HR Strategy

Building effective communicators

An understanding of interpersonal communication may help companies develop successful work relationships

By Barbara Bowes

Poor interpersonal communication accounts for most problems in the workplace between employees and their colleagues and employees and their managers. It’s a serious issue that negatively impacts employee morale, and in the end, results in the deterioration of teamwork and overall productivity. It creates an environment of insidious and unhealthy conflict that drives away good employees and creates a poisonous work atmosphere that destroys employee self-esteem and self-confidence. Finally, it creates a culture of negativity that will only drive down profitability and challenge a company’s potential for success.

Creating conflict

Poor interpersonal communication comes in two bundles. The most obvious is the negative, crude and rude remarks that show disrespect and demean others. It is found in employees who believe using foul language will bolster their personal power. On the other hand, some employees and leaders encourage an environment of conflict between departments within their workplace, which results in a communication style that is set in an “us versus them” mentality.

Still, others consider themselves excellent communicators only to intentionally use language that avoids accountability. They “beat around the bush,” shift the issues and never really explain what problems need to be discussed, what solutions are viable or what their role may be to create or resolve any problems. Then again, there are organizational leaders who encourage an environment of “continual niceness” where problem resolution is avoided at all costs because they personally cannot deal with conflict.

Survival of the fittest

If Canadian companies want to survive in this global competitive world, then strong, positive interpersonal communication must be the backbone and foundation of all organizational communication. It is a company’s responsibility to set the tone, create an appropriate environment and build a supportive culture. This can be accomplished through a number of human resources management strategies.

First and foremost, a company must define the kind of corporate culture it wishes to build and identify the strategies that need to be in place to reach its goal. This leads to an understanding of the most effective work styles for an organization and enables management to source and select candidates with the right fit.

Once employees have been recruited, they need to attend an orientation program where they are exposed to their employer’s corporate code of ethics as well as the company’s expectations for positive interpersonal communication.

Overcoming barriers

Companies need to consider that employees are “raw material” and possess skills and abilities that can be molded into an effective interpersonal communication style that suits and builds upon an organization’s culture. The goal is to institutionalize positive interpersonal skills within an organization’s work environment. This is accomplished through a series of dedicated skills training programs. As an experienced human resource management consultant, some of the programs most valuable in establishing, reinforcing and maintaining effective interpersonal communication in the workplace include the following topic areas:

Communication and organization culture — This program is used to help employees identify their own communication style, how style is closely related to occupational interests and how to best use their strengths to interact with their colleagues.

Communicating in a diverse environment — Today, companies represent a diverse population. Employers should teach employees to communicate in a cross-cultural environment. This includes understanding different ethnic cultures (and their respective philosophies), religion and beliefs and the impact these have on communication style.

Gender-free communication — Women have entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers and represent many levels within an organization. Yet at the same time, many of these women continue to use a communication style that only serves to challenge their ability to succeed. A program such as this would recognize and explore the differences in communication between men and women and also help employees improve their relationships.

Communicating respect in the workplace — Respect, in this context, includes developing a respect for the privacy of fellow employees for their personal and physical space and personal belongings. It also includes identifying both obvious and aggressive bullying as well as the subtle behaviours that lead to a poisonous workplace.

Communicating with assertiveness — Employees need to be assertive and confident in how they communicate their views. They must be able to say no, ask for what they need and communicate this in a clear, constructive and positive way. These assertiveness skills must be learned and practiced.

Communication for effective conflict management — Most people dislike and avoid dealing with conflict. Yet at the same time, companies can’t afford to allow differences of opinion or ways of doing things to get in the way of success. Training employees on a problem solving and conflict management model that outlines the process acceptable to the company will greatly improve communication and results.

Positive and powerful interpersonal communication skills are a key ingredient in overall corporate success and sustainability. It is not simply the responsibility of employees to individually improve their communication skills — corporations must take the lead as well.

This article originally appeared in the November 2008 issue of CMA Magazine

Barbara J. Bowes, FCHRP, CMC
Barbara Bowes is President of Legacy Bowes Group. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Legacy Bowes Group 301-161 Portage Avenue E. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2L6

p: 204.957.5525 f: 204.957.5834 e: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Can you replace them?

