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Effective Internal Communication Second Edition
Lyn Smith with Pamela Mounter
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Effective Internal Communication Second Edition
Lyn Smith with Pamela Mounter
London and Philadelphia
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TothelateIanConnell, withoutwhomthisbookwouldneverhavebeenpossible Publisher’snote Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is accurate at the time of going to press, and the publishers and authors cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damageoccasionedtoanypersonacting,orrefrainingfromaction,asaresultofthematerial inthispublicationcanbeacceptedbytheeditor,thepublisheroranyoftheauthors. FirstpublishedinGreatBritainandtheUnitedStatesin2005byKoganPageLimited Reprinted2006,2007 Secondedition2008 Apartfromanyfairdealingforthepurposesofresearchorprivatestudy,orcriticismorreview, aspermittedundertheCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988,thispublicationmayonlybe reproduced,storedortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,withthepriorpermissionin writingofthepublishers,orinthecaseofreprographicreproductioninaccordancewiththe termsandlicencesissuedbytheCLA.Enquiriesconcerningreproductionoutsidetheseterms shouldbesenttothepublishersattheundermentionedaddresses: 120PentonvilleRoad LondonN19JN UnitedKingdom www.koganpage.com
525South4thStreet,#241 PhiladelphiaPA19147 USA
©LynSmith,2005,2008 TherightofLynSmithtobeidentifiedastheauthorofthisworkhasbeenassertedbyherin accordancewiththeCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988. ISBN 9780749452650 BritishLibraryCataloguing-in-PublicationData ACIPrecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary. LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Smith,Lyn. Effectiveinternalcommunications/LynSmith.––2nded. p.cm. Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN978-0-7494-5265-0 1.Communicationinmanagement.2.Publicrelations.I.Title. HD30.3.S5772008 658.4’5––dc22 2008009974 TypesetbyJSTypesettingLtd,Porthcawl,MidGlamorgan PrintedandboundinIndiabyReplikaPressPvtLtd
Contents Abouttheauthor Abouttheeditor PrefacebyProfessorAnneGregory Acknowledgements Introduction
ix x xi xiii 1
PART1 SETTINGTHESCENE 1. Whatisinternalcommunication? Thehistory Technologyadded Whereitsitsintheorganization
9 10 13 14
2. Whatdoesittaketobeaninternalcommunicator? Wheretonowfortheinternalcommunicator? Howothersseeit
17 18 22
3. Youraudience–whoarethey? Front-linestaff Supervisors/linemanagers Seniormanagement/middlemanagement Board/director
25 25 26 27 27
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Voluntarysector–trustees,volunteers,members Atoneremove Creativesandspecialists Diversity Segmentation–thewayahead
28 28 29 30 30
4. Theoriesintopractice Thefourculturesoftheorganization Processthiswayorgiveusasign GoldenOldierevisited Semiotics–readingthesigns Focusonthemassortheindividual Theindividualrevisited Shallwedance?Thecooperativemodel Computer-mediatedcommunicationandtheimplications
32 33 37 38 40 41 42 44 45
5. Managinginternalcommunicationin-house Thebusinesscase Whodoesit Howinternalcommunicationrewarded So,humanresourcesorpublicrelations? Centralizedordecentralized
48 48 49 54 54 55
6. Outsourcingtheinternalcommunicationsfunction Thebusinesscase Whatconsultanciescanoffer Reasonstobecautious Gettingthebestfromyourconsultancy
58 58 60 61 62
7. Howthelegalframeworkfitsin Generalcommunicationminefields Intheworkplaceitself
65 66 70
8. Thechannels,vehiclesandactivities Whatisthemessage? Facetoface–onetoone Facetoface–enmasse Print Broadcastandaudio-visual Internetdriven Corporateglue–games,etc Events Environment Corporatesocialresponsibility
79 79 80 81 83 84 86 87 88 89 89
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Contents
9.
Whouseswhichmediaforwhat Themanager’sperspective Topdown–butwhatabouttheworkers? Ensuringsomeoneislistening Unblockingtheblockages Mediaorsymbol? Theinvisibleweb
10.
Thereceivingend Staffperceptions Isthereanybodythere? Involvementthekey Lastonthebandwagon? Givethemwhattheyneedtodothejob Thein-houselanguage Upwardscommunication Conclusionstobedrawn
101 101 102 103 103 104 105 106 106
11.
Communicatingwithspecialgroups Tappingintoculturaldiversity Thedifferentlyabled Age,genderandsexualorientation Workingfromhomeoroutontheroad Theunpaidheroes Micro-organizations Conclusions
109 110 112 113 114 116 117 118
12. Thegloballydispersedworkforce Theconsultancyapproach Thingstothinkabout–pan-EMEAandbeyond
93 93 94 96 96 98 99
119 123 124
PART2 GETTINGITRIGHT–PRACTICALAPPLICATION 13. Howtodoit–settingaboutcommunication Whatyourpeoplewanttohear
129 131
14.
136 136 138 140
Wecanalltalkcan’twe?Facetoface Listeninginoneasyconversation Howothersdoit Overcomingpresentationsickness
15. Leadingfromthemiddle Accentuatethepositive
142 145
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Movingiton Sowhatmakesthemiddlespecial?
147 148
16. Thecreativeaspects–writing,editinganddesigningit yourself Capturingthespark Sparkingideastogether Sexingupthemissionstatement Thinkvisually Backtothewrittenword Managingtheeditorialpanel It’stheoveralllookthatcounts Whattoputin Theannualreport
150 151 151 153 153 154 156 157 158 158
17.
160 161 162 163
Publishingtheprintedword–thelogisticalaspects Usingtheprofessionaltypesetterandprinter Deployingcolourandtypeface Paginationandotherweightyissues
18. Broadcast–doityourselforcallintheexperts? Celebrities–homegrownorreal? Workingwiththeprofessionals
167 168 170
19. Managingchange Networks Integratedcommunication
172 174 174
20. Communicatinginacrisis Sowhatgoeswrong? Onthedayitself
182 185 186
21.
190 191 192 194 195 197 198 200
Signpostingtheether E-mail–gettingitright E-mail–gettingitwrong Texting–bothproandcon Windinguptheintranet Writingonline Gettingthecontentrightonline Intranetofrecord
22. Theygoitalone–online Workingwithsocialmedia
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202 206
Contents
Howwidespreadissocialmedia? Whatcansocialmediaadd?
207 209
23.
Howtomeasuresuccess Benchmarking Surveys Audits Otherwaysin Takingthemeasureofnewmedia Lookingbackandonwards
212 214 214 219 220 220 221
24.
Howtomakeithappen–goneshopping! Startingfromscratch Wheretolook Preparingthebrief Interviewinglikelycontenders Sowhatnext? Workingwithsuppliers
223 224 225 226 227 228 229
25. Internalcommunications–thefuture Implicationsfortheinternalcommunicator
231 236
Appendix1.Internalcommunicationsknowledgeandskills Appendix2.Communicationsinthepublicsector–asnapshot Appendix3.Settingupaninternalcommunicationsfunction– thingstoconsider Appendix4.Usefuladdresses
239 250 253 257
References Furtherreading Index
259 263 266
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PRinPracticeSeries PublishedinassociationwiththeCharteredInstituteofPublicRelations SeriesEditor:AnneGregory KoganPagehasjoinedforceswiththeCharteredInstituteofPublicRelationstopublish this unique series which is designed specifically to meet the needs of the increasing numbersofpeopleseekingtoenterthepublicrelationsprofessionandthelargebandof existingPRprofessionals.Takingapractical,action-orientedapproach,thebooksinthe seriesconcentrateontheday-to-dayissuesofpublicrelationspracticeandmanagement rather than academic history. They provide ideal primers for all those on CIPR, CAM andCIMcoursesorthosetakingNVQsinPR.ForPRpractitioners,theyprovideuseful refreshersandensurethattheirknowledgeandskillsarekeptuptodate. Professor Anne Gregory is one of the UK’s leading public relations academics and is theUK’sonlyfulltimeprofessorofpublicrelations.SheisProViceChancellorofLeeds MetropolitanUniversityandDirectoroftheCentreforPublicRelationsStudiesinthe BusinessSchool.Beforebecominganacademic,Annespent12yearsinpublicrelations practiceandhasexperienceataseniorlevelbothin-houseandinconsultancy.Beside beinganinternationalspeakerandpublishingwidelyinleadingjournals,Anneremains involvedinconsultancyworkhavingclientsinboththepublicandprivatesectorsand isanon-executivedirectorofSouthWestYorkshireMentalHealthNHSTrust.Anneis Consultant Editor of the PR in Practice series, edited the book of the same name and wrote Planning and Managing a Public Relations Campaign, also in this series. She was PresidentoftheCIPRin2004. Othertitlesintheseries: CreativityinPublicRelationsbyAndyGreen EffectiveMediaRelationsbyMichaelBland,AlisonTheakerandDavidWragg EffectiveWritingSkillsforPublicRelationsbyJohnFoster ManagingActivismbyDeniseDeegan OnlinePublicRelationsbyDavidPhillips PlanningandManagingPublicRelationsCampaignsbyAnneGregory PublicAffairsinPracticebyStuartThomsonandSteveJohn PublicRelationsinPracticeeditedbyAnneGregory PublicRelationsStrategybySandraOliver PublicRelations:ApracticalguidetothebasicsbyPhilipHenslowe Risk Issues and Crisis Management in Public Relations by Michael Regester and Judy Larkin RunningaPublicRelationsDepartmentbyMikeBeard The above titles are available from all good bookshops and from the CIPR website www.cipr.co.uk/books.Toobtainfurtherinformation,pleasecontactthepublishersat theaddressbelow: KoganPageLtd 120PentonvilleRoad LondonN19JN Tel:02072780433Fax:02078376348 www.koganpage.com
Abouttheauthor LynSmithhasworkedasaprofessionalcommunicatorforthebulkofher 30-yearcareerstartingoutinfilmpublicity,movingtointernalcommunicationinacommercialorganization,copywritingandmediarelationsfora directmarketingagency,andlaterprofessionalinstitutepublicrelations. She then changed direction and moved into newspaper journalism, becoming responsible for a news team of 15 before returning to public relations, this time in the National Health Service. From there she set up herownpublicrelationsconsultancyandhasworkedinallsectors,most recentlyworkingwithawiderangeofnot-for-profitorganizations. Shehasalsoworkedaschiefexecutiveofacharityforhealthandsocial careprofessionalsandhaslecturedonpublicrelations. AFellowoftheCharteredInstituteofPublicRelations,from1999until 2005shechairedthesectoralgroupforthenot-for-profitsector,FifthEstate, quadruplingitsmembership.Shewaspreviouslysecretaryoftheinstitute’s InternalCommunicationGroup(nowCIPRInside). Lyn has edited a number of professional journals including the British Journal of Healthcare Computing and Information Management and the UK CentrefortheAdvancementofInterprofessionalEducation’sBulletin. EducationalqualificationsincludetheCAMcertificateanddiplomaand anMAinCommunicationsPlanning.
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Abouttheeditor PamelaMounterisaseniorcorporatecommunicationconsultant.Achildhood inAfrica and postings to Europe and the Caucasus developed her interestintheinfluenceofcultureonthewaypeoplerelatetoeachother. She has written about internal communication for both academic and general publications and won a top paper award from the International AssociationofBusinessCommunicatorsforherworkwithBPinthisarea. SheisamemberoftheThamesValleyUniversityadvisorycommitteeforits MScinCorporateCommunicationandisChairoftheCharteredInstituteof PublicRelations’InternationalGroup.
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Preface AccordingtoJohnSmythe(2007)1,internalcommunicationsisnowoneof themainconcernsofCEO’s.Whyisthat?Becausebusinessobjectivesare deliveredbypeople.Byhavingacollaborative,co-operativeandenergized workforcewillingtogivetheirbesttotheorganization,itismuchmore likely to be successful. However, along with this dream comes another sidetothebargain.ItisthejoboftheCEO,indeedofallgoodmanagers to provide an environment where people feel listened to, valued and respected.Wheretheyfeeltheirinvestmentoftime,personalcommitment, goodwillandintellectualandphysicalcapitalisrecognizedandrewarded. Themoralcontractonbothsidesisaspowerful,ifnotmorepowerfulthan thewrittenone. In this practical book on internal communications, Lyn Smith outlines thecontributionthataprofessionalpublicrelationspractitionercanmake. First of all she briefly describes the history and current status of internal communicationandwhereitsitswithintheorganization.Thenshehelpfullygoesthroughwhatittakestoworkininternalcommunicationsand the range of publics within a typical organization. No, ‘employee’ is just notgoodenough.Itdoesnotremotelycapturetherangeanddiversityof audienceswithinatypicalorganization,orthecomplexityofthevarious managerialandotherroles.
Smythe,John(2007)TheCEO:TheChiefEngagementOfficer,London,Gower.
