than more formal methods larger companies e m p lo y .T h e PSI study revealed that small companies thrived on a collaborative environment, holding informal team briefings for managers and employees to discuss ideas, answer questions and hear opinions. With larger companies employing more than 200 employees, communications expert Sheri Rosen notes, “Eventually, structure and process replace Rosen, 16. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 8 personal relationships and crowd out certain conversations in the workplace. These conversations serve to “float ideas, ask questions, define value and find commonality.”’^ The growth of a company from small to hig offers to illustrate this phenomenon of croM>ding out conversations: With a growing company, offices are moved to newly rented floors in a building and staffs swell to accommodate for increased workloads; the organizational chart no longer has dotted lines and people now have official titles; the ahility for a hoss to talk across the hall to an employee turns into calling each other’s phone extensions, e-mailing and instant messaging. In this large company, rare is the moment when a frontline employee even shares the elevator with the CEO. Fortunately, all hope of face-to-face communication with management is not lost in this model of a large company. In fact, according to TJ and Sandar Tarkin, “Companies think they need publications and e-mails because they are too large for face-to-face communication. This is wrong... Face-to-face is the most used, most effective, most trusted, and quickest channel for moving messages in large companies.”’* ^ At the Phoenix-based Universal Technical Institute, Inc., Tina Miller- Steinke, Director of Corporate Communications, made it a priority to incorporate face-to-face time between the CEO and the company’s 1,250 employees. Once a month, the CEO would be available to discuss challenges facing the company with employees. Since starting this monthly face-to-face meeting with the CEO in 1999, Ibid. Rosen, 14. Larkin, TJ and Larkin, S. (2005). Communicating B ig Change [Electronic version]. Retrieved January 23, 2006, from http://www.Iarkin.biz, p. 25. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 4 9 it has remained one of the most effective tools in this company’s communication program.’’ SIDEBAR - “Face-to-face is the most used, most effective, most trusted, and quickest channel for moving messages in large companies.”’^ -Dr. TJ and Sandar Larkin However popular it is among employees, the success of Universal Technical Institute’s internal communication is not solely attrihuted to this arranged face-to- face time with the CEO. The monthly meeting with the CEO is part of a larger suite of communication methods including e-mail messages, an e-newsletter (called Monday’s Message) and an intranet. Miller-Steinke says that her strategy is hased on maintaining the human element in her communications: “...we haven’t lost touch with the fact that we are all human.”’'^ SIDEBAR - Universal Technical Institute, Inc. employs a balanced mix of face-to-face and technology-based communications, resulting in informed and engaged employees. Face-to-face communications include'. Monthly face-to-face meetings between the CEO and employees regarding challenges facing the company, encouragement of informal conversations Technology-based communications include'. Monday’s Message (weekly e-newsletter), e-mail messages and intranet Who Should Be the Faee in Faee-to-Eaee Communieation? Interestingly, information about who should conduct face-to-face communication is more often discussed in the field than about when face-to-face should happen; logic insists that it would he the other way around, setting a Rosen, 18. Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 27. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 5 0 groundwork for the execution strategy in a communication plan. Literature on face-to-face suggests that the topic of the communication determines who should deliver the information. O f the possible “faces” that can deliver information directly to frontline employees are supervisors and the CEO. Internal communications experts overwhelmingly agree that difficult issues involving the company - layoffs, mergers, product recalls, corporate scandals - should be communicated to employees face-to-face by the most senior executive, usually the CEO. With the CEO being traditionally reserved for critical announcements about change, then all other daily topics of communication should be delivered either face-to-face by supervisors or via a technological method. The following explains that the CEO is employees’ preferred communicator when the topic is major organizational change, and that supervisors are their preferred communicators when the topic is business as usual. Supervisors - When the communication topic is business as usual Frontline supervisors are ideal points of delivery for communication regarding local work area issues and departmental and employee goals. Research overwhelmingly proves two facts about day-to-day communication: (1) Companies should target supervisors and treat them as “privileged senders and receivers of information”^ ^ because (2) employees trust and prefer communication from their supervisors more than company executives or middle managers. Consider the following research in support of supervisors being key communicators: Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 16. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 51 • Employees in the U.S., U.K. and Canada all prefer to obtain information directly from their supervisor, not the top executive or middle managers (Figure 11). • 78% of General Motors employees prefer to hear from managers at their own facility, not union leaders or senior managers (Figure 12). • 70% of U.K., 70% of Canadian and 57% of U.S. employees believe that official communication does not tell the full story (Figure 13). SIDEBAR - Business as usual refers to information about an organization’s purpose, activities, goals, points of difference, customers, competitors, and how their departments and their own personal efforts contribute. With supervisors being employees’ preferred communicators, they become particularly helpful when conveying everyday topics, or business as usual. Supervisors’ role as key daily communicators regarding business as usual topics is critical to setting the tone of the workplace and affecting employee morale. Larry Robertson suggests that supervisors should “talk regularly to employees about the organization’s purpose, activities, goals, points of difference, customers, competitors, and how their departments and their own personal efforts contribute. By repeating these topics on a daily basis in meetings and in informal conversations, supervisors can bring back the conversations that Sheri Rosen says are being crowded out. W haf s more is that supervisors can actually affect the daily conversations in a company by being the ones to start them. Gray & Robertson, 28. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. Figure 11: Employees’ Preferred Information Source: U.S., U.K, Canada 5 2 0, 100% -, § 50%-! 92% 88% 90% 0% Supervisor 51% 55% 46% Top Executive S'owrce 29% 31% 36% 1 I Union I U.S. O U.K.. H Canada 100% 1 80% - t 6Œ%- i 4Œ%- 2W%- 0% - Figure 12: General Motors: Employees' Preferred Source of Information 78% 8% M anagem ent at My Location GM Top M anagem ent Union 0) 60% - ; 40% - ^ 20% - 0% Figure 13: Preeent of Employees Saying Official Communication Does Not Tell Full Story 70% 70% 57% 1 --------- r U.K. Canada Em ployees by Country U.S. Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 2. ' Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 2. ‘ Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 147. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 5 3 Supervisors will be able to start purposeful conversations with employees only when they are empowered as “privileged senders and receivers of information.” Supervisor briefing cards, as discussed on page 44, are an example of a way to arm supervisors with critical information, not only during a crisis, but also when the topic is CEO - When the communication topic is major organizational change A 2003 study conducted for the Allen Consulting Group about effective change management revealed that the CEO is the most appropriate company representative to communicate major organizational change to employees: “CEO and divisional executive communication was found to be far more likely to influence employees’ perceptions that change was well planned and well implemented than, say, immediate manager or team communication.”^ ^ This sentiment is not unique to employees in the United States. Research conducted in Australia found that “effective senior executive communication is generally one of the highest correlates of satisfaction with internal communication (typically around 0.7 out of 1.0).”^ ^ Below is a more detailed review of experts’ recommendations to communicate major organizational change after the CEO’s initial announcement. ^ Gray & Robertson, 26. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 5 4 Communicating Major Organizational Change Face-to-Face If not managed strategically, news of a merger, rumors of layoffs or plans for a change in leadership have the potential to trigger a sense of impending doom among employees. Gretchen Hoover, Director of International Development and Executive Programs at the International Association for Business Communicators (lABC), observes, “When left unaddressed, difficult situations can cause employees to feel disempowered. Productivity may decline as they lose faith in their silent leaders and hegin speculating how the news will affect them.”^ ^ Data showing employees’ preferred communication channels indicates that they favor face-to-face when the topic is “important information”: 69% prefer face-to-face, 21% prefer e-mail, 6% prefer telephone, and 5% prefer written (Figure 14). Similarly, employees’ recommended hest channel for “huilding support for change” follows the same trend: 57% face-to-face, 19% e-mail, 16% telephone and 8% written (Figure 15). Technological media are hest used in this situation as a follow-up method to the initial face-to-face announcement; intranet postings, e-mail messages, Weh site frequently asked questions (FAQs) and Q&A message boards are several viable follow-up options providing employees with a way to review, study and think about the information more thoroughly. Above all, creating a two-way dialogue where employees can express their concerns and ask questions is critical when trying to engage employees in a time of difficulty. Hoover, G. (2005, Nov/Dec). M aintaining Employee Engagement When Communicating Difficult Issues. Communication World, 25. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 5 5 100% n 90% - 80% - ^ 70% - % 60% - 50% - ^ 40% - 0 30% - 2W%- 10% - 0% - Figure 14: Employees' Preferred Communication Channel for Important Information 69% 21% 6% 5% B ^akL L L L C C a Face-to-Face E-mail Telephone Channel Written I I 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Figure 15: Employees' Recommendation: Best Channel for Building Support for Change 57% 19% 16% 1 1 1 ---- Face-to-Face E-mail Telephone Written Channel “ Rogen International & Goldhaber Research Associates (2001, Apr). E-m ail and Face-to-Face in W orkplace Communication, in: Larkin & Larkin. (2005). Communicating Big Change [Electronic version]. Retrieved January 23, 2006, from http : //w w w . larkin .biz. Sussman, L., Adams, A. J., Kuzmits, F. E., & Raho, L. E. (2002). Organizational Politics: Tactics, Channels, and Hierarchical Roles. Journal o f Business Ethics, 40(4), 313-329, in Larkin & Larkin. (2005). Communicating Big Change [Electronic version]. Retrieved January 23, 2006, from http://www.larkin.biz. