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Executives can directly control turnover in their departments by evaluating their own leadership ability, according to a communications expert.
According to Florida State University study, many employees city their company managers and executives as the main reason for leaving a job, particularly if they are poor communicators.
Nearly 2 out of 5 mangers don’t keep their word and more than one-fourth bad-mouth employees to coworkers, according to the FSU study. Doing so affects employee morale, productivity and a company’s market value and reputation.
“Ineffective leadership communication – even lukewarm communication – creates an environment of distrust and costs companies their best employees,” says Debra Hamilton, president of Creative Communications & Training. “In contrast, honest and frequent communication throughout the organization is a key performance driver.”
Hamilton advises that managers should communicate vision, mission, and company strategy as well as business challenges and change initiatives to build a climate of trust through several methods:
- Face-to-face meetings
- Lunch forums
- E-mail briefings
- Newsletters
- Voice mail broadcasts
“When employees receive good information and constructive feedback, they feel valued. As a result, they become more loyal and productive,” she says. “Organizations that retain their best employees have an edge over their competition. Leaders have a primary role in this. They are the chief communicators in any organization.”
