Last week the Government and the Territorial Army sought to stop
members going to the press
Mike Maryon
Bass Brewers
’It’s healthy to criticise an organisation. We have a system in place
where staff can send their criticisms anonymously via e-mail and the
issues are responded to. Effective company communication is based on
letting people know the strategy of the company and letting them work
out the tactics themselves, people should be expected to be thinkers not
doers.’
Michael Pounsford
Banner McBride
’Guidelines are legitimate, every company has its business secrets and
people do have to be careful what they say to the outside world. What is
important is that companies should establish a climate of trust, then it
can be clear what can and can’t be said externally. But an organisation
that tried to gag people would simply be limiting the flow of
communication throughout the company.’
Colette Dorward
Smythe Dorward Lambert
’It would be unfortunate if an organisation had to go as far as gagging
its employees, it would encourage disloyalty rather than loyalty. The
need for confidentiality is important for things such as share prices
and other sensitive kinds of information but it would be far more
effective to have confidentiality built through trust, rather than to be
reduced to ruling through fear or another form of command and control
environment.’
Susan Smith
Institute of Employment Consultants
’It’s understandable from an employer’s point of view, they have a right
to expect certain loyalties as long as they are not breaking the law. If
the channels of communication exist where people are encouraged to make
constructive criticisms that is very healthy as it allows improvement
but sometimes individuals feel they haven’t got these channels and
resort to going public to get something done.’
Angela Edward
Institute of Personnel and Development
’If people do slag off an organisation then it’s counter-productive for
the organisation to impose an embargo, it simply backfires and makes
things look doubly suspicious. Companies could view the whole thing
positively and see it as an opportunity to address problems within the
organisation.’
Some companies do try to gag their employees with gagging clauses but
new legislation, the whistleblowers charter, will soon be introduced to
give people more protection
