You are planning to announce a major change in your organisation but if you are considering launching a communication campaign based on sending out videos and newsletters, stop for a minute. Think about the unnecessary mistakes that occur when changes are announced internally and which unfortunately are repeated time and again. The CBS News server has given a brief summary of them.
Impersonal communication
This is the biggest mistake. Especially with unpopular changes you have to look your employees in the face and talk to them in person.
The CEO standing up in front of the employees
Many company CEOs, in good faith, stand up in front of their ordinary employees to tell them about a change. This is a mistake, for two reasons. Firstly it could just be seen as a symbolic gesture which will only make the employees even angrier than they are already. Secondly it will damage communication between the employees and their direct superiors.
Ignoring hierarchy
Other senior managers, also in good faith, announce changes by sitting managers next to ordinary employees. In so doing they are trying to demonstrate equality in the workplace. But in fact the same applies here as when the company CEO stands up and speaks. You damage the authority of the employees’ direct superiors.
Wise CEOs announce changes through managers who bear direct responsibility for the change being accepted positively by their subordinates.
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