Effective in‐company communications — a case study

The generally accepted theory today is that a company with a well‐informed workforce can reap many benefits including: greater understanding, and acceptance of, management decisions, responsiveness to change, increased flexibility, co‐operation (instead of obedience), improved consultation, and a sense of shared responsibility. All this will result in increased efficiency and productivity. To some, these may be just fine words, but it is clear that within an organisation the performance of people can make the difference between success and failure. A number of successful companies claim that a policy of good employee communications is one of the main factors contributing to their success. It is a fact that failures of communication can be extremely costly and many large businesses throughout the country are now adopting a more positive attitude to getting their systems of communications right. Certainly, within British Aerospace, a commitment to good employee communications forms an essential part of the management strategy and, at a number of factories around the country, priority is being given to the introduction of internal communication programmes designed to suit the individual circumstances of the particular site.