Thinking about how we communicate with our people, apart from the general conversations we have, there is the corporate briefing, team buzz, one to one, coaching session and ad hoc meetings.
Then of course, there are the home-spun posters, wallboards and pictures we create in order to brighten the place up and reinforce key messages. Often not quite so controlled, and here the message can sometimes work against its intent. Here’s an example:
The HR Director was very clear. “Here”, he said, “we absolutely respect our people. We treat them like the adults that they are, and talk to them as adults. We know these people come to us with life skills and experience, so we want them to feel like the equals that they are. Respect is one of our core Values”.
As we spoke, we entered a huge training room. I think my jaw actually dropped!
Along one wall, probably 10 metres in length, was a giant mural. Disney-esque cartoon pictures of whales, with bubbles coming from their blow-holes containing the core Values of the business, mixed with other sea creatures, embodying some of the expected behaviours of staff. It looked as if it had been produced for a kindergarten.
I wondered how, as an adult employee, I might feel with this as an example of how the business demonstrated “treating employees with respect, as adults”.
Creative zeal is always a great talent to have in the business. However, it’s always best to take a moment to evaluate if the media and style truly fits with the intended message. If not, the hard work that’s put into the visual appeal might be working against the message…
The Values Blog 