Few US multinationals admit to doing an effective job in communicating with their employees and businesses around the world, according to research by Watson Wyatt Worldwide.

In its 2005/2006 Communication ROI Study, Watson Wyatt found that fewer than half the US companies with global operations said that they were effectively communicating globally.

According to the study, only three out of 10 global companies have designated communication resources in other countries, and only 18 per cent have a formal, documented global communication strategy. About 60 per cent of the 335 companies surveyed have global operations, and relatively few have taken steps to communicate with their global workforce.

Communicating With Global Employees/Operations

Communication Initiative	% of Employers
Requires business unit or local manager to customise corporate messages	31%
Designates communication resources in other countries	30%
Shares best practices with global communication colleagues	21%
Maintains global communication committee/advisory group	20%
Establishes documented global communication strategy	18%

"With more companies becoming global, the challenges of communicating effectively with workers have become much more complex," said Robert Wesselkamper, director of international consulting at Watson Wyatt. "To be truly global, employees throughout the world need to feel like they are part of the company's overall strategy. Making sure all employees receive the same information is crucial to that effort."

One of the study's other key findings for global employers is that less than 20 per cent customise their corporate communication messages for workers in other countries. Instead, many companies rely on their local managers to interpret and deliver messages, with little communication training or support.

"One way for organisations to make sure their messages are heard in all offices is to integrate the global communication programs into the company's overall communication strategy," said Kathryn Yates, global director of communication consulting at Watson Wyatt. "Companies may also want to consider forming a global advisory group to identify and voice local needs, customise the message and make sure local managers are up to speed."