REBA’s Inside Track: the good, the bad and the ugly

As in any crisis, there have been those organisations that have truly excelled in their approach to employee communications, while others certainly have room for improvement.

What has really struck me over the past weeks are the communications that have come from leaders. Often these have been heartfelt, empathetic and have been more transparent and honest than more or less anything else we have seen before.

There have been a couple of messages from CEOs that have really struck me as being authentic. One such message came from Brian Chesky, CEO and co-founder of Airbnb in his 5 May announcement to employees.

As we all know, the travel industry has been hit incredibly hard by coronavirus, and Airbnb is no exception. In his message, Chesky explains that the company needs to reduce its workforce by around 25%, but more importantly, he explains how this decision was arrived at, what it is going to do for those leaving, and what will happen next.

And to his credit, he does exactly as he says. He is clear and concise, and ensures there is no ambiguity in his messaging. By being open with everyone – those who are staying and leaving – he is helping to reassure people and also stay true to the business’s purpose and values.

I have no doubt that Airbnb will still be here in a decade’s time.

James Watt, captain at BrewDog, is another leader who has been very open in his communications, even admitting: “At that moment in time, despite trying and failing miserably to put a brave face on it, I simply did not think we were going to make it through.”

Yet, having survived through the worst of lockdown, he writes: “Whilst we have battled our way through the teeth of the storm, we still face considerable challenges and uncertainties.”

Much like Chesky, he too explains that he doesn’t have all of the answers, and sadly redundancies will have to be made. Again he explains why this decision has been taken, how those leaving will be supported and the next steps. But he also thanks those who have worked tirelessly to keep the business going, recognising those that have gone above and beyond.

These two examples offer great insight into the power of authentic communications. If a leader does not have all of the answers, they should say so. It is far better than staying silent.

At REBA we regularly run articles that advocate the need for senior leadership backing to drive a culture of wellbeing, recognition and engagement. Yet it is communication that underpins these critical workplace elements.

Our latest snap shot survey of employer responses to coronavirus revealed that the volume of communications and the way they are being delivered has changed dramatically since the beginning of lockdown.

Nearly three quarters of the employers surveyed have increased their usage of social media apps, such as Slack, while even more have been making use of online classes (85.9%), team activities (90.8%) and company-wide communications (96.7%), such as radio shows and CEO videos, to help colleagues stay in touch.

The impact of these extra communications has been critical to maintaining contact with employees during this time, keeping them updated on how the organisation is weathering the storm and plans for returning to work. They have also been key to keeping up morale and reassuring employees during this anxious time.

If there is one lesson from coronavirus it is the power of communication and connection. And I for one hope that this is the start of an era of greater openness from senior leaders and management.

The future of the workplace is a key theme for this year’s Employee Wellbeing Congress. Covid-19 caused the world to stop and take stock, and has forced employers to find new ways to engage, motivate and protect the wellbeing of employees. Now we need to navigate the path from surviving to thriving in this new world order. This means employers have an opportunity to re-imagine the potential and possibility of a new future, a world of work driven by collective purpose and wellbeing.

Join us every Wednesday between 9 and 30 September 2020 for the chance to reimagine the potential and possibility of a new future, a world of work driven by collective purpose and wellbeing.

The author is Dawn Lewis, content editor at REBA.