Internal Communications
Three cheers for the pointless survey
11 Nov 2009 | Brian Amble
You may not have noticed, but another casualty of the recession has been the utterly pointless workplace survey. When times were good, not a week would pass without a press release plugging things like 'the twelve most bizarre excuses for being late for work'. Not any more.
Tough times call for tough leadership
12 Dec 2008 | Bob Selden
When they're confronted by a downturn, business leaders all tend to take the same short-term, top-down approaches. But in the longer term, they don't work. So how about taking some really tough decisions - like asking the people who work for you what they would do to get out of this mess?
UK companies lack the gift of the gab
26 Oct 2006 | Brian Amble
Organisations in the UK are missing out on valuable ideas, reducing their profitability and increasing employee turnover simply because they don't talk to and listen to their staff enough.
Manages ignoring the people who matter
18 Sep 2006 | Brian Amble
How much expertise in your organisation is being wasted simply because managers can't be bothered – or are too arrogant – to speak to the people who work at the coalface?
Firms take satisfaction surveys seriously
08 Mar 2006 | Nic Paton
Employee satisfaction surveys have evolved from being something of a touchy-feely add-on to a key tool for businesses. But are they making best use of the information they collect?
Listening, the key to employee commitment
24 Feb 2006 | Bennet Simonton
All any of us wants at work is for someone to listen to us. But all too often, people with suggestions are viewed as troublemakers or complainers. So how can managers – or any of us – learn to be better listeners?
U.S. firms ignoring global communication
31 Jan 2006 | Brian Amble
Few U.S. multinationals are doing a good job when it comes to communicating with their employees around the world, with only three out of 10 global firms even having designated communication resources in other countries.
Adaptability, consistency, focus and engagement the key to success
26 Jan 2006 | Nic Paton
A workplace that values adaptability, consistency, a clear direction and employee involvement is more likely to deliver better returns, sales growth, productivity and shareholder value.
Honesty: more than truth or lies
21 Dec 2005 | Brian Amble
Looking for a simple resolution for the New Year? How about 'honesty'. Because according to a new book, honesty issues have a significant impact on virtually every workplace – and true honesty equates to simple, straightforward communication.
You can't beat face-to-face communication
02 Nov 2005 | Brian Amble
Despite the rise of emails and intranets, employers still value face-to-face communication the most when it comes to keeping staff up-to-date, according to a British survey.
Employers realising its good to talk
27 Oct 2005 | Nic Paton
New European laws are changing the way employers are communicating with their workers, and creating a culture of greater openness and information a new study has concluded.
Ground down by corporate jargon
30 Sep 2005 | Nic Paton
British workers are bombarded by corporate jargon and 'communications initiatives', yet complain they are none the wiser about what is really going on or whether what they are doing is making any difference.
Big brother breaks down trust
26 Sep 2005 | Brian Amble
Writing in the Guardian on Saturday, Ian Wylie argued that the bonds of trust between employers and their staff in British and American workplaces are being broken down by the insidious rise of surveillance and by employers who 'are free to invade our privacy at will'.
Favouring the first born
19 Sep 2005 | Nick Hood
The first employees recruited by small firms tend to climb the corporate ladder faster than those who join later. But favouring the 'first born' is fraught with peril, according to those who have seen the results.
Family-friendly legislation 'hitting business'
12 Sep 2005 | Brian Amble
A quarter of firms in Britain have complained that family-friendly employment laws are having a negative effect on their business as managers spend a growing amount of time dealing with requests for flexible working.
Appraisals on the increase
24 Aug 2005 | Brian Amble
Growing numbers of employees can expect to have their work assessed more frequently than in the past. While annual appraisals are still the norm, over a third of now carry out six-monthly reviews, a new survey has found.
Appraisals missing the mark
17 Aug 2005 | Brian Amble
Employers still believe that employee appraisals can deliver tangible benefits to company and individual performance. But the gap between aims and delivery is considerable.
Employers awash with tribunal claims
20 Jun 2005 | Nic Paton
One employer in four has faced an employment tribunal claim in the past two years after disciplining an employee, with one in five facing a claim after an employee grievance, latest research has suggested.
Employees feel unable to report harassment at work
20 Jun 2005 | Brian Amble
Misconduct, harassment and unethical activity remain rife in may organisations because a significant proportion of employees feel unable to report or challenge unacceptable behaviour.
Loyalty is a two way street
05 Jun 2005 | Brian Amble
Dishonesty and anti-social behaviour in the workplace have become 'rife', according to a new report. But loyalty is a two way street: employers who show their staff little loyalty can expect less in return.