GE Capital Engaging employees: Using internal communications to drive success

Transcription

1 GE Capital Engaging employees: Using internal communications to drive success viewpoint

2 GE Capital Today s workforce is more distributed than ever. It s no longer unusual for organizations to position employees around the region, country or globe in order to serve new markets and be closer to their customers and partners. Thanks to advanced communication technology, distances between workers are all but eliminated, and far-flung team members can collaborate and brainstorm at will. But regardless of where they work or what their position is, employees still need information, resources and access to executives as well as each other in order to be successful and satisfied in their jobs. What s more, they need to understand how their work impacts the overall success of the company. Successful employee communication provides the connection between company and employee that keeps people engaged. At GE, we define employee communication as connecting employees to the information and people that will help them perform their best, be successful and drive desired outcomes, says Becky Edwards, director of Employee Communication at GE. In order to achieve successful employee communication at GE, we have developed a portfolio of strategies that has evolved over the years as our workforce and the world around it has evolved. And we ve empowered our leaders with the understanding and tools they need to make successful employee communication a reality. Communicate to promote, engage At GE, we realize that internal communication is as important as our communication with the world around us. To emphasize this, we ve structured our employee communication plans with some specific goals in mind. The first is to promote the cultural concepts of our company; to simply and effectively tell the stories of our citizenship and philanthropic efforts, as well as our internal development initiatives. Employee communication can be an indispensable tool when viewpoint 2

3 Being a leader at GE means having the skills you need to effectively communicate and motivate your team. You can help them succeed by sharing knowledge and understanding their perspectives. Communication can help pave the way for you and your team to reach your goals together. Gary Sheffer, Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs, GE teams are dealing with emotional situations such as during the integration period after a merger or crisis management following a natural disaster and can also be used to mobilize employees for volunteerism. Another goal of GE s internal communication is to encourage employee engagement. This is achieved through a variety of methods; by developing affinity connections among employees, creating a sense of fulfillment for employees by helping them understand their impact on the company s success and reinforcing the GE brand. Take the example of GE Works, an externally facing campaign designed to define what GE does. Four verbs moving, curing, powering and building sum up GE s vast enterprises for the outside world, but also remind employees why they come to work each day. The message of the campaign is used internally to galvanize the workforce, and help us deliver on our brand promise by keeping us focused. On the lighter side, GE has also learned the benefits of communicating by promoting fun with a purpose bringing together employees for a common cause, and having fun while doing so. For example, in order to energize employees around our Ecomagination campaign designed to demonstrate GE s commitment to sustainability and economic growth we sponsored the Ecomagination Line Dance contest. Teams around the globe took videos of employees doing the line dance and submitted them for a chance to win a trip to the 2012 Olympics. While the dance contest was intended to be a fun event for employees, it had the added benefit of reminding workers of the message behind the Ecomagination campaign. Get the message across With clear goals identified, the success of internal communication programs then relies upon some key principles. GE has found that employee communication initiatives succeed when they: Fit with the organization s overall approach Regardless of a company s size, location or industry, the message is best received when it matches the organization s style. For example, 10 years ago internal communication at GE typically started at the top and cascaded down the leadership hierarchy. Today, because the leadership style has changed and new digital media have flattened out the chain of communication (think Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and the like), we realize different channels have a greater impact. In many cases we haven t given up on tried-and-true approaches, such as in-person town meetings, but we now augment those channels with new modes of communicating. Take advantage of existing communication channels Organizations that understand how employees prefer to communicate and which networks they rely on most can insert internal conversations and content into those existing connections. By leveraging established networks, companies are likely to find that employees are more open and receptive to the message. Are delivered by the right messenger Internal communication can range in importance, scope and impact; it s essential that the right person deliver the message. For example, while GE has found that employees largely prefer to hear company communication from their direct leaders, messages that significantly impact employees are often best delivered by the top executives, then reviewed and broken down by immediate supervisors. Are well understood by the messenger The people in an organization who are responsible for delivering employee communication should have an in-depth understanding of the message, its impact and consequences, and be prepared to answer questions. Are tailored to the recipient Different types of employees be they office-based professionals, field technicians, or assembly-line workers are likely to have communication preferences, as are employees based in different geographical regions. Employee engagement will be greater if organizations can identify these preferences and tailor communication to them. Help tell the story In addition to developing comprehensive internal communication strategies, there are some related resources that GE has found help employees get the most out of these efforts. Digital campaigns and programs have helped us effectively communicate our messages. Through channels such as internal portals, social networking, leadership blogs, virtual town-hall meetings and others, viewpoint 3

