BEST-IN-CLASS PRACTICES IN EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF 10 GLOBAL LEADERS

IPR Commission on Organizational Communication

“OLD MODEL”

Activity, Events Focused on Employee Satisfaction, Motivation 1

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Communicated for the Corporation

Employees Viewed as a Homogenous Audience

Awareness is Key Measure

Boundary-Driven: Siloed, Two-Way Information Flow

TECTONIC MOVEMENT:RESHAPING ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

CREATING VALUE IN TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT

Analytics-Based, Business Performance, Outcomes and Strategy Socialization

Optimized Corporation’s Ability to Communicate

Segmented; Targeted for Influence, Engagement , Social Prowess

Discussion, Dialogue, and Debate

Boundary-Less: Platform-Agnostic, Integrated, “Democratized,” Multi-Way, Peer-to-Peer Channels

SECTION 1: THE LANDSCAPE

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THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE

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STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES

global companies, matrixed leadership

WORKFORCE CHALLENGES

fast pace of the workforce, generational differences

MEDIA CHALLENGES bad press, misinformation

PRODUCT CHALLENGES

recalls, shortages, distribution problems

MARKETPLACE CHALLENGES

competition

?ANSWERING SOME ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: “How do we keep our seat at the table?”

(If we ever had it)

“How do we address growing generational differences in the workplace?”

“How do we cut through the clutter to discover what really matters to employees?”

“How do we track and measure internal communications to show we’re making a real difference?”

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SECTION 2: THE RESEARCH

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INTERVIEWS:Engaged KRC Research in 2012 to interview internal communications professionals at 10 world-class corporations

Chosen based on global scope, market leadership and perceived effectiveness in internal communications (frequenters on the most-admired or best-places to work lists, awards)

to better understand internal communications methods and practices in global organizations

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GOAL:

SUCCESS FACTORS OF THE 10 COMPANIES

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STRUCTURE organization structure that connects internal communicators with the rest of the company

UNDERSTANDING

innate understanding that strong internal communications will have positive returns for the brand and the company

ARSENAL OF TOOLS

tools and practices for listening and communicating your message

COMMITMENT strong commitment to keeping employees informed before stories break in mass or digital media

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SHARED PERSPECTIVE OF COMPANIES’ INTERNAL COMMUNICATORS

BUY INTO CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY

Believe deeply in the company, the brand, and what it represents

LISTENING IS KEY Understand that its as much about effective listening as it is about distribution

ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

Tough in evaluating their performances, with a sharp awareness of their strengths and weaknesses

SECTION 3: TEN PRACTICES

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BE A BUSINESS LEADER FIRST, A COMMUNICATOR SECOND

Internal communicators must be seen as business people first

Internal communicators need to as trusted advisors delivering timely and proactive counsel in support of business objectives

We are business leaders first, communicators second. And the objective isn’t the best internal communication plan, or the best program on a specific project. Our job when we come in everyday is: How do we help the organization sell more trucks, sell more engines, as competitively and at the highest margins possible?”

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1.

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BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND —REMEMBERING IT’S ALL ABOUT THE “WHY?”

An organization must be able to clearly and concisely articulate the purpose and value of change for its future success and for the employees.

This includes the business benefits, but also the changed culture, business practices and the environment envisioned.

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2.

“We’re intentional about what we do and how we do it, so our communications planning is very proactive: Where, from a business and culture standpoint, do we want to be in the next 12 months, 18 months, two years, five years? And then put plans in play that enable us to get there…”

© 2013 Institute for Public Relations

CHALLENGE, DON’T “CHEERLEAD”— EMPLOYEES

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3.

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The workplace is shifting to demanding Gen X, Gen Y and Millennial generation employees who are becoming more democratized through social media, online communities and affinity groups.

These new collaborative communities share an “ethic of contribution” which means going above and beyond the normal job performance to deliver a higher discretionary effort.

Employees want to have meaning in what they do. I mean, we spend way too many hours of our life at work to let it be just a transactional relationship. And people want to think they’re making a difference. So you need to have ‘line of sight’- what is the bigger picture that I’m plugging into and then it needs to be localized.

