WASHINGTON - By their own admission, few U.S. multinationals are doing a good job when it comes to communicating with their employees and business units around the world, according to research by Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a global human capital consulting firm.
In its 2005/2006 Communication ROI Study(TM), Watson Wyatt found that fewer than half of U.S. companies with global operations said they are doing an effective job with their global communication. According to the study, only three out of 10 global companies have designated communication resources in other countries, and even fewer (18 percent) have a formal, documented global communication strategy. About 60 percent of the 335 companies surveyed have global operations, and relatively few have taken steps to communicate with their global workforce.
ìWith more companies becoming global, the challenges of communicating effectively with workers have become much more complex,î said Robert Wesselkamper, director of international consulting at Watson Wyatt. ìTo be truly global, employees throughout the world need to feel like they are part of the companyís overall strategy. Making sure all employees receive the same information is crucial to that effort.î
One of the studyís other key findings for global employers is that less than 20 percent customize their corporate communication messages for workers in other countries. Instead, many companies rely on their local managers to interpret and deliver messages, with little communication training or support.
ìOne way for organizations to make sure their messages are heard in all offices is to integrate the global communication programs into the companyís overall communication strategy,î said Kathryn Yates, global director of communication consulting at Watson Wyatt. ìCompanies may also want to consider forming a global advisory group to identify and voice local needs, customize the message and make sure local managers are up to speed.î
Copies of Watson Wyattís 2005/2006 Communication ROI Study, Effective Communication: A Leading Indicator of Financial Performance, are available at
Few Multinationals Have Effective Global Communication Programs, Watson Wyatt Study Finds
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