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 5 6 While research generally shows that employees prefer to hear information directly from the CEO when the topic is major organizational change, some experts say that it is not necessarily the most effective. Larkin and Larkin’s perspective ahout communicating change differs from the more traditional and widely employed approach of the CEO making a single face-to-face armouncement to all employees. They helieve that overcoming employee resistance ahout major change is hest done in informal, face-to-face conversations: “People change their behavior when someone in their group whom they know and trust adopts the new behavior and recommends it to the others, form al communication from a faraway source (town hall meetings, company newspapers, Weh sites, broadcast e-mails) does not change employee behavior. The words that change employees’ behavior appear in informal conversations.. The Larkins recognize that formal and informal communication each has a deliberate use in overcoming employee resistance to change. While it is essential, formal communication does not “do the heavy lifting;” rather, town hall-style meetings, company newspapers, web sites and e-mails only create awareness and “push the topic into conversations.”^ ^ Informal conversations keep the topic alive by moving information from unit leaders to managers to supervisors to frontline employees. As Larkin and Larkin clearly express in Figure 16, supervisors should receive information directly from the company’s communicators, and they should be the first to deliver information to employees. Under the Larkin Face-to-Face Model, managers and executives should never communicate information directly to ^ Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 18. Ibid. Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 23. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 57 employees; this communication flow is supported by research that says employees trust their supervisors more than executives and prefer to obtain information through supervisors (Figures 11, 12). Additionally, it is worth noting that in the Larkin Face- to-Face Model, technology serves a role only in the third round of communication in the form of a follow-up e-mail. SIDEBAR - Interestingly, the modern group behavior depicted by the Larkin Face-to-Face Model is consistent with our core human nature. Jane GoodalFs research ahout chimpanzees reveals that the alpha male chimpanzee leads a group with authority. Similarly, the effective human supervisor holds the dominant position in an organization’s social order. Staying true to human and all primate behavior, it makes sense that employees feel comfortable with a workplace communication model that mirrors the authority found in nature. In order for management to establish a respectable rapport with employees so that they are trusted when difficult times strike, face-to-face communication should be an intrinsic component of an organization’s communication plan. Russell Grossman, head of communications for the BBC says, “Difficult news is best received from people you trust. The more leaders cultivate trust when times are good, the more they will reap the benefits when the cream turns sour.”^ Although organizational distress is hest communicated face-to-face, it should not he the only situation that merits face-to-face communication; rather, this method must be engrained in the fabric of the organization’s daily communication culture. Goodall, J. (1988). In the Shadow o f Man. Boston: Houghlin-M ifflin, p. 112. Hoover, 27. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 58 Figure 16: The Larkin Face-to-Face Communication Model Business Unit Leaders r ‘ Communication Face-to-Face 2"^ Communication Face-to-Face Plant, Store, Department Managers Supervisors Planning Team 3“ ^ Communication E-mail to all employees Frontline Employees Email says: “Did you receive a face-to- face briefing on these pages from your manager? If not, ask your manager for one.” ' Larkin & Larkin, op. cit. 23. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 5 9 Return on Investment (ROI) of Face-to-Face Communication Some communication professionals believe that face-to-face conversations in the workplace result in a positive return on investment (ROI) for a company. In her article “In Praise of Small Talk,” Cheryl Zurawski makes the case that an organization that encourages conversational exchanges between employees and leaders has the “ability to learn faster than its competitors, [giving it an] edge in the global marketplace.”^ Interaction on a personal level, then, results in a positive return on investment in the form of organizational learning. SIDEBAR - The most valuable return on investment (ROI) from face-to- face communication occurs when leaders and employees talk, collaborate on new ideas, clarify existing issues or projects and learn from one another. Cheryl Zurawski says that the result “can be as simple as getting it right the first time around so that mistakes are avoided, or as rewarding as coming up with an idea that improves productivity, employee satisfaction and the bottom line.” This valuable organizational learning occurs when people talk. Simple question-and-answer sessions provide an opportune face-to-face situation where leaders and employees can talk, collaborate on new ideas, clarify existing issues or projects and learn from one another. Some best practices for conversational learning include asking each other constructive questions, building partnerships, sharing experiences as case studies, establishing a clear and common purpose and making time to talk. As a result, additional return on investment “can be as simple as getting it right the first time around so that mistakes are avoided, or as rewarding as coming up with an idea that improves productivity, employee satisfaction and the bottom ^ Zurawski, 22. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 6 0 line.”'^ ^ Increasing face-to-face communication may pose a paradigm shift in organizational culture for some companies, but once implemented will lead to enriched relationships, employees who are engaged in business goals and a more competitive company. When Face-to-Face Is Not Possible A recent study about informal communication revealed that physical proximity is not necessary for face-to-face interaction to be effective. According to Robert S. Kraut, Professor of Human Computer Interaction at Carnegie Mellon University, “Telecommunication and computer technology may be able to take the place of proximity.” Kraut explains in more detail the aspects of face-to-face that technology-based pull charmels must imitate in order to be effective in the workplace: “Informal encounters are useful means of getting people to know and like each other, of creating a common context and perspective, and of supporting planning and coordination in group work. Indeed, without them, collaboration is less likely to start and less productive if it does occur. Physical proximity helps by allowing appropriate people to encounter each other frequently, by supporting visual channels to induce and assess readiness for communication, and by supporting highly interactive conversation. What happens when groups get too large or spread out to allow physical proximity to support informal communication? Telecommunication and computer technology may be able to take the place of proximity. Zurawski, 25. ^ Kraut, 41. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 61 When companies face the difficult challenge of facilitating face-to-face communication among employees in distant and varied locations, they have the option of using technology-hased pull channels such as the Video Window system. The VideoWindow system, as developed hy Professor Robert S. Kraut and his research team, enables employees to figuratively enter into a room, “bump” into someone and engage in an informal conversation. Audio and video equipment sits on employees’ desktops, allowing them to “hump” into others whenever they want. While not equally as enjoyable as an in-person conversation, new technologies like the VideoWindow make it feasible to incorporate informal conversations in a company where face-to-face communication is difficult to achieve. * * * This literature review examined secondary research to better understand the themes, trends and theories surrounding the use of technology and face-to-face communication with internal audiences. Topics of discussion included: the four Push and Pull variables; technology-hased and face-to-face communication channels; print as a conventional communication method; differing internal communication methods between small companies and large corporations; identifying who should he the face in face-to-face communication; communicating major organizational change face-to-face; return on investment (ROI) of face-to-face communication; and, what to do when face-to-face is not possible. Through an analysis of articles, publications and personal interviews with industry experts, this research overwhelmingly supports that employees prefer face-to-face communication both day-to-day and in times of R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 6 2 major organizational change. However, this chapter makes it apparent that there does not exist sufficient research identifying the ideal balance between technology- based and face-to-face channels to ensure an internal communications program effectively reaches every single employee. The following chapter identifies the ideal balance between technology-based and face-to-face channels through a case study of General Motors’ Internal Communications Improvement Process (ICIP). R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 63 CHAPTER 3: CASE STUDY - GENERAL MOTORS GM and the Underlying Philosophies of ICIP The world’s largest vehicle manufacturer, General Motors (GM) employs nearly 325,000 people in over 32 countries worldwide. With such a large internal audience - one that includes both blue and white-collar employees - it is imperative that a plan be in place that engages them in the business strategy. Throughout its 98-year history. General Motors has weathered everything from war to poor economic times to massive employee strikes. Through these experiences, GM’s leadership came to understand that the long-term success of the company depended on their commitment to improving and building relationships with employees. GM’s senior leadership team created the “Internal Communications Improvement Process” (ICIP) after the company endured a major United Auto Workers strike in 1998. The ICIP approach offers an amalgam of both technology- based and face-to-face channels as part of a larger internal communications strategy. The following case study profiles ICIP, analyzes the technological and face-to-face methods of internal communication employed within GM’s program and gauges the effectiveness of each of those methods. Furthermore, this chapter identifies the ideal balance of technology-based and face-to-face channels in an effective internal communications program. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 6 4 Organizational Structure’^ GM Global Internal Communications (IC) reports to the Vice President- Global Communication and to the CEO. The mission of Internal Communications at GM is to provide timely and relevant information to the workforce about the business and to glean from the workforce ideas, suggestions and opinions to improve the enterprise. SIDEBAR - A Quick Profile of GM • General Motors employs almost 325,000 people in over 32 countries within five regions worldwide: Africa/Middle East, Asia Pacific, Europe, South American and North America. • In 2005, GM sold 9.17 million cars and trucks around the world - more than any other maker. • Worldwide operations and brands include: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Vauxhall. • Global market share was 9.1% as of March 2006, down from 9.2% the same time the year prior. • GM’s headquarters are in Detroit, Michigan. Workforce Profile^®^ GM employs a highly diverse workforce of 325,000 employees worldwide, of whom approximately 180,000 are salaried and 175,000 are hourly. 181,000 of GM’s 325,000 total employees worldwide work in the corporation’s North American facilities.CEO Rick Wagoner’s proposal in June 2005 to cut GM’s North American workforce capacity anticipated a loss of 25,000 jobs by 2008, representing about 17 percent of its U.S. work force, which includes 111,000 unionized * Interview via email w ith Gary F. Grates (2006, February). 1 0 0 "QjYt Europe Sales Rise but M arket Share Slips.” Reuters UK. Web site. Retrieved M arch 9, 2006, from http://todav.reuters.co.uk/news/. Grates, op. cit. GM Web site. Retrieved February 28, 2006, from http://ww w.gm .com . R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 65 employees and another 39,000 salaried staffT^ The number of GM/North America employees facing layoffs by 2008 was increased to 30,000 in Wagoner’s February 2006 announcement. The ICIP Approach At the core of GM’s commitment to building relationships and encouraging two- way dialogue between employees and leadership is the “Internal Communications Improvement Process,” or ICIP. A systematic approach to communications, ICIP embeds communication professionals called “Business Communications Integrators,” or BCIs, in each of GM’s 125 facilities in North America. BCIs are chosen to be part of GM’s select communication network because they have proven to be solid, effective communicators within the profession. Gary F. Grates, former Vice President of Communications at GM/North America and now Senior Advisor - Strategic Communications Policy at GM/North America, says that ICIP functions on the premise that company messages need to reach every employee every day.^'^ The role of a BCI is to communicate corporate-wide messages locally, throughout the company’s North American operations, in a way that will resonate with employees. BCIs are more than local conduits to internal audiences; they become experts on the morale and attitude of employees in their facility or plant, and tailor information to Isidore, C. (2005, June 7). “GM to Cut 25,000 Jobs by '08." CJSIN M oney Web site. Retrieved M arch 9, 2006, from http://m onev.cnn.com . Grates, G. f . (2004, Feb/Mar). Supporting a Business Renaissance at General Motors. Strategic R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 6 6 best reach them. On a monthly basis, BCIs nationwide implement five common processes: 1. Conduct “State of the Business” meetings on site. 2. Produce a newsletter that provides a mix of local, functional and corporate information. 3. Conduct “diagonal slice” meetings with management and employees to obtain real-world understanding of opinions, perceptions and conditions. 4. Conduct regular department meetings to maintain clarity and constancy of purpose. 5. Provide a “pulse check” to capture w haf s being heard and received by employees. Communicating locally to employees on the departmental and personal level ensures that “management’s business objectives and cultural priorities [are] reinforced in all internal and external messages, and so [become] meaningful and actionable for each individual.Creating meaning helps to answer employees’ number one question “Why am I here?” Answering this question gives employees purpose and turns them into solid brand ambassadors for GM. Overall, ICIP is composed of 11 communication elements, each of which is described in detail in Table 3: BCI Briefing Call, Intranet, Messages from the Marketplace, Situation Room, Drive Time, Quarterly Earnings Broadcast, Grates, op. cit., 5. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 6 7 Newsletter, State of the Business meetings, Diagonal Slice meetings. Regular Department meetings. Puise Check. Engaging Employees in Business Strategy'**^ The ICI? methodology is hased on four strategies: a cohesive story, dynamic vaWation aW aiij^ govg/" s ^ g /Z go/M /M W M igatio». Gary F. Grates explains that a cohesive story involves painting a picture that will enahie employees to understand the company’s values and goals so that they can “link business decisions to actions.” Offering dynamic information does not merely address an issue, hut makes it useful and relevant to the employee. Synchronizing external and internal messages to achieve external validation is made possible through the monthly event called “Situation Room.” This mechanism makes it possible to integrate issues from all levels (executive, financial, product, employee and corporate communications), and creates a forum in which external communications can translate their relevance in the marketplace and internal communications tries to “make the business more relevant to staff.” Communication by discovery has at its root the belief that employees are more likely to trust information if leadership and communicators do not spoon-feed it to employees. GM’s philosophy of communication by discovery closely mirrors Weintrauh and Sinickas’ concepts of pull communication; that is, pull communication is passive until employees choose to actively discover information by accessing a channel, such as the intranet, a collaborative meeting or one-on-one conversation. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. C D ■ D O Q. C g Q. ■ D C D C /) C /) Table 3: GM/North America ICIP Program (Reference: 108) Element of ICIP Description 8 (O' 3. 3 " C D C D ■ D O Q. C a o 3 " O o C D Q. ■ D C D C /) C /) BCI Briefing Call* Intranet Messages from the Marketplace* Situation Room* Quarterly Earnings Broadcast Monthly conference call between “Business Communications Integrators” (BCIs) and a select GM senior leader, including a 20-minute topic of the day, 40-minute Q&A and discussion about policies of leadership 300,000 employees have access to GM’s intranet, called Socrates Gives employees the opportunity to “get smarter” about GM; includes “information hubs” where employees can get information on specific policies, products, issues, etc. Provides timely and relevant information to employees “GM Leads,” an electronic message from the Chairman, provides insight about company leadership and ideas. Posted every 10 days. Approximately 15,000-20,000 employees respond regularly to “GM Leads” with feedback. Suite of information for BCIs to integrate into local communications Sent monthly via email from GM Corporate Internal Communications office to all BCIs Corporate-level information includes statistics, announcements and news, but built so local angle connects to corporate Monthly meeting among senior leaders of each of the key communications areas (internal, media, brand, financial, corporate) Purpose: To evaluate external/internal perspective of current GM story and discuss how to reshape or build it in order to gain momentum A telecast to employees at all GM facilities around the world Features CEO and all senior leaders from each region Report quarterly business results, interpret industry and outline business priorities for employees ' Grates, op. cit. 0\ 00 C D ■ D O Q . C g Q . ■ D C D C /) C /) 8 ci' Table 3: GM/North America ICIP Program (continued) Element of ICIP Description “Drive Time’ Daily, 5-minute broadcast via closed circuit television in GM/North America facilities Covers competitive and company highlights, provides news type program Specifically designed to inform employees about company news, not relative performance of their local work areas 3 3 " C D C D ■ D O Q. C a o 3 " O o C D Q. ■ D C D C /) C /) BCI Five Common Processes Newsletter “State of the Business” meetings “Diagonal slice” meetings Regular department meetings “Pulse check”* Ensures consistent messaging on the local level regarding corporate information GM Corporate provides a template, but BCIs tailor the information GM Corporate regularly monitors local newsletters to be kept abreast of local news and messaging Distribution: 40% email, 60% hard copy Provides employees with a status check of GM’s condition in the marketplace Involves a manager and employees from different areas to obtain real-world understanding of opinions, perceptions and conditions of internal audience Maintains clarity and constancy of purpose; focuses on day-to-day problems, suggestions Internet-based research tool that captures what is being heard and received by employees on a monthly basis to determine how communications need to be calibrated * B C / C a//j, yro/M r/ze MzrAgz/z/ace, w e co/K f(/e/'e(/ 6eAfW-tAe-,$ceMe,$ e/e/Me«A o f / C / P w/YA t/ze pzoyzoje ofstrategizing and planning the content that will be communicated via the methods indicated on this chart. It is important to note that they are tools that e/zo6/e P C /; to rep ort zVz/or/zzotzo/z z/pirort/ to t/ze G M C orporate Z/zter/za/ Co/zz/zzzz/zzcat/ozz tea/zz, zzot /zzet/zoOk t y w/zzc/z GMco/zz/zzzzzzzcate,$ z/trect/r irzt/z employees. Drive Time was intentionally designed to inform employees about eompany news (eompetitive and company highlights), not relative performance t/zezr /o c a / worA^ area^^. 7 0 Communication Channels The value GM places on face-to-face communication is evident when Grates says, “Emphasis is placed on the informal face-to-face communication taking place at all levels of the organization, at all t i m e s Regarding alternate communication charmels. Grates says, “Conventional communication tools are consigned to their proper place - supporting and supplementing the real communications going on in the company.” "® In this way, the “real” communication that involves employees in informal face-to-face conversations - like “diagonal slice” meetings - takes precedence over the newsletter and closed circuit television programs. Regarding printed publications, GM’s view for many years has been that they are “backup, just in case the face-to-face fails.”' ' ' Communicating Issues to Different Strata of Employees Employees have different priorities in terms of information they want to know about the company. Blue-collar employees (i.e., production line or clerical workers) value information regarding their paycheck and benefits; in essence, these employees are more interested in the “location where they work.”"^ White-collar managers and executives, on the other hand, value information about the company’s growth, profits and long-term viability. Grates reports that “BCIs operate in both labor-organized facilities and white-collar salaried facilities. The template is broad Grates, op. cit., 17. Ibid. Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 120. " " D ’Aprix, Roger. (1991). Innovative Employee Communication. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, p. 245. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 71 enough to reach all strata of the employee workplace - it’s what we call a ‘mosaic.’” "^ Putting ICIP to the Test - GM’s Current Financial Situation Discussing ICIP in light of GM’s current financial situation enables the reader to better understand the roles that strategy and channels (both face-to-face and technology-based) play in internal communications. Present circumstances allow for a rich dialogue in the quest to answer questions such as: Does employees’ preference for face-to-face communication still apply when an organization is about to experience a major change? To what extent do organizational goals and extraordinary situations determine the use of specific communication channels? In 2005, GM lost a total of $8.6 billion largely due to poor sales in North America. In the fourth quarter alone the company lost $4.8 billion, the fifth-straight quarterly loss for GM and the company’s worst annual loss since 1992.