Employee Sessions!

Certain HR processes are periodic and predictable in their occurrence, e.g. - Training Need Identification, different steps of Performance process, etc.

Is there a need to communicate with employees when such predictable processes are underway?

I would contend yes! Even if there is no new message to provide or skill to develop, still there is a need to reinforce key message or make employees update their skills.

How do we communicate with employees when such predictable processes are underway? 

We could use low-context mechanisms, e.g.- mailers, emails.  While mailers can reach large populations at one go, it doesn´t guarantee participation or interest.  In fact, as a process owner you would not even know how many people read the mailers.

We could use high-context mechanisms, e.g. employee sessions/town halls/nukkad nataks (street plays). In these mechanisms, you would know participation rates and you can get a sense of what´s staying with the audience.

But, how do we know whether these employee sessions have worked or not?

I think there are a few things that need to be looked at:

·         What is targeted message for sessions? Were these delivered during session?

·         Who was target audience? What was participation rate of targeted audience?

·         Who should be delivering session? I think a joint business-HR facilitation for employee sessions on HR processes leaves a powerful message.   I have experienced such facilitation a number of times, and always it seems to drive involvement and powerful conversations within room.

·         By end of session, did audience understand & internalize the action items for them?

·         Were these actions actually worked upon post session? When it comes to behaviors, it´s not easy but also not impossible to measure.  We may not even have metrics but indicators (even qualitative) might do.

An effective employee session does a good job in all elements of pre- session communication, session design, choice of facilitator, facilitation skills, post session closure, and processes/interactions to support actioning at work place.

Does this sound similar to a training workshop design? Yes, it does in terms of process. Intent of employees sessions is awareness, understanding, learning, and committing to actions.

But I experienced designing and executing these sessions as being different from doing same for a training workshop. Have not been able to place my finger yet on what´s the difference though!

What´s been your experience with Employee Sessions? How would you figure out whether these sessions have worked or not?

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Sourav