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A helpful section on theory leads on to a valuable discussion on why and how internal communications should be managed and structured: includingausefulexplorationofout-sourcingandlegalimperatives. Thevariouschannelsofcommunication,theappropriatenessofspecific mediaandlookingattheend-userperspectiveprefacesPart2ofthebook, whichgoesintogreatdetailontheimplementationofinternalcommunicationprogrammes.Thispartofthebookcomprehensivelycoversnotonly allthebasicssuchaswriting,design,publishingandusingonlinemedia, but also looks at key themes such as change management, measuring successandinternalcommunicationintothefuture. Designedtobeusedeitherasacomprehensiveintroductiontointernal communications,orasa‘pickandmix’handbook,LynSmithhasproduced a‘musthave’guidetointernalcommunicationsforthosenewtothearea, orthosewithsomeexperience.ItisanessentialpartofthePRinPractice series. ProfessorAnneGregory
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Acknowledgements This book was only made possible by the vast number of contributions whichlargelycameintheformofinterviewsandinsomecasessubmitted materials. I would particularly like to thank the following, who are not listed accordingtomerit:GeraldChan,ColinFarrington,GroElinHansen,thelate AlanRawelandSusanShayshutt,currentlyorpreviouslyoftheChartered Institute of Public Relations; Amanda Foister, Internal Communication Alliance;ProfessorAnneGregory;PamelaMounter;DrRichardVarey. For their contributions and other assistance: Lesley Allman, David Ashford,MichelleAtkinson,SophieAustin,DavidBarker,CarolineBramley, Caroline Broadhurst, Paul Brown, David Bryant, Charlotte Butler, Liz Cochrane,DavidCoe,JonathanCoe,DeniceCurrie,AnikoCzinege,Siubhan Daly,VickiDavies,SueDewhurst,ElizabethDickie,ArfonEdward,Lindsay Eynon,SimonFinn,LiamFitzPatrick,JamesFlynn,RichardGaunt,Helen Goodier,RussellGrossman,JustineGuest,KatieHadgraft,JohnnyHarben, Tom Harvey, Shiona Hastie, Nick Helsby, Sarah Hoskins, Paul Inglefield, RachelJefferies,NormaJohnston,StephenJolly,JillKirby,HowardKrais, Briony Lalor, Peter Lawlor, Carol Lindsell, Simon Loe, Richard Lomax, Judith Manson, Paul Massie, Mike McCabe, Karen McElroy, Lisa Moore, Mike Moser, Sarah Murphy, Sidonie Myers, Alexander Nicoll, Grace Perrott, David Phillips, Ellie Phillips, Robert Pike, Rebecca Porta, Jacqui Price,JeremyRedhouse,JaneRelf,JamesRye,JoSanders,EmmaSavage, Bob Schukai, Colin Sneath, Leslie Sophocleous, Phil Talbot, Steve Taylor,
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Acknowledgements
MandyThatcher,SusanWalker,JennyWaller,SandraWard,SarahWatson, Stephen Windsor-Lewis, Clare Winterton, Nick Wright, Oliver Wright, FionaYoung.
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Introduction Sharpening my pencil (pens had a habit of running ink in the rain, and juggling an umbrella, pen and notebook was just not one of my special competencies; neither was using a portable tape recorder), I prepared to conductyetanotherinterviewinmybusyworkingdayasalocalnewspaper reporter. Being no more callous than any other hack (this was the early 1980s)Iconductedtheinterviewwiththebossofoneofthelargestfactories intheareaandthenprocessedbacktotheofficetoprovidethefrontpage leadforthemainnewspaperoftheweek. MysenseofrevelationcamewhenIdidmyweeklysessionwithscissors andgluepottokeepmycuttingsbookuptodateandrereadthosewords: ‘Four hundred jobs to go’. There had been no trade union representative tospeakto,togettheothersideofthestory.Wehadtakenthewordofthe managersandcommittedtheinformationtoblackandwhitetypesetinthe old-fashionedwayinhotmetal. Within a few months that technology would be swept away but what did not vanish, as I was to note down the years, was a tendency to use thenearestjournalisttoinformstaffthattheP45wasinthepostandthat despite30yearsservicetheywerenolongerrequired.Nowadaysnoticecan justaseasilybedeliveredbytextandisjustasbadlyreceivedespeciallyif staffhavetoseekouttheinformationforthemselves,ashappenedwiththe closureofsupermarketchainKwikSavein2007. My first role after newspapers was in heading up the communications functionforaninnerLondonhealthdistrict.BythenIhadrealizedthatIhad
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growntiredofhavinglittleimpact;anewspaperjournalistisessentiallyan outsiderlookingin,andIwantedtomakeanimpactbybeingontheinside lookingandcommunicatingtoboththeoutsideandinsideworlds. A review of my cuttings had revealed that apart from the bad news stories,veryfewofthe72-pointheadlineshadbeenmuchmorethan‘flying kites’forvariousproposalsthathadnevercometoanything.Workingfrom theinsideofanorganizationIhadhopedtomakearealdifferencetothe wayitsemployeesweretreated,andthewaytheyinturnwouldtreatthe ‘customers’,aspatientshadbythenbeenrechristened. Iwasoperatingagainstabackdropofmajorandcontinuingchange.In theMentalHealthUnitinparticular,employeeshadundergoneanumber of changes in top management. They also had to face the effects of the then Tory government reforms which effectively divorced them from the other health provider units. However, by ensuring their voices were heardthroughthecommunicationsvehiclesandsorespondedtobysenior management,thetransferofservicesfrominstitutiontocommunitywent gratifyinglywell. Inthe15yearsorsosinceImovedbackintothecorporatesectorandthen onintoconsultancy,thingsappeartohavechangedprettydramaticallyin the world of internal communication. Few organizations of any size will notnowbedevotingtime,moneyandresourcestointernalaudiencesas wellaswhathavebeenviewedastherathermoresupposedlyglamorous externalones. But why do internal communication at all? The reason they do so is becauseaninformedandengagedworkforceproducesbetterresults.Unless yourpeopleunderstandwhatyourorganizationisseekingtoachieveand theparttheyhavetoplay,arrivingatyourhoped-forcorporatedestination willnotbeaforegoneconclusion. Few communicators and their counterparts in human resources feel comfortable putting figures on the impact that their efforts may have on thecorporateprofitandlossaccount.However,communicationisnotjust about bolstering the bottom line: it can assist in other areas that impact uponthehealthoftheorganization. Yourworkforcecanserveasambassadorsinbothpositiveandnegative respects. Poor handling of complaints regarding racial, sexual or agerelated harassment and discrimination have often found their way to an employment tribunal. An internal communicator with the ear of senior managementcansoundthealarmoratleastadviseonhowtocommunicate aneffectivesolution. Damning headlines can in themselves be very damaging for employee morale.Itisvitalforbothinternalandexternalcommunicationsfunctions to be aligned or at least working closely together. It is only too easy for internally generated media to find its way to the outside world and so
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influence external perceptions, and external media can often be the first portofcallforstafflookingforcompanynews. Ithasalwaysseemedcommonsenseandgoodetiquettetotalktoyour internalpublicsfirstbeforegoingtothewiderworld,althoughitisvitalto rememberthattheStockExchangerequirestobeinformedofprice-sensitive informationinadvance. Professional communicators are also in the ideal position to translate ‘managementspeak’intolanguagethatcanbeunderstoodbythosewho willhavetoactuponit. Allorganizationshavetheirowncultures,andwhentwoorganizations trytomerge,theimportanceofthoseculturescomestothefore.Byculture Imeanthepatternsofbehaviourandattitudesexhibitedbyemployeesand management.Againprofessionalcommunicatorsattunedtothesensitivities thataboundcanhelpovercomethebarrierstohappycorporatemarriage. Alltheaboveperhapssuggeststhattheonlytimetokeepintouchwith staffisinperiodsofstressortrouble.Infact,ifyoumaintaincontactina regular pattern at regular times it is more likely that the workforce will wanttopulltogetherwhenthegoingdoesgetrough.
Performance
Focuson employees
Improve products and services
Cutcosts
Time
Figure0.1 Sourcesofperformanceimprovement–thebusinesscaseforinternal communication 3
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Communicating clear goals and then reporting on progress at regular intervals is motivating for teams. Activity for publics both internal and external should be closely matched to organizational targets. There is a hierarchyofcommunicationneeds,from‘HowdoIfitintomyteam?’to ‘Wheredoestheteamfitintothispartoftheorganization?’to‘Andhow does that fit into the big picture?’ Internal communications as a function shouldmeetallthoseneeds.Beingabletoseeexactlyhowanindividual contributestothebiggerpictureisthekeynotjustformanagementbutalso formotivatingtheindividualconcerned.
Sourcesofperformanceimprovement So, any conclusions? Despite all the hype, internal communications is still relatively new as a function but is by and large better developed in thecommercialsector.However,thepublicsectoriscatchingupfastand, like the not-for-profit sector, may be pulling ahead in terms of employee engagement.Itismucheasiertoembracethevisionofhelpingacommunity thansellingabiscuit,nomatterhowhealthy. Thenot-for-profitsectormaybeseentobelaggingbehind,butthismay bemoretodowiththesizeandageoftheorganizationinquestionasfew in the sector employ large numbers of staff. Available budgets are also obviously a contributory factor. It can still be hard to justify investment onstaffwhendonorswanttoseemoneyspentontheworthycauseitself. But more and more communication posts are being advertised, so this is changing,althoughthetrendcananddoesgointoreversequiteswiftlyif fundingfails. Lookingacrossallsectorsitwouldseemthatsizeoforganizationrather thansectoristhedeterminingfactor.Largeorganizations,certainlyinthe publicandcommercialsectors,willquitenaturallybebetterresourcedand better able to take advantage of new technological advances and societal developmentsastheycomeonstream.However,allorganizationswithjust 50 or more employees will be obliged to take account of the strictures of the European Commission’s Information and Consultation Directive (see Chapter7). Thisbookisintendedtohelpthoseoutinthefieldtolearnfromthereal experiencesoftheverymanypeopleIhavespokento,workingacrossall sectorsandsizesoforganizations.Althoughtheorywillbetouchedonin thefirsthalf,thisbookisasmuchabouttherealityandpracticeofinternal communication.Thepracticalitiesofinternalcommunicationarecovered fromChapter13. Newchaptersaddedwiththiseditioncoverleadershipcommunication, crisis communication and social media.Appendices cover competencies,
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takingparticularnoteofnegativetraits,communicationinthepublicsector, setting up an internal communications function and an expanded useful addressessection.Fullreferencesandfurtherreadingaresupplied.
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Part1 SettingtheScene
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1
Whatisinternal communication? Or should that be ‘staff communication’, or for that matter ‘employee relations’, or if you are a real dinosaur ‘industrial relations’? Perhaps if youaresomewhatmoreuptodateyoumightprefer‘changemanagement’ or even ‘transformation’ or ‘reputation management’. The list is pretty extensiveorwouldbeifyoutrawledbackthroughtherecruitmentsection oftheGuardian.Thischapterwillfirstlookatwhatinternalcommunication isandthenmoveontolookatthemake-upoftheinternalcommunicator. What’sinaname?Thesameargumentshavepresumablybeenplayed out over that equally aged moniker for our external-facing colleagues –veryfewseemtobecalledpressofficersthesedays.Infactthatisabitof amisnomerastheyoftenhavetoconductgovernmentaffairs,community relations and marketing communication, along with media relations too; internalcommunicationisasmallbutsignificantpartoftheirwork. SpeakinginOctober2002atthelaunchoftheInternalCommunication Alliance (now CIPR Inside), then Chair Stephen Windsor-Lewis said the disciplinehad‘comealongway’.Hedescribeditas‘anessentialelement inthebusinessmix’. Headdedtheterm‘leadershipcommunication’tothelistofalternative terms for internal communication. It is likely this phrase has come into play due to the focus on Britain’s perceived lack of leadership skills, as
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commentedoninreportsfromtheCouncilforExcellenceinManagement andLeadership(Foxetal,2001;PerrenandGrant,2001).Itmighttherefore beseenasfocusingontheneedsoftheboardroomorperhapsprovidingthe workforcewithsomethingmorethantheusualtop-downexhortations.The newchapteronleadershipcommunicationfocusesonthelatter. What exactly is meant by each of these phrases could fill a volume on itsown.AttheBBCtheysee‘internalcommunication’astheactofcommunicatinginternally,while‘internalcommunications’isthefunctionwhich helpsdeliverit.Thereareofcourseotherinterpretations,butthisbookdoes notintendtoenterintoadebateonthesubjectalthoughitrecognizesthat therearedifferingpointsofview. Ifnothingelse,thattrawlthroughtheAppointmentssectiondoesprovide abarometerforhowfarthedisciplinehasgrown.Internalcommunicationis nowalongwayfromthedayswhenitwassomethingtobefittedinaround externalaffairsduties.Nowadaysevencharities,notknownfortheirvast budgets, have been establishing stand-alone functions, whereas teams in supposedlyratherbetterresourcedsectorshaveusuallygonefromoneto manymembersofstaff;butinsomeinstancesthereverseappearstobethe case.Thisperhapsservestohighlightyetanotherphaseofthediscipline’s developmentfromproducertoadviser. Insomeways,lookingatthemannerinwhichdifferentsectorsand/or differentsizesoforganizationsarecurrentlymanagingorcarryingoutthe function of internal communication provides a series of snapshots of the waythedisciplinehasbeenmaturing.Therewouldseemnobetterwayof findingthefuturepaththanlearningfromthosewhohavegonebefore.
