Arch Mortgage CEO uses instant messenger to chat with employees twice weekly

If you’re searching for ways to connect your leader to employees during the ongoing pandemic, consider a live chat session.

All that’s required is your CEO blocking out time on the calendar and an instant messenger system.This is what Michael Schmeiser, president and CEO of Arch Mortgage Insurance Company, did when he started the messaging program, “Message with Michael” in May of this year. He holds two hour-long chat sessions each week from 4-5 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“My main thinking was the best way to get employees to share how they’re really feeling is to allow them to share in whatever way they feel most comfortable,” he says. “We have several more formal channels of feedback (e.g. surveys), but IM is great because the tool is so informal that’s it is easy to have unforced dialogue.”

That informal conversation has been well received, explains Lanita Goins, manager of employee communications services.

“’Message with Michael’ was a way for him to maintain his open-door office policy even when we’re all working from home,” she says. “He’s always been big on employee engagement and welcomes questions and conversation from employees in his business segment.”