MANAGERS' COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT

Manager Interactions

Practical tips for improving interaction with your teams

Expectations of Managers

There’s a saying that “People join organizations and quit managers." As a manager, you are the most significant influencer of the employee experience within our business. We’re calling on you to use this influence to help us increase employee engagement, promote knowledge-sharing and development, and retain the best talent. This means:

Holding regular structured team meetings and cascading down key corporate messages
Holding regular one-to-one meetings and staying connected to your team members
Regularly reading global and regional email announcements and newsletters
Regularly checking global and regional SharePoint newsroom sites for important messages
Being a visible leader among your teams and in your local workplace
Incorporating fun and social connection into your team dynamic.

General tips:

Create the right environment.

Ensure engagement is two-way by creating a relaxed and safe environment that empowers all team members to contribute to conversations.

Set the foundations.

Have an agenda and issue it in advance or include within the meeting invite.
Regularly alternate who takes on certain responsibilities in meetings.
Agree on rules of engagement, such as encouraging that cameras be on in a virtual setting.

Start with a Zero Harm Moment.

Find a PowerPoint template with information on how to create a Zero Harm Moment on our brand resources page.

Build social connection.

Enhance connections with more informal engagement like regular team lunches, coffee and more.
Recognize milestone events like birthdays and work anniversaries.
Consider and recognize broader celebrations/activities like international/national days of action.

Discuss current and upcoming workload and deadlines.

Establish a consistent, accessible approach to checking in on workload (e.g. Teams, Planner, OneNote, shared list).

Cascade updates.

Be sure to read any local leadership emails and attend town halls to stay informed.
Regional Communications teams will always be happy to provide support in finding the latest news.
Keep updated with the latest global messages and share/discuss these as a team.

Create moments for recognition and lessons.

Call out the great work of members on your team.
Encourage others to participate in recognition or share learnings and lessons.

What to cover in your one-on-one meetings

Start with a general check-in.

Connect with each of your team members on a human level.
Establish rapport and get to know them on a more personal level.
Look for clues about their general well-being and ask open questions to find out more.

Discuss current and upcoming workload and deadlines.

Establish a consistent approach to checking in on workload (e.g., Teams, Planner, OneNote, shared list).
Create a safe space for your team members to raise issues or concerns about workload, meeting deadlines, etc.

Promote ongoing learning and development.

Encourage your team members to arrange quarterly conversations to check in on development goals.

Ensure work environments are working for employees.

Regularly check in on hybrid working arrangements to ensure your team members are safe, supported and feeling included.