THEHISTORY Smallerorganizationaldecisionsshouldbetakenbyseniorindividuals,but largeonesshouldbedecidedasagroup.Everyone’svoicemustbeheardto avoidmurmursandback-biting.
Those words were not written some time in that great age of internal communication,the20thcentury,butinthe6thcenturybyamonk.Inan articleentitled‘Thespiritofenterprise’publishedintheDailyTelegraph,16 November2000,WidgetFinncouldseetherelevanceofStBenedict’sRule atthedawningofthenewmillennium. St Benedict’s successors now use his words as the basis for weekend retreatsforbusinesspeopleinsearchofspiritualityatwork.Perhapsalittle flippantly,itcouldbearguedthatinternalcommunicationfarpre-datesSt BenedictandwasprobablybeingdisseminatedinpictorialformforStone Agehunters.Whoistosaythosepaintingsofanimalswerenotintendedas anexhortationtotryhardernexttime? 10
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Writing in Communication World, Michael C Brandon (1997) cites three majorphasesofdevelopmentbutdoesnotspecificallylabelthem;forthe easeofthereadertheyhavebeenroughlydated(seeboxedpanel).However,theycouldbedescribedas:1)industrialrelations;2)realisticjournalism;and3)marketing. ThefirstphaseBrandondescribesasthe‘threeBs’or‘birthdays,babies andballscores’;morerecenteffortswouldperhapsslotintothe‘highCs’, or ‘challenge, change and commitment’. But Brandon argues that many organizationseveninthedyingdaysoftheoldmillenniumwerestillstuck inphasesoneandtwo.
THEEVOLUTIONOFEMPLOYEECOMMUNICATION StageOne(pre-1960s)
Predecessor–industrialrelations. Goal–improvemorale. Emphasis–individuals. Orientation–camaraderie. Attitude–warm,personal. Focus–people.
StageTwo(mid-1960s–1980s)
Predecessor–journalism. Goal–delivernews. Emphasis–facts. Orientation–reporting. Attitude–cool,sceptical. Focus–events.
StageThree(late1980s–now)
Predecessor–marketing. Goal–implementstrategy. Emphasis–organization. Orientation–aidtomanagement. Attitude–businessorientated. Focus–strategicobjectives.
Adaptedfrom‘FromthethreeBstothehighCs’,CommunicationWorld, April/May1997.
While phase one was seen to be the territory of the industrial relations expertandintendedtoimproveemployees’moralebyprovidingasource 11
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ofrecognitionforthem,phasetwocoincidedwiththeinfluxofjournalists intothatpartoftheworkforce.Theybroughtwiththemthevaluesofthe newsroom and so a sharper news focus because they saw their goal as providing employees with information about their organizations. Their aspirationwasto‘tellitlikeitis’. WorkingatAlbright&WilsonandSainsbury’sinthelate1960sand1970s RichardGaunt,undertheguidanceofPeterIreson(formerchairmanofthe old BritishAssociation of Industrial Editors), fought for and won a high degree of editorial freedom to cover often challenging subjects (from a managementperspective)inequallychallengingways. Hearguesthisperceivedfreedomhelpedthein-housejournalismteam gain credibility with employees and enabled them to communicate the company’s agenda very quickly and successfully. The team produced several award-winning publications. They may seem antique now, but illustrate fundamentals which have not changed. So it is likely Brandon wouldslottheseintohissecondstageofdevelopment. InproducingAlbright&Wilson’s(thentheUK’snumbertwochemical producer) glossy magazine, the pair had the freedom to write whatever theylikedaslongasitwasrelevanttothecompany.Seekingtoreflectthe livesofemployees,thepublicationtackledredundancyandenvironmental issueslongbeforeitwasthefashiontodoso.Therewasaclimateofreality, opennessandfrankness. Theyconductedinterviewswithtradeunionofficialsandshopstewards. Thisandothertopicsbroughtthemintoconstantconflictwithmanagement buttheyhadsomestrongsupportersandthepublicationwasread.Atthe time it was recognized as being one of the leading vehicles in employee communication. ThepairarrivedatSainsbury’swhenitwasmakingthetransitionfroma privatefamily-ownedbusinesstoapubliccompany.Theycarriedontheir pioneeringeffortsbylaunchingafour-weeklynewspaper.Thisapparently completelychangedcommunicationinacompanywhichhadbeenrather hierarchicalinapproachandstructure.Therewasaneditorialcharteralong thelinesofanationalnewspaper.AccordingtoRichardGauntthey‘would publishandbedamnedandapologiseafterwardsbutwealwayschecked ourfacts’.Aletterspagealsoprovidedavehiclefortacklingtrickysubjects. Hebelievestheclimatehaschangedinmanycompanies,notnecessarilyfor thebetterintermsofopennesstoemployees. AirProductsplclauncheditsstaffmagazineinthewinterof1969fora UK-basedworkforce.The100thissueofCryoGenmagazineproducedearly in2003replacedadisparateglobalcollectionofpublications.Eachregional edition carried a core set of pages with company information, whilst the outerpagescarriedlocallyrelevantnews.Thefirstissueofthemagazine waslaunchedintheUK,GermanyandBelgiumwiththenewlookbeing rolledoutfurtheracrossEuropeatalaterstage.WhetherRedhouseLane, 12
Whatisinternalcommunication?
theconsultancythatworkedonit,wouldrecognizeitsrootsinBrandon’s second phase or journalistic school of internal communication is another matter. WorkingatBPinthe1970s,PamelaMounterusedaconceptfrommore mainstream media to get the company’s predominantly male audiences readingtheemployeenewspaper.Gettingawell-knownfaceasajudge,she ranacompetitiontofindwomenwhoweremakingarealcontributionto BP.Therewereliterallythousandsofresponses,completewiththerequired photographs,fromtheaudiencewhothenvotedforthetop12women.The winner–whojusthappenedofcoursetobeaprettygirl–wonherown portraittobepaintedbyafamousartist. Obviously rather more innocent times; and it is not easy to see such a competition winning favour today with the organization’s equality or diversity officer. But at the time the device was helpful in ensuring the serious information on such issues as downsizing was read. Before the 1970stherewouldhavebeennocoverageofclosures.
TECHNOLOGYADDED Jeremy Redhouse, who set up communications consultancy Redhouse Lane in 1988, was among the pioneers of the next stage. This saw the surprisinglyearlyadoptionofvideoandattitudesurveyswhichwerenot tobewidespreadforthebestpartofanotherdecade.Theintroductionof surveysreflectedagrowingunderstandingofcommunicationsasbeingnot justaone-waytop-downprocess,butatwo-wayprocessattheleast. Whathasbeeninterestingduringconversationsacrossthesectorsishow many very large household names that have only recently got around to establishing intranets and are still thinking twice about the newer social media and their implications. But then it is hard to grasp that they only startedtobecomeafeatureoforganizationallifeinthemid-1990s. AsurveyofthesectorbyPRWeekon12November1992,‘Communication empowering employees’, made no mention of computer-mediated communication.Itdivideduptheinternalcommunicator’sworkingtimeinto that devoted to ‘mission and value statements, cascade briefs and house magazine/newspaper’. When then Corporate Communications Director Stephen Jolly first arrivedattheJapaneseinvestmentbankNomuraInternationalin1996,the LondonteamseemedcontentwithasheetofA4detailingstaffexploits.Yet thecompany’sdesiretoclosetheperceptiongapbetweenwhereitbelieved itwasandwherestaffseemedtothinkitwasrequiredsomethingfarmore sophisticated. Tobringtogetheracompanythathadbeenoperatingasacollectionof disparatebusinesses,allinternalcommunicationwasconcentratedontoa 13
Settingthescene
newlycreatedintranet.ForNomura’speople,theirworkplacewasinfact thedesktopcomputerscreenthroughwhichtheydidtheirday-to-daywork. TheaimwastoturnthemintoambassadorsforNomuraratherthanjustfor thebusinessareainwhichtheyhadbeenoperating.Withoutthatchange, thefutureoftheorganizationmighteventuallyhavebeenputatrisk. A branding structure was needed as a framework. The individual businessareasweregivenresponsibilityforintranetcontent.Thisencompassedbusinessdataaswellashardnewsandmorelight-heartedmaterial intheformofacorporate‘webzine’.Forresourcingreasons,thewebzine wasupdatedonamonthlybasisintheearlydays,butthencontinuously toreflectthefast-movingnatureofthefinancialmarkets.Therewouldalso havebeenagrowingfamiliaritywiththetechnologyanditscapabilities. TheconstantreinforcementoftheNomurabrandwasintendedtoconfirmforemployeesthattheywereapartofalargercorporatewhole.This example ties neatly into Brandon’s third or marketing stage of internal communicationinhismodeloftheevolutionofemployeecommunication. Thisstagehasitsfocusonstrategicobjectivesratherthanthepeopleand eventsofthefirsttwophases. Brandonarguedthatwhathetermedemployeecommunicationshould ‘evolveintoanextensionofthemanagementprocess’.Ifhehadupdated hisarticleforthenewmillenniumhemighthaveaddedafourthstage.This wouldhavebuiltonhisthirdstagetocombinethebestofallthreemodels, withgreateremphasisonlisteningandtakingonboardthecontributions oftheworkforcenowmademucheasierbythewiderapplicationofnew technologies. Thisbringsusneatlyontoabrisklookatwhereinternalcommunication asafunctionsitswithinanorganization.
WHEREITSITSINTHEORGANIZATION Internalcommunicationisoneofthosefunctionsthateveryonethinksthey candowell–becausetheytalktotheirpeople,don’tthey.Thiscanmake lifeparticularlychallengingforthosetaskedwithactuallydeliveringonthe jobtitletheyhavewheneveryoneregardstheskillsascommonplace. Manyinterviewedforthisbookfeltthatstrategyshouldbefirmlywithin theremitofthein-houseteamorindividual,otherwiseaseriesofunlinked programmeswouldbethelikelyresult. Intalkingtomanyindividualsatverydifferentlevelsinverydisparate sectors,whathascomeacrossascrucialistheneedforinternalcommunication to be championed at the very top of the organization and also for senior management and the boardroom to respect the expertise of the specialisttaskedtodeliver,betheyinternallyorexternallyplaced.
14
Whatisinternalcommunication?
Without that respect it is unlikely any communication strategy will be deliveredaccordingtoplanorbeeffectivelytiedtothebottomline.Without a clear focus and understanding of expected results, the organization may well fail and certainly will not go to the top of any league tables of performance. SincetheLabourgovernmentreturnedtopowerin1997therehasbeen a flexing of muscle by a previously seemingly weakened trade union movement.Forsomethismayseemtoheraldareturntothebadolddays ofthe1970swhentoolsweredownedwithalacrity.Amorepositiveview maybethatthatitcanemphasizetheneedformanagementtotreatstaff with greater respect than might have been apparent since the decline of the ‘job for life’ regime. The trade union representative could also be seentoprovideanother,perhapsmorerespected(asfarasemployeesare concerned)channelofcommunicationtotheworkforce,andtheEuropean Commission’sInformationandConsultationDirectiveaddsfurtherweight tothis(seeChapter7formoreonthisimportantissue). Asalreadyhintedat,internalcommunication,althoughithasanarguably long and perhaps venerable history, is regarded as a relatively new discipline.Therearefewifanydirectorsofinternalcommunicationsitting alongsidetheotherdirectorsintheboardroom,afactborneoutbyresearch byNickHelsbyinTheRiseoftheInternalCommunicator(2002). Infact,manypractitionersarenotaccordedseniormanagementstatus. This could reflect the development stage of the discipline as a whole; as the function matures its positioning within the organization should also improve. Itwouldappearthatthemajorityofinternalcommunicatorsreportinto corporate communications, which brings them alongside external communications;thisremainsscarcelychanged,asrevealedinMelcrum’s2006 Pulsesurvey.Thisgivessomehopethatmessagesarebeingalignedacross both disciplines. Others find themselves reporting to human resources andthereisanotherargumentthatthisbringstheindividualclosertothe functioningofthebusinessitself. Chapter5looksinmoredetailatthesitingoftheinternalcommunications function. But during research for this book internal communications was found positioned in such unexpected places as administration and even finance.A positive view on this is that perhaps it does not matter where thefunctionsits,provideditderivesadequaterecognitionandrespectand powertodeliver,andthattheinternalcommunicatordevelopstheessential linkstoallpartsoftheorganization. AstheCouncilforExcellenceinManagementandLeadershiphasstressed initsnumerousreports(Foxetal,2001;PerrenandGrant,2001)leadership isneededatalllevelsofanorganization.Linemanagersandsupervisors,if theyaretobeseentobeleadersintheirownright,needtoknowhowtotell thecorporatestorytotheirteams.Internalcommunicationcanbeclearly 15
Settingthescene
seen as part of that role. They also need to be equipped to communicate notjusttobutfromtheirstaff.Two-waycommunicationismorelikelyto ensuretheday-to-daysmoothrunningoftheorganization.Theingredients required to make a good internal communicator are explored in the next chapter.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Internal communication has moved on from events and people to sharingcorporategoals. Internalcommunicationneedstobechampionedattheverytop. Organizationsneedtheworkforcetounderstandwhatisexpectedof them–internalcommunicationwillhelpthemdeliverthis. Internalcommunicationisstillanewdiscipline. InternalcommunicationistheresponsibilityofeveryonefromCEOto linemanagerandsupervisor.
