On the Job

Solving a Communication Dilemma at Hallmark

Hallmark relies on effective communication to keep employees informed about new products, the company's financial status, changes in employee benefits, and so on. To keep Hallmark's communication climate open and to ensure that all employees receive the information they need, McMillen uses every tool available to him in the formal communication network.

Focusing on all the various audiences at Hallmark, McMillen oversees several company publications. Noon News is a professionally designed and produced newsletter for all company employees. It's published every day and, much like a small-town newspaper, fosters a sense of community with personal bits of information (such as birthdays and anniversaries), want ads, reminders of such things as health plan enrollment deadlines, and information on company products and finances. Another internal publication is Directions, which distributes information to managers. It has no established publication schedule, because its purpose is to give managers important company information before it becomes public. McMillen keeps up with technology by using several computer-monitor signboards (in various locations throughout the headquarters building) to display information that was too late for print deadlines.

To facilitate feedback from employees, McMillen schedules regular face-to-face meetings with company president and CEO Irvine Hockaday. Several times a year McMillen schedules CEO Forums, at which Hockaday meets with about 50 employees selected at random from all company divisions. For 90 minutes employees can discuss their concerns directly with the head of the company. With no predetermined agenda, the participants are free to bring up anything they want to discuss. Says McMillen, "The forums are purely for mid-management and below so there's no intimidation factor. You can talk to Irv about anything, and you don't have to worry about your VP sitting there taking notes. It's a terrific opportunity for dialogue." Four times a year McMillen arranges a Corporate Town Hall, at which Hockaday holds sessions for 400 employees. Unlike the CEO Forums, these meetings have an agenda and a specific topic. For the first 30 minutes, Hockaday talks about a specific company issue, and then he opens the meeting for an hour of discussion.

Communication also occurs throughout the informal network when people chat together or talk by telephone, in memos, and by electronic mail. Whether the communication is formal or informal, Hallmark cares enough to strive for the very best, and it's McMillen's job to make sure that all necessary information is delivered effectively and efficiently.

Your Mission

You are the manager of communications at Hallmark's corporate headquarters. In this position, you're responsible for both internal and external communication. Use your knowledge of communication to choose the best response for each of the following situations. Be prepared to explain why your choice is best.