Tip Tuesday: 8 Tips for Maintaining Proactive Communication Between Union-Management
Proactive communication helps prevent conflict. Start by asking thoughtful questions to understand the full picture—don’t jump to conclusions. Here's how to keep the dialogue open and productive:
- Establish regular check-ins – don’t wait for a crisis to talk to the union leadership
- Create a “no assumptions” norm
- Use language that invites dialogue and clarifying questions
- Make certain that frontline management is properly trained on communicating with unions
- Designate communication liaisons for routing questions so that questions don’t get lost or misinterpreted
- Set expectations for early notifications on changes that impact the workforce
- Use joint problem-solving techniques
- Document common issues and agreed-upon processes