Initiating Communication

• Human resource departments should facilitate an open-door policy that allows employees to speak with them about a personal or business need knowing the information will remain confidential. Human resource personnel must remain objective when hearing information as distrust can build between employees and the human resource department. Human resource departments must have availability for employees to have individual meetings so time-sensitive issues can be discussed and resolved as they occur. Company or department meetings might be necessary to communicate company changes that staff must be informed of at the same time.
  
  

Effective Listening

• Effective listening is a skill used to comprehend what the other person is saying and making him feel at ease because he knows you are listening. Human resource departments must be aware of their non-verbal communication, which can convey to the speaker a lack of interest or judgment. Posture, facial expressions and non-spoken sounds should be a factor when speaking with an employee. Avoid interrupting and judging the speaker as the employee might feel harassed and become defensive. Some employees might even feel they have a potential lawsuit if they feel judged based on the content of what they are discussing. For example, if a employee is accusing her boss of sexual harassment and feels the human resources department is not treating the situation delicately (rolling eyes, interrupting speaker, frowning), the employee might feel she lacked the support of the HR department and use that as further defense in her case.
  
  

Responding

• Clarify and summarize what the speaker has said to ensure you understood him correctly. Since you are handling the employee's personal files and issues, what is discussed can come back in a legal proceeding. Write everything that was discussed, and if possible, have the employee sign and date the document to finalize what was said and heard.
  
  

Honesty

• If the HR department is privy to information that can lower the morale of employees, it is best to be as honest as possible with the employees. If employees feel they are being lied to or the information is being sugar-coated, they might become defensive. If the HR department tackles the issue as quickly as possible, it can gain the respect and credibility from the employees.
  
  

Means of Communication

• Some content should not be sent by email to employees. Human resources personnel can verbally tell employees something in a meeting that should be written for the employees to review, sign and date. Consider the legal ramifications as well as the objective of the information conveyed to determine the most appropriate way of issuing the information to your employees. For example, a new policy of no longer smoking in a certain area of the building is something that can be sent by email or written. Discussing sexual harassment or offensive language in a certain department should be discussed verbally so employees can discuss the matter and gain clarity on the subject.