How Can We Enhance Our Office's Informal Communication? Share Your Ideas!

Hi Friends,

I am setting up an Informal Communication System in the office as an HR initiative. Please pour in your individual gems to contribute.

I am considering:
1. Suggestion Box.
2. Employee Redressal Forum.
3. Weekly Cross-Functional Teams Meeting.
4. A Whiteboard for Ideas.

Please, can you add something more constructive? I would be so grateful.

Rohan Kelkar.

Hi Rohan,

I think, apart from the ones you mentioned which are truly good and helpful, you can also have some monthly picnics and get-togethers. I have noticed that most of the time, people come out with their problems and suggestions in these picnics/get-togethers. We can have lots of information communication and resolve any employee problems that may arise.

Regards,
Julie

Hi Rohan,

As nowadays emails are often used, hence use this system to create an idea email ID and encourage employees to submit suggestions/ideas. The best ideas will be recognized in monthly meetings. Additionally, we can consider monthly birthday celebrations in the cafeteria, on-the-spot recognition and rewards for outstanding work (WOW), notice boards, and the intranet.

Thank you,
Kamal

Dear Rohan,

You have suggested and thought about some very good schemes to engage your workforce and release their pent-up feelings.

Let me first tell you that once you set up something, it becomes formal. So, informal communication, as the name suggests, exists in the organization in addition to the formal channels (official channel). You simply cannot set it up and suggest the same to your Management as an HR initiative. It is a basic concept in MIS, and you will be committing a conceptual error.

Every scheme, whatever name you call it, is good as long as it reduces grievances, increases transparency, and instills a sense of belonging, thereby increasing morale and productivity. They will all fall under the formal system as you, as an HR professional, are devising it and officially communicating it to everyone.

On the other hand, the basic plus point of the informal system is to feel the pulse, sense the tide, and access the mood of the workforce. The informal system will remain and should never be tried to make formal. Please increase your filtering capacity (Filtering of information received from the Grapevine), which will increase your success rate as an HR professional and acceptance and confidence among your superiors.

Let me give you an example. Suppose your company comes out with a scheme "Rate your Departmental Heads," and a form is designed and distributed among all employees.

OR

Again, just think, you tap the seniors in your organization and go in for an informal chat over a cup of tea individually to find out about the HOD.

Now, which will give you the correct and more realistic information and picture?

The answer itself will help you with your initiative and direction.

Kind Regards,

SC