MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION
Communication Strategy (Sayid’s Case)
1) Summary of the case:
Sayid, a talented engineering graduate joined First Tech Solutions with great enthusiasm and
keen passion for testing automation. Post joining, he went through training and excelled in
all the training assessments given to him, because of which he was placed in a high-stakes
development project that everyone celebrated, but deep-down Sayid was not as happy
because his interests lied in testing. The project was a success and he proved to be a great
employee despite his interests. Upon communicating his wish (multiple times) to internally
shift to the testing team, he did not get any positive response from his seniors due to
managerial and organisational needs. Over time, Sayid became un-interested and frustrated,
and also felt stuck because he couldn’t shift jobs due to his contract with his First Tech. His
motivation to keep working in an area he wasn’t interested in started to decline, which
affected his project delivery. Since it was an important project, the company took this very
seriously and decided to put Sayid on a performance improvement plan which was
apparently the first step in weeding out non performers. Sayid, a once celebrated employee
was now at the edge of losing his job/project and was extremely frustrated because he felt
unheard, burdened and infuriated. The case highlights the internal gaps and barriers in the
organisation that the protagonist faces. It also highlights how the people associated with the
company lack proper communication, not just in the way they spoke, but also even in terms
of making someone feel heard and acknowledged.
2) Issues:
Conflict between employee interests and organisational needs.
Insufficient communication between employee and management.
Lack of transparency and directness from seniors.
Rigid bond policies (to move within and outside the company) restricting employee
growth
Grapevine communication creating confusion and prejudice, coercing Sayid to feel
things he wasn’t really feeling. (Elated when he got the job or a project he wasn’t
interested in, burdened by the pressure to stay in the project for his teammates and
subordinates).
Ineffective use of performance management tools, (performance improvement plan)
which seemed more punitive rather than skill enhancing.
Management’s failure to leverage the interests of its high performing employees in
roles that they are passionate about.
3) Recommendation:
Following is the communication strategy that we recommend for the company.
Sender Receiver Message Channel Timeline
HR All new Transparent Email and Within the
department/Recruiters recruits outline of the Orientation. first one or
process the two weeks of
new recruits joining
will be put into
and letting
them choose a
preference if
possible.
Project Manager/ Sayid/ other One-on-one In person/ After 3
Team Leader recruits conversation to Video call months in
discuss long role or after
term career project
goals and assignment,
interests. whichever is
Communicating earlier.
possibilities of
role alignment
from the
company’s end.
Sayid Project Formal mail, Email Post
manager requesting to completion of
initiate internal first phase of
transfer, the project
expressing his
interests and
for career
alignment.
HR Manager All (eligible) Initiate internal Email + In Every 4/6
employees career person group months,
movement meeting whichever is
initiative, feasible for
allowing the company
interested
employees to
switch roles.
Provide extra
training, if
necessary.
HR Department All Collect regular Mail/ Every month/
employees feed back from Feedback Quarterly
employees to forms
see if they are
happy with
their role and
leaders
Learning and Senior Check-in on In person one Every 6
development team/ management how the team on one months
Talent acquisition is performing meetings
team and trying to
address the
actual problem
(considering
past
performance of
the team)
before using
performance
management
tool like PIPs.
