3848 Harrison Blvd Ogden, UT 84403 (801) 626-6000

Memorandum
Date: November 16, 2013 From: Holli Peterson, Student Josaleigh Pollett, Student To: Andrew J. Weir, President Subject: Recommendation Report for Increased Communication between Sites at Sagebrush Consultants We have attached our recommendation report for increased communication between sites at Sagebrush Consultants. We completed the tasks we proposed October 9, 2013: interviewing staff members, researching successful communication strategies used by other companies, and customizing a solution to the problem. First, we interviewed several staff members to get an inside look at the problem and its effects. We interviewed staff members both in the field and in the office in order to gain a broad perspective. Though specific opinions varied, nearly all staff members agreed that an improvement needs to be made. We also examined successful communication strategies that are used by other companies to help us identify a practical solution. Based on our findings, face-to-face communication is always best. At Sagebrush Consultants, this is not always a possibility due to the important work that is not only performed at the office, but often in different states at archaeology sites. We have found that a companywide communication workshop would be extremely beneficial to Sagebrush. By focusing on employee cohesion, trust, and cooperation through exercises found through communication studies, we feel each employee would understand the importance and foundations of facilitating effective communication. We appreciate the opportunity to work with Sagebrush Consultants to find a more effective communication strategy. The staff has been extremely cooperative and gracious, which we appreciate. We look forward to working with you to make this a successful transition to better communication. We would like to receive any of your feedback or questions at your earliest convenience.

Increasing Employee Communication at Sagebrush Consultants

By Josaleigh Pollett and Holli Peterson

Figure 1.

Figure 1. Communication. Sinisgalli, A. (2012, December 28). [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://anthonysinisgalli.wordpress.com/tag/sales-communication/

Increasing Employee Communication at Sagebrush Consultants: A Recommendation Report

Prepared for: Prepared by: Andrew J. Weir, President Josaleigh Pollett, Student Holli Peterson, Student November 16, 2013

3848 Harrison Blvd, Ogden, UT 84403

(801) 626-600

Abstract

Increasing Employee Communication at Sagebrush Consultants: A Recommendation Report

Prepared by: Josaleigh Pollett, Student Holli Peterson, Student

In October 2013, Holli Peterson and Josaleigh Pollett, students at Weber State University, began a study of how to improve communication between employees at varying sites at Sagebrush Consultants Archaeology Firm. Insufficient communication between field archaeologists and office personnel has inhibited productivity. Having observed this, we proposed researching possible solutions to the problem. First, we interviewed staff members to gain an inside perspective into the problem and its effects. Second, we researched successful communication strategies used by other companies. Based on these findings, we concluded that when face to face interactions were not practical, cell phones and email were the best forms of contact. These only facilitate effective communication when the employees understand the importance of responding in a timely manner. We concluded that a companywide communication workshop will be held to stress the importance of good communication habits. We understand that if each employee is involved in this workshop, it will be easier to identify bad habits and promote better ones. Keywords: communication, text messaging, workshop

ii

Table of Contents

Executive Summary......1

Introduction...2

Research Methods.....3

Results....5

Conclusions....8

Recommendation..9

References10

iii

List of Illustrations
Figure 1. Communication.i

Figure 2. Timeline.2-3

Figure 3. Workshop Cost Analysis..8

iv

Executive Summary

Sagebrush Consultants is a cultural resource management firm based in Ogden, Utah. They are newly owned and operated by Commonwealth Cultural Resources Group, Inc. after being a privately owned company for the last 20 years. Sagebrush performs site surveys and excavations for private landowners, the BLM, and historical societies across the Western United States (Sagebrush Consultants 2013). A team of archaeologists performs the surveys and excavations at sites away from the office, and a team of historians, geo-scientists, and editors stay at the office to provide information, maps, and final reports for the clients of Sagebrush. A successful work environment requires cohesive communication and understanding from both the office staff and the field crew. When the communication between the field archaeologists and the office employees becomes sparse or non-existent, the entire company suffers. An element of frustration settles over each employee involved, and the productivity of the company suffers. Andrew Weir (2013), the president of CCRG INC., told us that he think[s] that a lot of what drive[s] the communication issues is ineffective planning. The field archaeologists often cannot complete a project without the correct information or maps provided by the office. Without the correct coordinates, information, and status reports from the field crew, the office cannot complete these documents. Simple yet effective communication would correct these issues within Sagebrush, and help to lessen the frustration and benefit the company as a whole. We are holding interviews with all levels of employees at Sagebrush, and researching different methods from other companies to reach a more successful strategy for communication. We conclude that a companywide communication workshop, which could be facilitated by either Andrew Weir or one of us, would be the best initial solution to the communication problem at Sagebrush. This workshop will include exercises on employee cohesion, trust, and good communication habits. Through this workshop, we believe a seed of healthy and beneficial communication will be planted, and Sagebrush will move towards a more productive and less frustrating work environment for its employees.

