In business, you'll inevitably need to communicate news of change. Whether it's a public offering, corporate merger or layoffs, you want to be prepared to communicate effectively.

The key to communicating change is simple: Do it quickly and accurately. One of the biggest drains on employee morale can occur when staff members hear or read company news from someone outside the company before they hear the news internally. Therefore, small businesses should make sure that communicating with their employees is a priority, especially during times of change.

Whenever you're conveying bad news, you should assume that your staff members may already be discussing it. Your goal is to set the record straight and provide an opportunity for interaction and discussion. Not only should you communicate the news quickly and honestly, but you also need to pinpoint and address employee concerns.

The best way to communicate news of an impending crisis is face-to-face – a company-wide meeting or department-wide session, if appropriate. You should provide opportunities for a question-and-answer session. If you think some employees will be afraid to speak up, let them submit questions anonymously.

Whatever you do, don't ignore bad news. By not addressing tough situations, you risk exacerbating the problem. In bad times, you cannot over-communicate. If you fail to address the situation, rumors will spiral.

Also keep in mind that employees not only want to know what's happening in the company, they also want to know why it's happening. It's human nature to second-guess, and not-so-good rumors may run rampant along the company grapevine without enough information to prevent the spread.