What We Do

Human Resources Policies and Programs

The key to communicating HR policies and programs — including ethics compliance, workplace safety or conflict resolution — is showing how they operate in the world. Training sessions where people take part in role-playing as well as webcast Q&A sessions are ways of making your policies and programs real for employees. In addition, we can help you prepare your line managers, who often play a key role in communicating, monitoring and enforcing HR policies and programs, for this role.

The Bottom Line on Line Managers

The Line Starts HereLine managers aren’t just individuals in middle management. In its broadest sense, a line manager is anyone who manages people. They can be executives, supervisors or shop stewards. All of these individuals play an important role in engaging, guiding and directing employees to support your company’s objectives. So when you’re designing your communications strategy, don’t forget this important constituent.

Get Their Point of ViewManagers have a challenging role. First, they must understand a company’s objectives on a strategic level. Then, they must help employees translate this strategy into attitudes, behaviors and actions that support the company’s direction. Through this process, managers have a unique opportunity to observe what works, and what doesn’t work, because they live it, each and every day. So, be sure to invite line managers to share their observations and to be part of shaping the communications process.

Share Lessons LearnedIn any organization, there are often two ways to do the work. There are the official, textbook procedures, and then there are the actual procedures departments use to get the job done. In the process of engaging line managers and soliciting their input, see if they have any lessons learned they’d like to share. Too often innovative, smart solutions remain under the radar, isolated to a single team, when some of these procedures might become best practices for your organization.

Offer Tools and SupportDon’t expect line managers to “wing it” when it comes to sharing strategic messages. Give them the proper tools and support (talking points, FAQs, fact sheets) for conveying critical information to employees. And be sure to provide them advance notice prior to any critical organizational change. That way, they won’t be blind-sided by employee questions should any information leaks occur.

Tap Into TalentEvery organization has some line managers who are born communicators. They have a knack for taking company-speak and translating it into meaningful, relevant and credible messages for employees. Have your local HR professional help you identify these important individuals so you can enlist them in your communications effort. They’re likely to have a valuable perspective — and practical ideas — on what to say to employees and how to say it.

Train for SuccessSome people are promoted into manager positions by virtue of their technical expertise, rather than their talent at managing people. As a result, they must develop an entirely new set of skills while on the job. Individuals struggling with this transition can go from being top individual contributors to marginal line managers. Providing management training for newly appointed managers will help position these individuals for success in their new role.