The Army & Air Force Exchange Service

Mens Department
Communication Audit
Jade Lovett
HRMN 302
October 19, 2014
Agenda
Purpose...3
Brief Overview.4
Perceptions of the Focus Group.6
SWOT Analysis11
Sample Survey for12
Key Findings.15
Recommended Strategic Communication Practices19


PURPOSE
The purpose of this communication audit is to detect the
areas within The Army & Air Force Exchange (AAFES) Mens
Department that lack information, suffer from frequent
misunderstandings, and to identify certain areas that may
be subject to information overload.

This communication audit will only cover the Ramstein
AAFES Mens Department and its current communication
problems.

Brief Overview
Since 1895, The Army and Air Force Exchange Service has been working along
side the United States Department of Defense in order to provide quality
merchandise and services to Army and Air Force personnel. Located in 50 states
and 30 countries, the Exchanges mission is to improve Airmen, Soldiers, and
their families quality of life by offering retail goods and services that may not be
available off of the military base
1
.

The AAFES Exchange offers merchandise ranging from mens clothing,
womans clothing, health and beauty care products, toys, automobile
parts, electronics, and furniture.

2
Brief Overview
The goal of this communication audit was
to seek data, opinions, and perceptions
concerning the Ramstein KMCC Mens
Department. From these findings, the
goal was to provide information to aid in
evaluating the departments current
efforts as well as make recommendations
to improve the effectiveness and
management of communication and
public relations throughout the
department.

The recommendations presented in this
audit are designed to improve two-way
communication with the departments
internal stakeholder groups.

3
Mens Department Main Responsibilities
The Mens Department is made up of two different shifts: Morning and Night shift, 6
employees, 2 supervisors, and 2 managers.

The duties of the employees are to stock merchandise onto the sales floor, clean the sales
floor, change mannequin displays, and create weekly promotional displays.

The Mens Department is
made up of four different
sub departments. The sub
departments are made up of:
Mens Athletic Wear, Mens
Fashion Wear, Young Mens
Wear, Boys Clothing.

The key customers are
military men & their families.


Perceptions of the Focus Group
The following is an analysis of perceptions that were
identified from the employees in the focus group
sessions. These sessions were held during three
different on-site visits that took place from the 12
th
of
October to the 14
th
of October.


The perceptions are not a word-for-word report of
responses to the employees' questions. Instead, these
perceptions contain comments that appear to identify
significant communication concerns that are currently
present and suggestions for improvement from
employees. Each of these comments has aided in
determining specific recommendations in this
communication audit report.

4
Group: Morning Shift Employees
This group reported that leadership
managers had high standards in regards
to what merchandise they wanted
stocked and how they wanted it
displayed on the department floor.


When asked, Are the merchandise stocking goals explained and jobs properly
distributed so that each employee knows what their duties are for the week? this
group stated that weekly goals and expected duties are not explained to them.

All participants in this group said that they rarely felt that leadership communicated
duties with them and that they did not receive any emails or news of weekly
meetings to discuss goals/problems.
5
Group: Nigh Shift Employees
This group of employees also felt that the department was lacking in its communication
skills. Of the two employees that were interviewed, both admitted that they felt that they
were out of the loop as far as communicating job duties was concerned.

Some communication barriers that the employees noted was that the leadership failed to
discuss expected duties with them on a daily basis. They also explained that as night crew
staff, they felt they were not
informed as frequently as morning
shift employees.

When asked, How often do you
receive weekly newsletters or
attend employee meetings to
discuss what leadership wants?
the response was Never!
6
Group: Mens Department Supervisors
7
This group described that their relationship with
leadership was quite strong and that they exchanged
department information and ideas on a weekly basis.

While one Supervisor admitted to communicating with
Morning and Night Shift employees, the other
confessed that she rarely talks to the employees.

When asked, How often do you think night and
morning shift employees are informed of department
changes and duties (via email, newsletter, word of
mouth, or meetings) ? Their response was at least 3
times a week.




SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Quality employees that are willing to work.
Employees have good customer service skills,
are organized, and can learn skills very fast.
Employees are willing to make changes and can
adapt to these changes very well.