16
2
Whatdoesittake tobeaninternal communicator? Structuralengineering,civilengineering,comparativereligion,advertising, journalism,thepolice,occasionallyevenEnglish–justafewofthestudy areas,formercareersandbackgroundsfromwhichinternalcommunicators appeartocome.Thesewerejustthesuggestionsofthosetalkedtointhe courseofcompilingthisbook. Sowhatdoesittaketoworkintheinternalcommunicationsfunctionof today,andhopefullythattocome?Doesitrequireaveryspecialkindof personorcananyonedoit? Oneofthemostin-depthsurveysoftheinternalcommunicationsfunction hasbeenprovidedbyNickHelsby(2002).Followingisaconcentratedlook athisfindingsandthefurthercommentsofpractitioners.Competenciesare discussedinsomedetailinAppendix1andmorecomprehensivelyonthe CIPRwebsiteintheformofmatricesofskills,experienceandtraining.
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Settingthescene
WHERETONOWFORTHEINTERNAL COMMUNICATOR? TheWatsonHelsbyreportsoughttoexploretheroleofseniorpractitioners in 37 large UK and US businesses. Although this clearly focused on the corporatesectoritservedasanindicatoroftrendsforothersectorstoo. Thereporttookasagiventhattheemployerandemployeerelationship hadchanged.Itassertedthattheneedtogetemployee‘buy-in’wasamatter of importance to the board, and so professional internal communication wasdeemedcriticalforbusinesshealth. Anexecutivesearchfirm,WatsonHelsby,conductedtheresearchtosee whethertherolewasgainingincomplexityandinfluence.Italsolookedto seewhethertheskillsrequiredhadchanged,wherepractitionerscouldadd valueandwhethertheindividualsthemselveswereabletotakeadvantage ofthenewopportunities. The role has been described as still an immature one, and the report was intended to provide a ‘route map’ to show how the function could grow.Topmanagerscontinuetohavedifferingviewsontheroleofinternal communication, some seeing it as little more than a ‘messaging service’ withnoparticularplaceinthewiderschemeofthings,whileothersregard itasanessentialchangeagent. Internal communicators can be found in human resources, corporate communicationormarketing,althoughtheresearchshowedmostsitwithin communications(67percentofthosesurveyed).Manyfelttheywouldbe atadisadvantageandnotwellusedifpositionedinhumanresourcesor marketing. This argument was seen as rather irrelevant by the report’s author,whodebatedthatitcouldinfactbea‘cross-functionaldiscipline’. Mostofthosesurveyedregardinternalcommunicationashavingaplace onthetoppeople’sagendabutoftennotmadeapriority,withmostattention beingpaidtotheexternalworld.Holdingthefunctionbackhasbeenthe difficultyinputtingafiscalfigureonthevalueofinternalcommunication, andthelackofwiderbusinessknowledgeofmostpractitioners. Talenthasbeenanissue,asapparentlymanypractitionershavebeenat bestofmiddlingquality.Butthosewhoareseenasgoodcanclaimsalaries hittingsixfigures. Inthepastmostinternalcommunicatorshavecomeacrossfrombroader communications but now people are coming in from brand consultancy and general management. The career path is not well designed, with manypractitionersrisingonlytoacertainlevelandnotachievingsenior managementheights. Some internal communicators do have the ear of those at the top on a regular basis, and several have been involved in organizational strategy activitiesincludingculture,valuesandchangingbehaviour.Demandson therolehavegrownsubstantially. 18
Whatdoesittaketobeaninternalcommunicator?
Waysforwardincludetheemergenceofanadvisoryandcoachingrole with the emphasis on behavioural aspects and new structures that bring communication,humanresourcesandmarketingintocombination. If the holistic approach seems too radical, perhaps a pairing of human resources and marketing would create a true customer focus, whereas joining human resources and corporate communication would place the emphasisonthestakeholder. The Watson Helsby report’s author saw internal communication as havinganeffectonallareasoftheorganization.Practitionersshouldaimto equipthemselveswiththeskillstogettothetopandtobetakenseriously bytheboard,andbeyondtheirparticularspecialism. The report gave a breakdown of where practitioners can currently be foundinorganizations,withsome67percentfindinganicheincorporate communication,22percentinhumanresourcesand10percentinmarketing. This does not necessarily reflect the sector as a whole as the sample was skewedtowardsveryseniorpractitioners. Corporate communication has been seen as appropriate as it makes possible the alignment of internal and external communications. The humanresourcesconnectionhasbeenseenasparticularlyvaluableintimes oforganizationalchangebutotherwisenotanoptionlikelytoberegarded toohighly. Marketing as a home for internal communicators made some sense in termsofthecustomerfocus.However,thiscouldalsobeseentobetothe detriment of the internally focused function, with marketing’s tendency tofocusontheexternalcustomeroftenperceivedtobegettingtheupper hand. Internalcommunicationisnottopofthenewgraduates’favouredjobs list, although two-thirds of respondents said they had made a deliberate decisiontomoveintotherole. Again not necessarily reflective of the sector as a whole, it was found that70percentofthesamplebelievedthedisciplinealreadyhadastrong enoughvoiceatboardorequivalentlevel,butitisclearfromthesample thatboardcommitmentisadifferentissue. Thebiggestobstacletoprogresshasbeenthelackofbusinessfocus,but limitedresourcesintermsofbudgetandsupportstaffhasensuredmany practitioners get stuck in delivery rather than planning and thinking mode. Anotherdifficultyremainsthatmanyindividualsinorganizationsthink theythemselvesconductinternalcommunicationandsowillnotregardthe internalcommunicatorasaspecialistwithprofessionalknowledge.Many respondentswouldpreferaquitedifferentmonikerastheyregard‘internal communication’asobsoleteandcarryingnegativeovertones. Therolesthatrespondentssawforthemselvesincludedarangeofboth strategicandmoretacticalactivities: 19
Settingthescene
communicatingstrategy; drivingemployeeengagement; changingcommunications; designandprocessofcommunicationstructuresincludingfeedback; internalizingthebrand; knowledgesharing; developingtheintranet; leadershipcommunicationandbehaviours; communicationcoachingforlinemanagers.
Thecurrentskillssetofcommunicatorsincludedthefollowingsoftskills:
influencing; diplomacy; relationshipbuilding/networking; listeningskills; resilienceandtenacity; passionanddrive.
Theirhardskillsincluded:
writing; mediamanagement; business/financialliteracy; understandingcustomerfocus; businessknowledge; strategicinsight; changemanagement; internalbranding; presentationskills; creativity.
When asked what skills and knowledge they needed to develop further theircredibilityandeffectiveness,respondentsincluded:
20
influencingandnegotiation; organizationalchange/changemanagement; psychologyofcommunication; organizationaldevelopment; understandingthebusiness; training,coaching,consulting; leadershipcommunicationandbehaviour; process/bestpractice; politicalskills.
Whatdoesittaketobeaninternalcommunicator?
The researchers, however, were concerned at the lack of emphasis on measurementandbusinessawareness.Theyfelttheskillsneededshould alsoincludetheseelementsmissingfromtherespondents’lists:
strategicthinkingability; businessawareness/literacy; writingandpresentationskills; branding; e-communicationdevelopment; creativecommunicationskills; facilitationskills; consultancyskills; stayingpowerandself-belief.
On the learning front, most respondents were not impressed by the formaleducationonoffer,andconferenceswerenotregardedparticularly favourably. Practitionersseemedtorelyonarangeoforganizationsoperatinginthe sector: the International Association of Business Communicators, British AssociationofCommunicatorsinBusinessandtheCommunicationDirectorsForuminadditiontotheInternalCommunicationAlliance(nowCIPR Inside). Althougheveryonefeltthatcommunicationwassomethingrequiredof allmanagers,therealityintermsofwhathasbeendeliveredonaday-todaybasiswasratherdifferent.Internalcommunicationshouldbeplanned, coordinatedandlinkedtobusinessstrategy,andthisiswherethespecialist fitsin. The respondents felt the role had value by providing insights into the internalstakeholder.Wellmanagedandtargetedinternalcommunication activitycouldhelpemployeesunderstandtheircompanyanditsdirection. Internal communicators working with other specialists could help gain employeecommitmenttothesuccessoftheorganization. Intimesofchangetherolecouldhaveamajorparttoplayinconvincing stakeholdersoftheneedforchange,especiallywhenitcouldmeangreat uncertainty.Therolecanactasasafetyvalveincreatingapointforlistening toemployeesandenablingtheirviewstobeheard. Itshouldleadtheinformationflowandadvisethechiefexecutiveonthe style,timing,targetingandcontentofcommunication.Itshouldprovidea coachingroletomanagers,equippingthemwiththeskillstocommunicate moreprofessionallywiththeirteams. ‘Companiesunderestimatethepowerofinternalcommunicationattheir peril. Not only can it create a better relationship between employer and employee,itcanhaveasignificantimpactonthewayemployeesbehave
21
Settingthescene
andperformandthereforethewaythatabusinessperforms’,accordingto thereport’sauthor.
HOWOTHERSSEEIT Honestyandintegrityhavecomeuptimeandtimeagainasimportantnot justforthepractitionerbutalsoforthetopteamsoftheorganizationsin which the communicator operates. Without the commitment of the top teamthefunctionwillnothavethecredibilityitneeds. Havingtheconfidencetostanduptomanagementandargueacasethat runscountertowhateveritistheyarevoicingorexpectingisasimportant and as difficult for the internal communicator as it is for the externally focused practitioner. Credibility is also helped by total competence – a thorough grasp of the situation, clear writing, respect for deadlines and budgets,andsensitivitytocommercialissuesareallneeded. Tom Harvey, Head of Communications at Nationwide, believed ‘you havetohaveahealthydegreeofscepticism.Nomatterwhereyougothere willstillbesomeonetooverclaim,youhavetohavetheobjectivitytolookat itandtochallengeitfromthestaffperspective.Youhavetogothroughthe puff sometimes generated by colleagues driven with an over enthusiasm fortheirownspecialismandtodistilthatthatisdifferent.’ His background had been in advertising: ‘Advertising does entail dismantlingaparticularcaseputbyamanufacturertoarriveatthebenefitfor theendaudience.Ifindthatveryhelpful.’ Jeremy Redhouse of consultants Redhouse Lane also felt internal communication might well require competencies more commonly found in advertising than public relations. He also believed that communicators needed a large degree of information technology experience and felt the battlebetweenITandcommunicationforthenaturalhomeoftheintranet wasnotnecessarilyover. AccordingtoJustineGuest,thenatTrinityManagementCommunications, ‘ahigherproportionofleadersincompaniesrecognisethespecialistskills andknowledgerequiredtotalkwiththemedia,whereasmostpeoplethink theyknowhowtodointernalcommunication’. Theinternaladvisershouldbecomemuchmore‘thecoach,thefacilitator, the nurturer of people and their communications skills. Influencing and coaching skills need to be finely tuned.’ The need for such skills is not perhapsasevidentinpublicrelationsrolesasitisforinternalroles–she arguedthattheapproachtointernalandexternalcommunicationshould bedifferent. Withface-to-facecommunicationthefavouritemediumcertainlyofthe recipient,dialogueiscomingunderparticularscrutiny.Thishasbeenanarea
22
Whatdoesittaketobeaninternalcommunicator?
notalwaysparticularlywellexploitedbythecorporatecommunicationsor humanresourcesfunctions. Aheadforfiguresshouldalsohelp–notjustthosethatthedepartment producesbutthespreadsheetsthatindicatethehealthoftheorganization. Suchknowledgeshouldalsosecuretheconfidenceofthoseintheboardroom. In conclusion, perhaps the most important thing to remember is that communicationisnot,andshouldnotbe,aboutwhattheboardofdirectors does to employees. It is very much a two-way or even multi-directional processasfuturechapterswilldemonstrate. Verylittlehasbeensaidsofarabouttheimportanceofkeepingaclose watchonwhatisgoingonintheexternalworld.Thereisadangerthatan internalcommunicatorfocusedentirelyonthecompany’sinternalworldwill misswhattheexternalmediaissayingaboutthecompany.Youremployees readthelocalandnationalnewspapersandotherpublications,watchTV, listentotheradio,surfthewebandcontributetoblogsandpodcasts,and willbeaffectedbywhattheyread,seeorhear.Itisimportantfortheinternal communicatortoworkcloselywithexternalrelationscolleaguestoensure messagesareconsistent.Hopefullytheinternalcommunicatorwillalsobe betterpreparedtospottroubleonthehorizon. Afairsummingupoftheroleoftheinternalcommunicatorisgivenby Paul Massie, Head of Marketing and Communications for Serco’s BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) Services and Chair of CIPR Inside for 2007. ‘I have always believed the role of the internal communicator is to facilitatedialoguebetweenthoserunningthecompanyandthosenot(the workforce). The role of the communicator is the honest broker between managementandstaff.’ The communicator needs to ‘provide management with insight’. It should be a semi-detached role in order to be trusted at all levels. They shouldoperatewith‘highlevelsofintegrity’.Ifthemessageisahardor seemingly negative one they should be prepared to stand by it and be preparedtobe‘shot’forit.‘Theinternalcommunicator’sroleislikethat of the artificial kidney – you risk rejection.’ Integrity, resilience, tact and diplomacyareallvitalqualities.Thepractitioner’sroleismostlikethatof ‘thehospitalchaplainwithnopowerbasebuthighlyinfluentialthroughout theorganization’.
