Survey: Poor Communication

Impacts Morale

New Haven — Employees and their managers agree on one thing: A lack of open, honest communication takes a heavy toll on morale. Fifty-two percent of executives and 30 percent of workers gave this response when surveyed recently about factors that negatively affect the workplace mood.

Failing to recognize employee achievements was the second most common answer in both groups.

The surveys were developed by OfficeTeam, a staffing service specializing in administrative professionals. The polls were conducted by an independent research firm among two groups: 150 executives with the nation’s 1,000 largest companies, and 571 men and women, all 18 years of age or older and employed.

“Consistently sharing good, and bad, news with staff members builds an atmosphere of trust and can forestall potential miscommunication on business issues,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam. “People often fear the worst when they have limited information.”

Informal rewards also influence the mood in the office, she added. “Unsung heroes become another firm’s rising stars if their work is repeatedly overlooked. Rewards do not have to be monetary as long as they demonstrate to teams and individuals that their contributions are valued.”

But money does not hurt, according to employees surveyed. Cash compensation and extra time off ranked second and third, respectively, among workers.