Weaknesses
Not enough communication between different shift
workers and leadership.
Problems and concerns are not properly discussed
amongst leadership.
Leadership does not inform employees about
schedule changes, new merchandise or duties on a
weekly basis.
Opportunities
Leadership can establish weekly meetings with both
morning and night shift in order to better inform
employees of the tasks/duties that need to be done.
This will also allow both shifts to communicate
ideas/issues with each other.
Issue printed newsletters to employees so that they
always have a copy of what needs to be done.
Threats
Lack of communication between leadership and
employees is leaving employees confused and
feeling unappreciated.
The lack of teamwork, team meetings, and group
discussions could cause employees to quit.
The lack of motivation and feedback from leadership
may also cause employees to quit.
Sample Survey
9
Sample Survey
9
Employee Satisfaction Graph
27%
23%
50%
Employees feel
informed of duties on weekly
basis
Morning Shift
Employees
Night Shift
Employees
Supervisor
0 0
3
MS
Employees
NS
Employees
Supervisors
How often employees
received emails,
newsletters, or attended
meetings to discuss
department changes
Number of Times per Week
Key Findings:
Employees arent being kept
informed about department
information, because of a lack
of communication between
employees and leadership.
Causing Employees to not
known their specific weekly
duties and job tasks.
Resulting in job duties being
done incorrectly or not in the
desired time.
The Major
Problem

Recommended Strategic Communication
Practices


A short 10 minute meeting held at
least once a month::
-> Allows all employees to hear the
same message at the same time.
-> Puts top management and
supervisors in front of all employees at
once.
-> Gives employees the opportunity to
ask questions and receive answers.
Department Wide Meeting
Weekly or biweekly newsletters would:
-> Allows a consistent message of
weekly goals to be seen and
understood by all employees.
-> Allows employees to learn about
different tasks/duties that need to be
completed in the department.
-> Allows employees to easily see when
projects and job duties need to be
completed and the order at which they
need to be done.
Newsletter
An employee suggestion box displayed
in the Mens Department would:
-> Allow employees to anonymously
make work place suggestions and
comment on concerns.
-> Makes employees feel like they are a
part of the departments
improvements.
-> Allows leadership to know how their
employees really feel at all times of the
year.
Employee Suggestion Box
1
0
11 1
2
Conclusion
Although the Mens Department is currently suffering from a
communication problem, if the strategic communication
practices are used the department can begin to improve over
time.

As long as leadership remembers to communicate with
employees on a weekly basis and inform them of department
changes and duties, the communication problem can be solved.
13
Source References
AAFES History. (2013). Exchange. Received on October 17, 2014 from http://www.aafes.com/about-exchange/exchange-quick-
facts/ .

Downs, C. & Adrian, A. (2004). Assessing Organizational Communication. Retrieved on October 19, 2014 from
http://books.google.de/books?hl=en&lr=&id=-
ZTBhw1gn0YC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=assessing+organizational+communication&ots=F3U3pSrV8R&sig=ijc8yiqTVQIqgyWaMi5
3dlJEy3E&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=assessing%20organizational%20communication&f=false .

Finch, K., Hansen, C. & Alexander R. (2010). Internal Communications: Its Not Rocket Science. Retrieved on October
20, 2014 from http://novascotia.ca/cns/pubs/ItsNotRocketScience.pdf .


Pahl, N. & Richter, A. (2007). SWOT Analysis- Idea, Methodology, And A Practical Approach. Retrieved on October 21,
2014 from
http://books.google.de/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Tub1VFyFVesC&oi=fnd&pg=PR2&dq=swot+analysis+scholarly&ots=8Y9bLCf_Y
m&sig=SHjXo4BRdx_lrVjztourCFtd-z4&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=swot%20analysis%20scholarly&f=false .

Madlock, P. (October 26, 2009). The Link Between Leadership Style, Communicator Competence, and Employee
Satisfaction. Journal of Business Communication. 45(61). Retrieved October 19, 2014 from
http://www.uk.sagepub.com/northouse5e/study/articles/pdfs/4-Madlock.pdf .