23
Settingthescene
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER
24
Credibilityisessential. Internal communication often plays second fiddle to external communicationintheboardroom. Internal communicators need to build business skills as well as their specialistknowledgeandskills. Anadvisoryorcoachingroleisincreasinginimportance. Communicatorsneeddiplomacy,listeningskillsandtenacity. Theyneedtounderstandandinterpretspreadsheetsandbudgets.
3
Youraudience– whoarethey? Your communications programme has one fundamental requirement. It mustalignyourcommunicationsobjectiveswiththoseoftheorganization. So how do you identify and segment your targets? That could and shouldberathermorecomplexthanamediarelationsprogramme.Jeremy Redhouse,ofcommunicationsconsultancyRedhouseLane,hasassertedthat internalcommunicationrequiresgreatersensitivitytowardstheaudience andadeepunderstandingoftheorganization.Hebelievedtheskillsmay bemoreakintotheadvertisingfocusontheproductandtheclient.‘You havegottobecarefulnottopatronisethemorgoovertheirheads.’ Take some time to look at those groups in terms of where they are positioned in the organization. Then you can start to plan how to reach themandwhattoolstouse.
FRONT-LINESTAFF Theseareemployeeswithmostcontactwiththecustomer.Theyareoften theleastconsideredgroupbuttheonewiththegreatestpotentialforimpact –goodorill–onyourexternalcustomersandbyextensionyourorganization’sperformanceonaday-to-daybasis.
25
Settingthescene
Today’s front-line staff could be literally facing the customer on the supermarketcheckout,butarejustaslikelytobebasedunseenincallcentres orinproductioninwhatisleftofthecountry’sindustrialbase.Somecould evenbeindividualsworkingfromhome.Dependingonthenatureofthe work,theycouldbehighlytrainedandqualifiedindividuals,orhaveleft schoolwithfewformalqualifications. Employees working in factories may also not get close to a computer screen, so at BMW Hams Hall, the assembly areas for manufacturingbased employees sport 52-inch flat screens with touch-screen interactive capability. RoadsidevehiclemaintenanceandrecoveryfirmssuchastheAAhave front-lineemployeeswhodonotmeetupwitheachotherasateamother thanatdiariedteammeetings.Theseindividualsneedtobekeptinformed notjustofcompanydevelopmentsbutalsoofadvancesintheirindustry,to keeptheirskillsuptodatewhenprovidinghelptotheAA’smemberbase. Agoodmixofmediahasatonestageoranotherincludedprintandalso videosandaudiocassettessupplementedbyface-to-facemeetingswithline managerstokeeptheminvolved. At IBM, employees naturally have access to the latest in technology buthavetobemotivatedtouseittothebesteffect.Useoftextmessaging ensurestheyarekeptinformedofcompanyresultsorbreakingnewsmore fullydisplayedonothermedia. PharmaceuticalcompanySmith&NephewMedical(woundcare)hasa globallyspreadsalesforce.Somemayhaveintranetaccess,somenot.Audio cassettes have been a major part of the communication mix and enable potentiallywastedhourstobeputtoprofitableuse. AtCapitalOneBankinNottingham,halfthestaffworkinacallcentre. Ratherthansendingoutane-mailtoannounceanewsystem,the‘messengers’havedressedupandcarriedthemessagearoundthebuilding.The intranet is used for news, backed up by face-to-face briefings with managers,newslettersandtheoccasionalvideo.
SUPERVISORS/LINEMANAGERS Itissomethingofagivenininternalcommunicationcirclesthatfront-line staffplacegreatervalueoninformationrelatedtotheirpersonalworkneeds delivered to them by their line managers or supervisors. Surveys of staff attitudesalsoshowworkersprefertohearthegoodandthebadnewsfrom thosethathaveday-to-daysupervisionoftheirworkload. Therearestillsomeorganizationswhereabriefingismorethanlikelyto bearallyingcryfromalatter-dayAttilatheHunwithatop-downapproach. Thisispossiblytheresultofafailuretorecognizethatcommunicationand presentationskillsarenotnecessarilynaturalgiftsbestowedonall. 26
Youraudience–whoarethey?
Linemanagersoftenneedtobesupportedinwhattothemcanbeanewrole –communication.Chapter14looksinmoredetailatthemechanicsoffaceto-facewhileChapter15describeshowtoupskillleaderstocommunicate with staff. This provides the internal communication specialist with the opportunitytoshakeofftheshacklesofdeliverymodeandbecomemoreof afacilitatorforthelinemanager.
SENIORMANAGEMENT/MIDDLEMANAGEMENT Thisgroupreferstothelayerorlayersbetweenthefront-linemanagement andboardlevel.Middlemanagementhasbeenincluded,althoughpoints in the previous section can also be applied to this level as there is often someoverlap. Astheseindividualsareunlikelytobeenjoyingday-to-daycontactwith customers,orwhathasbeentermed‘customer-facingstaff’,theycouldbe seentobeoutoftouchwithboththesecriticalgroups.Seniorandmiddle management can be seen as an audience in their own right, or again as animportantagentinthedeliveryofcommunicationtootherpartsofthe organization. Middle managers are often perceived as a block, and where a lot of communication gets stuck. Justine Guest, then of Trinity Management Communications,suggeststhat,withmiddlemanagers,partofthetrickis toengagethemdirectlyandnotjusttellthem.Oftenahigherproportion of time and effort is spent engaging the most senior managers: ‘But respectingmiddlemanagersisimportantastheyoftenhavethelarge-scale jobs managing significant numbers of staff – their impact particularly on areassuchascustomerserviceiscrucial.’Shesays:‘Managerstendtobe promotedbecausetheyhaveknowledgeandexpertiseinthebusinessand notnecessarilybecausetheyaregoodatcommunicating.Managersneedto beeffectivecommunicators,ane-mailwillsimplynotsuffice.’
BOARD/DIRECTOR A recent survey showed that where the CEO really believes in internal communication,thescopeforthededicatedteamisfarinexcessofwhat itwouldotherwisebe.Itisnotjustaboutmoneyorbudget:iftheCEOis behindit,thestandardissetforotherleaderstofollow. Boarddirectorsareoftenregardedastheexternalmouthpieceandvisible leadersandrolemodelsoftheorganization.Itistheroleofthecommunicationspecialisttoadvisethese‘mouthpieces’,whichtakesacertaindegree ofconfidenceunlikelytobefoundinnewentrantstothefunction.
27
Settingthescene
Speakingataspring2003InternalCommunicationAlliance(nowCIPR Inside)meeting,PatrickDunneof3isaidthechairandchiefexecutiveof commercialorganizationsoftenundervaluedinternalcommunicationand werethemselvesoftenunfocused.Hesuggestedgrabbingafewmoments atunplanned,informalmeetings,includingintheliftandthebackofacab, tobringsomeinfluencetobear.
VOLUNTARYSECTOR–TRUSTEES, VOLUNTEERS,MEMBERS The not-for-profit sector encompasses registered charities and more generallyorganizationswhichdonothaveprofitasthemotivator.Thereare somedistinctdifferenceswhenthissectoriscomparedwiththepublicand commercialsectors.Boundariesareblurredbetweenserviceusers,paidstaff andunpaidtrusteesand/ordirectorsandvolunteers.Toconfusematters further many not-for-profit organizations have trading arms and in very manycaseshavedualstatusasalimitedcompanytoprotectthemselves. Many of the 180,000 or so registered charities that exist do so without anypaidemployeesatall,butastheydeveloptheywillendupwiththe typicalmixofbothpaidandunpaidstaff.Quiteafeworganizationshave volunteersoperatingoutofautonomousregionalgroupsandinsomecases serviceuserscanalsobevolunteers,staffortrustees. Tailoring communication for any combination of these very different audiencesisamajorchallenge.Addtothattheusualchroniclackoffunding, andthescaleofthetaskpositivelyoverawes.Thissectormakesavirtueout ofgainingextramileagefromallitscommunications.
ATONEREMOVE With many public sector organizations having contracted out activity to outsidecompaniesandinsomecasescharities,thepersonsittingatadesk maynotfeeltheirfirstloyaltyistoyourorganizationbuttotheonethatis subcontractedtodeliverthatactivity. Vertex, for example, at the turn of the millennium was running no fewerthan67servicesforWestminsterCityCouncilincludingemergency services, libraries and parking. Staff were transferred across from the councilbutthegroupalsorecruitednewstaff,bringingthestaffgroupto some300.Inaddition,thecompanyhasworkedinpartnershipwithother contractors.Audiencesforinternalcommunicationhavealsoincludedthe staff representing the client side (the council). A particular emphasis on
28
Youraudience–whoarethey?
clearinformationbutalsoaverydelicatehandhasbeenrequiredasstaff arephasedinfromoneorganizationtotheotherovertime. Partnerorganizationsareworkingevermorecloselytogetheranditmay becomenecessarytogettogripswithdifferentapproachesandattitudes. Publicsectororganizationsoftenworkacrossagenciestodeliverservicesto particularclientgroupsthesedays.Learningdisabilitywillbringtogether specialistsworkinginhealth,socialservicesandeducation,andallthese canbeworkingfordifferentagencies–thehealthserviceorlocalauthority inthiscase. Themixiscomplicatedstillfurtherbytheinclusionofdifferentdisciplines and professions to which staff may feel they hold the greater loyalty. So hard is it to get these various factions to work together that at least one charitywasbroughtintoexistencetoeffectivelyencouragegreatercooperativeworking.Asthewayservicesaredeliveredchanges,oftenaccording to the whims of politicians at local as well as national level, internal communicators may find themselves having to design communications programmesaccordingly.
CREATIVESANDSPECIALISTS Communicators face similar dilemmas when designing communication programmeswhichwillmeettheoftendemandingrequirementsofcreatives andotherhighlyqualifiedstaffaswellasamoregeneralaudience. WhenChandlerGoodingdevisedanewpublicationtounitethedisparate partsofSkyTV,theyfoundtheyhadinadvertentlyalienatedthetechnicians whoinstallthesystems.Theyhadpreviouslybeenleftoutofthepicture providedbyanumberofdifferentpublications,buttheunifyingmagazine whichwasproducedwasnottechnicalenoughforthem.Theswiftaddition ofamoreappropriatepublicationjustforthisgroupdidthetrick. Public relations consultancies can eventually grow to a size requiring a more structured approach to their own internal communication needs. Creativeswillwishtobeaddressedratherdifferentlyfromaccounthandlingstaff.Lawyersareagainachallengingaudiencetosatisfy.SoarePhDloadedscientists. Creativesandotherspecialistsareofteninterestedinthelatestinnovation and will also respond to a novel approach to a subject matter. Their backgroundswilloftenbeverydifferentfrom,say,theaccountsorhuman resourcesdepartments.Itisimportantnottotalkdowntothem,especially when talking about their specific fields, but it is also vital not to make assumptionsabouttheirknowledgeofareasalientothem.
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Settingthescene
DIVERSITY This effectively covers every aspect of an individual’s own identity that mayhavetobeconsideredwhendeliveringcommunicationprogrammes. Itisoftenoverlookedthatdifferentgeographicalcultureshavedifferent approachestoworkingpractice.Inanarticleentitled‘Teamworkiseasierto agreethantodo’publishedintheDailyTelegraph,25May2000,BrianBloch pointsoutthattheteamapproachisinfactanEasternorientationandthat intheWestweprefertoconcentrateonindividualeffort. Keepingtrackonwhatmotivatesthisyear’sgraduatesisanothercomplicationtobeconsidered.CapitalOneBankstaffarerelativelyyouthfulin outlookwhichmayexplainthepreferencefordressinguptocheerleadstaff throughannouncements. OrganizationslikeBUPAhaveastrongweightingtowardswomensoit isunlikelythattherewouldbeagreatdealofcoverageofmale-orientated subjectsintheirregularpublications.However,cominggenerationsmight be different: apparently football is a favoured sport among members of GirlguidingUK. Threats to pensions mean that workforces could well be getting older, andrecentlegislationtopenalizediscriminatorypracticesshouldassistin puttingthegreyhairsbackintotheworkplace.Assumptionsareoftenmade thatolderstaffmayprefernottoreceivethebulkoftheircommunication bye-mailandintranet;againthisassumptionshouldbetested,asmanyare keentousethenewertechnologies. Inconclusion,puttingyourtargetaudienceunderamicroscopeforclose inspection,andinvestinginresearchtofindoutwhattheywanttoknow andhowtheywouldpreferittobepresented,isavitalearlystepinthe communicationprocess.