^^"^ As a result of increasing pressure from shareholders, GM formulated aggressive plans to strengthen its competitive position. In a presentation at the New York Automotive Analysts’ Conference on January 13, 2006, General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner outlined the company’s four-point recovery plan, which includes: (1) raising the bar in the execution of great cars and trucks; (2) revitalizing GM’s sales and marketing Grates, op. cit. Durbin, D. (2006, January 26). “Update 9: GM Loses $4.8B in 4Q, S8.6B in 2005.” Forbes Web site. Retrieved January 27, 2006, from http://www.forbes.com . R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 7 2 strategy; (3) significantly improving GM’s cost competitiveness; and, (4) addressing GM’s health care and legacy cost hurden. 115 Wagoner’s recovery plan Wagoner announced many significant cutbacks as essential elements of the latter two parts of his recovery plan, including:"'’’ ' • Plans to cease production at 12 U.S. plants hy 2008. • Plans to reduce GM’s manufacturing workforce hy 30,000 workers hy 2008. • An historic agreement with the United Auto Workers (UAW) that will reduce GM’s retiree health care obligations hy about $15 billion, and annual expense hy about $3 billion. • Plans to reach a constructive solution with UAW and Delphi regarding the Delphi bankruptcy. • Possible sale of a controlling interest in the company’s finance arm, General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) to a strategic partner. • Cap GM’s contribution to salaried retiree health care costs at the end of 2006, reduce that obligation by almost $5 billion, and annual expense hy about $900 million. Wagoner, Rick. Presentation via w ebcast to IMew York Automotive A nalysts’ Conference. January 13, 2006. Retrieved January 28, 2006, from http://www.gm.com/companv/investor information/ cal events/index rec events.html. “GM Announces Additional Actions To Support North American Turnaround.” (2006, February 7). Press Release. Retrieved February 23, 2006, from http://www.gm .com . Wagoner, Rick. “Becoming Globally Competitive in a Changing World.” Speech delivered on February 17, 2006. Retrieved February 30, 2006, from http://www.gm .com . R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 73 • Significantly modify pension plans for GM salaried and executive employees, to further reduce financial risk and cost. • Reduce GM’s annual dividend by 50 percent. • Reduce salaries for top executives and board members by 50%. • Reduce structural costs by $6 billion. • Reduce annual net material costs by $1 billion. • Reduce costs totaling $7 billion on a running rate basis by the end of 2006. • Reduce global structural costs to 25 percent of automotive revenue by 2010 from the 2005 level of about 34 percent on a global basis. Clearly, under the circumstances described employees have definite cause to be concerned. With these looming concerns - the possibility of losing their jobs or experiencing a cut in health care - at the forefront of employees’ minds, one wonders, “Is the ICIP system working to communicate pertinent information to employees in a timely manner?” According to Grates, “GM’s current situation is testing the ICIP system in terms of dealing openly and aggressively with our challenges in a manner that allows for discussion and debate internally.” Grates also commented that the company can and should still communicate with employees, but the content might be more constrained due to the unknown. Grates, op. cit. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 7 4 Constraints to GM’s open communication policy Grates’ statement could be interpreted to mean that although GM may want to communicate with employees as it would under normal circumstances, it cannot he as open and dialogue-oriented under present circumstances. Laws, regulatory agencies and labor union agreements restrict the disclosure of certain information, resulting in sizable penalties if ignored. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in recent years has worked fervently to create safeguards for investors, thereby leveling the playing field in the investment world. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, for example, “protects investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures.” '^ ® These laws demand that communicators apply greater attention and tact to the timing of sensitive stock-affecting news releases. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has deeper implications for the way corporate executives communicate, both internally and externally. Strategic financial and corporate communications consultants Wolff, Vieira and Crespo interpret Sarbanes-Oxley to mean that corporate executives must “assume personal responsibility, communicate openly and frequently, and handle crises more openly,” using transparency, accountability and legitimacy as guiding principles:'^' • Transparency. Information must be publicly available and disclosure processes must be in place to permit fairness and equal access in the marketplace. ™ Sarbanes-Oxley A ct o f 2002. Retrieved February 20, 2006, from http://sec.gOv/about/laws/soa2002.pdf. Wolff, R., Vieira, 1. & Crespo, M. “Sarbanes Oxley: W hat It All M eans for M exican Companies Listed in the United States.” Retrieved February 30, 2006, from http://www.hfgcg.com/gcgarticles- sarbanes.htm. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 75 • Accountability: The executive management team must be accountable to some informed, motivated, independent and empowered body - whether to institutional investors or independent board members. • Legitimacy: There should be a social, business and governmental commitment to management’s obligation to optimize the long-term value of the company or venture. Timing and metbodologv of armouncement'^^ To comply with SEC information disclosure guidelines, companies must strategically plan the timing and methodology of important armouncements. It is essential that information be made available to all stakeholders, including (and especially) investors, on a fair and equitable basis, so that no group or individual can take financial advantage of that information while others cannot. As a result, GM’s leadership made the conscious decision to first inform employees about the layoffs and health insurance cuts, as they would be most affected by this decision, but only by the smallest of time factors, i.e., a few minutes. Grates explains, “The timing of CEO Wagoner’s announcement in late January was based on the need to inform our key publics about the state of the business in a manner that allowed for employees to grasp the current reality and tbeb role in the strategy to improve it, and then reporting to the outside world the results and plan of action.” Following planned communication protocol, within minutes GM communicated the news to media, dealers, analysts, and the financial conmiunity, then to customers. Communication to all audiences occurred within this extremely tight timeframe Grates, op. cit. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 7 6 because a delay in communication between employees and investors could result in unfair stock-trading advantages, or insider trading, and a violation of the law for which GM could he held culpable. SIDEBAR - How GM Announces a Major Change Depending on the crisis situation, GM’s first priority is to (1) communicate to the audience affected, and then to (2) employees, (3) media, dealers, analysts, financial community, and (4) customers. The timing between each audience is typically a few minutes, at most. In difficult times of major change, such as downsizing or restructuring, speaking clearly and confidently to employees about the future is not easy, says Grates. The uncertainty and complexity of a situation, coupled with legal restrictions, can inhibit communication to this critical internal audience. Clearly in such situations, whether they are gradually evolving challenges like GM’s, or rapid- fire crises like major industrial accidents, communication must he “timely and candid to allay both the fears of employees and the concerns of investors, customers, and strategic partners. They should he clear, frequent, concise, and factual. Above all, effective crisis communications must he transparent.”^ ^ " ^ When communication in such situations is not timely, clear or transparent, rumors among employees begin to result in lower productivity, morale, trust and loyalty. The challenge for corporations like GM is to time an official announcement about a major change to employees and other audiences within the boundaries prescribed by the SEC. However, should critical information, such as the closing of Grates, op. cit. View Magazine. PriceW aterHouseCoopers. Retrieved February 30, 2006, from http://www.pwcglobal.com/images/us/eng/m ain/nr/view m agazine dec 05.pdf. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 7 7 a plant, layoffs or changes in policies, leak out before an official announcement. Grates says that “Internal Communication needs to he prepared to provide more robust information and context for the decision."In such situations, how employees receive the information is less important than the content itself, so long as they receive it in a timely, accurate fashion. That is worth repeating: When dealing w irA a cAawge, f/zg jpeci/zc c /z r z M M g / w A zc/z rgcezvg z^or/zzafzoM z j ^ zzM porfaM f f/za» f/ze acfz/aZ cofz^gyzr q/f/ze co/zz/M Z iM zcafzoM z f /zmvzülgüf fAaf receive it in a timely and accurate fashion. The bottom line is that, at a minimum, strategy and message determine channel, and at a maximum they transcend channel. While channel can he an essential component of strategy, when faced with communicating major change in a time-sensitive environment the communicator must turn to what will work best under those particular circumstances, rather than established Standard Operating Procedure. CEO Rick Wagoner’s announcement on January 13, 2006 did less to test the strengths of GM’s well-established ICIP system than it did prove that when facing major change in a time-sensitive environment, channel still remains a tactic determined hy strategy. Or, put another way, it proved that fast-paced situations and the evolving strategies they drive will always supercede the importance of established channels. Because the content of GM’s message was so important, it did not matter that it came from the CEO instead of the supervisor (employees’ preferred source), or via webcast instead of informally face-to-face (employees’ preferred channel). In fact, as the first official announcement, it was highly appropriate that it Grates, op. cit. