The Internal Communication at Carrefour

Extract

[...] A part of the upward communication is done through the suggestion box. Employees can avail of the opportunity to deposit their suggestions regarding the operation of the store. However, this tool seems secondary. A large part of the upward communication takes place (in one unit) through informal exchanges between manager and employees. It is the involvement of the hierarchy that determines the quality of upward communication. This however, is more used in special operations. Thus the operation "better eat" is organized by volunteers. [...]

[...] We then questioned the consideration of the views of employees, and the significance of their decision The partners of management internally The Human Resources Director The representative of trade unions such as the CGT (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CFDT (French Democratic Confederation of Labor). The staff representative The expert 3. Targets Internal communication, especially downward: Carrefour has three different targets: Current employees, New employees, Potential employees. IV. The different types of communication used 1. Downward communication Carrefour communicates a lot from the top down: from top to bottom; the direction of the headquarters of the brand, to each store. The employees of each store are trained in external calling. The new slogan is "the return of positive". [...]

[...] This device allows both a top-down communication informing employees of the directions that the brand is taking, and horizontal, because it can produce a contact between employees. It maintains the link between the top and the workforce, and between the employees. But communication is still fragmented between the different stores. The display in each unit follows the same pattern. It consists of a general section at the brand and another specific store. The first group includes the information about the sales, best-store sales and by department, current offers by sector, the proposals of work, and some advertisements for the brand. [...]

[...] According to the director of internal communication of the company, these campaigns are used to engage employees, and motivate them. This communication is atypical Horizontal communication Horizontal communication is strongly encouraged in the brand, but here is the scale of each unit that must be considered. Indeed, the goals of uniting employees, enhancing teamwork, and coordination efforts, are relevant only if the employees work together. Thus the events' calendars "are provided by management, and are appropriated by individual stores. Indeed, promotions, decorations and theatrical products are sent to each store of the brand, following the instructions of the hierarchy and installed radius by radius, depending on the specifics of the store. [...]

[...] Sometimes two managers from two different functions may give two different orders to the same person, on the same day, and in the same place, both tasks being performed primarily at the same time. The employee experiences mental chaos as he is often reprimanded for not doing the job assigned. II. The Management style of internal communications 1. The Geert Hofstede model Power Distance: This distance is markedly high. The leaders give a boost to both statutory and moral distance, as well as the distance with the employees. [...]