CREATE A ROADMAP FOR CHANGE, BUT EXPECT DETOURS ON THE ROAD AHEAD

Successful organizations develop a clear, measurable path to their desired future state in their drive to create a shared purpose.

Building a roadmap for change and communicating it in a more integrated, creative way, through dynamic storytelling, strategic learning maps, digital signage or online communities is critical.

Just as important as having a direction is recognizing the may shifts and turns along the way. Being prepared for bumps in the road will accelerate the journey.

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BUILD A DETAILED INTERNAL STAKEHOLDER MAP

Each employee constituency has a different concern, and a different role in supporting change.

Creating an internal stakeholder map that identifies the specific needs of each group will have a great influence on how audiences react to a change and the messaging created.

The key is focusing on your audience.

Its not social media needs, It’s not Facebook. It’s not Twitter. It’s not LinkedIn. It’s the audience. What does the audience need to be engaged and effective? That’s what we focus on.”

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5.

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MANAGERS

EXECUTIVES

CONSUMER FACERS

VETERAN EMPLOYEES

POTENTIALEMPLOYEES

NEW EMPLOYEES

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DON’T VACATE YOUR SEAT AT THE TABLE; ADVOCATE A POINT OF VIEW

Having internal communicators involved in the conversations that shape change before decisions are made will enable effective implementation and adoption from the beginning.

Communicators must come prepared and have a point of view that they actively voice.

Communications is at the table. Its at the decision-making table. Its at the planning table. Its at the research table. Its not an after-thought, which would turn us into a reactionary organization.”

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ADOPT AN AUTHENTIC VOICE Today’s employees are looking for total value alignment with their employer.

Authenticity- which calls for demonstrating integrity, telling employees the truth even if they news is bad, being consistent in what is said and done internally and externally and acting in an honest, trustworthy way- is how it’s done at best in class companies.

Creating opportunities for dialogue, feedback mechanisms, and face-to-face conversations ensures that employee concerns and constructive ideas are heard and incorporated into future plans and messaging.

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7.

“ I’m fortunate to have a workforce that is extremely proud of the work they do; they feel the company is being honest with them. Whenever there’s a crisis, we immediately go to our employees and explain it and they feel as if the company has credibility because we address things with them.”

THE POWER OF LINE-OF-SIGHT MANAGERS AS COMMUNICATORS

For most employees, line-of-sight management through their direct supervisor remains the most trusted resource for information.

Empowering key leaders and front-line managers to deliver messages is essential. Any significant change effort will fail without them.

Our leadership, particularly our front line managers are about the most effective channel we have. Our investment is increasingly in them—and the tools and training them in the skills they have for delivery.”

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CONTENT- AND CONTENT STRATEGY- IS KING

Successful internal communicators keep key messages at the forefront of all communications and in every vehicle.

At the same time, employees increasingly are driving communication at their levels. So we need to join them in the conversations, or risk being left behind.

We have numerous competing priorities, business plans, objectives, multiple audiences, doing different things. Its really the role of various communications teams, and often ours, to pull all of that together and tell a consistent story.”

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9.

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THE PRICE OF MEASUREMENT

Best in class companies relentlessly track and measure strategies, tactics and channels. They intentionally treat their employees like customers, and do process checks, and effectiveness surveys.

You can have effective communication

but at $10,000 per person to play,

it doesn’t make sense.”

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© 2013 Institute for Public Relations

WHAT’S NEXT?

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© 2013 Institute for Public Relations

CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…

• IPR Commission on Organizational Communication Keith Burton, Chair Bruce Berger, Ph.D. Peter Debreceny Gary Grates Frank Ovaitt

• Research Steering Committee

• Colleen Learch, KRC Research

• Employee Communication Leaders at GE, Petrobras, Cargill, FedEx, Toyota, McDonald’s, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Chevron and Navistar

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THANK YOU!

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© 2013 Institute for Public Relations