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 7 8 came from Wagoner, in a manner consistent with Sarbanes-Oxley, to all audiences, almost simultaneously. With a single armouncement that went directly to employees and then the world by means of webcast, e-mail, closed circuit television and voice mail. Wagoner quickly reduced uncertainty to the greatest extent possible, given the situation he faced, by openly specifying the upcoming changes: 12 plants will close by 2008, 30,000 employees will lose their jobs, retirees will experience less health care benefits and all other employees will receive less retirement benefits. Examining General Motors as a case study provides better insight about the roles that strategy and channels play in internal communication. While ICIP provides a framework for using technology-based and face-to-face channels under day-to-day operations, communicators must apply greater discretion and flexibility in deciding what will work best under extraordinary circumstances. Because this was an out-of-the-ordinary situation, GM’s communication strategy did not fall under ICIP’s typical operation. BCIs were not briefed before Wagoner’s initial communication, diagonal slice meetings were not held and articles could not be written in the local workplace newsletters until after the public announcement. Above all, the manner in which GM’s January 13, 2006 announcement was handled illustrates that strategy and flexibility, in both extraordinary situations and day-to- day operations, determine the tactical use of channels. This assertion is critically relevant to this study because the balance of channels - face-to-face and technology- based push and pull - is used to determine the effectiveness of communication programs. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 7 9 SIDEBAR - The manner in which GM’s January 13, 2006 announcement was handled illustrates that strategy and flexibility, in both extraordinary situations and day-to-day operations, determine the tactical use of channels. Evaluating ICIP in Day-to-Day Communication Much of the existing research on internal communications evaluates the effectiveness of specific channels as parts of a larger communication program; however, only a small number of experts have attempted to create a single evaluation tool with the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of entire programs. In their book Communicating Change, Larkin and Larkin evaluate the effectiveness of British Telecom’s communication program relative to what they refer to as “three facts,” or variables, of employee communication. These are: (1) targets frontline supervisors, (2) informal face-to-face, and (3) communicates relative performance of local work area. Aside from the Larkins’ variables, the variable traditionally used to measure the effectiveness of a communication channel has been the extent to which employees think it is valuable in helping them do their jobs better. In light of additional research discussed in this study, it becomes necessary to propose a more comprehensive evaluation tool that incorporates the push and pull elements of technology-based and face-to-face communication. Table 4 builds on the Larkins’ model, creating a qualitative evaluation instrument. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 8 0 Table 4 evaluates ICIP according to the three variables identified by the Larkins (targets frontline supervisors, informai face-to-face, communicates relative performance of local work area), and four variables identified in this study (technology-based push, face-to-face push, technology-based puli, face-to-face pull). The Communication Program Evaluation Tool can be applied to organizations by following the subsequent guidelines: A communication channel is effective if it reflects at least two of the three Larkin Variables in Table 4. The purpose for including the Larkins’ three facts of employee communication is rooted in research: Employees prefer to receive communication from frontline supervisors instead of senior managers, via the method of face-to-face instead of print or video, carrying a message about relative performance of their local work area (or an issue that directly affects them). If a communication channel violates all of those three variables, it simply “will not reach the frontline and will not change the way employees act.” Illustrated another way, “When programs violate the three facts of employee communication, you can send your stuff out, let it fly, giving the appearance of communication, but there is no c h a n g e . I f a communication channel reflects only one or zero of the Larkin variables, it is likely that the channel is used with the intent to reach middle and senior managers. However, if it is obviously not used to target middle and Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 144. Ibid. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. C D ■ D O Q . C g Q . ■ D C D C /) C /) 8 ci' 3 3 " C D C D ■ D O Q . C a O 3 " O O Table 4: The Communication Program Evaluation Tool; Evaluating GM/North America’s ICIP Communication Program (The Larkin Variables) (The Four Push and Pull Variables) Communication Channels Target Frontline Supervisors Informal Face-to- Face Communicates Relative Performance of Focal Work Area Push Pull T ech-based F ace-to -F ace T ech-based F ace-to -F ace Intranet Yes No It could - - X - Quarterly Earnings Broadcast Yes No It could X - - - Newsletter Yes No Yes X - - - “State of the Business” meetings Yes No It could - - - X “Diagonal Slice” meetings Yes Yes Yes - - - X Regular department meetings Yes Yes Yes - - - X C D Q . ■ D C D ^B C I Brie fing Call, Messages from the Marketplace, Situation Room and Pulse Cheek are not included in this chart because they are behind-the-scenes communication methods with the purpose o f BCIs reporting information to G M ’ s head Internal Communications office, with the purpose o f strate gizing and planning the content which will be communicated via the methods indicated on this chart; as behind-the-scenes elements o f ICIP, they are not methods by which G M communicates directly with employees. Drive Time is not included in this chart because it was intentionally designed to inform employees about eompetitive and eompany highlights, not issues regarding their local work areas. C /) C /) 8 2 senior managers, then the channel should he deemed an ineffective communication tool and eliminated from the eommunication program. Any charmel that does not fulfdl at least one of the Larkin Variables and does not reach middle or senior managers is an ineffective use of company resources because it does not effectively eommunicate with employees. The additional four variables added hy the author serve to profile the way employees obtain information. Both pull and push are differentiated between/hce- to-face and technology-based, drawing a distinction between the methods of delivery. Each communication charmel fits the profile of only one variable (refer to Table 2). Because this evaluation tool is qualitative in nature, the use of personal discretion is necessary when gauging the value of the four Push and Pull Variables. Evaluation of communication charmels against the four Push and Pull Variables is best achieved from a macro perspective, i.e., looking at the chart as a whole and forming a qualitative judgment based on variety and repetition of the variables. When studying the chart the reader must take into consideration the following facts referenced in Chapter 2: Employees are more apt to believe information if they read/hear it from several sources; employees prefer face-to-face to technology-based communication; and, the most effective form of face-to-face is pull. Upon evaluating the four Push and Pull Variables, beware of clusters indicating disproportionate amounts of push channels in the face-to-face columns, because employees prefer push only when it is technology-based. Additionally, the reader should hear in mind that research shows that the most effective internal R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 8 3 communication program will pull more than push with more face-to-face than technology-based channels. SIDEBAR - Based on the research in this study, the most effective internal communication program will pull more than push with moxQ face-to-face than technology-based channels. Together, these seven variables qualitatively measure three different aspects of a communication program: who receives communication (frontline supervisors, or not), hoM ’ employees receive information (channels, pull or push) and M ’hat issues are the subject of discussion (relative performance of local work area or issue directly affecting employees, such as benefits). Before evaluating GM’s ICIP program, the reader should understand why the author has included only six of the eleven ICIP channels in Table 4. BCI Briefing Calls, Messages from the Marketplace, Situation Room and Pulse Check are to be considered behind-the-scenes elements of ICIP, with the purpose of strategizing and planning the content that will be communicated via the other six channels (those included in the table). It is important to note that these four ICIP elements enable BCIs to report information upward to the GM Corporate Internal Communications team, and are not methods by which GM communicates directly with supervisors and employees. Additionally, Drive Time is exempt from evaluation according to the variables in Table 4 because it was intentionally designed to inform employees about competitive and company highlights, not issues regarding their local work areas. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 8 4 The following evaluates the effectiveness of the six ICIP channels used to communicate directly with supervisors and employees at GM. The level of effectiveness ascribed to each channel is described in Table 5, indicating whether a channel is highly effective, effective, minimally effective or not effective. Table 5: Determining the Effectiveness of Communication Channels If Channel fulfills [#] Larkin Variables... ...and is Push/Pnll... Then, this is the channel’s Level of Effectiveness Fulfills 3 Pull Highly effective Fulfills 3 Push Highly effective Fulfills 2 Pull Highly effective Fulfills 2 Push Effective Fulfills 1 Pull Effective Fulfills 1 Push Minimally Effective Fulfills 0 Pull/Push Not Effective Intranet A technology-based pull channel, the intranet at GM targets frontline supervisors and can potentially communicate relative performance of the local work area. Of the 300,000 employees who have access to the intranet, many employees regularly use it as a tool to interact with leadership; 15,000-20,000 employees respond on a regular basis to “GM Leads,” which are bi-weekly messages posted on the intranet from the Chairman. Because the intranet /h//?/A two Larkin variables and is pull. Table 5 indicates that it is a highly effective element of GM’s ICIP program. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 8 5 Quarterly Earnings Broadcast Targeting frontline supervisors as well and middle and senior managers, the Quarterly Earnings Broadeast eommunicates only information about quarterly business results and industry interpretations. BCIs oftentimes outline business priorities for employees using this channel of communication. The Quarterly Earnings Broadcast is a technology-based push channel. This channel is an ejfective element of GM’s ICIP program. Distributed in both electronic and printed formats, the newsletter targets both frontline supervisors and employees. Largely due to the BCTs inelusion of Messages from the Marketplace, the newsletter effectively delivers information that speaks to employees on the local level about corporate news. The newsletter is a technology-based push channel of communication. This channel is an effective element of GM’s ICIP program. State o f the Business meetings Frontline supervisors are involved in this face-to-face pull discussion that provides a status check of GM’s condition in the marketplace. In State of the Business meetings, BCIs can potentially include information about performance in a specific GM facility, a topic which employees prefer to hear about. This channel is a highly effective element of GM’s ICIP program. