Employers are no longer content with relying on surveys to learn whether communications programs are changing workers' behavior.
Top-performing employers apply performance metrics to their communication campaigns to monitor workers' engagement and the programs' impact on the bottom line, consulting firm Watson Wyatt notes.
Nearly half of companies routinely measure employee behavioral changes to gauge the effectiveness of internal communication strategies. The practice has increased almost 25% since a 2003-2004 study, Watson Wyatt reports. The data represent the responses of 264 companies employing 6.2 million workers around the world.
"Top-performing companies treat communication as a key business driver," says Kathryn Yates, global director of communication consulting at Watson Wyatt.
The study identifies the six communication practices of high-performing companies:
- Focusing managers and other employees on customer needs.
- Engaging employees in running the business.
- Helping managers communicate effectively.
- Leveraging the talents of internal communicators to manage change effectively.
- Measuring the impact of employee communication.
- Branding the employee experience.
The report suggests that employers that invest in communication typically earn higher financial returns. "Companies that communicate effectively with employees have an engaged workforce and superior financial results," Yates adds.
For instance, fewer than one in five respondents allow employees to weigh in on decisions that affect them. Yet, top financial performers are 10 times more likely to invite employee feedback, the study shows. The percentage of employers treating managers as a distinct and important audience for advance communication increased 7.5%, with the top financial performers 50% more likely than others to provide such information.
Figuring out financial value
"When we talk about measuring return on investment on employee communication programs, we are looking at to what extent communication affects employee behavior," explains Angela Sinickas, president of Sinickas Communication, a California-based consulting firm specializing in organizational communications.
"When you can measure behavior, then you can put a dollar value to it. There is no dollar value to improved knowledge or change in attitude until those things lead to a change in behavior," she says. Employers are asking more specific questions regarding benefits communication programs. Watson Wyatt also finds that more employers are taking action to increase employee enrollment in benefit programs.
Naturally, benefit choices have a financial impact not only on employees, but also on the employers. Companies are focusing on behavior to gauge the financial value of the results.
For example, Sinickas says some employers are studying their health plan communication program to figure out whether it was a factor in workers opting out of the plan and choosing to be covered under their spouse's medical plan instead.
Soft measures, such as raising awareness and creating a positive image, might not be enough in evaluating communication programs, says Julie Freeman, president of the International Association of Business Communicators, which focuses on external and internal corporate communications.
"The C-suite, which is mainly interested in numbers, is looking for how communication campaigns translate into action," whether it affects sales, customer satisfaction or employee retention, she adds.
Methods implemented by employers with effective communication programs include focus groups to obtain employee and manager feedback, and candid sessions about the company's business goals.
"Effective communication programs address the whole gamut of employers' relationships with employees and help engage and motivate workers," says Yates.
By gaining insight into what top-performing companies are doing, employers can reorient their communication programs, brand their employee experience and make a difference in their business results.