Introduction

On October 9, 2013, we presented our plan to interview staff members and research methods used by other companies in an effort to improve the communication between departments at Sagebrush Consultants. As an employee of Sagebrush Consultants, Pollett has seen firsthand the effects of the problem and has a personal interest in finding a solution. In this report, we will present the current state of our findings. The problem we have studied and seek to resolve is the poor communication that exists between archaeologists in the field and employees in the office. Field archaeologists have stated that they are often unable to complete projects due to insufficient information provided by the office. Similarly, office personnel state that they are unable to complete necessary documents due to incomplete status reports filed by the field crew. This communication gap is concerning due to the lack of productivity that results. In order to resolve this issue, we are holding interviews with all levels of employees at Sagebrush, and researching different methods from other archaeology companies to reach a more successful strategy. By speaking with staff members directly affected by this issue, we have been able to get an inside look at the problem and valuable insight into possible solutions. Based on our research thus far, we conclude that a companywide communication workshop would be the most beneficial to Sagebrush Consultants. A mandatory two hour meeting would include communication exercises, information on workplace cohesion, and stress the problems created by a lack of communication and how they affect each employee. The following sections go into greater detail about the methods we used to research the issue, the results we found, the conclusions we made based on our findings, and our final recommendation.

Research Methods

As shown by Figure 2, we used the following timeline to research the communication gap existing at Sagebrush Consultants and to identify a solution:

10/4 Preliminary Investigation Conduct Interviews Research Other Companies Collaborate Findings & Compare Solutions Finalize Recommendation

10/9

10/18

10/27

11/9

11/17

11/25

Figure 2. Timeline

1. After a preliminary investigation, identifying our own observations, we held interviews

with all levels of employees at Sagebrush Consultants to understand the extent of the problem.
2. We researched different methods of communication used by other companies in both

similar and unrelated fields. We sought to use this information to identify whether or not a strategy used by another company might work for Sagebrush Consultants. 3. We identified possible solutions to the issue: a. Create a website for companywide communication. With the convenience of the web, there are many ways to communicate that are not time-sensitive or otherwise restrained. We conducted secondary research to identify whether this might be an added expense to the company. b. Set up a daily schedule for communication between departments. We spoke with staff members to find out if regular meetings (via the web or in person) might be a possibility to improve communication.

c. Leave the current structure in place with a company-wide training on communication. We considered the option to leave the current communication strategy as is, with a company-wide training meeting on the importance of increasing communication between departments. 4. We explored the option to hold a companywide training meeting. 5. We analyzed our findings to determine an appropriate solution.

Results

This section will present our results, corresponding to the research methods we described in the previous section. 1. Interviewing Employees to Understand the Extent of the Problem Field archaeologists and office personnel depend on each other to complete projects. When communication between these departments is poor, productivity suffers. We interviewed staff members to understand the extent of the communication problem within the company. Based on the information we gathered from personal interviews, staff members agree that problems are created when employees are not apprised of project changes that [affect] the fieldwork (Weymouth, 2013). Andrew J. Weir (2013), President of CCRG, the company that owns Sagebrush Consultants stated: When problems do arise, which they do fairly often, communication tends to be the underlying issue. After examining the responses we received, we determined that there was not a clear structure for employees to use to communicate. Both Weir (2013) and Weymouth (2013) commented that when communication occurred, it was via phone, email, text, or in person, but with no specific direction or method. With no clear structure in place, communication suffers. We determined to examine the issue further to identify a solution. 2. Comparing Communication Strategies Used by Other Companies We studied successful communication strategies used by three other companies to determine if a similar structure might work for Sagebrush Consultants. ! Hastobe Corporation. We spoke with Hans Peterson, Vice President of Hastobe Corporation to find out about the companys strategy for communicating between sites. With multiple locations in Utah, we were interested in his insights. Peterson (2013) told us that staff members always carry phones and are expected to relay necessary updates daily via text or in person. Company meetings are held biweekly to ensure that all employees and managers are kept up-to-date. ! Secrist Marketing Strategies. Having recently been employed by the company, we were able to examine communication strategies used by Secrist Marketing Strategies. Each morning, managers met via online chat (GoToMeeting) to discuss the plan for the day. First, they would discuss any pressing updates or company news, followed by a tentative schedule for the day. Throughout the day, managers communicated regularly via Skype to provide updates.