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 86 Diagonal Slice meetings K face-to-face pull channel, Diagonal Slice meetings involve managers and employees from different areas in a facility. Diagonal Slice meetings create person- to-person dialogue about the internal audience’s opinions, perceptions and conditions; this charmel fulfills all three Larkin variables. This charmel is a highly effective element of GM’s ICIP program. Involving supervisors and employees, regular department meetings maintain clarity and constancy of purpose hy focusing on day-to-day problems and coming up with suggestions for improvement. This is face-to-face pull charmel that fulfills all three Larkin Variables. This channel is a highly effective element of GM’s ICIP program. It is worth noting that Table 4 illustrates that all the push channels in ICIP are technology-hased; this aligns with established research indicating that employees generally prefer technology-based channels to be push 1.5 times more than they prefer them to he pull}^^ Consistent with what employees report about their preference for face-to-face channels, 100% of ICIP’s face-to-face channels are pull. Understanding the effectiveness of each element of GM’s ICIP enables one to more intelligently judge the value of the communication program as a whole. The evaluation process revealed that ICIP is composed of four highly effective and two Sinickas, op. cit. 8. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 8 7 effective elements, three of six which are face-to-face, and four of six which are pull. This data set must he measured against the following statement previously made on page 83: The most effective internal communication program will pull more than push with movQ face-to-face than technology-based channels. To comply with the ahove statement, a program with six channels would ideally he composed of at least four face-to-face and four pull channels. The result, then, is that GM’s ICIP program incorporates more pull than push channels, hut integrates an equal number of face-to-face and technology-hased channels; this is only one less face-to-face channel than would he included in an ideal communication program. Figure 17 illustrates the elements of ICIP compared to the ideal mix of face-to-face and technology-hased communication channels, as prescribed through this study. Figure 17: Elements of ICIP Compared to the Ideal Mix of Faee-to-Face and Teehnology-based Communieation Channels Face-to-Face Teeh-based Communication Channel IGM ICIP I Ideal Program R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 88 An intriguing extension of this evaluation tool would be to assign an actual “Effectiveness Score” to GM’s ICIP program. Perhaps the Effectiveness Score could be calculated hy appointing 5 points for “highly effective” channels, 3 points for “effective” channels, 1 point for “minimally effective” charmels, 0 points for “not effective” channels, and subsequently dividing their sum hy the number of charmels being evaluated in the communication plan. ICIP’s score of 4.3 could then he compared to other corporations of GM’s size, creating a list called the Most Effective Internal Communication Programs (MEICP), following in the footsteps of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies, or the Indicators of Public Relations Excellence currently undergoing development at the USC Annenherg Strategic Public Relations Center. This theory, of course, is neither appropriate to explore in this study nor would it further the initial hypothesis set out in the introduction; however, its potential for identifying best practices in internal communications is worth researching in the future. After scrupulous review of CM ’s communication program, it becomes clear that the designers of ICIP paid careful attention to deliver (1) information about relative performance of their local work area (or issues that directly affect them), (2) in ways that employees prefer (pull more than push, or as Crates describes “discovery vs. sell”), via (3) frontline supervisors as privileged information hearers. Although it is said that special “emphasis is placed on the informal face-to-face communication,” an evaluation of ICIP shows that technology-hased channels are used equally as frequent as face-to-face (three out of six channels are technology- Grates, op. cit. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 8 9 based). A simple way for GM to increase face-to-face pull communication would be to tailor the Quarterly Earnings Broadcast to encourage informal conversations between supervisors and employees about issues relating to their immediate work area. Distributing Supervisors Briefing Cards would be an efficient way for Corporate Internal Communications to involve frontline supervisors and employees in understanding their role in GM’s business strategy on a quarterly basis. A mock example of a Supervisor Briefing Card for GM is shown in Figure 18; it extends the value of communicating Quarterly Earnings Broadcasts by transforming its delivery into face-to-face, person-to-person interactions. These Supervisor Briefing Cards would not substitute for the video broadcast of Quarterly Earnings (called “Drive Time”), but rather, it would be an additional channel used to target frontline supervisors and employees. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 9 0 Figure 18: Mock Supervisor Briefing Card to Communicate GM Quarterly Earnings ________________________________ (Front)______________________________ GM Supervisor Briefing Card No. 1 Quarterly Earnings Broadcast - April 2005'"’ “ • We reported a loss of $1.95 per share on revenue of $45.8 billion • We lost $839 million • We continue to have strong liquidity at GM, GMAC More information? Visit the intranet, Socrates, to watch streaming video of the broadcast. Call for taped message 800-444-4444 (Back) Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (VEBA) Trust totaled $19.8 billion on March 31, 2005 (due to net losses including restructuring charge and the settlement with Fiat S.p.A.) What does this mean to me? • We are producing lower volumes of vehicles We may soon experience a cutback in heath care benefits. What can we expect to happen next? • Due to uncertainty, we will not provide earnings guidance for 2005 calendar year. “GM Q1 Earnings Release.” (2006, January 26). Press Release. Retrieved February 30, 2006, from http://www.gm.com/companY/investor information/earnings/hist earnings/05 ql/. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 91 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION This study sought to test the extent to which communicators should rely on face-to-face communication versus technology-based communication charmels in internal communications. More specifically, the hypothesis stated that, While technology is helpful in communicating with employees, it is eroding the personal, two-way contact that is critical to influencing behaviors and building relationships between and among employees, managers and leadership. E-mail, intranets and voice mail blasts are not enough to engage employees in business; rather, they are merely tools best used to complement the still-necessary element of face-to-face interaction. Rather than simply supporting or negating this hypothesis, there are three major conclusions resulting from this study that prove a communication program must incorporate a mixture of face-to-face and technology-based communication channels in order to effectively reach every single employee. First, employees are undoubtedly most receptive to face-to-face communication, particularly face-to-face pull communication that is informal, frequent, comes from their supervisors and is relevant to the performance of their local work area. Second, that the determining factor for employing face-to-face or technology-based channels is always strategy, but in day-to-day communication communicators may find it is easier to think of the determining factors according to the topic or issue. Third, that in times of major change or an extraordinary situation, at a minimum strategy determines which channels internal communicators should use to deliver information to employees, and at a maximum they can actually transcend the channels themselves. The R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 9 2 following explains the particulars of each conclusion and presents proof points as articulated through the research in this study. Employees Prefer Informal Face-to-Face Pull Communication Fact #1: The most effective internal communication program will pull more than Fact #2: .. .with more face-to-face than technology-based charmels. Proof Point: More Pull - Employees prefer to discover information on their own, via pull charmels. Employees are more likely to believe information they pull from charmels, too. Proof Point: Less Push - Employees do not appreciate being “talked at” via pushy face-to-face methods. Employees prefer being invited to a collaborative GM-style “diagonal slice” meeting or having a one-on-one conversation instead of attending a town hall-style meeting or watching a video. Proof Point: More Face-to-Face - Employees are more receptive to face-to-face interaction with their supervisors than with any other company executive. Face-to- face conversations involve an exchange of facial/body expressions and verbal intonations not easily replicated in conventional or technology-based communication like newsletters or e-mails; positive nonverbal cues make employees feel involved, appreciated and listened to when engaging in face-to-face communication with supervisors. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 9 3 Proof Point: Less Techno logy-based channels - E-mails, intranets and e-newsletters lack the emotion, expression and human closeness that are only possible through face-to-face communication. Technology-based channels have the unique potential to take the place of proximity; however, technology-based channels can never substitute for person-to-person interaction. A communications program that employs more pull than push through more face-to-face than technology-based charmels will successfully answer employees’ question, “Why am I working here?” by showing them how they fit into the bigger picture. A program that balances these four variables delivers to employees timely and relevant information, via the channels they prefer, optimizing job satisfaction and helping them to do their jobs better. The purpose of employee communications is, after all, “nothing more and nothing less” than “translating where the business is going into what people need in order to learn, understand expectations and engage in doing what needs to get done.”^ ^ ^ Fact #3: Conventional communication methods have a secondary role in internal communications. Proof Point: Employees are more likely to believe something if they read or hear it from multiple sources, namely through pull channels. Grates says, “Because people are better able to grasp the company’s story on their own terms - comparing consistent messages from multiple sources - the story Grates, G. F. W hat Employees M ost W ant to Know. White paper obtained via email from Gary f . Grates. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 9 4 has more credibility and personal meaning.” In this way, delivering the same message through a variety of face-to-face and technology-hased channels should he a standard internal communications practice. Because each channel does not reach every employee, offering information in different forms ensures that everyone will he covered. Generally, e-newsletters, e-mail and intranets are the three most widely used technology-hased channels, with employees’ preference for each depending upon topic (see next section). Satellite broadcasts may effectively he used to inform employees of big organizational changes, and supervisor briefing cards can help supervisors initiate one-on-one conversations. Distributing printed company newspapers/newsletters is not effective as a stand-alone communication tool and is only recommended as part of a balanced communication program. Topic or Issue Dictates Channel in Day-to-Day Commnnieation Because the elements of push and pull are inextricably connected to the terms technology-based and face-to-face channels, it is appropriate that the next two facts involve all four of these characteristics. Fact #4: Employees prefer technology-based push or pull communications according to different topics (Figure 3). Grates, op. cit., 17. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 9 5 Proof Point: Employees prefer technology-hased push channels (intranet and Web) for information regarding company goals, financial results, news, employee recognition, and how they can help the company reach its goals (Figure 3). • Employees prefer technology-based push channels (e-mails, e-newsletters) 1.5 times more than pull channels (intranet, Web) (Figure 2). Proof Point: Employees prefer technology-based pull channels (intranet, company’s external Web site) for information regarding competitors, products and the industry (Figure 3). • Employees prefer intranets (85%) over e-newsletters (81%) and mass e-mails (59%) (Figure 5). • In companies that have an intranet but no e-newsletter, employees prefer pull channels (31%) over push (15%) (Figure 2). Fact #5: Employees prefer face-to-face communication to come from their supervisors. Proof Point: Employees prefer their supervisor over the company CEO as a communication source for day-to-day information (Figure 11, 12). • 96% of Australian employees believe that their supervisors tell the truth. • 83% of General Motors employees in 1988 considered their supervisor their most believable source. Taylor, D. (1982). Employee Information Sharing, Department o f Em ploym ent and Industrial Relations. Australian Government Publishing Service, 67, in Earkin & Earkin. (1994). Communicating Change. Islew York: M cGraw-Hill, p. 4. Earkin & Earkin, op. cit., 163. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 9 6 Proof Point: Employees are suspicious of CEO and senior executives as sources of information'^^ (Figure 13). • Only 38% of US and Canadian office employees believe management is honest with them. • 40% of frontline employees think management does not tell the truth. Visualizing How Topic or Issue Dictates Channel Given these statistics, no one has yet attempted to create a map that effectively guides communicators to choose a channel based on topic or issue. The Channel/Topic Matrix (Table 6) offers to guide communicators to match (1) the topic or issue a company wants to communicate M ’ith (2) an available channel to deliver that message. Possible topics or issues a company may want to communicate include: news of a merger; layoffs; outstanding or poor quarterly results; the location, date and time of the annual company picnic; new leadership announcement; retirement announcement; major policy change; news about the competition; new technology. This tool was created based on the belief that every organization should adopt a systematic decision making process for choosing face- to-face or technology-based push or pull communication vehicles. At best, this tool serves to remind conmiunicators about another fact of employee communication: Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 4. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. Channel Lb Technology-based pull Face-to-face push Face-to-face pull 1 II g : II e r a e r a ; II e r a e r a C d e /2 II r II ra G O II e r a S -- o f t 5. < I? q o S Ô o o = 5 X X X -u _ c r t ) X X ÿ -U _ c r t ) w X X X ÿ -u _ c r t) w X X X ÿ -u _ c r t) X X X X ÿ -u _ c r t) C M X X ÿ -u _ c r t) X X X X ÿ -u _ c r t) H ss O ' ?r O s H =r A O O ' ss O O 2. H o •a I H o -a R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. I g -s < u I O I a 0 H a a c « JS U JS H u 1 H X IJI X o ID > X X ? X X X c/ü o 6? S XI X X X g w X X X X I w X) c / ü < L > & g w ijsnd p9SBq-ÂSo|oui]D3x t I •& I I -S O g I 0 « I 1 O I o s f ! a .w I I * I I o % o § (> I g s: o ^ ï & .5 ^ C L II e L > 1 .5 <: - % -% ^ l T il f L » o 98 o I b I I rn .§ KI W M ^ s i l l r ï i ^ 8 ^ O u I I < § g S : ^ = îti 3 1 t s g § L » I I .5. S - j I o s ■ S f ]3XIUBX{3 R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 9 9 Fact #6: An effective communication program must incorporate a mixture of face-to-face and technology-based channels in order to effectively reach every single employee. The Charme 1/Topic Matrix allows communicators to visualize and plot their mix of communication channels to maximize their program’s effectiveness. Organizations using the Charmel/Topic Matrix are encouraged to tailor it to include the channels available to them as well as topics and issues they communicate to employees. When reviewing the Channel/Topic Matrix, it is essential to understand that an organization’s culture is an important variable which is not included in the chart. Tike a corporation’s one-of-a-kind fingerprint, culture comprises the attitudes, values, beliefs, norms and customs of an organization. Culture is not tangible, is difficult to measure, and is not easily illustratable. Therefore, the internal communicator must use discretion, based on experience in the organization and an understanding of its culture, when deciding which channels to use. Failing to apply the Channel/Topic Matrix without calculating in the organization’s culture can result in grave consequences. For example, if the organization is averse to new technology, then using televisions to communicate in local work areas may seem an unnecessary extravagance. Or, in the case of Ford Motor Company, Wikipedia Web site. Retrieved February 28, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 100 “They installed television sets around its plants in order to receive signals from it private TV satellite system, FCN, Ford Communication Network. In some locations, frontline employees were suspicions and thought perhaps cameras had been secretly concealed within the TVs and were spying on workers.” '^’ Because Ford’s communicators did not identify that frontline employees were culturally averse to technology, the company lost a lot of money when they finally decided to cut the cables. SIDEBAR - Tips for Using the Channel/Topic Matrix • Tailor the column headings to reflect the topics and issues your organization communicates to employees • Customize the row headings to reflect the channels available to communicators at your organization • Use personal discretion, taking into consideration the important intangible element of culture when deciding which channels to use Strategy Transcends Channels in Extraordinary Commnnieation Fact #7: The determining factor for employing face-to-face or technology-based channels is always strategy (Table 7). Table 7: Determining Factors for Use of Commnnieation Channels Day-to-Day Commnnieation Extraordinary Commnnieation Determining Factor Topic or issue (rooted in strategy) Strategy Proof Point: In times of major change or an extraordinary situation, strategy always exceeds, and even transcends, the importance of established channels. Larkin & Larkin, op. cit., 99. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 101 Proof Point: In day-to-day communication, strategy still determines channel; the channel can he more easily ascertained, however, hy thinking in terms of the topic or Proof Point: What a company can and cannot communicate is determined hy goals and strategy, irrespective of the channel. Proof Point: It is easier to communicate openly ahout day-to-day issues than in times of major change or an extraordinary situation, due to restraints imposed the SEC’s Sarhanes-Oxley Act of 2002. While topic or issue determines channel in day-to-day communication, the same does not apply for communicating to employees in a time of a major change or an extraordinary situation. Communication of an extraordinary situation, such as the situation GM CEO Rick Wagoner addressed in his January 13, 2006 announcement, is first dealt with on a highly strategic level; at this planning stage, company communicators advise the executive team to execute internal coiumunications that are rooted in the company’s goals and strategy. Strategy, after all, drives the vision and goals hy which an organization operates. The GM case study revealed that there exists a conflict between a company’s strategy to he open with employees and restraints imposed by Sarbanes-Oxley. In a situation when a company wants to he transparent and openly communicate with employees, but cannot, the important decision is no longer ahout which channel to use; rather, the importance of strategy must exceed, and even transcend, the importance placed on channels. Julie Flower, R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 102 consultant for Sony Business Europe, holds the role of strategy in high esteem when she writes, “Content, not the medium used to deliver it, is still king.” '^^ * * * The outcome of this study supports the premise that an effective internal communications plan must be comprised of a balance between push and pull technology-hased m à face-to-face communication channels. A program deliberately designed to balance these four variables will be more closely aligned with a company’s business objectives, thereby resulting in a positive return on investment. Research by Larkin and Larkin, Gray and Robertson, Grates, D’Aprix and Sinickas, and observations by Weintraub and Killian (Chapter 2) upheld this study’s initial hypothesis. Their research supports the statement that while technology is helpful in communicating with employees, it is, indeed, eroding the personal, two-way contact that is critical to influencing behaviors and building relationships between and among employees, managers and leadership. Moreover, technology- based communication channels such as e-mail, intranets and voice mail blasts are not enough to engage employees in business; rather, they are only tools best used to complement face-to-face communication. The General Motors case study (Chapter 3) brought that research to life, demonstrating how the ICIP program employs various channels under day-to-day communication. From the BCI network to “diagonal slice” meetings to the intranet called “Socrates,” GM’s communication program reaches out to employees in a Flower, J. (2002-2003, Jan/Dec). Seeing You Loud and Clear. Communication World, 20. