There are very few businesses in the country that haven’t felt the effects of the current economy.  And while most employers are scrambling to maximize external communication in order to stay afloat, other businesses are focused on those closest to the company, their employees. 

Continue Reading »

So one of my co-workers was just telling me about a woman who, in a most rebellious mood, elected to boycott internal e-mailing for 30 full days. After her personal campaign, she said “Our communications are better, projects are moving faster and my relationships with my direct reports have improved.”

Continue Reading »

A recent survey by Weber Shandwick found more than half of working Americans said their employers have not addressed the effect of the economy either on their companies or their jobs.

According to PRWeek, “In its survey of 514 employed Americans, the agency found that 70 percent expected the current economic situation to have a negative effect on the companies they work for, while 62 percent of those said their companies would have trouble meeting its goals.

And although 54 percent said their company leaders have stayed mum on the effect of the financial turmoil, nearly three-quarters said their colleagues are discussing the possibilities.”

I’m a business owner and I would be appalled if our staff assumed the current economic situation was to have a negative effect on them without hearing that straight from me.  We are communicators and we discuss the financial crisis weekly, and sometimes daily, as it relates to our business and to our client’s businesses.

People would rather hear negative news and know how to prepare for or fix the situation than be surprised one day.  This survey is a good reminder to all of us that is our jobs to help our clients tell their stories internally consistently so fear and surprise is eliminated.

What a shame that Lehman Brothers employees found out the bankruptcy protection filing through the media.  The New York Times earlier this week reported that, while Dick Fuld tried to the very last minute to save the company, he ended up issuing a news release at 12:30 on Monday morning announcing the filing.

Where is his PR team?  Do they not have a seat at the table?  Is the internal communication run by their HR department?  Where is their senior HR person?  Not at the table?

The Times reported, “Some Lehman employees wondered whether Fuld, who many inside the bank now view with deep anger, would address workers and explain what they could expect.”

In today’s age, how is it that employees still receive devastating news via the media?  I thought the days of going to work and finding the doors padlocked or receiving a voicemail at work saying the company was bankrupt were over.  Am I being naive to think they know better?  I don’t get how a 158-year-old company doesn’t talk to 25,000 employees AT ALL.