! Environmental Planning Group. We interviewed Heather Weymouth of Environmental Planning Group, which focuses on architecture and environmental planning in which communication is vital. Weymouth (2013) stressed the importance of employee cohesion as a beneficial part of communication. She told us that company smartphones and computers helped to provide immediate means of communication between sites, but this only works if the employees understand the importance of communication. 3. Identifying Possible Solutions a. Create a website for companywide communication. We initially thought that the company might benefit from a website dedicated to employee interactions. The website which would need to be password-protected would provide a place for employees to update records and upload pictures to improve companywide understanding in real time. From our research, we concluded that this website would cost approximately $50 per year to host (Who is Hosting This? 2013). In addition to this yearly fee, there would also be an initial fee associated with the creation of the website. Though this may prove to be an effective solution in the future, especially as the company expands, we determined that the added cost and hassle may be an unnecessary burden on the company. b. Set up a daily schedule for communication between departments. After examining successful solutions used by other companies, we considered scheduling daily meetings for field archeologists and office personnel to communicate. We eventually ruled this option out because daily meetings appeared to be impossible in the context of the business. c. Leave the current structure in place with a company-wide training on communication. Based on the information we received from employees at Sagebrush and other companies, we determined that a new communication method might not actually be necessary. The existing methods phone calls, in person conversations, and text messaging might actually be completely adequate if employees learned how to utilize these resources effectively. 4. Exploring the Possibility of a Companywide Training Meeting We explored the option of holding a companywide training meeting where we would provide lessons and workshops on communication within the company. To evaluate this option, we outlined the potential costs (see Figure 3) and a tentative schedule for the training.

Cost of Meeting/Communication Workshop

Printing Costs/ Workshop Materials Refreshments
Total

$8.00/Free (Internet Based Exercises) $20.00

$28.00

Figure 3. Training Costs

Conclusions

In this section, we will present our conclusions. After examining the options, we determined that a companywide training meeting for all employees to attend would be the most effective and immediate solution to the problem. This meeting will be based on exercise on the following points: Convenient modern communication strategies, such as texting, email, etc. Employee cohesion/trust exercises The importance of confirmation Chain of command (Who tells who?)

This meeting will include workshop-type exercises focused on employee cohesion and communicative skills. Requiring each staff member to carry a cell phone. This will include mandatory responses to all messages, even simple confirmation. Based on the information gathered from interviews with other companies with successful strategies, strong communication is based in standard procedures and communication protocols that are adhered to by every employee. We feel that the communication workshop we want to implement would create a building ground for these procedures and protocols that would greatly benefit Sagebrush for years to come.

Recommendation

Based on our findings, we recommend a mandatory companywide meeting where we will introduce employee cohesion exercises and teach effective communication habits. During the workshop, employees will go through exercises that promote trust and dedication to other employees, and stress the importance of good communication habits. A set of communication protocols will be administered and followed by employees to implement the communication rolls described in the meeting. Each employee will have a roll in communication on each project, and will be expected to move along messages, provide progress reports, and respond to information. We hope this will place Sagebrush on the path to successful communication habits. To promote the habits addressed in the meeting after it has concluded, employees will be required to carry a cell phone with them at all times, and to respond in a timely manner. When field archaeologists are in areas with little to no cell phone service, one employee will be required to find an area where cell phones have a signal, and report back to the office a minimum of one time per day.

10

References
APA Style

Peterson, H. (2013, November 12). Interview by H Peterson. Sagebrush Consultants. (2009). Retrieved from http://sagebrushconsultants.com/ Sinisgalli, A. (2012, December 28). [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://anthonysinisgalli.wordpress.com/tag/sales-communication/ Weir, A. (2013, November 09). Email Interview by J Pollett. Weymouth, H. (2013, November 12). E-mail Interview by J Pollett. Who is Hosting This? (2013). Wordpress hosting. Retrieved from http://www.whoishostingthis.com/compare/wordpress/