Stop Replying to All - Break Bread Instead

The number one method of internal communications is email, yet face-to-face is far more effective at informing and inspiring staff. Regular luncheons are a surprisingly doable way to combine the benefits of both.

Game-changing insight can come from any level of staff, yet fitting personal interaction into an executive's schedule is challenging. The larger the staff, the more impossible comprehensive face-to-face becomes. Providence Health, a multiple hospital system in Columbia, South Carolina, found a solution with monthly, free Team Talks luncheons for staff on each campus.

The hardest part of communication is getting people to participate. Free lunch goes a long way for that opt-in.

The routine is easy. Employees arrive at noon, choose from a table of to-go items from a local franchise, and take a seat at one of the tables. At each seat is two items: a ticket for a small prize drawing at the end and a piece of paper to write a anonymous question. A fish bowl is passed for the questions.

Standing at the front, leadership talks to the staff about business or personal news until the bowl arrives. Then they go through the questions and answer them to the best of their ability. No questions are skipped, and all are typed and circulated after the meeting among the executives so that the entire O team can see what is important to staff.

Before the end, HR and IT present key updates, and marketing and community relations announce upcoming events. Each Team Talk garners about 50 employees, from all levels of staff, who then provide updates to their co-workers who couldn't attend.

Why Email isn't enough

The advantages of email for internal communications are clear: a single, editable typing session; a written permanent record; and a broad instant outreach. Yet, if the goal is to have an open, honest dialogue, those strengths can be a hindrance. Words that are typed are not always read. A traceable script may prevent people from being critical. Broad accessibility can lead to overuse.

"While email is at the center of much of the top-down and employee-to-employee messaging, the volume of messages sent threatens to undermine its effectiveness," says a Ragan white paper on the subject.

Adding more face-to-face can reduce that volume while addressing other email weaknesses, too, such as lack of tone or energy and skipped over content.

It's harder to tune out face-to-face spoken words than it is to click an "x".

The biggest challenge with face-to-face is coordinating the interactions. Yet, planning regular group events with consistent logistics requires far less time than a weekly e-newsletter.

Why an open door isn't enough

Harvard Business Review recently wrote that many CEO's believe they are more approachable than they are:

Consider the phrase “My door is always open.” ... It contains a number of assumptions. First, people should meet you on your territory, rather than the other way around. Second, you have the luxury of a door. Third, you can choose when to close or open it.

Staff luncheons are held on neutral territory, in which everyone has the same ability to open or close the door.

A regular schedule of Talks helps to avoid heat-of-the-moment confrontations, too. Employees intimidated by the O door require a build up of emotion to move past it. This build up should not dictate when a discussion takes place. Knowing that a concern can be addressed openly may help frustrated staff pocket concerns for a scheduled Talk. Ideally, they'll empty those pockets before they get too weighted using the luncheon forum, too.

Why Ate is enough*

One of the biggest challenges for internal communications is getting people to participate. Free lunch is strong enticement for attendance, and the fish bowl's anonymity helps people speak honestly. The live reading of questions holds executives accountable for follow through. The result is an off-the-record, live human, breathing dialogue on issues that matter to the employees. The big picture result is a staff that feels empowered and trusts their leaders.

Of course, there is a cost involved, but companies also lose time and money on superfluous emails, uninformed staff, and undiscovered issues. And though difficult to quantify, there is a morale profit gained when staff feels empowered and connected to leadership.

Work with local eateries interested in branching out their services to reduce the cost and foster local support.

Email's strengths will continue to fill inboxes, but its weaknesses must be recognized and compensated for. Free Q&A luncheons are a simple and effective way to fill those gaps in digital internal talk.

*I'm taking a risk here that executives and upper management remember this show. If not, shame on me for not knowing my audience.