Don’t underestimate the value of investing in employee communications. It is really important, if you are really serious about getting good people to do good work.
These are not my words, but those of Reading Buses CEO Martijn Gilbert, as he explains why the operator’s weekly newsletter is so vital.
He adds: “There is a step beyond; that is championing your people. One of the reasons we don’t have a driver shortage is because for every press release about a change of bus route, we’ll issue one saying we’ve got some new recruits, long service, people have run a marathon or been ‘star of the month’ and got fantastic feedback.
“We champion and promote in the community the good work of our employees, which paints the full true picture to the outside world that working for a bus company is a good job.
“It’s well paid, we have some very good people and it’s a good job you might want to consider. The positivity around our employees has in turn aided good quality applicants for jobs here.”
He adds: “The world is changing massively. The wants and needs of different generations of employees are changing and we have to look at our competitors in the wider marketplace.
“Who else could our employees they be working for, and how do they communicate to their employees? People want to be valued and not treated like ‘mushrooms’.”
I couldn’t put it better myself.