SEGMENTATION–THEWAYAHEAD Externalcommunicators,especiallythosewithagroundinginmarketing andadvertising,willbefamiliarwiththeneedtosegmentaudiences.This chapterhasconcentratedonparticularlevelsoftheorganizationinwhicha sectionoftheaudiencemaybelocated.Wehavelookedverybrieflyatthe particulardifferencestobefoundinthevoluntarysectorbywayofpaid andunpaidstaffandmanagement. Chapter8willconcentrateontheselectionofcommunicationchannels, vehiclesandactivitiesavailablewhichdifferentlysizedorganizationsmay favourindifferentsectorsandatdifferentstagesoftheirdevelopment. Butinadditiontoestablishingwhereyourtargetsaresituated,itisworthwhiletoconsiderwhatelsemayimpactoneffectivecommunication.
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Youraudience–whoarethey?
Anti-discriminationlegislationmeansthatinmanycasesamorediverse audience is likely to present itself. You will need to take account of the qualifications that these people will possess as well as considering the sectorinwhichyouoperate. Aquickspotofdesktopresearchusingyourorganization’sownrecords (while taking account of data protection legislation) should establish a framework within which you can then operate. A preponderance of youngermalesintheirfirstjobs(advertisingsalesrepresentativesspringto mind)wouldrequireaverydifferentapproachthanperhapsamorewidely dispersedolderworkforce(vehiclemaintenanceworkersbasedoutofthe office).
WAYSTOSEGMENTYOURINTERNALAUDIENCE
age; sex; ethnicbackground; location; educationalqualifications; parttime/fulltime; payrollornot; onsite/offsite; timewithorganization; positioninorganization; technicalcompetence.
Manyofthetheoreticalmodelsyoumightapplytomeettheircommunicationsneedsareexploredinthenextchapter.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Front-linestaffprefertohearthenewsstraightfromlinemanagers. A mix of media (intranet, publications, audio/visual) will best serve hard-to-reachgroups. Middlemanagersshouldbeseenasfacilitatorsratherthanblockages. CommunicationandcommunicatorsneedthebackingoftheCEO. Creativesandspecialistsshouldbehandledsensitively. Takeaccountofdiversity(age,gender,race,culture,etc).
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4
Theoriesintopractice Veryfewofthemanyinternalcommunicatorsinvolvedintheproduction ofthisbookevencasuallyreferredtothe‘T’word.Theory,certainlyasit relatestocommunication,didnotappearontheradaruntilpurposefully puttherebytheauthor. Perhapsthereisnotimeintheaveragejam-packedworkingdayforthe in-housecommunicatortoeventhinkaboutcommunicationtheoryletalone begintoapplyittoexistingpractice,orevenbetteruseitasaframeworkor aidtohelpshapetheirfutureplansandactivities. Different professional and educational backgrounds could also have a part to play. Professionals encountered in both in-house and consultancy settings come from a range of disciplines, perhaps emphasizing a point made in Nick Helsby’s 2002 report, The Rise of the Internal Communicator, that few volunteer internal communication as having been their initial career of choice. They had studied enormously varied subjects ranging fromcomparativereligiontostructuralengineering,butthereweremore familiartopicsalongthewaysuchasEnglish.Interestinglymediastudies wasnotmentioned. Thischapterisintendedassomethingofasmorgasbordoftheoriesthat couldprovideinsightsintoorganizationalandmanagementbehaviourand programmes,andcouldalsoprovidetheammunitiontoimproveeitherin imaginativehands.MostpopupsomewhereatarelevantMastersdegree level but do not appear to be common knowledge among all internal communicators.
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The selection is also intended to reflect the nature of the discipline whichisseennotonlytoencompassthepublicrelations/marketingendof the spectrum but also runs through to human resources and change management. Manyofthecommunicationsmodelsandschoolsofthoughtwhichcan bebroughttobearoninternalcommunicationoverlapanditisespecially difficult to sort them into neat camps. This chapter first takes a detour through the field of organizational culture; this provides the context for lookingfirstatprocesstheoryassetagainstthesemioticsschool.Aspects ofindividualandmasscommunicationstheorywillalsobeexplored.The finalsectionwilllookatcomputer-mediatedcommunicationwhichcanbe regardedascriss-crossingallandagrowingfieldofstudyinitself.
THEFOURCULTURESOFTHEORGANIZATION In the current world of the internal communicator there is the dawning realization that the old traditional hierarchical form of organization communication–top-down–isstillverymuchareality.Intheearly21st centuryadistressingnumberoforganizationsseemtoberetreatingfroma morecollaborativeapproachtocommunicationbacktoatleastsomedegree ofcentralizedcontrol. To gain an understanding of what really makes organizations tick you can do no better than turn to the classic in the field, Charles Handy’s UnderstandingOrganizations(1985).Firstpublishedin1976itstillhasalot tosayontherealityoforganizations. Handy is particularly insightful on power and influence, although his pragmatic approach and way of expressing what makes them what they aremaynotsitthatcomfortablyintoday’slexicon.Handyhasidentified fourtypesofculturethatreflectthewaythoseleadingorganizationsprefer thingstobe.
Powerculture Small entrepreneurial organizations are likely to have a power culture centred on the founder. In this model the founder is often the voice of the organization and will, at least in its early days, take control of communications. At a later stage professional communicators might be appointedbutthefounderwillremainaprominentfactorinbothinternal andexternalrelations.Figure4.1illustratesthisculture.
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Figure4.1 Powerculture–typeoforganizationalculturemostcommonly foundinorganizationsrunbyentrepreneurs(CharlesHandy)
Roleculture Bureaucracyhasbeensomethingofatermofabuseformanyyears.Itwas certainlyrecognizedassuchwhenHandywaswritinghisvolumeover30 yearsago.Soinordertomoveonfromthoseconnotationshehasusedthe term‘role’. Theroleorganizationplacesitsemphasisonfunctionandspecialism.It hasmanyproceduresandrules.Jobdescriptionsareprevalenthereasare proceduresfordoingthingsandrulesforsettlingdisputes. In these organizations the post is likely to be more important than the postholderand,conversely,thepostholdergainstheircredibilityfromthe positiontheyhold.Theseorganizationsarelikelytohavebeenaroundfor sometimeandoperatewhereeconomiesofscaleareimportant.Theycan alsobeslowtochangeandinreactingtoshiftsinmarketforces. Morepositively,thereisaclearhierarchy,providingameansofappointing, promotingandrewardingstaffonmerit.Largecompaniesandpublicsector bodiesinparticularmightnotwanttoseethemselvesasbureaucracies,but itislikelytheyretainsomeelementsofthiskindoforganizationalculture. Largeorganizationswillhavetheeconomiesofscaletobeabletoinvest timeandresourcestoensuretheirmessagesareconsistentlyandconstantly communicated.Theyaremorelikelytoinvestinmultiplemediatoachieve this.Intheresearchforthisbooktherewerenoexamplesoforganizations ofthissizerelyingonsimplyonechannelofcommunication. Thistypeoforganizationwillhaveatleastoneifnotateamofcommunicators.Thereareoftenmultipleroutestogetthingsdone,butequally,layers of bureaucracy will often result in complex approval systems which can stiflecreativityandstallresponsetimes.Figure4.2illustratesthisculture.
Personculture Withinsomebureaucraciescanresidetracesofyetanotherculturewhich can thrive quite happily within but have little affiliation to the whole. Educationalestablishmentsandhospitalsparticularlyspringtomind. 34
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Figure4.2 Roleculture–typeoforganizationalculturetypifiedbybureaucratic organizationsbasedonheavilydefinedstructureandprocedure (CharlesHandy) Handyhimselfalsocitesbarristers’chambers,architects’practicesandsmall consultanciesashavingtheirfocusonthepersonculture.Thismaysound ratherlikethepowercultureprevalentinentrepreneurialorganizationsbut isinfactquitedifferent. Herethefocus,ifitcanbedescribedassuch,isontheindividualsthemselves as separate individuals who choose to work together. Where this kind of group has sprung up within universities and healthcare settings therecanberealstressesandstrainswiththeoverarchingstructure,which willoftenbelargelybureaucratic. Concentrations of highly skilled professionals are less likely to pay attentiontomessagestheyperceiveashavingbeencentrallygeneratedby the organization. They are more likely to be focused on their individual professions and will look outside the wider organization to their professional institutions for their information needs. A deep understanding of the allegiances these individuals hold will assist the corporately based communicatortobegintowintheirtrust. Onewaytobuildthecommunicator’scredibilitywiththiskindofgroup istoenlistitsmembersasspecialistadvisersandusetheirexpertisewhen fine-tuning communications efforts. (See Chapter 16 for tips on how to buildeditorialadvisorypanels.)Figure4.3illustratesthisculture.
Figure4.3 Personculture–typeoforganizationalculturemostcommonly foundwhereorganizationsexisttosupporttheindividualsworkingthere; partnershipsinparticular(CharlesHandy) 32
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Taskculture A fourth culture which is likely to be more familiar in today’s working climate than the days in which Handy first wrote his classic is the task culture.Thisisfocusedonthejobinhandortheproject.Itisalsolikelyto beafeatureinorganizationswithdispersedoperations,althoughthelarger theorganizationthemorelikelyitwillsharecharacteristicsmoreakinto theroleorpersoncultures.Communicatingwithgeographicallydispersed publics along with other hard-to-reach groups is covered in Chapters 12 and11respectively. Thetask-orproject-orientatedculturemaybebyitsverynaturenimble on its feet and able to form and re-form depending on the requirements ofthetaskinhand,butitdoeshaveitslimitations.Itisunlikelythatyou wouldbeabletorunalargecomplexorganizationalongtheselinesforvery long – there are no economies of scale and the constituent parts have no long-termexperienceofworkingtogether.Butforamajorone-offactivity, projectgroupsbasedonthetaskculturewilldothejobverywell. For the internal communicator this kind of culture will provide fertile groundintermsofmaterialforpublicationorbroadcast.Thedownsideis thatwheretheeffortsofthegroupareconcentratedononetasktherewill belittlechancetoexpandoninitiatives.Communicationeffortsmaywell dealsimplywiththetaskinhand,offeringlittlepromiseofcontinuityor development.Inthegeographicallydispersedorganizationtheaudiences arelikelytobefragmentedandsomorefocusedsolelyontheirsectionof thepicture.Figure4.4illustratesthisculture.
Figure4.4 Taskculture–typeoforganizationalculturefoundwherecultureis focusedontheprojectandadhocteamsarecreatedanddisbandedfrequently (CharlesHandy) Manycommunicationconsultanciesincludeculturechangeorwhatisnow termed ‘change management’ within their services to help organizations identifyandmanageemployeesthroughthemainareasofbusiness,cultural andbehaviouralchange. Theseare,firstly,thelargeorganizationalinfrastructureshiftscreatedby strategicbusinesschange,egmergerandacquisition,whichofteninclude 36
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job losses. Secondly, issues management: to help protect and/or enhance thebrandorcorporatereputationhereitisessentialtoalignbothinternal and external messages. Thirdly, on a more positive note, engaging and energizingemployeesbehindthebusinessgoalsisvital. Therecouldbethreeapproaches:thebaldstatement(‘likeitorlumpit’); invitedcommentsonstatedoptions(whenadecisionhasalreadybeenmade behindthescenes);orgenuinechoiceandparticipation.Theproblemarises whenthecommunicationandapproachesaremuddled,and‘nochoice’is infactdressedupasaninvitationtochoose.
