When managers communicate clearly and honestly, employees sense a growing trust that greatly enhances their motivation. Here are a few tips for facilitating conscious communications with your employees.

Communications best practices

• Listen to employees' opinions and concerns.
• Establish mechanisms for dialogue between managers and employees.
• Enlist managers as key communicators.
• Link all messages to strategic objectives.
• Repeat messages consistently through many different channels.
• Be proactive rather than reactive.
• Don't keep secrets, spring surprises, or make empty promises.

The ten commandments of communication

• Brevity
• Honesty
• Dependability
• Clarity
• Flair

• Openness
• Relevance
• Media savvy
• Respect
• Reliability

Tips for communicating through change

• Keep messages simple and heartfelt.
• Do your homework: know what employees are thinking and feeling.
• Speak to anxieties, confusion, anger, and distrust.
• Rid channels of junk mail so that important messages get through.
• Use all available means and technologies for communications (intranet, webcasts, video, bulletin boards, breakroom posters, etc.).