Companies aim more marketing at their employees
More than ever, companies are turning their marketing inward.
Armed with research that shows that effective internal communications can boost performance, corporations are devoting more time and money to disseminate key information to employees.
The goal is to make sure workers buy into the company's program and, just as importantly, jump-start positive word-of-mouth about its products and services.
But such efforts come against a backdrop of increased employee cynicism.
Internal campaigns are important, any management book or guru will tell you, but if you overdo it, you can turn off employees.
Indeed, most managers realize that they won't ever reach everyone.
One challenge for companies is figuring out the best ways to communicate with employees.
So in their quest for more effective communications, companies are going beyond newsletters, employee meetings and other traditional routes.
Research has shown that many employees want to hear key information from their immediate supervisors.
Consequently, some companies give supervisors "talking points" about new initiatives to ensure that they are delivering consistent, accurate messages.