PROCESSTHISWAYORGIVEUSASIGN John Fiske’s Introduction to Communication Studies (1992) is essential reading for anyone wishing to unravel the process and semiotics models of communication. According to him the process school concentrates on the ‘transmission of messages’ and how accurately the chosen system of movingmessagesaroundactuallyworks. Thismodelowesalottoearlymodelswhichhadbeendevisedduringthe SecondWorldWartoinvestigatemechanicalmethodsofsendingsignals. Havingmovedoutofthetelegraphofficeorradioroom,proponentshave drawn heavily on social sciences, psychology and sociology. The process schoolcouldbearguedtofitmostneatlyintotheroleculturemodel. Thesecondschool,semiotics,insteadfocusesattentiononthe‘production andexchangeofmeanings’andlooksattheinterplaybetweenpeopleand ‘texts’(thiscanmeanimagesandartefactsaswellaswords)whichresult inthecreationofmeaning.Thisschoolfocusesonsemiotics–thescience ofsignsandmeanings–andconcentratesonlinguistics.Itislikelytohave moretoofferthepower,taskandpossiblypersoncultures. Returning to the process school, despite its mechanistic approach it is widely recognized as having set the scene for the development of the entire Communication Studies movement. The mathematical theory of communication came from US wartime studies at Bell Telephone and emphasizedthechannelsofcommunicationthatatthetimeweretelephone andradio. Published in 1949, the Shannon and Weaver model was intended to overcomethedifficultyinsendingalargeamountofinformationthrough onechannel.Italsosoughttomeasurehowmuchinformationonechannel couldcarry.Anengineerhimself,Shannonwasactuallylookingathowto sendelectricalimpulsesmostefficientlyfromoneplacetoanotherbutfelt thismechanisticapproachcouldapplytohumaninteraction. Resemblinglittlemorethanalinelinkingaseriesofboxesenroutefrom source to receiver, the model did, however, take some limited account of interference.Originallydesignedtotackletechnicalproblems,itwasthen 37
Settingthescene
expanded to look at how well meaning was carried. The belief was that providedthemessagewasproperlyencodedorstated,itshouldbereceived assent.Theauthorsalsofeltthatthemodelcouldalsobeusedtomeasure theeffectofthemessageontheconductofthereceiver.Thislastfactorhas laidthemodelopentochargesofpropaganda. The starting point – the source of the information – is regarded as the decision maker, the transmitter is self-explanatory and the information becomesthesignaldespatchedviathechanneltothereceiver. Shannon and Weaver took account of the notion of redundancy; this referstobuilt-inextraorduplicatedinformationwhichenablesthemessage togetthroughtoitsdestination.Passingthetimeofdayandrepeatinga telephonenumbermayseempointless,butthischeckingandrecheckingis ademonstrationoftheuseofredundancy.Latermodelsbyotherresearchers addedconceptssuchasfeedback. Alinearapproachalsobecomesapparentinmanymorerecentcommunications models, most especially the hypodermic needle approach. Here messages are simply injected into the recipient who, it is assumed, will acceptthemwithoutargumentandwithoutdistortingtheincomingdata. PhillipClampitt(1991)inhisbookCommunicatingforManagerialEffectiveness provides a more violent analogy to the needle, preferring the arrow approach.Thisremainsessentiallytheone-way,linearapproach. Thearrowmodeldescribesaninformationsourcesendingamessagevia thetransmitterthroughachanneltoitsdestination.Thisfirstmodeldidnot recognizethatthereceivermightwishtogivefeedback,asitwasessentially apassivemodel.Itsonlyadvantagewasthatitencouragedthesenderto thinkclearlythroughthemessagetheywishedtotransmit. Whenappliedtosocialcommunicationthelinearmodeldidnotquitefit so gave way to the more triangular approach adopted by Newcomb and others.Theybuiltinextracomponentstorecognizethattherecipientmight bringhisorherthoughtprocessestobearonthecontentsofthemessage andgivearesponse.Somerathercomplicateddiagramsresult. Thetwo-wayelementrecognizedinthesemarginallymoresophisticated models is described as the circuit approach by Clampitt. There is still something of a mechanistic flavour apparent. Whereas Clampitt’s arrow manager‘targetshisaudience’,thecircuitmanageris‘goingwiththeflow’ and‘makingconnections’.
GOLDENOLDIEREVISITED Somighttheprocessschoolapproachtocommunicationbealiveandwell inthe21stcentury?Althoughthetermisnotused,itisobviousfromthe commentsofindependentcommunicationconsultantRichardGauntthatit stillremainsaninfluenceforsomemanagers. 38
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Inhismanagement-focusedapproachheassertsthatkeyingredientsfor successincludeclearobjectivesandmeasurementcriteria,andunderstandingofthestrategyandagendaofbothtopmanagementandofotherlevels. Butheargueslanguageandcontextshouldbethatofthereceivernotthe sender,andthatmediausedshouldbequick,accessibleandunderstandable withlittlejargon.Thisplacestheemphasisonface-to-facecommunication. Repetition,regularityandconsistencyarekeyandthisiswherethenotion of‘redundancy’springstomind.Mostimportantly,however,Gauntsays theaudienceshouldbetreatedascustomers,‘notmindlessbatteryhens’, andthatthecommunicatorshouldtalkaboutmorethanjustthesuccesses. Frequently for managements, information and communication can be confusedasoneandthesamething.Informationisnotnecessarilyprocessed atthereceivingend;despatchdoesnotautomaticallyleadtoresults.Those onthereceivingendmaycomplainofoverloadbutstillperceivethemselves asneverreceivingsufficientcommunication.
Postmanorbusinesspartner? So is the internal communicator a postman or a business partner? The way managements respond to this question can determine whether or not communicators are seen simply as a means to shift chunks of data fromoneendoftheorganizationtoanother.Technologyhasonlyserved to increase the likelihood that management will assume the production of spreadsheets and bullet point-style presentations constitutes good communication. Notasmuchhaschangedasmighthavebeenwishedforaccordingto RogerD’Aprix,whodevisedacommunicationmodelmorethan20years agoinhisbookCommunicatingforProductivity.Histheoryisrevisitedinan interviewwithhimconductedbyBGormanwritinginStrategicCommunication Management (2003). The original 1982 model argued that employee communicationshouldberegardedasastrategicprocess.Thisformedthe basisforemployeeengagementforyearstocome,butGormanaskedifit wouldremainrelevantinlightofthewaytheworldofworkhaschanged. The model looked at workplace communication from the employees’ point of view and asked what they wanted and needed to perform well andtobesatisfied.Itfocusedinparticularonexchangesbetweenmanagers and employees. D’Aprix’s model looked at job responsibilities, feedback on performance, individual needs, work unit objectives and results, the valuesanddirectionoftheorganizationandempowermentorscopeforthe employee.AllofthesecouldbeseentositwellwithMaslow’stheoriesofa hierarchyofneedsexplainedlaterinthischapter. Inponderingthemajorchangesintheworldsincethemodelwascreated, D’Aprix said there had been additional complications. He argued that today’s internal communicator now has to take account of globalization, 39
Settingthescene
increasingdemandsfromshareholdersandsecurityanalysts,theendofthe social contract, the devaluing of employees and their contribution to the bottomline,andtheexplosionoftechnology. Research carried out by BrandEnergy Research (Hutton) on behalf of theCharteredInstituteofPublicRelationsin2004andpublishedinProfile magazinesuggeststhatseniorcommunicationspractitionerscertainlymake the mental link between effective internal communication and a healthy organization. Thosemostimpressedbytheirorganization’sinternalcommunications weremorelikelytofeelthattheirworkforceswereencouragedtoexpress theirviews,thatthefunctionwaswellintegratedwithotherorganizational functions,andthattherewasagoodmatchwithexternalcommunications. These views are backed by D’Aprix who believes that managers who takethetimetocommunicatewithemployeesultimatelysavetime:‘The effective organization is still the one that recognises that it must build a communityoflike-mindedpeoplewhoareonthesamepage,movingin thesamedirection,motivatedbyworkingtogetherandwhohaveasense ofbeingconnectedtogetherinaworthwhileenterprise.Thatiswhatgives meaningtoworkandeventohumanexistence.’
SEMIOTICS–READINGTHESIGNS Therearenoclear-cutlinesbetweentheprocessandsemioticsschools.This is demonstrated by Jakobson, a linguist working in the 1960s: his model managestospanboth.Heusesthefamiliarlinearmodelbutaddsinthe concept of code which refers to a shared system of meaning shifting the emphasis away from the sender. He moves closer to the more modern notionofcommunicationbeingthecreationofmanyratherthanjustone person. The semiotics school uses a very different language from that of the process-drivenmodel.Heretermslike‘sign’,‘denotation’and‘connotation’ areusedwiththeemphasisonhowanindividualgeneratesmeaningfrom whataresimplyaseriesofstrokesonapieceofpaper.Thewordisasymbol ratherthanacarrierofmeaning,sothelettersCATcanmeanmorethanjust afour-leggedanimaldependingonitscontext. Astrengthofthesemioticsschoolisthatitcaptureselementsnotincluded intheprocessmodelsuchastheimpactofgesturesandothernon-verbal communicationonhowthespokenwordisactuallyinterpreted.Verylittle attention is paid to the words spoken in an exchange, as opposed to the accompanyinggestures. Semioticsispotentiallymuchmorefruitfulterritoryforthecreativecommunicatorwantingtomakeeffectiveuseofimageryandlanguagerather thanfocusingonthemoretechnicalaspectsoftransmission. 40
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Thenextsectionturnsthespotlightonmasscommunicationresearch.Its applicationtothisfieldunderlinestheviewthattheaudiencecanbepretty determinedtoreadthingsitsownway.
FOCUSONTHEMASSORTHEINDIVIDUAL Few of us can be unaware of the products of the mass media, whether employer or employee. Many publications produced for an internal readershiparecreatedtolooklikethemagazinesandnewspapersavailable on the high street, while video programmes often look like mainstream broadcasting. Intranets resemble their external counterparts in the web world. The mass media approach is likely to be most in evidence in bureaucraticorganizationsastheyhavetheresourcestosustainit. Around the time that Shannon and Weaver were working on their processmodel,Lasswellwasproducingamodelwhichcouldbeusedmore specificallyformasscommunication.Itlookedatwhosaidwhat,through whichchannel,towhomandwithwhatresult.AsFiske(1992)pointsout, themodelisstilllinearinappearance,asinfactismostmasscommunication research. Westley and MacLean modified Lasswell’s model in 1957 and effectively introduced the editorial or gatekeeper role, a vital concept in bothinternalandexternalcommunication. Windahl,SignitzerandOlson(1993)introducetheintriguingconceptof theobstinateaudience.Theystatethatthemasscommunicationaudience does not always accept what it is spoon-fed by the media. Perhaps this is just as true of the organizational communication version as it is of the news-stands.Windahlandcolleaguesalsounpickthenotionofaudiences aspassivereceptaclesandquotearangeofresearchwhichshowsaudiences takingamuchmoreactiveroleinmakingsenseofwhattheyconsumein termsofmedia. Thereisaveritabletreasuretroveoftheoriesfrommasscommunication whichcanbebroughttobearoninternalcommunication.Windahletaltalk in particular about uses and gratifications, and other theories of interest includeagendasetting,spiralofsilenceandknowledgegaptheorieswhich areexplainedbrieflybelow. Usesandgratificationssuggeststhattheaudienceactivelyconsumestheir chosen media, often using it in unanticipated ways. Selection of channel mayalsorelatetoissuesaroundage,socialclassandevenincome.McQuail (1992)listsbasicusesasseekinginformation,reinforcingpersonalvalues, findingoutaboutothersandsheerentertainment. Agenda setting argues the media works by suggesting the subjects that individuals should be thinking about. Brosius and Wermann (1996) questionwhosetstheagenda.Theyarguethatitisatwostep-flowprocess
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recognizing mediation and shifting influence between media and public. Thismodelalsotakesaccountoftherolesofgatekeepersandopinionformers whichcanbeappliedequallytointernalandexternalaudiences.Ininternal communicationitisessentialtoidentifythoseamongthetargetgroupwho allow access to the wider group and who operate in the gatekeeping or champion role. They might also be the trailblazers and are respected as sourcesofinformationandsoareseenasundertakingtheopinion-former role.Equallytheycouldactasblockingmechanisms. Other theories of particular interest more usually applied to the mass mediaperspectiveincludethespiralofsilencewhichlinkswiththeknowledge gap theory. In the first theory, individuals do not admit ignorance andstaysilent,oftenduetowhattheyperceiveaspeerpressure.Silence doesnotthereforemeanunderstanding.Knowledgegapapplieswherean informedminorityisabletogainmoreinformationthantherest.Thiscould skewsurveysintotake-upofknowledgeifthesampleisnotcomprehensive enoughtounearththosenotintheknow. O’Sullivan et al (1992) refer to preferred and deviant readings, and separatelyelaboratedandrestrictedcodes.Relatingthesetointernalcommunicationchannels,preferredreadingswouldbetheofficialorganizational ormanagementmaterial,whiletheworkforcehavingconductedadeviant readingmaycometodifferentconclusions. Elaboratedandrestrictedcodesrelatetothetypeoflanguageused.The formermightbeusedbythebettereducated,whereasthelattermightbe usedbythelesswell-informedwhowouldthereforefeelshutoutbytheuse ofprofession-ororganization-specificjargon.Thiswouldbeapparentina hospitalsettingwheredoctorsmighthaveverydifferentwaysofdescribing healthconditionsfrom,say,portersoradministrativestaff.
