COMMUNICATION: THE “OTHER” COMPENSATION
As noted in our previous article, employee expectations of their workplace are shifting in the post-Covid world, and employers that want to stay ahead need to be proactive. Current research supports this—In a recent poll by The Balance Careers, 6 of the top 7 “must-haves” mentioned by employees fall into the “communication” category. A Forbes Workplace poll conducted in 2020 listed “improving internal communications” as a top item among Millennial employees, and multiple sources list a culture of continual feedback among workforce expectations. With such emphasis being put on communication by today’s employees, smart employers are seizing the opportunity to build their recruiting platform as they differentiate themselves and position their company as forward-thinking and tuned-in.
BEYOND THE ANNUAL REVIEW
In the past, the linchpin of employer-employee communications was often the annual review. While some companies got more out of the practice by implementing quarterly check-ins, even there it still left employees feeling disconnected. A good annual review is the bare minimum today—the launchpad, and not the destination. In our post-COVID-19 world, business leaders face unprecedented challenges as they seek to engage and retain top talent. While the pandemic has affected every business to a varying degree, one very common aspect is that COVID-19 has been a significant disruptor to everyday communications.
In a recent article by Dynamic Signal, the author links the improvement of workplace communication to tangible benefits (as in, better bottom line) as well as intangible ones (as in, a better work culture), and in the emerging work environment hiring managers are now tasked with managing, intangible benefits are starting to outweigh the tangible. “Effective communication leads to a healthier work culture and satisfied employees who deliver their best level of work and stick around longer,” the article points out, two major goals for any hiring manager.
BETTER COMMUNICATION IS WITHIN REACH AND ESSENTIAL FOR ATTRACTING AND RETAINING YOUNGER EMPLOYEES
Improving communication may seem like a daunting task if your company hasn’t evolved with the times, but it is often accomplished in a series of small but impactful steps. For instance, communications strategist Trade Press Services notes a survey finding that 85% of employees say they’re more motivated when management offers regular updates on company news. Simply providing workers with a higher level of awareness of company goals and challenges, in partnership with a clear definition of how their role fits within those goals, leads to a more motivated and engaged workforce.
And as hiring managers begin targeting younger workers, communication rises even higher in the priority order. Today’s workforce is looking for open and frequent communication, a working model that combines recognition of great work with opportunities for mentoring and development. Employees will respond to this culture with trust and loyalty, and as we emerge from Covid 19 they are already beginning to migrate from companies that don’t understand this into those that “get it”. After surveying more than 1,000 full time workers representing 18 different career areas including the service industry, GoveExec found that workers aged 34 and under consider better communication a more desirable benefit than traditional perks.
MORE VALUABLE THAN ANYONE REALIZES
In the 2021 career guide published by Indeed, their editorial team noted 10 benefits of effective communication. Beyond just improving employee engagement and workplace culture, they uncovered links to improved productivity, increased innovation and improved client relations all stemming from a workplace culture of strong communication. This message is relevant even within the construction industry. Tech company iSqFt, a provider of information to the commercial construction industry, directly links effective communication tactics to better construction management, vital to the successful completion of any construction project. When a company culture is anchored by strong communication, not only will workers feel more connected, but it will also make them better at their jobs.
And as the “war for talent” continues to build within the construction market, hiring managers must capitalize on opportunities for differentiation that are within reach and easily implemented. High on that list is an improved and more effective employer-employee communication strategy. Workers that feel disengaged report higher levels of job dissatisfaction, and COVID-19 did nothing to improve that situation. Good communication keeps employees safe, ensures information is in the right hands at critical moments within projects, increases stakeholder buy-in, promotes understanding across teams and creates a more loyal workforce.
SIMPLY PUT, IT’S WHAT HIGH VALUE CANDIDATES ARE LOOKING FOR. GIVE IT TO THEM.
In their recent article Top Ideas About What Employees Want From Their Workplace, The Balance Careers listed 7 components of a great work environment. 6 of those components are directly tied to communication. The top 3, “Demonstrating Respect”, “Providing Feedback” and “Showing Appreciation” are easy to implement and make an immediate improvement in how employees react to their workplaces. As noted earlier, this feedback must go beyond the format of the annual review to become part of a culture of continual communication. For some companies, this requires a shift away from old-fashioned business practices and towards a more inclusive and transparent corporate culture. This shift may seem challenging at first, but the rewards outweigh the costs as teams become more collaborative, employees more productive and mistakes become fewer and easier to mitigate.
It’s also an obvious skillset for one of the most valuable assets of a great construction team: the Project Manager. The Project Management Institute’s Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge lists that between 75-90% of a PM’s time at work is spent communicating. According to the study, “Communications is a core competency that, when properly executed, connects every member of a project team to a common set of strategies, goals, and actions. Unless these components are effectively shared by project leads and understood by stakeholders, project outcomes are jeopardized, and budgets incur unnecessary risk.” With communication skills so essential to just this one role on the team, it stands to reason that the best project managers will gravitate towards, and remain loyal to, companies that prize good communication. For this reason alone, it is a corporate value worth elevating as companies seek to hire and retain the best employees.
CLT CAN HELP YOU BUILD A CULTURE OF MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
At CLT Recruiters, we’re passionate about helping our clients rise above challenges to hire great team members and build a better and more communicative corporate culture. If you want to partner with someone who knows this industry and can have a meaningful conversation with you about your unique challenges and opportunities, we invite you to start the conversation today. We look forward to working with you!