16 July 2007
Weekly rhythm predicts employee attitudes
Research suggests some days are better than others for communicating with employees.
An academic study has found that employees are more open to negotiation on a Thursday, suggesting this could be the best time for internal communicators to send out important messages.
Our studies show a definite rhythm of behavior that shifts from Monday to Friday.
The research, conducted by Professor Debbie Moskowitz, a psychologist at McGill University in Canada, suggests that employees become more open to messages as the working week goes on.
"Our studies show a definite rhythm of behavior that shifts from Monday to Friday," Moskowitz says. "People begin the week all fired up, but as Friday draws closer they realize they'll have to compromise," she says.
Thursday is the best day of the week for getting people to do things because they're more likely to agree.
Becoming more agreeable
Thursday, the study suggests, is best for communicators because it's the day when employees start to move towards a more amenable state, but are still focused enough to absorb information.
"It could be argued that Thursday is the best day of the week for getting people to do things because they're more likely to agree," Moskowitz says. "People tend to think they get more disagreeable during the course of the week. In fact, they start out that way and get more agreeable later," she says.
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