Keeping Your Employees Informed
Make certain that each staff member has the information needed to get the job done. A significant challenge for you as a manager is to help each of your people obtain the information that he or she needs to get the job done. The information should satisfy at least three criteria: accuracy, interpretability, and timeliness.
Facilitating this process calls for empathy: You must be able to put yourself in the place of each of your people and help determine the information needs of each. Then, do whatever is reasonably possible to help meet these information needs.
Let your people know what is expected of them. Employees want to know about the job requirements, job standards, and policies and procedures. Tell them. Don’t keep them guessing. Through effective face-to-face communication, you should let your people know what is expected.
In addition, this oral communication should be supplemented by at least three forms of written communication: a job description, performance objectives (which should be developed with the employee), and the organization’s policies and procedures.