8 July 2008
How to communicate during economic downturn
Member-exclusive webinar, July 22, 2008.
Members of Melcrum's Internal Comms Hub and subscribers to Strategic Communication Management still have time to register for this member-exclusive webinar on communicating during an economic downturn.
Aniko Czinege (pictured), author of Melcrum's new report Communicating during economic downturn: Sharing bad news and maintaining morale during tough times will be presenting a 60-minute webinar, during which you'll learn how to:
- Shift from broadcast-style communications to timely and powerful personalized communications.
- Build supervisors’ skills and knowledge base so they can be confident as they relate to employees.
- Manage the information gaps and rumor mill.
- Create a restructuring and downsizing communication plan – even when you don’t
have any information. - Set up rigorous confidentiality guidelines – things that wouldn't even occur to you.
Plus, learn the 5 key questions to ask senior management when you’re called into that first critical meeting about changes around restructuring and downsizing.
Prepare managers to deliver bad news
Regular face-to-face communication from managers to employees is always important, but when the business faces tough times, it's vital, says Czinege within the Communicating during economic downturn report.
"You can't have managers who aren't prepared as it only takes a few managers communicating inconsistently to start rumors." But being over-prepared can be counter-productive too, warns Czinege. Why?
"It can be difficult for employees to feel comfortable opening up in a small event. They may not know the leader well and can feel exposed and nervous (especially during an economic downturn). If a leader is over-prepared then it can look contrived."
To help with preparation, Czinege urges communicators to:
- Coach leaders and managers on how to be more approachable and respond positively to questions.
- Prepare leadership to communicate consistent core messages.
- Agree on a consistent leadership response to challenges and issues.
Further hints and tips on coaching managers to boost morale during an economic downturn are included in the special report.
Have your say
Have you and your employees been under stress from economic downturn worries? How do you combat their fears and discuss possible workforce reductions?
Other recommendations:
Four communication challenges to overcome in 2008
Superior customer service vital during economic downturn
Got a news story? Contact the newsdesk