Misleading Communication and Sudden Policy Changes: the Risk It Poses to Employees' Future The key to creating motivated and engaged employees lies in avoiding noodle communication at all costs.

Communication with employees often lapses into what I call Noodle Communication Confusion. Like the unpredictable shape of noodles, employee communication at times can resemble the noodle and can be convoluted and challenging to navigate for employees. Here is an example –

"Dear Employees,

We want to express our heartfelt appreciation to each and every one of you. You are just not employees but are the most important asset for our company in whom we have invested for over a decade.

Your dedication, commitment, and hard work have played a pivotal role in establishing our company as the industry leader and the No. 1 brand. We are pleased to share the exciting news that we have declared the highest-ever dividend for all our shareholders. This accomplishment is a testament to the exceptional work done by each member of our team.

I also wish to share that in response to the current uncertain macro environment, we have made some adjustments to our company policies. These include delays in appraisals by at least some time and delay of a few months in the joining of new employees. Furthermore, we will be implementing a performance-based exit strategy for some of our workforce. This decision aligns with our belief in recognizing and rewarding performance. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we navigate through this tough period together.

Lastly, I would like to extend my warmest wishes to you for a joyous Diwali! With the grace of God, may we continue to grow and thrive, surpassing the achievements of the past."

Yours forever

CEO

Mars is Closer

The actual message to employees through such noodle communication is – go figure! No wonder employees are not engaged enough in the present times. As per Gallup's 2022 State of the Global Workplace Report, the world is closer to colonizing Mars than it is to fixing the world's broken workplaces! Engagement levels have reached their lowest levels since 2015. Is noodle communication one of the contributing factors to this state of affairs? I fear the answer is Yes.

Broken workplaces are also the result of companies adopting a noodle communication strategy to hide real intent and they fail each time. But the issue of noodle communication can also stem from a lack of clarity within the company itself.

Here is what you need to do to avoid the trap of noodle communication:

As per a market study, the global employee communication software market size is expected to witness significant growth, reaching a projected value of US$1.78 billion by 2027, compared to US$816 million in 2021. While it is good to invest in the latest technology but the software is not a replacement for clarity in communication. This comes from asking what is the purpose of the communication. What do you want to achieve out of this communication? Once you have the answer to such questions the communication will automatically become clear. So having clarity in what needs to be communicated is absolutely essential to avoid noodle communication.

Again, it is best to avoid multiple objectives in a single message. This leads to confusion in the minds of the employees. Like the letter above. The message in all communication including employee communication should be succinct and to the point. One should avoid going round and round like noodles and stop trying to sugar-coat bad news.

Consistent communication is essential for maintaining transparency and aligning all stakeholders within the organization. It is important to utilize various channels and platforms, ranging from town hall meetings to informal coffee sessions with the CEO to ensure that employees are well-informed. For listed companies, it is crucial to communicate separately with employees regarding quarterly performance and future plans. This communication should clearly establish the implications for both the company and its employees, enabling everyone to understand direction and goals. Also, it is imperative to ensure that external communication with stakeholders, such as the media and investors, is synchronized with internal employee communication. In the age of the internet, this is a sure-shot way of shooting yourself in the foot.

A 2018 Harvard study that collected data on 60,000 CEO hours revealed that CEOs spend 16 percent of their time on organization and culture. However, I strongly believe that a significant portion, at least one-third, of a CEO's time should be dedicated to communication and interaction with employees. The study further said that face-to-face interaction is the best way for CEOs to exercise influence and learn what is truly happening within the organization. I cannot agree more and CEOs should keep a hawk eye on what is happening on the frontlines where the maximum innovation and maximum employee motivation could happen.

The key to creating motivated and engaged employees lies in avoiding noodle communication at all costs. For the CEO and the senior leadership, the challenge is whether they will be able to smoothen the noodle for the employee to not only hear but listen and imbibe what the organisation expects from him and what the organisation can actually enable for him. The alternative is confusion, frustration and lack of trust among employees – a recipe for organisational disaster. For the leader, it's okay not to have all the answers but it is not okay to indulge in noodle communication to employees.