In 2020, communications earned its keep

Dear friends and colleagues:  

What a year! We’ve all had to absorb, react and adjust to a cavalcade of disruption from every direction. It’s been a lot – even for a firm like ours whose bread and butter is helping companies communicate change. Looking back on 2020, I think it’s fair to say that, whether the issue was helping employees stay safe from COVID-19, navigate new ways of working, or better understand inequities in the workplace, communications has never been more important – or more valued, though with a few unexpected twists.  

The “10 Golden Guidelines for Communicating Change” that I posted last year still ring true, but in the context of new, pandemic-driven questions about leadership and engagement: What motivates teams in a wholly (or partially) remote environment? Which communication vehicles are most effective when information is evolving so quickly? How can leaders be more credible and “authentic”? In a larger sense, how do you communicate change when everything is changing?

A survey of communicators that we conducted earlier this year showed that companies have been communicating much more frequently, with greater transparency, and they’re using a wider array of channels to get their messages out. Leaders have stepped up to the plate, by expanding their interactions with employees – and in far more personal and informal ways. Most importantly, these changes are likely here to stay. 

Why? Because they underscore a time-honored truth: Communicating effectively, especially during a period of change, still boils down to one thing: trust. And the adaptations communicators put in place this year have helped smooth some of the sharper edged cynicism among employees. Gallup has found that remote workers can be highly engaged – as much as, if not more than, their in-person colleagues – when their managers communicate and provide frequent feedback.

We’ve seen this play out with our own clients, who are increasingly interested in having us develop broad communication strategies as their organizations continue to transform – including training for their leaders at all levels to help them communicate more effectively. 

So we’re feeling optimistic about 2021. And I want to thank everyone who’s supported the firm as we round the turn into our third year of operation. Happy New Year!

Jack