September 30, 2004
Why one-size-fits-all doesn’t fit in employee communication
At first glance, the latest fashion trends have nothing to do with employee communication. After all, most communicators’ idea of “fashion-forward” is a sweater set and chinos, and the only time we’ve had to deal with clothing issues in our work has been drafting messages about Business Casual (“Cut-offs are inappropriate . . .”)
That’s why it may seem strange when I suggest that if you understand an important fashion phenomenon, it will help you communicate more effectively. It’s not about pencil skirts or ponchos (though both are in fashion this fall), it’s about something bigger and more pervasive: personal choice.
The Wall Street Journal reported on this trend on September 8 (“As Consumers Mix and Match, Fashion Industry Starts to Fray”), but it’s actually been occurring for several years in the stores, which is where fashion really takes place. What’s happening is that rather than buying an entire look or “outfit”—top, skirt or pants, jacket—from one designer or clothing maker, women are cherry-picking the items they like best, then mixing them with other disparate pieces from their existing wardrobe or from other designers. (The trend extends to men, too, but they’re much less of an economic force in fashion.)
How does this relate to employee communication? The Journal’s reporter Teri Agins draws a connection: “The effect on fashion is similar to what’s happening whenever technology has zapped the authority of cultural arbiters. Consumers’ newfound freedom to customize their lives—from burning their own music CDs to publishing political commentary online—is throwing basic business models of many businesses into disarray.”
Keep following the thread and you’ll see how employee communication is connected. Employees, like all consumers, have gotten used to controlling the experience—to making news (personalized portals), entertainment (iPod), and fashion their own. Yet many communicators are still providing only one size when it comes to internal communication, the equivalent of saying that the only shirts available are black, short-sleeved, size 10.
This lack of choice is evident in the channels companies use to communicate (an over-reliance on electronic vehicles), in communication content (which is most often top-down and packaged), and in how rarely companies practice what I call communication engagement (the opportunity for employees to personalize, ask questions or make comments).
What should we as communicators do about the one-size-fits-all problem? I have ideas, which I’d be delighted to share with you next week, but first I’d like to hear your thoughts about the premise (or other related topics). Agree, disagree, or have a completely different perspective? Here’s your chance to share your view.
Posted by Alison Davis at 10:42 AM | Comments (10)