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May 1, 2010

The Challenges of Employee Communications

By Kennedy Maize

Third, Don’t Hide Behind Hierarchy

The NIH was part of what was then the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, now the Department of Health and Human Services. NIH management, when confronted with tough personnel challenges and dilemmas, too frequently told its employees that the local managers were unable to buck the hierarchy at the department downtown in Washington. That was largely BS. The agency (as I knew well) seldom made serious overtures to the folks above to recognize and deal with local problems in Bethesda.
 
Responding to problems by blaming the bosses a step above in the hierarchy is characteristic of many organizations. The complaint is, “I can’t do anything about it. It’s a corporate decision.” That’s ducking the issue, trying to sell workers a phony bill of goods. Workers see through the hypocrisy. Good and courageous managers respond to valid employee complaints and suggestions. “I’ll take it up with the corporate management and fight for you. I might lose, but I’ll do my best,” is the proper response. And then the good managers do it. They often win for their workers.
 
When employees and their advocates are full of baloney, which is often, good managers tell them so, respectfully. They don’t scapegoat corporate management. They confront the workers. It’s “tough love,” and it often works. "That's crap, and here's why," is the proper response to outrageous and rent-seeking proposals from employees (and, often, their unions).

Caught in the Middle

Employee communications is tough, particularly on the middle-management folks who exist between corporate management and workers. Part of the job is convincing employees that the communications professional is honest and not a management tool. Part of the job is convincing corporate management that communicating with workers honestly and frankly is worthwhile. Neither task is easy.
 
Good luck. The job sure burned me out quickly.

—Kennedy Maize is executive editor of MANAGING POWER.