As a manager in city or county government, you're busy. Sometimes so busy that you can overlook the army of talented people on your side that can help you sparkle in those hectic and crazy times. 

Too many managers never get acquainted with their employees; perhaps the most misunderstood, underutilized, and underappreciated "public" you deal with. They're often too busy dealing with other executives, poring over paperwork, or putting out fires to realize what a potent asset their staff members can be. But it's well worth reminding yourself that it's your employees, not you, who actually deliver the services on which your performance is judged. 

If you find yourself asking questions like: Can we really trust them with vital information about the organization? They're never going to understand the reasons behind management decisions anyway, right? If information is power, why give it away? Or, who has the time? Then perhaps it is time to consider an employee communication program, a structured effort to facilitate the moment of information through the organization upward, downward, and laterally. The five benefits of having an employee communication program in your organization include:

1. You create a climate for open dialogue that stimulates new and different ideas and encourages candid criticism without fear of retribution.
2. You inform employees about the organization so that they might better understand its mission and its leaders.
3. You motivate employees to come to work every day, to provide high-quality service, and to give a top performance on the job.
4. You make it easier for people to accept unpopular decisions because the reasons have been given to them.
5. You instill feelings of pride, confidence, and commitment in employees because they are trusted with key information and authorized to make decisions affecting their jobs.

The manager who is able to foster such a program can expect the results to include greater job satisfaction, less absenteeism, better quality, and higher productivity from their employees.

Have you put forth sincere efforts to nurture communication with your staff? If so, please share your experiences in the comments section below!

Information in this blog post had been adapted from the ICMA publication: Effective Communication - A Local Government Guide.