6 Communication Tips for Credit Union Managers

By Carmela McDermott, VP CUER, Credit Union Resources, Inc.

During my time with Credit Union Employee Resources, I often receive calls from credit union employees with concerns about their employment. Some of these conversions start with the employee asking me, ”Find me another job.”

When I ask more questions about why they want to leave, it circles back to lack of communication between them and their supervisors. Some examples are training, performance, issues with co-workers, etc... Then I ask “Have you talked to  your supervisor?" More often than not, the answer is no!

Your staff is the key to building a strong organization, so why is it that we put off talking to our biggest assets—our employees? We know that giving and getting honest feedback is essential to grow and develop your staff. Let’s be available, managers!

Here are some tips for providing feedback to your staff:

1. As managers, plan time to talk and keep up to date on what is going on in your department. Do not be that manager that only talks to staff when things are bad.
2. Develop a trusting relationship with your staff. They must know they can approach you with anything and you will handle it in a professional manner.
3. Be honest and provide any negative feedback quickly and in private. Provide specific examples and give suggestions for improvement. Be open to a conversation with your employee as they may also have suggestions for improvement. Develop a progress plan. Be clear about the specific changes in behavior/performance that you expect in a specific period of time, and most important—follow up!
4. Reinforce the value of your employees’ contributions by giving specific examples of how their work and positive behaviors serve your members. Be honest and genuine when giving positive feedback. Remember to keep a record for their personnel filel.
5. Managers need to be proactive in handling issues in a timely manner. Avoid the tangle of problems that can arise if you do not handle situations right away.
6. Conduct regular performance reviews.

If you are looking for an easy employee counseling form, email me and I will send it immediately. If you are looking for assistance in staffing, please contact Credit Union Employment Resources and we can certainly help you out. You can contact me directly at cmcdermott@curesources.coop.