HR Professional - August/September 2008 - (Page 31)

ON ME S SAGE BY DR. SANDRA FOLK THE ROAD TO IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY W ‘‘ ith the advent of e-mail, managing employee communications is a significant challenge. Workers must accomplish more in less time, and communication skills are suffering as a result. While some consider a poorly written or hastily composed message to be a minor issue, these oversights lead to a big drain on resources. According to the U.S. National Committee on Writing, poor writing costs companies US$3.1 billion annually, mostly from follow-up inquiries from confused recipients. According to Canadian research, approximately one in three employees struggle with basic writing skills, thus affecting productivity. E-mail creates as many problems as beneﬁts. Its immediacy is a wonderful productivity booster, because people get fast answers to their inquiries or approvals. However, bad writing E-mail creates as many problems as benefits. Its immediacy is a wonderful productivity booster, but bad writing habits are being perpetuated by e-mail users in the interest of expediency. habits are being perpetuated by e-mail users in the interest of expediency. Adopting a more formal approach to written communication practices and policies ensures staff works efﬁciently and accurately. Taking time to review communications may seem counterproductive but dramatically reduces the need for follow-up and ensures a job is done right the ﬁrst time. Tools for improving communication to boost productivity: • Be discerning about which communications medium to use. In particular, don’t rely on e-mail for everything. Distinguish between when it is appropriate to use an e-mail, written memo, the phone or an in-person meeting. In some cases, the latter would be a much more expedient way to convey an important message, especially when it is an issue that could generate ongoing debate. • Read and review all written communication carefully before distribution. It takes more time to clarify a hastily worded message than a message that was properly communicated in the ﬁrst place. • Consider your audience, particularly with e-mail. The inclination to hit the “reply to all” or “forward” button is a tempting shortcut for people in a rush to complete a job. But each time that happens, someone else must read messages that are irrelevant to them. • Be concise and to the point. Ensure headers and subject lines are pertinent. Also, keep wording in the body of a communiqué as succinct as possible. • Develop guidelines for word and phrase usage. This improves the quality of the messaging and provides a clear framework for employees. Proper communication is suffering for the sake of expediency, which has an insidious effect on productivity. The best way the ﬁx the problem is training employees to communicate better and more efﬁciently. ’’ Dr. Sandra Folk (sandrafolk@sympatico.ca) is founder and director of Sandra Folk Educational Consultants. w w w. HRT houghtLeader. c om A u g u s t / S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 8 31 http://www.HRThoughtLeader.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - August/September 2008

HR Professional - August/September 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters Upfront Legal Compensation Human Capital The New Frontier On Message Strategy HR 101 Interview with Annette Veschuren Talent Management Training Work/Life Balance Off the Shelf The Last Word

HR Professional - August/September 2008

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