Dive Brief:
- With open enrollment fast approaching, benefit decision-makers are focused on their communication strategies, particularly if there are changes to the plans they’re offering this year, according to an article at Employee Benefits News.
- To be successful communicating change to workers, employers must have their finger on the pulse of their workforce, Parker McKenna, chief human resource officer for Springfield (Missouri) Public Schools, told EBN.
- McKenna was recently at the forefront of a system-wide restructuring of the school system’s leadership team, and shared some lessons learned with EBN.
Dive Insight:
“We tried not to differentiate, and we wanted one voice,” McKenna said. “We started talking about the ‘why’ for the change, and working with the communications department, were able to create a clear message from the executive level down.”
McKenna advises that employers get that elusive workforce pulse by by just asking, "How do you prefer to be communicated with?" It’s also really important to understand the climate and culture of your organization.
“What’s helping or hindering your engagement? Once you know that, build your communication around those issues,” says McKenna. For example, if employees don’t feel they’re a part of the company's communication processes, employers need to tackle that head on, he says.
He suggests thinking about things like blogs or town hall forums that can help specifically address gaps in culture or engagement. “Those I think are keys to helping organizations communicate the right way and ultimately engage," McKenna adds.
