Here's some recent survey information from a firm called Workplus.Com. They asked 86 Human Resource managers and 450 company employees about communication using in-house websites or Intranets. What they found is a significant discrepancy between what the employees wanted and what the Human Resource Managers were posting. Here are some examples.
Only 44% of the Human Resource Managers were posting company news, but 61% of the employees said that was something they wanted.
They also wanted a suggestion box, at least 64% of them did, but less than 30% of the Human Resource Managers had one of those put up.
56% of the employees wanted benefits information and 51% were looking for job applications. Too bad, cause only around 40% of the Human Resource Managers were willing to post those things up.
So, what are the reasons that the HR Managers give for not putting up the information that employees want?
46% said that the technology isn't in place, and 32% said that the employees didn't ask for it.
Some other reasons were: Cost too high (21%); type of workforce (whatever that means, anyway it was 20%); and no business need (17%).
WALLY's COMMENT · I call this "let them eat cake" approach to management. We hear a lot these days about how the old "command and control" school of management and leadership is dying away. Well, it looks kind of robust and healthy to me.
That's what this is really about, control. Sure, folks want a suggestion box, but I'm not going to give it to them because I don't think they need it. Sure, folks say they'd like information on benefits, but I'm not sure I can trust them to read it. I guess I won't give it to them.
One of the reasons we know this is a control issue is that the reasons given for not putting these things up are generally spurious. Technology isn't in place? Really?
Mostly we're talking about converting documents to HTML and having servers that will make this stuff available.
How about "employees didn't ask for it?ä Usually when you probe behind that one what you get is that not enough employees ask often and often enough to make me think it was easier for me to give them what they want than just to make a decision. Fact is, it's usually easier to say "noä than it is to listen.
And costs too high? If we're talking about things like posting company news and benefits information, you're generally losing money by not posting that stuff on the internal net. Every time that somebody's got to call up the HR Department and have somebody else read to them out of a manual or make multiple phone calls trying to find information that could be on a website, you're pouring money down a hole of executive arrogance.
Created: 11/15/99
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