Internal communications is an exciting topic to lecture on to undergraduate students, especially if one holds a background other than communications itself. Excitement lies in the process of discovering a ground on which interdisciplinarity can best be practiced and keep within it.
I thus consider myself lucky to have lectured on this topic while coming from a social anthropology background. I am still intrigued by the nexus of relations which can be traced and studied within internal communications.
What, however, can be even more fascinating is the possibility of communicating employee relations-as is internal communications also known- to the public: crossing the dividing line between internal and external communications. I find it fascinating as I hold a poor experience in witnessing this crossing of lines.It is one thing studying such practices, analysing them, reproducing or criticising theories and another one seeing things in action. And there is always the question: to what extent do companies really practice internal communication? to what extent are they really interested in their human capital and its advantage? Case studies come from all sides and point to remarkable differences in the ways internal communication works to employees' (and the companies') benefits.
Within this framework, I could not but stop in front of the wall which lies behing all checkouts of a big store. I felt captured by the note: employee of the month, under which came the photographs of employees and a few personal details. There was space left for additional photographs and the line was good at length. Lacking time, I could not ask for information about the company practices and the criteria on which they nominate the employee of the month. So, I can see these photographs as enclosing longer or shorter stories of selection, nomination,some kind of small celebration taking place or announcements to other members of staff, followed up by the idea of posting peoples' photographs on a particular board and for public display.
Photographs as epitomies of workplace relations can transmit many messages to employees and to customers alike so I shall not indulge in such a query. I am only eagerly expecting to see a new face taking its place on this board : one message after all is that there is space for everyone ....
I thus consider myself lucky to have lectured on this topic while coming from a social anthropology background. I am still intrigued by the nexus of relations which can be traced and studied within internal communications.
What, however, can be even more fascinating is the possibility of communicating employee relations-as is internal communications also known- to the public: crossing the dividing line between internal and external communications. I find it fascinating as I hold a poor experience in witnessing this crossing of lines.It is one thing studying such practices, analysing them, reproducing or criticising theories and another one seeing things in action. And there is always the question: to what extent do companies really practice internal communication? to what extent are they really interested in their human capital and its advantage? Case studies come from all sides and point to remarkable differences in the ways internal communication works to employees' (and the companies') benefits.
Within this framework, I could not but stop in front of the wall which lies behing all checkouts of a big store. I felt captured by the note: employee of the month, under which came the photographs of employees and a few personal details. There was space left for additional photographs and the line was good at length. Lacking time, I could not ask for information about the company practices and the criteria on which they nominate the employee of the month. So, I can see these photographs as enclosing longer or shorter stories of selection, nomination,some kind of small celebration taking place or announcements to other members of staff, followed up by the idea of posting peoples' photographs on a particular board and for public display.
Photographs as epitomies of workplace relations can transmit many messages to employees and to customers alike so I shall not indulge in such a query. I am only eagerly expecting to see a new face taking its place on this board : one message after all is that there is space for everyone ....
Effie,i never liked the idea of "employee of the month"..From a semiotic point of view,i always felt like those photos were animals heads from a safari..Meaning that companies take advantage of everyone's vanity,and with mysterious criteria,or even worse sometimes,with criteria of stupid uncle Ben's behaviors they made discriminations among their employees From that point of view i agree that there is true space for everyone...P.S. It is funny that as i was trying to translate the phrase "δουλικη συμπεριφορα" for the purposes of that comment,i came up with such feedback "Δέκα συμπεριφορές για επιτυχημένους εργαζόμενους"..You see what i mean?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the challenging comment! I can definitely imagine things happening backstage. I can see what you mean by introducing a suggestion: ten tips for successful employees. !!! I am fully aware of all kinds of discriminations and criteria being applied to this "employee of the month" practice. By the way: This board has been removed, as I noticed today, so I guess that either there is one more "head" to be posted or it is now withdrawn once and for all. I shall keep an eye to that.
DeleteCool..! I wish next time you visit this place,the employees are TRULY communicating with each other, and the board is replaced with Van Gogh paintings.. Filia
ReplyDelete