News: Performance Management
Communication skills training 'critical' during credit crunch
21 October 2008
Communication skills training is needed in a large proportion of organisations where such skills' link to performance management and "employee engagement" is not fully appreciated, it has been suggested.
According to global consulting firm the Hay Group, ongoing economic uncertainty makes adequate communication skills vital so that employees know what bosses' reward strategies are.
"Employers can leverage a variety of financial and non-financial rewards to engage employees during tough times when budgets are tight, but communicating and reinforcing those messages is critical," remarked Rich Sperling, a senior consultant with the group.
In its latest analysis of where managers worldwide stand on communication's link to performance, just a third of firms were found to have confidence that their reward strategy is relayed effectively to employees.
However 80 per cent of respondents admitted they believe communication has a significant impact on an organisation's performance and retention levels, as well as employee satisfaction and engagement.
An evident need for appraisal skills training and the involvement of line managers in company-wide communications were further pertinent conclusions reached by the group's researchers.
The latest Ken Blanchard Companies corporate issues survey of executives, line managers and human resources leaders also found the development of communication skills to be a training priority for a large proportion of bosses, with leadership skills also ranking high on their list of performance management aims.