Companies need a succession plan, just like people need a will

HAVE you ever been in a room full of friends, colleagues or family where you were confronted by the question: "Do you have a personal will?"

What was your answer? If you replied no, then why not? Although you've probably experienced a lot of discomfort, remember, you aren't immortal and you aren't bulletproof. Let's face it, things happen.

Things happen in the business world too. And guess what? Just like many individuals without a personal will, many companies often haven't prepared themselves very well, either. In fact, a 1996 study of human resource professionals found that only 40 per cent of firms had any kind of "corporate will" or succession plan that enabled them to deal with the unexpected departure of a key executive. More than 60 per cent failed to have any kind of succession planning process. On the Canadian scene, a recent study of 1,000 small and medium-size entrepreneurial businesses by BDO Dunwoody and COMPASS Research indicated only 44 per cent had an exit strategy and only 24 per cent had selected a successor.

Find out if it is right for you

Are you well suited for telecommuting or teleworking?

By Barbara Bowes

If you have any kind of lengthy drive to work or are just getting fed up and stressed out by all the traffic, I'll bet the sharply increasing cost of gasoline has you pulling your hair out. On the other hand, you might also be experiencing other work-life balance issues, such managing all the family demands for children's summer activities, vacation scheduling or elder-care obligations. All of this leads to big-time stress.

It may also leave you thinking that maybe telecommuting is the answer. After all, many companies and organizations are concerned about fast-rising gas prices too, so maybe telecommuting could provide an opportunity to reduce costs for both you and your employer.

10 Things a CMA Must Know about HR

By Barbara Bowes

In spite of the growth of the human resource profession, the fact still remains that a large number of CMA members are charged with the responsibility for the people side of the business. And while you may be exceptional at all of the accounting functions, leading and managing human resources may not only be your least favourite task, it can be troublesome to say the least. Transactional activities such as payroll, benefits, calculating vacation and sick leave are typically not a problem. It’s all those interpersonal issues such as team conflict, absenteeism, rewards and recognition and even employee termination. And then again, organizational structures and systems must be put into place to manage all of these HR complexities. Finally, in the midst of all the accounting responsibilities, CMA leaders must take time to stay current with the latest trends in labour and employment law, workplace health and safety regulations.

It’s well known and you’ve probably experienced the fact that people problems can quickly overwhelm a business. At the same time, you need to keep in mind that the government doesn’t care if you are big or small when you violate the law. Violation of employment laws can carry heavy financial penalties regardless of whether you have 1, 10, 30 or 100 employees. And with the potential of high profile publicity of these workplace issues, who needs this kind of hassle? You get the hint; managing your human resources the old fashioned way; “by the seat of the pants” just won’t work any more. Errors in human resource management will cost as much as any production error. For instance, when was the last time you calculated lost time for absent or injured employees? What about metrics for reduced productivity, poor customer service, poor team relations, lost sales and revenues and the potential for costly legal fees? Take time to set some metrics for your firm and then make certain you aren’t heading toward some of the more common HR mistakes inexperienced leaders make. To prevent such problems, here are 10 things you must know about HR:

Biotechnology

Biotechnology. Yes, this is a fast growing field of great opportunities for employment in the future. But biotechnology is also beginning to impact the workplace in quite an unexpected way. As a matter of fact, biotechnology is turning out to be quite a controversial area in the human resource field.

One of the key areas of conflict is the recruitment and selection of new employees. For instance, a growing number of employers are demanding that potential employees provide a DNA sample as part of their recruitment process. Now, why would the employer want a DNA sample? What do you think?

Well, you may not be aware, but it cost a company a lot of money to have employees, sometimes, up to 80% of all corporate expenses. These costs include not just salary but also the company portion of employee benefits, namely vacation, short-term and long-term insurance for illness, drug plans, chiropractic and massage services. And these costs are becoming so burdensome that companies are aggressively looking for ways to reduce them.