AMAN Company Limited is a large Australian consulting company with its head office in Hobart, and branches in Launceston and Devonport. The company prides itself as a leader in advancing employee welfare and wellbeing. According to the HR manager, Megan Lewis, their employee-focused approach is driven by the company's strategic business objective to attract and retain top talents globally to advance its innovative strategies. In a recent address to the Company's board, Megan noted that "the success of our business depends on highly motivated and knowledgeable employees who have a strong concern for customers and are able to work with other employees to provide the best client experience". Of course, at the heart of such ambition is how we treat our employees. We ensure that our employees are consulted on major decisions that affect them and the operations of our business, she touted.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has seen astronomical rise in sales revenue. However, the CEO, Vivian Gille, has sought and received the board's approval to expand into other markets in Asia and Europe, rather than heed employee calls for pay rises. Justifying the decision at a monthly staff briefing, Vivian said, "our profits have soared, yes, but the contemporary business climate is uncertain... so, if we want to stay in business for you to keep your jobs, we have to hedge against what may come".

Vivian has since come under a lot of public pressure for what most employees and their unions describe as 'an insensitive statement'. Standing by her remarks, Vivian told UTAS radio, "we mean well for our employees, and staying in business is the only way to ensure they don't lose their jobs or livelihood, as it may be in some cases. There seems to be agreement among the CEO and top management that whatever the company is doing will benefit employees in the long run.

Perceptions among workers of the company are, however, quite different. In one conversation on the staff "WhatsApp group platform" (a confidential discussion forum for staff only), Malcom Taylor quizzed, does anyone believe Vivian and management really care about us? Responses were generally suggestive of the fact that, "staff can only believe what management says and consequently does, not how management feels".

Employees feel they are not listened to in major operational changes and most believe the company's "employee-centred mantra" is only a rhetoric or at best, a marketing strategy. In fact, recent employee satisfaction survey revealed the worst rate on record, 30%, and qualitative feedback suggests that ineffective communication from CEO and top management may be accounting for the dip.

 

Communication Issues at AMAN Company

Limited
Early this year, Megan received a resignation letter from Abhishek Aldin, one of the top talents

the company poached from India. In his exit interview, Abhishek revealed that the company's communication does not make him feel valued. Citng the CEO's remarks on why the company went on an expansion mission and not pay rises, he indicated that the tone of the company's top management makes him feel as if the company is doing workers a favour by giving them the job. Megan thanked Abhishek for openly sharing his reasons for leaving, noting that the company will analyse its internal communication and address any issues identified. Megan has expressed her fears to Vivian that if the company does not act now, employee turnover may rise.

Required:

As a team of communication scholars, Vivian and Megan have contacted you to conduct an analysis of the company's internal communication issues and present them with practical solutions.

Please note: this case study is based on a fictional Tasmanian business but has been based on the author's experience and knowledge of managerial communication in business.

 

 

 

Identifies and explains relevant details of the case and the issue(s) 

• Uses communication theories and/or models to analyse the case 

• Produces at least one recommendations (based on your analysis) that the managers could use to address or resolve the issues.