There is no doubt that the year that just ended took us on a wild ride. During the year some businesses did not know whether they were coming or going — was the recession ending or had it ended? Should we be foolishly hopeful or shutter-up and fade away hopelessly? New technology bombarded us relentlessly and there seems to be little cushioning the blows from the impact of slaps from increases in prices in the world commodities markets on our feeble economic frames.

With all the changes that have occurred, this new year will mean that it is definitely not business as usual in the workplace. Things have changed. Money is not being spent as wantonly as before on what, in the past, was lovingly called ‘perks and staff welfare’. The workplace is now peopled and managed by Gen Y-ers, Millenials or the Echo Boomers (those born in the mid-1970s). Like it or not the Baby Boomers and Gen-X-ers,, will soon become as non-existent as the T-Rex and other, dare I say it, dinosaurs. Already some of them are in their last painful lap around the offices. Groaning painfully as they have been forced to adapt to increasingly new technologies in the offices. Survival at every level is now the name of the game.

These rapid changes have hard implications for how we communicate with our employees today, this year and beyond. For a start, we cannot communicate with the Gen Y-ers who are in the cubicles and offices next to us in the way we were communicated to in the bygone rough era of the 1980s or 1990s. They do not appreciate it nor do they understand it — and to be honest in this day and age, it no longer makes sense to do it ‘old style’. So, for example, if you prepare the written, hard copy memo, make sure to e-mail it; put it on your company’s intranet and on the social media network that you have set up for your staff members.

This generation do not mind if you communicate with them face-to-face — a lot. They thrive on attention and having a platform to speak their piece in team briefings, without fear or favour. Never mind that they do not have the depth of experience to sometimes make the sweeping assumptions and statements that they make without research. If you have the guts — and your company’s coffers are deep and full — let them make their mistakes — at your expense — because they are a fearless and sometimes shameless generation. They like to be involved in the process at every level — the top down scenario is not for them. If you want the best from them get them involved — from their necks up in whatever new product you are rolling out. With their newly minted MBA’s and what not, they have the best social network and brother, do they know how to work it.

These tough economic times means that things have become thin and managers and employees are increasingly being asked to do more with less of everything. They will be given baskets to not only carry the water — but might even be asked to turn said water into wine at a company event. Never mind that that job function is above your pay grade. In case you never got the memo — we are now into multi-tasking and cross-functioning. It will become imperative that we sharpen the tools used in internal communication to blunt the edges of frustration and resistance they will inevitably come with the changing times.

How do you couch the language that you use to communicate with your employees? Has it become more sensitive and explanatory? Or are you still into shoving it down their throats because out in the streets there are “more dogs than bones”. More work with less pay and no incentives in sight means that our employee communication will have to be more responsible, insightful and kind. Nowadays – the employed are an elite, exclusive cadre and will not want to lose their jobs. However, there are those who prefer to sit at home with idle hands rather than be tormented, harassed and overworked in a disrespectful manner in the workplace. If it is our intention to increase productivity and create an engaged workforce we will have to change our attitude, language and presence in the workplace. Forget about the bully-riding. Those days are going the way of the dinosaur and so will you if you do not become aware of the changes around.

If you have not already done so — hitch a ride on the social network train for your intranet. Build a community of committed, loyal and performance driven employees within your organization. Sure, not everyone will be a convert, but start with even twelve disciples as did Jesus. You will definitively have the skeptics, but there is no time like the present to start on the journey on this new highway. Have a great year.

Yvonne Grinam-Nicholson, (MBA, ABC) is a Business Communications Consultant with ROCommunications Jamaica, specializing in business communications and financial publications. She can be contacted at: yvonne@rocommunications.com. Visit her website at www.rocommunications.com and post your comments.