Consultant Report Essay

Jenn Hoffman
Sullivan University
MGT304- Consultant Report
5/19/2013

Memo

I was hired by your company to observe your business practices and make suggestions on improving morale and business practices. I have spent the past two months communicating with employees from all levels of the business as well as observing the daily business functions, which allowed me to find areas that could use some improvements.
This report will provide insight into five problems and provide solutions for improvements. It is my recommendation that the management team to take a look at the information and implement programs to resolve these problems.
After reading this report, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. (107 words)
Problem #1: Bad Communication After speaking to a range of employees, I encountered frustration when it came to the topic of communication. Employees expressed concerns over inability to communicate effectively with various levels of management. Employees explained that each manager had different requirements and rules for communicating, and there was no uniformed system for communicating amongst fellow employees. Employees had no idea of how to communicate effectively verbally or written. Their overall belief was that this wasn’t a good impression of their skills or of the company. They believed that all the miscommunication was hindering the company’s ability to retain customers and gain new ones. (101 words)
Solution #1: Successfully Communicating Before the firm can begin to focus on communicating effectively, management and employees need to be open with each other. Firms that support the open communication increases activity and allows for collaboration. Because of the ineffective verbal and written communication, it would be important to have employees take a communication class to help them better understand written and oral communication. “A strong leader understands that verbal as well as nonverbal communication skills are a part of every day life. It is important for every leader to understand, and to practice, the fact that effective speaking skills should be a major part of everyone's personal development” (Effective Communication in the Workplace). Once employees have learned how to communicate, don’t just assume they will come to you. Stay in touch with each other. Both managers and employees can utilize the management-walk-by technique. This builds staff morale while improving communication. Now that employees and managers have the skills, it is time to let them get to work. Let the staff know you’re there if there are problems (open communication required). If you’re communicating effectively you should see an increase in productivity and less miscommunication amongst staff members. Remember, communication doesn’t just stop with classes, it’s an ongoing process. (205 Words)
Problem #2: Limited Training After speaking with employees they also mentioned they had limited training in regards to their jobs, equipment and general business practices. Employees mentioned how they were trained by a variety of managers and information often conflicted leaving them with more questions than answers. Employees were unable to refer back to an employee handbook when I asked questions, and after talking to a few employees it was discovered that they had to rely on hand written notes. Employees divulged that the lack of training inhibited them from safely managing equipment and doing their jobs effectively and to the best of their abilities. (101 words)
Solution #2: Successful Training Ideas To begin, everyone employee from bottom level to top level should receive an employee manual- explaining not only their job but also companies’ rules and regulations. This will provide employees with a foundation on which to build their knowledge and skills. Providing a handbook isn’t enough though- employees need to receive training once they begin. Training an

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