Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Know Your Employees
What Demographics Can Reveal About Employees
What You Can Learn from Demographics
Four Key Demographics to Explore
Use Focus Groups to Explore Needs and Preferences
Guidelines for Conducting Focus Groups
Checklist for Knowing Your Employees
Chapter 2: Treat Your Employees Like Customers
How to Sell Employees on the Value of Working for Your Company
How Marketers Begin: By Knowing Their Customers
Four Ways to Treat Your Employees Like Customers
Checklist for Treating Your Employees as Customers
Chapter 3: Plan and Manage Communication
Start Each Communication Project by Asking Great Questions
Use the Answers to These Questions to Establish a Goal and Objectives
What’s the Difference Between a Goal and an Objective?
Questioning Helps Identify Personal Agendas, Too
Manage HR Communication Projects Effectively
Create Award-Winning Communications and Communication Plans
Describe Your Communication Project Succinctly
Establish an Appropriate Budget
And When There Is No Money . . . Sigh
Checklist to Manage Your Communication Project Effectively
“Go Hollywood” to Create a High Concept
Use the Inverted Pyramid to Organize Your Message
Leverage the 1-3-9-27 Formula to Structure Content
Checklist for Framing Your Message
Chapter 5: Write Simply and Clearly
Convey What Matters Most to Employees
Slice, Dice, and Chunk Content
Leverage Visuals to Help Employees Understand
Illustrate the Specific Point You Want to Make
Make Complex Concepts Simple Through Infographics
When You Don’t Have Money for Graphic Designers
Checklist for Leveraging Visuals
Chapter 7: Use the Right Tool for the Job
Review the Tools in Your Tool Kit
E-mail: Love It, Hate It, Need It
Summing Up: Put Every Tool to Work
Checklist for Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
Chapter 8: Make Meetings Meaningful—and Support Managers
Good Meetings Begin at the End
Set Participants’ Expectations
Create a Facilitation Approach
Checklist for Making Meetings Meaningful (and Helping Managers)
Chapter 9: Measure Effectiveness
Analyze and Report on the Results
Checklist for Measuring Communication Effectiveness
Part II: Communicating in Key Situations
“We Want Only the Best and Brightest”
Keys to Successful Recruiting Communications
Present a Clear Portrait of Your Company
Feature Your Employees Describing Their Jobs
Create Accurate Job Descriptions
Give Candidates a Thorough Overview of Company Benefits
Use the Right Tool in Recruiting Communication
Checklist for Recruiting Talent
Translate the Manager’s Role into Action
That Special Day: The Orientation Program
A New Format for Your Orientation Program
Checklist for Giving New Employees What They Need to Be Successful
Here’s What I Expect from You and What You Can Expect from Me
Here’s Your Friendly Handbook. Don’t Be Frightened. It Won’t Bite
Do Your Homework Before Producing Your Handbook
Organize Your Handbook in a Way That Makes Sense for Your Company and Your Employees
Desperately Seeking Information
Keep the Language Conversational—Please, No Legalese
Encourage Employees to Use the Handbook as a Resource
Communicate Life Events When Policies, Programs, and Benefits Intersect
Checklist for Making the Most of All That Your Company Offers
Understand What Employees Know and What They Need
Communicate Simply, Clearly, and Candidly
Use Tools for What They Do Best
Checklist for Helping Employees Understand Their Benefits So That They Know What to Do
Money Does Not Equal Motivation
Create Visuals to Simplify Complicated Information
Help Prepare Managers to Talk About Pay
Checklist for Getting Value from Your Substantial Investment in Compensation
Chapter 15: Performance Management
What Is Performance Management?
Connecting the Dots if Your Company Is Large
Does Everyone Understand Your Performance Management System?
What if Your System Is Complicated?
Checklist for Communicating Performance Management
Chapter 16: Saving for Retirement
Hey, Can We Get Some Help Over Here?
You’re Ready for Your Simple Four-Step Program!
How to Give Advice When You Can’t Give Advice
“Tell Me How You Got to Be So Rich”
When You’re Announcing a New Plan, Write Your Own Story
The Beauty and Art of Illustrations
Checklist for Helping Employees Achieve Their Financial Goals
Chapter 17: Leaving the Company
“You Say Good-bye, and I Say Hello”
“Let’s Focus on What Happens Next”