Where there's good internal communication, there's trust among employees. And according to a recent study from IABC's Research Foundation, organizational trust is strongly related to profits,
innovation, successful international business and organizational survival. The biggest factors in developing organizational trust are (in order):
- Concern for employees (exhibition of empathy, tolerance and safety)
- Openness and honesty (amount, accuracy and sincerity of information shared)
- Identification (sharing common goals)
- Reliability (consistent, dependable actions)
- Competence (leaders' effectiveness)
To boost these levels (which, in turn, boost job satisfaction and perceived effectiveness), IABC reports that organizations with high levels of trust continually benefit from: adaptive organizational
structures, strategic alliances, responsive virtual teams, effective crisis management, and reduced transaction and litigation costs.
The authors of the study, Pamela Shockley-Zalabak and Kathleen Ellis, both of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, will be discussing the results and ramifications of their research on June
28 at IABC's international conference in Vancouver. Look for coverage of the entire conference in the July 3 issue of PR NEWS. (IABC, 415/544-4700, http://www.iabc.com)
Generation Switch
It worked so well with the kids, why not let the parents try? Hoping to foster a better understanding of the public relations profession, Creamer Dickson Basford conducted its second annual Bring Our
Parents and Spouses to Work Day earlier this month.
"Our profession is either relatively unknown or widely misunderstood by the outside world," says Darryl Salerno, CDB's chairman and CEO. "We are committed to changing that ... and we've opted to start
with the people closest to us." The nationwide program had 56 participants attend the daylong seminar. No word on whether the kids were jealous. (Christopher Dobens, CDB, 212/367-6845, [email protected])
Governmental Affairs
Trying to get through to legislators as part of your grassroots public affairs efforts? Check out the complete list of congressional press secretaries and communications director s (provided by Vocus)
at the PR NEWS Web site, http://www.PRandMarketing.com/congreps.htm. Also on the political front, Vocus launches its Web-based external
relationship management system for government relations professionals. The tool offers help with managing grassroots outreach, building an advocacy Web site or building and managing relationships with
lawmakers. (Eileen Jaffe, ProMarc Agency, 202/293-8568, [email protected])
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We're sorry we didn't get this information to you earlier in order to give you more time to plan, but we just got the fax last week. But in the theory of better late than never, we want to tell you
that June is officially "Genital Cleanliness Month," according to the makers of Bidetsoap.
WARNING: Young children and people who are prone to gag reflex should not read the following excerpt from the release:
"June is the start of summer. Hot weather makes people sweat and as they do, the apocrine secretions - the milky fluid around the genitals - rapidly decomposes and becomes odorous." Hurry, only 12 more
days left to celebrate Genital Cleanliness Month.