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 103 variety of channels, nearly achieving the ideal balance between technology and face-to-face. GM’s current extraordinary situation reveals an even more telling fact about ICIP. Even though GM’s culture and policy are to be exceptionally open with employees, constraints imposed by Sarbanes-Oxley restrict the disclosure of certain information, thereby compromising the initial intention of ICIP to maintain transparency between employees and leadership. Extraordinary situations like this require that internal communicators pay special attention to the timing and content of their communication to employees. Furthermore, the GM case study rendered that the determining factor for employing face-to-face or technology-based channels is always strategy. In this way, strategy should determine communication of business as usual and extraordinary situations to employees. Communicators may find it is easier, however, to think of the determining factors for channels in day-to-day communication in terms of the topic or issue at hand. The Channel/Topic Matrix (Chapter 4) serves as a tool for communicators to ensure they are utilizing a balance of push and pull technology-based anà face-to- face channels in their communication programs. Matching a topic or issue with a channel enables communicators to visualize which resources they are using, or should be using, in specific situations. Organizations using the Channel/Topic Matrix are encouraged to tailor it to include the channels available to them as well as topics and issues they conmiunicate to employees. Topics and issues may include: R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 1 0 4 news of a merger; layoffs; outstanding/poor quarterly results; or, a major policy change. Channels may include: technology-hased pull (intranets, interactive movies); technology-hased push (videos, e-mails, video/satellite broadcasts, closed circuit television, webcasts, e-newsletters, e-magazines); face-to-face pull (one-on- one conversations, collaborative and briefing meetings, video/satellite conferencing, supervisor briefing cards); or, face-to-face push (town hall-style meetings, briefing meetings). Taken as a whole, the Channel/Topic Matrix offers to he a tool to systematically balance technology-hased and face-to-face channels in any company’s internal communications program. Moreover, this study negated the modern paradox that “more technology is better” hy presenting research and a case study substantiating that face-to-face is employees’ most preferred method of communication. The extensive use of technology without face-to-face communication is neither preferred, nor is it effective. In fact, this study proved that even if a company uses a variety of traditional and technological mediums to communicate with employees, and even if that effort is well orchestrated, the results will not be optimized if the program excludes the most traditional channel of all: direct, face-to-face, person-to-person communication. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 105 BIBLIOGRAPHY Brandon, M. C. (Apr/May 1997). From the Three B ’s to the High C’s - History of Employee Communication. Communication World [Electronic version]. Retrieved March 29, 2006, from http://www.fmdarticles.com. Cutlip, S., Center, A., & Broom, G. (2000). Effective Public Relations. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. D ’Aprix, Roger. (1991). Innovative Employee Communication. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. Durhin, D. (2006, January 26). “Update 9: GM Loses $4.8B in 4Q, $8.6B in 2005.” Forhes Weh site. Retrieved January 27, 2006, from http://www.forhes.com. Flower, J. (2002-2003, Jan/Dec). Seeing You Loud and Clear. Communication World, 20. Foehrenhack J. & Goldfarh, S. (1990, May/Jun). Employee Communication in the 90s. Communication World, in Larkin & Larkin. (1994). Communicating Change. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. “GM Announces Additional Actions To Support North American Turnaround.” (2006, February 7). Press Release. Retrieved February 23, 2006, from http://www.gm.com. “GM Europe Sales Rise hut Market Share Slips.” Reuters UK Weh site. Retrieved March 9, 2006, from http://todav.reuters.co.uk/news/. “GM Q1 Earnings Release.” (2006, January 26). Press Release. Retrieved February 30, 2006, from http://www.gm.com/companv/investor information/earnings/hist earnings/05 ql/. GM Weh site. Retrieved February 28, 2006, from http://www.gm.com. Goodall, J. (1988). In the Shadow o f Man. Boston: Houghlin-Miffhn, p. 112. Gordon, G. (2002, Aug/Sept). A History of I ABC Communication. Communication World, 31-33. Grates, G. F. (2004, Feb/Mar). Supporting a Business Renaissance at General Motors. Strategic Communication Management, 8(2), 4. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 106 Grates, G. F. What Employees Most Want to Know. White paper obtained via email from Gary F. Grates. Gray, R. & Robertson, L. (2005, Jul/Aug). Effective Internal Communication Starts at the Fop. Communication World, 28. Gronstedt, A. (2004, Sept/Oct). Living the Brand: How to Turn Frontline Employees into Brand Ambassadors. Communication World, 15. Guiniven, J. (2006). Spotlight on Employee Communications. Suggestion Boxes and Town Hall Meetings: Fix 'em or Forget 'em. Retrieved April 1, 2006, from http://www.prsa.org/_Publications/magazines/Tactics/0200spot2.htmL Hay Group, Key Driver Analysis, in Esler, D. R. (1997, Feb/Mar). Communication Measurement - An Oxymoron Bites the Dust. Strategic Communication Management, 2, 11-34. Hoover, G. (2005, Nov/Dec). Maintaining Employee Engagement When Communicating Difficult Issues. Communication World, 25. Howard, C. M. (1996, Spring). Face-to-Face Communications: Payback is Worth the Effort [Electronic version]. Public Relations Quarterly, 41(1), 11(4). Retrieved February 23, 2006, from Expanded Academic database. Isidore, C. (2005, June 7). "GM to Cut 25,000 jobs by ’08.” CNN Money Web site. Retrieved March 9, 2006, from http://monev.cnn.com. Kedem, A. (2005, Mar/Apr). It’s All in the Delivery. Communication World, 17. Kraut, R. E. & Fish, R. S., Root, R. W., & Chalfonte, B. L. (1990). Informal Communication in Organizations: Form, Function, and Technology, in Oskamp, S. & Spacapan, S. (Eds.) (1990). Human Reactions to Technology: Claremont Symposium on Applied Social Psychology. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications. Retrieved January 27, 2006, from http://www.cs.cmu.edu/. Larkin, TJ & Larkin, S. (2005, Nov/Dec). Change the Communication Channel: Web, Paper or Face-to-Face. Communication World, 16-18. Larkin, TJ & Larkin, S. (2005). Communicating Big Change [Electronic version]. Retrieved January 23, 2006, from http://www.larkin.biz. Larkin, TJ & Larkin, S. (1994). Communicating Change. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 107 Lund, L. & McGuire, E. P. (1990). The Conference Board, Literacy in the Work Force, Report #947, in Larkin & Larkin (1990), Communicating Change. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Mahugh, D. Personal blog entry. Retrieved April 1, 2006, from http://chilco.textdrive.com /~dmahugh/2006/01/20/microsoft-town-hall-meeting/. Minerd, J. (1999, Feb). The Decline of Conversations: With Everybody Wired, We Are Starved for Face-to-Face Conversation [Electronic version]. The Futurist, 33.2, 18(2). Retrieved February 23, 2006, from Expanded Academic database. Personal interview with Jermifer Floto, ABC (2006, March). Personal interview with Cathi Killian, Director of Guest and Cast Communications, Disneyland Resort (2006, March). Personal interview via e-mail and telephone with Gary F. Grates, former vice president of Communications at GM/North America and now Senior Advisor - Strategic Communications Policy at GM/North America (2006, February). Personal interview with Dr. Rebecca Weintraub, former Director of Corporate Communications, Hughes Electronics (2006, January). Rashotte, L. S. (2003) What Does That Smile Mean? The Meaning of Nonverbal Behaviors in Social Interaction. Social Psychology Quarterly, 65(1), 93. Retrieved February 23, 2006, from Expanded Academic database. Rogen International & Goldhaber Research Associates (2001, Apr). E-mail and Face-to-Face in Workplace Communication, in Larkin & Larkin. (2005). Communicating Big Change [Electronic version]. Retrieved January 23, 2006, from http://www.larkin.biz. Rosen, S. (2004, Jul/Aug). Start the Conversation: Reflections on the Value of ‘Talking’ in the Workplace [Electronic version]. Communication World, 14-21. Retrieved January 23, 2006 from www.iabc.com. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Retrieved February 20, 2006, from http://sec.gOv/about/laws/soa2002.pdf. Shalala, D. E. (1998, May 23). Commencement address to East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsberg, PA. Retrieved January 21, 2006, from http://www.hhs.gov/news/speeches/estroud.html. Sinickas, A. (2004, Jan/Feb). Intranets, Anyone? Communication World, 34. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 108 Sinickas, A. (2004) The Role of Intranets and Other e-Channels in Employee Communication Preferences. Journal o f Website Promotion, 1-8. Retrieved January 28, 2006, from www.sinicom.com. Smith, A. L. (1991). Innovative Employee Communication. New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, Inc. Sultan, F., Farley, J., & Fehmarm, D. (1990, Feb). A Meta-Analysis of Applications of Diffusion Models. Journal o f Marketing Research, 27, 70-77. Sussman, F., Adams, A. J., Kuzmits, F. F., & Raho, F. E. (2002). Organizational Politics: Tactics, Channels, and Hierarchical Roles. Journal o f Business Ethics, 40(4), 313-329, in Earkin & Earkin. (2005). Communicating Big Change [Electronic version]. Retrieved January 23, 2006, from http://www.larkin.biz. Taylor, D. (1982). Employee Information Sharing, Department of Employment and Industrial Relations. Australian Government Publishing Service, 67, in Earkin & Larkin. (1994). Communicating Change. New York: McGraw-Hill, p. 4. “Technology Advances Put Small Business in the Fast Fane.” Retrieved January 21, 2006, from http://www.nfib.com/obiect/1583642.html. “Technology Helps the Small Business Rise to the Top.” Retrieved January 21, 2006, from http://www.morebusiness.com/running vour business/technologv/ d912805095.brc. “The HP Way.” Retrieved March 29, 2006, from http://uobcommunitv.ballarat.edu. au/~adsg/Cp704/CaseStudies/Wkl l%20Human%20Resources%20at%20Hewlett- Packard.pdf. The Industrial Society (1989). Blueprint fo r Success: A Report on Involving Employees in Britain. (S. Webb, Ed). London, in Larkin & Larkin. (1994). Communicating Change. New York: McGraw-Hill. UPS Web site. Retrieved February 28, 2006, from https://www.ups.com. View Magazine. PriceWaterHouseCoopers. Retrieved February 30, 2006, from http://www.pwcglobal.com/images/us/eng/main/nr/view magazine dec 05.pdf. Wagoner, Rick. “Becoming Globally Competitive in a Changing World.” Speech delivered on February 17, 2006. Retrieved February 30, 2006, from http://www.gm.com. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. 109 Wagoner, Rick. Presentation via webcast to New York Automotive Analysts’ Conference. January 13, 2006. Retrieved January 28, 2006, from http://www.gm.com/companv/investor_information/cal_events/index_rec_ events.html. Wikipedia Web site. Retrieved February 28, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org. Wolff, R., Vieira, I. & Crespo, M. “Sarbanes Oxley: What It All Means for Mexican Companies Listed in the United States.” Retrieved February 30, 2006, from http://www.hfgcg.com/gcgarticles-sarbanes.htm. Zurawski, C. (2004, Nov/Dec). In Praise of Small Talk. Communication World, 22-25. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Beliakoff, Elaine (author)

Core Title Balancing face-to-face and technology-based communication channels in internal communications

School Graduate School

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag mass communications,OAI-PMH Harvest,psychology, social,Speech Communication

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Advisor Swerling, Jerry (committee chair), Floto, Jennifer (committee member), Weintraub, Rebecca (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c16-51403

Unique identifier UC11338194

Identifier 1437582.pdf (filename),usctheses-c16-51403 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier 1437582.pdf

Dmrecord 51403

Document Type Thesis

Rights Beliakoff, Elaine

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA