Every smart business relies on the open, free exchange of business-critical communication throughout the organization — from their front-line workers to their top-floor management and everyone in between. It’s important that information like customer complaints and insights or employee problems and solutions, ‘bubble up’ to decision-makers who can course-correct and make adjustments to the business.
Without the tips and observations of employees at all levels, the company’s decision-makers are deciding things without an accurate view of the landscape. And in a modern business climate where tiny errors can have outsized consequences, this lack of insights and information is exposing you (and your shareholders) to an untold number of potentially unpleasant surprises.
In fact, the author of a recent article on the subject lays it out even more bluntly, telling business leaders that “you can’t succeed without input, feedback and discussions from your employees.”
Do you need to create an atmosphere of trust?
Your people are your eyes and ears within an organization. Yet a lot of people are afraid or uncomfortable speaking up in public forums like meetings — especially if management creates an environment where speaking up is either discouraged or even punished.
When employees don’t feel comfortable sharing their observations, don’t think managers care about their opinions or issues, or are afraid to tell their superiors the hard truth about unpleasant situations or developments, they’re going to keep their heads down and their mouths shut. And you’re not going to get the early warning you need.
There are a myriad of reasons why people keep problems from their superiors, but you don’t have to resort to having an off-site meeting with “trust falls” or other team-building exercises to encourage shy employees to be more communicative.
All you really need to do is implement a company-wide, judgement- and consequence-free policy in which everyone’s issues and observations matter. Once you make it clear that people are expected to raise potential issues that they see, you can get past the whole shyness problem and hierarchy fear with an Enterprise Social Network.
How to bypass ‘trust issues’ entirely with tibbr.
The key to getting an open, free exchange of business-critical communication throughout an organization is to give everyone an equal “share of voice.” That is, giving people a level platform to voice their concerns where everyone, even top management, can see it.
As an Enterprise Social Network, tibbr side-steps many hierarchical limitations on communication because anyone within the company — whether gregarious or introverted; powerful or powerless — can point out potential problems in an online, public (or semi-public) space opening up even minor issues for discussion.
Remember, issues that are identified early are easier — and less costly — to deal with now rather than later when they have ballooned into full-blown problems.
See how tibbr can help your employees start building the future of your business today — get a free trial of tibbr now.
