It's good to talk

Have you ever thought about the power of effective communication within your school or trust? Communication is about more than everyday exchanges and can be a powerful tool in understanding – and crucially engaging with – your employees. 

Communication enables the sharing of targets and goals, keeps staff informed and aligned about changes within the school or Trust, notifies them of upcoming events, and allows for the sharing of good news. 

When communication is effective, it boosts employee morale, engagement, productivity, and satisfaction. It promotes better team collaboration and cooperation, ensures alignment with Trust goals, fosters a positive work environment, helps avoid confusion and misunderstandings, and keeps employees motivated and engaged. 

So, how do we make employee communication effective? Communication should be concise and to the point, consistent so all employees receive the same message, transparent with open and honest information, relevant to the audience, timely so everyone gets the message at the same time, and rational, explaining why something is happening. 

But encouraging two-way communication is essential for a healthy workplace. Regular staff surveys can gather feedback and gauge employee sentiment. These surveys should be anonymous to encourage honesty and should cover various aspects of the workplace. Having employee representatives from different departments and sites ensures that all voices are heard. These representatives can bring forward concerns and suggestions from their colleagues. Regular forums can provide a space for open discussion. These forums should be structured to allow for both management updates and employee feedback. Additionally, showing employees that their opinions are valued by actively listening to their concerns and suggestions is crucial. This can be done through one-on-one meetings, suggestion boxes, or digital platforms where employees can share their thoughts. 

Mechanisms for listening to employees include encouraging an open-door policy where employees feel comfortable approaching management with their concerns and ideas. Establishing multiple channels for feedback, such as email, internal messaging systems, or dedicated feedback forms, is also important. Regular check-ins between managers and their teams to discuss progress, challenges, and any feedback can help maintain open lines of communication. Organising focus groups to dive deeper into specific issues or topics can provide detailed insights and suggestions for improvement. Lastly, using tools that allow employees to provide anonymous feedback ensures they can speak freely without fear of repercussions. 

By implementing these strategies, schools and Trusts can foster a culture of open communication and continuous improvement.   

If you’re looking for support in developing a more effective communication strategy in your school or Trust, or if you have a particular issue that you need help with that relates to employee communication, please talk to us.