4 we ve learned we can create textured, multifaceted communication programs for maximum impact and employee engagement. Experimenting with these channels, managing them effectively and measuring their impact allows us to use them wisely. One example is GE s COLAB, an internal digital platform for collaboration that includes microblogging, social networking, file sharing, apps and more, which gives employees a central place to engage in communication. Another resource GE has developed to aid employee communication is a set of social media guidelines. As we encourage employees to engage with executives and each other through digital outlets, it s also important that we make clear what our company policies and best practices are regarding social media so that employees can interact safely and effectively. Effective employee communication can generate impressive results. At GE, we ve found that our efforts to inform and engage employees have led to: Greater transparency, as employees get to know and better understand leadership through the communication that our leaders initiate A better understanding among employees of how their success impacts the organization, which in turn increases engagement levels and leads to higher productivity and job satisfaction Increased focus on our goals and priorities as they are emphasized internally through employee communication Conclusion Our employee communication efforts are constantly growing and changing to stay in sync with the world around us, and to reach our employees in new and different ways. However, our goals remain the same to promote the values and culture of our company, and to continuously strive to keep employees engaged. With clear goals in mind, GE is able to experiment with new ways of communicating to add texture to our messages. For companies of all sizes and across industries, employee communication is a powerful tool to inspire, connect and motivate. It s important that the fundamentals of effective employee communication are worked out and processes are put in place to make sure these strategies are continuously refined and updated. Once that framework exists, companies can turn their attention to honing the context of their message. Employee communication essentials Successful internal communication can have a significant impact on worker engagement levels, which in turn boosts productivity, achievement and job satisfaction. Key to creating successful communication programs at any company are the following elements: Defined goals of what employee communication should convey Approaches to internal communication that fit with the company s style and culture Use of communication channels that employees are most comfortable with Tailored messages that suit the different audiences within a company Selection of the right messenger to deliver different types of communication and making sure the messenger has a deep understanding of what is being conveyed viewpoint 4

5 GE Capital is an extension of GE s rich heritage of building and supporting growth. Investing in the sectors we know best, we can provide more than just financing: We bring insight, knowledge and expertise to every loan. And as a result, businesses that finance with GE Capital benefit from the global know-how and expertise of GE. gecapital.com 2012 General Electric Capital Corporation. All rights reserved. This publication provides general information and should not be used or taken as business, financial, tax, accounting, legal or other advice. It has been prepared without regard to the circumstances and objectives of anyone who may review it; therefore, you should not rely on this publication in place of expert advice or the exercise of your independent judgment. The views expressed in this publication reflect those of the authors and contributors and not necessarily the views of General Electric Capital Corporation or any of its affiliates (together, GE ). GE does not guarantee that the information contained in this publication is reliable, accurate, complete or current, and GE assumes no responsibility to update or amend the publication. GE makes no representation or warranties of any kind whatsoever regarding the contents of this publication, and accepts no liability of any kind for any loss or harm arising from the use of the information contained in this publication. GE, General Electric Company, General Electric, General Electric Capital Corporation, the GE Logo, and various other marks and logos used in this publication are registered trademarks, trade names and service marks of General Electric Company. You may not use, reproduce, or redistribute this publication, any part of this publication, or any trademark or trade name without the written permission of GE. Engaging employees: Using internal communication to drive success viewpoint 5