It’s a long haul if you’re not feeling the love. Studies show that disengagement begins after the first six months on a job. After the six-month mark only a little over half (52%) of employees are still engaged. What’s a leader to do? According to our employee engagement study, employees need and value clear communications about what their companies are doing and the decisions that are being made, all of which strengthens their feelings of engagement.

Over half of employees surveyed (58%) say they have received communications from senior leadership within three months that they felt were inspiring, and if they have, they are far more likely to feel engaged. The majority of employees give high marks for leadership communications being believable (87%) and relevant (80%). 

Hello, communicators? There’s an opportunity here. People are listening, so your leaders need to be clear about what they are saying and how they are saying it. Stick to key messages. Don’t overload people with details that don’t apply to their work or contribution to the larger organization.

At Brilliant Ink, we help client leaders drill down to the important points and then provide recommendations for reaching employees with powerful communications. A single approach won’t work for every leader, so try different techniques. 

Can you give your newsletter a boost with a survey or a contest related to a corporate change? Does a same-day video interview from an event help to communicate your company’s message? By thinking not only about what your leader wants to say, but how your audience can connect with the details, you can learn if your message is being heard and may also unearth some interesting feedback.

As a communicator you have the power to help your leadership make an immediate and lasting impact on new employees. So, spread the love with frequent and concise messages about your company. Communicate often; connect the dots to company strategy, and individual and department contributions. Your employees will be thankful and feel engaged, and your leaders can continue to build upon this foundation of a happy relationship.

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