On the Job

FACING A COMMUNICATION DILEMMA AT HALLMARK

When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best—Inside or Outside the Company

Have you ever needed to discuss a sensitive topic with someone and been unsure of how to start the conversation? Chances are you could find a Hallmark card to help you. Hallmark is in the communication business, helping people share their thoughts and feelings. The company introduces thousands of new paper cards each year and has recently introduced CD greeting cards, online greeting cards, and software for customers to design their own greeting cards. With more than 12,000 employees and such a diverse range of products, communicating within the company is at least as important as communicating with customers.

As Hallmark's internal communications and publications manager, Andy McMillen is responsible for ensuring that employees receive all the information they need to be both productive and satisfied. Most Hallmark employees are organized in teams, and the company's success depends heavily on information flowing freely within and between all its teams, as well as between these teams and upper management. McMillen is responsible for maintaining this open communication climate, and he encourages feedback whenever possible. McMillen knows that Hallmark's teams have their own responsibilities and are immersed in their own work. To avoid overloading people with too many distractions, he sends only necessary messages. A message about changes in employee benefits would be distributed to everyone, but information about a specific project would be sent only to the team involved.

McMillen also understands that every person and each team has a unique personality. For example, the teams of writers and artists who come up with new ideas for cards require a unique combination of individual creativity and team cooperation. On the other hand, cross-functional teams of people from marketing, sales, customer service, and operations tend to make decisions by reaching a consensus rather than by relying on decisions passed down from upper management. McMillen keeps these and other differences in mind when communicating with his colleagues.

Hallmark works hard to attract and keep high-quality employees, viewing them as the company's most important resource. It's up to McMillen to make sure that internal communication not only keeps employees informed but also makes them feel like part of the company. If you were in McMillen's position, what would you do to keep communication flowing throughout the organization smoothly and efficiently? How would you ensure that everyone receives necessary information? How would you overcome all the possible barriers to communication as you prepare the many different messages you need to share with the people inside Hallmark?¹