Ahead of their Internal Communication Congress in Berlin later this month, Quadriga University of Applied Sciences has shared what it believes to be the top five trends in internal communication; a list that reflects the present office environment which is dominated by change and new technology:
More about these trends and the congress >
Melitta
That was the question asked recently on the Melcrum Communicators Network. Here are some of the suggestions offered:
What are your top tips?
Melitta
Following the publication of the The MacLeod Review, which stated that British firms needed to improve engagement levels to improve business performance, the British Government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has launched a new campaign called: ‘People InterAction’.
The aim of the new campaign is to inspire action in employee engagement amongst employers of all types and sizes, clearly highlighting the link between effective internal communications and business success.
More about the MacLeod Review >
More about the People InterAction campaign >
Melitta
A real-life lesson that ‘honesty is the best policy’. Traditionally, when things went wrong for Corporations, there were two options facing their PR team: come clean or to try and bury the story. But as the recent Trafigura fiasco has proven, in today’s world it only takes one tweet to cause Corproations a very big and expensive headache.
Read an interesting article in the Guardian about this topic >
Melitta
With companies becoming increasingly keen to create and promote their green credentials, changing people’s towards sustainability and CSR is an important challenge for corporate communicators. Not sure where to start? Then help is at hand in the form of a free guide explaining ways to approach green communications, which includes a great employee engagement case study for Jaguar Land Rover.
Download Green Communications guide >
Melitta
The latest global survey from Melcrum, Key Benchmark Data for Communicators 2009, has revealed that in the light of the recession, every area of internal communications is being re-examined. Here are some of the survey’s headlines and what they mean for IC professionals:
Budget cuts – almost half of respondents (46%) said they will be spending less on consultants in the next 12 months. External advisors will therefore need to “re-evaluate what they offer and become more focused”. For those working in-house, budget cuts will mean less opportunities to move position and engage employees on a grand scale – but will be a chance for savvy communicators to gain respect by getting creative working closely with leaders and to make a difference.
Strategy change – 47% of respondents stated that cutbacks have led to fundamental change in their communication strategy. The main focus for internal communicators today appears to be on rebuilding trust and giving employees the answers they need. This is good news as it puts IC in the limelight, but it is demanding work that often needs to be done with fewer resources. Now more than ever, IC professionals need to prove their worth to gain the resources they need.
Change in Channels – 45% of respondents predicted a reduction in print communications in the coming year, with many seeing the Internet as a more cost effective and engaging alternative, due to its ability to spread messages to the right audiences with simplicity, immediacy and transparency.
Priority skills – Most respondents indicated that over the next 12 months, the most important skills will be: ‘managing change communication’ (43.2%), ‘supporting senior leadership communication’ (37.9%), and ‘measuring the effectiveness of internal communication’ (27.6%). In terms of leadership communications, ‘coaching managers to communicate’ came out as the top priority (52.5%), closely followed by ‘strategic planning’ (51%) and ‘how to assess communication effectiveness’ (49.3%).
More about the survey and its findings >
Melitta
The key to effective internal communications that will support and drive positive change is a thorough understanding of your brand and your people. This demands that you uncover the ownable truths about your organisation – the genuine, inspiring and truly representative truths that define and unite your people and brand.
In a recently launched white paper, design, branding and communications consultancy Small Back Room, provide communication practitioners with the tools to do just this.
In this paper, Small Back Room explain how to uncover these ownable truths and used them to build or enhance a brand from the inside out, helping you to generate a platform for clear, direct and effective communications that will drive positive change.
The paper also looks at the relationships between brands, strategy, internal communications and change – and their impact on internal communications and includes a ‘change scenario assessment tool’ so that you can evaluate exactly where your organisation is in the change cycle and then plan your management of change from there.
Small Back Room has made the paper available for download by GCN members >
Melitta
Internal communication agency, theblueballroom, has a released a social media white paper giving internal communicators a practical guide to social media tools. Called Collaboration in Action, the white paper is free to download, but you must register first.
Melitta
A new British Government review has highlighted the importance of effective engagement to successful business performance, showing that high levels of employee engagement are inextricably linked to the successful achievement of commercial and other organisational objectives.
The MacLeod Review, commissioned by the British Government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, also states that British firms need to improve engagement levels. It cites a number of impeding factors ranging from leaders not really understanding what employee engagement is or recognising its importance, to not knowing where to go for assistance, and the poor people skills of many line managers.
David MacLeod, who lead the review with Nita Clarke, said: “This is about unleashing the potential of people at work and enabling them to be the best they can be. Whether we are in a downturn or in better economic times, engagement is a key to innovation and competitiveness.”
Nita Clarke said: “By respecting the contribution employees can make and ensuring they are fully involved in developing their organisation’s future, employers can help unlock their full potential. When done well, employee engagement is a win for the organisation, a win for the individual and therefore a win for the country as a whole.”
Read more about the review’s findings >
Melitta
We have often reported on Internal Communications (IC) in Europe and the States and it’s importance during times of crisis. So it was interesting to read a report this week that shows how IC is regarded in Argentina.
Interestingly, the study conducted by the Asociación Argentina de Comunicación Interna (Argentine Association of Internal Communication), shows that the majority of Argentine companies formally manage their Internal Communications (70% with an in-house person or team), with 84% of those responsible for Communication stating that they have their own budget and 40% of them are handling a budget which is higher than last year’s.
This fact, together with the knowledge that none of the companies survey plan to downsize their internal communication function or activities, would seem to show that the discipline is seen as an important success factor, particularly in today’s climate of change.
For more about the survey and its findings, download a copy of the research >
Melitta