CASCADING COMMS

In Tribe’s research with non-desk employees, 60% said their direct supervisors are their preferred channel of communication. But not all managers are comfortable in that role, and some do it better than others.

If you rely on the classic cascade method to share communications with your frontline employees, make that job easier on your managers by equipping them with the information or tools they need to do it well. Online toolkits or printed materials can help managers communicate more successfully — and keep the messaging more consistent from manager to manager.

Here are five reasons to invest in cascading communications materials for your managers:

Increasing manager buy-in

The toolkit may be intended to educate employees, but when managers engage with those tools to communicate to their teams, they’re also learning about that topic. If, for instance, they’re using a toolkit to communicate the business reasons for some major change, managers may be more likely to understand and support that change themselves.

Making communication more likely

Most managers are not trained communicators, so we need to make communicating with their teams as easy as possible for them. Some topics may only need talking points and the FAQ, but others might require more. When managers have the tools they need and feel confident in their use, the likelihood is greater that they’ll actually share the message.

Promoting a consistent message

One complaint we heard from employees in the Tribe survey mentioned above is that each manager interprets the message through their own lens. That means employees in different parts of the company may receive a slightly different message.Communication toolkits help ensure a consistent message throughout the organization.

Adapting to different work settings

By offering some tools that work in stand-up situations and others that are more effective in sit-down meetings, you give managers the flexibility to communicate in different work environments. Meet managers where they are — literally — whether that’s a staff meeting in a conference room or a pre-shift huddle in a noisy warehouse.

Accommodating communication styles 

Some managers are comfortable speaking to a group, some prefer one-on-one meetings and still others would rather share a video, send an email or post a flyer. Provide a range of tools that work for different communication styles and you’ll increase the number of managers who will deliver those communications to their teams.