"Town Hall" Meetings Good For Employee Morale
Many issues or problems occurring in the workplace can be resolved through better communications. Errors in the handling of customer orders or service are often due to some sort of breakdown in communication. And, in employee attitude surveys, communication from management is almost always ranked low by employees. The problem is, that most of us feel that we are good communicators - it is the other guy who didn't get the message right.
Employees often are not part of the decision making process. But many workplace decisions made by management have a direct effect on rank and file employees. When employees feel "in the know", they have a greater satisfaction level about the workplace.
While advising clients on human resources matters recently, the topic of conducting an employee meeting to resolve the question at hand came up on several occasions. In one instance, for example, employees had some concerns about pay and benefits issues.
While exploring alternative responses to the matter, I learned that the business owner had never had a group meeting with his workers. He acknowledged that he was very uncomfortable with the prospect of answering questions from a group of employees.
At another firm, however, the Company President conducts quarterly employee meetings, called town hall meetings. At this firm, the town hall meetings are an important aspect of the owner's management style, to be accessible and responsive to employee concerns.
Years ago, as a human resources manager, it was my job to periodically conduct employee communications meetings. While I was admittedly a bit scared for the first such meeting, I soon developed a flair for conducting responsive and effective meetings, a skill which is tested from time to time in my consulting practice. I'd like to share some thoughts on conducing an effective employee meeting. Hopefully, these thoughts will encourage business owners to conduct their own town hall meetings from time to time.
A town hall meeting can be used to give information and/or to get information. You can schedule and conduct a meeting with a specific purpose in mind. For example, a meeting can be used to announce a new benefit, or describe a new policy, or clarify an issue of concern. Consider two or more meetings if it is not possible to assemble all employees into one session.
In prosperous times, the town hall meeting can be used to promote employee awareness of new sales or marketing plans, new customers, new products or services, or sales goals or milestones. A group meeting helps to build a better team spirit in an organization.
In lean times, the town hall meeting can be used to communicate cost cutting plans or to describe organizational efforts to weather the storm. No bonus or smaller raises this year? A group meeting on the topic helps to eliminate the uncertainty of no information, and it conveys a message that we're all in this together.
A town hall meeting can be used as a medium for employee training or to convey the organization's commitment to prevent sexual harassment or to respond to concerns about drug or alcohol abuse. Also, a town hall meeting can be a way for the firm to comply with government regulations which encourage or require employee training in certain areas.
A portion of your town hall meeting can also have an open agenda. In this phase of the meeting, employees are encouraged to ask questions of the management team. My advice to the meeting leader is to answer questions as openly an honestly as possible. Indicate that private or confidential matters will be discussed one - on - one, and not before the group. You do not have to make a policy decision in front of the group just because a question was raised; rather, indicate that the issue will be evaluated and employees will be advised on the matter at a later date.
And finally, if you don't know, say so. Then, be sure to check it out and report back. The key is this: use the meeting a way to become aware of employee concerns and then be certain to respond to issues raised in the meeting.
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About the Author . . .
. . . William S. Hubbartt is president of Hubbartt & Associates, a St. Charles, Illinois consulting firm specializing in employee compensation, employee handbooks, personnel policies and supervisory training. (www.Hubbartt.com) Mr. Hubbartt is author of The New Battle Over Workplace Privacy published by AMACOM Books.