THEINDIVIDUALREVISITED Although,likemostofthoseinterviewedforthisbook,shedidnotidentify knownmodelsofcommunicationtheory,CarolineBramley,thenHeadof InternalCommunicationsServicesatcommunicationsconsultancyFlag,is probablytakingaviewinfavouroftheindividualratherthanthesystem whenshedeclares:‘Peoplehaveseenthroughthemanagementconsultancy useofmodels.Peoplearenotprocesses,peopleareunpredictable,rational, emotionalandthiscannotbecapturedinamodel.’ Psychology provides perspectives centred on the individual. From this sciencecomesMaslow’stheoryofself-actualizationwhichisrootedinhis hierarchyofneedsmodel.Thisismoreusuallyappliedtoexternalcustomers butworksjustaswellforinternalaudiences. Apyramidisusedtodemonstratetherisinghierarchyofneedsstarting with physiological needs (food, etc); safety; belonging; self-esteem or 42
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Selfactualization Esteemneeds Belongingneeds Safetyneeds Physiologicalneeds
Figure4.5 Maslow’shierarchyofneeds–theindividual’sprogressionofneeds andwants
success; and finally, self-actualization or development to full personal capacity.SeeFigure4.5. All other needs would usually have to have been satisfied before the individualarrivesatthepinnacleofself-actualization.These‘needs’might be applied differently to different staff groups. It is likely that the shopfloorworkerwillbemorecloselyfocusedonthefirsttwoorthreelayers ofthepyramidiftheyareattheearlierstagesoftheircareerthan,say,the managing director. But do not jump to easy conclusions, as other factors mightbeplayingapartincludingeducationalstatus.Securityisunlikelyto besuchanissueforagraduatehigh-flieronthefirstrungsofthecorporate ladder. Taking time to understand the motivations of individuals rather thantreatingthemasanamorphousgroupshouldpaydividendsforthe internalcommunicator. In writing about consumer rather than employee behaviour, Williams (1989) refers to the ‘black box’ model where the individual is seen to respondtoanexternallyappliedstimulus.Heusesasillustrationthefamous experimentswithPavlov’sdogsandSkinner’sratswhichelicitedresponse throughrewardandpunishment.Thiscouldbelikenedtothecarrotand stickmanagementapproach,wherethecarrotistheincentiveandthestick ratherspeaksforitself. Neurolinguisticprogrammingisamorerecentadditiontothecommunicationstoolbox.Itseekstoprovideanexplanationforindividualpreferences forprocessinginformation.Givingsomeonewithapreferenceforpictures greatslabsoftextmaynotbethewaytoachievegreatsuccesswithyour programme. 43
Settingthescene
Jonne Ceserani, of Synectics Europe, has suggested the brain does not simply hear the words of a speaker: at the same time it will be creating mental maps which serve to make sense of daily experiences. Imagery canmeanverydifferentthingstodifferentpeople,andforthatmatterto differentcultures.Totalkabout‘killingasacredcow’or‘whiteelephants’ wouldoffendsomecultures.Chooseyourwordswisely. Returning to the psychological approach, Richard Varey (1997) draws attention to the early work produced by Eric Berne around transactional analysis.Here,howpeoplerelatetoeachothercanbeseenasrole-playing, takingtheircuesfromthewaythefamilyactsoutvariouscharacteristics. Therolesofparent,adultandchildcanbeseentohavebothpositiveand negativeaspects.A‘parent’maybepositivelysupportivebutmorenegatively beseenascontrolling,whilea‘child’couldbeplayfulandimaginativeor disruptive.Theidealthirdwayisthe‘adult’approach,whichisseenasthe reasoned,logicalapproach.Foreffectivecommunicationtotakeplace,both sidesneedtoapproacheachotherinareasonedoradultway. Rather a lot of the theories named by management writers in the past decade or so can seem, with the benefit of a backward glance, an older theorydressedup.Forinstance,whenemotionalintelligencewhichfocuses on human relationships seemed at the end of its natural life, up popped thenotionofthespiritualquotient.Thispromisedtodelvedeeperintothe individual’ssoul. Theoriesdonotquitehavetheshortshelf-lifeofhighstreetfashion,but likeallsartorialgoldenoldiestheycanhavetheirdayinthesunonceagain withabrandnewtag.Intherun-uptothe2003Iraqwar,publicationslike ManagementTodaywereheraldingthereturnofthemachobosswithsuch nicetiesaspeople-centredskillsbeinggivenshortshrift.
SHALLWEDANCE?THECOOPERATIVEMODEL Mostofthesemodelsappearfocusedontheindividual.ForClampitt(1991) thereisawayforwardinhistheoryof‘communicationasdance’.Thismodel hasshiftedfromthe‘results’-drivenarrowand‘understanding’-motivated circuit models previously described. His more individualistic approach seeks out the coordination of meanings with both parties adjusting their communications in response to the responses they receive. They do not have to agree, as this model takes into account the fact that people may havedifferentinterpretations. The example of such a coordinated conversation Clampitt uses in his bookendswiththeemployeetellinghismanagertoclearoffafteraseries of playful insults have been directed at the employee. So it is not clear whether this model is included as recognition of the reality of everyday
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communicationorasthemodelweshouldbestrivingfor.Couldmakefor somefunexchanges! An extension of Clampitt’s dance motif, in that it is purposefully designed to emphasize the positive and is focused on the individual, is theappreciativeinquiryapproach.ManagementconsultancyQuestionsof Difference (QoD) used this approach with a range of clients. Working in smallgroups,individualsareencouragedtolearnfromwhathasworked wellfortheminthepastandusethistodevelopapproachestoapplyto otherareasoftheirworkinglives.Theindividualtobecoachedidentifies individualsfromamongtheirpeers,thepeopletheymanageandthosewho managethemtopinpointthesuccessfulbehaviourswhichcanbefurther developed. The supporting players in the endeavour are in turn developed as individuals, which should then serve to develop the organization’s skills asawhole. QoD also used what it calls the TICing Model of Communication. TIC standsfor‘Time,Internal,Context’andidentifies12significantinfluences that may impact on how an individual will communicate in any given conversation or instance. Understanding these enables individuals to be moreawareofhowbesttocommunicatewithothersandtointerpretwhat issaidinagivensetofcircumstances. Conflictwasseenasanexpressionofdifferencesratherthansomething negative. Questioning was seen as a most powerful tool which will help people to change direction through curiosity. In ‘reframing and hearing’, individualswerehelpedtomakesenseofpasteventsandresponsesand moveawayfromblametoacooperativeapproach. QoD believed that organizational identity was predominantly formed throughconversationsandinteractionsbetweenindividuals,withinteams andgroups,andbetweenmanagementandstaff.
COMPUTER-MEDIATEDCOMMUNICATIONAND THEIMPLICATIONS Asaplatform,thecomputerisaffectingcommunicationateverylevel.In somecirclescomputer-mediatedcommunication(CMC)isalsoreferredto as ‘electronic media’ and covers intranet, group networks, websites and, most recently, social media. There is an increasingly large body of work ontheimplicationsofinformationtechnologyonbothorganizationsand society.Sofast-movingistheareathatpaperspublishedaslittleasfiveto tenyearsagolookpositivelyantiqueintheirapproach. Awelterofacademicpapershasgenerallylookedatwhetherpreferences forparticularchannelscouldbeputdowntoorganizationalrank,whether
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Settingthescene
electronic bulletin boards really link up that many people, and whether channels are providing a bridge between the interpersonal and the mass media. Onewriterwhoalmostbegstobeincludedistheappropriatelynamed Hacker (1996) who suggests CMC can empower politically. Hacker et al (1998)suggestthate-mailcanincreaseorganizationalcommunication. Organizationsarenowtakingaccountofthefactthate-mailcanbeused as an informal channel, a kind of thoroughly modern grapevine which couldbetransportingviewsquitealientothecompanystance.Surveillance anddisciplinarypoliciesmayormaynotdefeatthisintime. Channelssuchasface-to-facecommunicationareratedhighlyonwhat is termed the ‘media richness gauge’. Those that remove the human interaction, including e-mail, are likely to settle further down the scale. Liketherelatedconceptofsocialpresence,mediarichnessisbasedonthe premisethatindividualsprefermediaofferingdirecthumancontact. Reducing communication to ‘byte-sized’ chunks may have seemed the waythatintranetandothercomputer-mediatedcommunicationchannels were leading us. However, some believe the backlash has set in, with peoplenowrequiringallthecontextorbackgroundinformationthatwas previouslyjettisonedinfavourofbrevity. D’Aprix(Gorman,2003)alsobelievesthatrelyingonelectronicratherthan face-to-facecommunicationwithstaffcouldhavehorrendousimplications. He argues that e-mail is not well structured, and gives little opportunity forexchangeofinformation.‘Hightouch’ratherthan‘hightech’iswhatis needed.Thereisobviouslyaroleforthecannycommunicatortoteachstaff howtomakeappropriateuseofthecommunicationstoolstohandandso hopefullyregaintheupperhand. DavidPhillips(2001)soundssomefurtherwarningbellswithconcepts such as ‘porosity’ which he relates to the passage of information from withinanorganizationtoexternalaudiences.Dependingontheintention, thiscouldbeseenasthenewmillenniumversionofwhistleblowing.Many suchactionsarejustaslikelytobeasaresultofpressingthewrongkey,but theresultcouldbethesame–informationgoingtothewrongplace. In Chapter 8 we explore computer-mediated communications such as websites, podcasts, video-conferencing and the like, and in more detail in Part 2. It is important to emphasize that computer technology simply providesanotherplatformfordelivery.Choiceofmediashouldbebasedon whethertheprintedword,soundorvisualelementsarewhatisrequiredto transmitthemessagemosteffectively.Otherwisewecouldbeindangerof arrivingbackwhereitallbeganwiththeemphasisfirmlyonprocessrather thanmessage.
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Theoriesintopractice
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Identifytheprevailingorganizationalculture–power,role,personor task. Look at current approaches to communication. Is it by exhortation, persuasionordiscussion?Soarrow,circuitordance? Process or semiotics? Does your organization concentrate on the processofcommunication–thechannels,vehicles?Ordoesitseekto generatecommonunderstanding(semioticsschool)? Takelessonsfromthemassmedia.Lookoutforgatekeeperswhocan blockaswellasreleaseinformationtoawideraudience. Remember your audience is active and people may apply their own interpretationstoyourmessages. Segmentyouraudienceaccordingtolifestageandcultureaswellas job. Donotgetcarriedawaywiththelatesttechnology–peoplestillprefer thehumantouchincommunication.
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5
Managinginternal communication in-house THEBUSINESSCASE In an ideal world internal communication should be a key responsibility forthechiefexecutiveofanyorganizationwhateveritssize.Therealityof coursecanbequitedifferent. Itismostlikelythatthefunctionwillbedelegatedtoaboarddirectorand throughthemtoaparticulardepartment.Againwewouldallliketosee thatdirectorbeingacommunicationsorpublicrelationsspecialist.Buteven iftheyare,theycouldcomefromawiderangeofbackgrounds.Structural engineershavebeenknowntoswapcareerhorsesrathersuccessfully.All thesefactorscaninfluencewherethefunctionendsupbeingslottedinto theorganization’sstructure.History,orthe‘we’vealwaysdoneitthisway’ approach, may also dictate where internal communications as a function willsitwithinanorganization. Internalcommunicationisanimperativeforeventhesmallestoforganizations.Itisarguablymoredifficulttomanagearecalcitrantteamofone, twoorthreethanamuchlargerorganization.
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Managinginternalcommunicationin-house
Havinganin-housedepartment,specialistsorattheveryleastadedicated person means the organization can be assured that those concerned will haveexperienceoftheorganizationanditsculture.They,intheory,should havetherequiredlinkswiththosewhomakedecisionsandalsothosewho havetherelevantinformation–notnecessarilyalwaysthesamepeople. Trying to produce an internal publication – print or web-based – from outside the organization without insider knowledge can be a complete nightmare,atleastintheearlydaysofanycontract.Fromtheclientside of the fence there might be concerns about confidentiality and a lack of confidenceaboutthenatureoftheconsultancy’sotherclients. The choice between in-house department or external providers might also be determined by the size of the organization.A two- or even a 20person band will have very different requirements from an international concern. The BBC’s then head of the internal communications function Russell Grossmanbelievesthemostsuccessfulinternalcommunicationsteamisone withadiversesetofskills.Theseshouldincludemarketing,organizational development,journalism,publicrelations,changemanagementandmore. Diversityintermsoflifestageisalsoimportant.Thosemakingalife-long career of an organization will bring a different perspective from those passingthrough. Thededicatedteamapproachcan,however,haveitsdrawbacksinterms ofcommitmenttothedeliveryofinternalcommunication.Oncesomeone hasbeenmaderesponsibleforthefunction,itcanbeeasyforotherfunctions withintheorganizationtowashtheirhandsofanyinvolvement.Creatingan understandingoftherealityofthefunctionisessentialinordertodevelop thesoundworkingrelationshipsnecessaryfordeliveringthegoods. Responsibilityforinternalcommunicationshouldultimatelyandideally rest with the chief executive. Experts in the field believe commitment or the lack of it on the part of senior management and their willingness to devote time and resources to the internal communications function will determineitsandtheorganization’ssuccess.Honestyandintegrityatthe uppercorporatereacheswillalsohelp. The best internal communications practitioners will fail if they do not have the support and commitment of the senior team, and they should ideallybepartofitofficiallyorunofficially.
WHODOESIT Sohavingestablishedthatgoingin-housewiththefunctionisthepreferred routeforsome,thereareanumberofplaceswithintheorganizationwhere thefunctionmightsit.Whatfollowsisintendedtoreflectwhathappensout
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Settingthescene
inthefield,butthesolutionmostpalatabletothosefromapublicrelations backgroundwillnodoubtbeoneofthefirsttwooptions.Thatisadedicated internalcommunicationdepartmentorateamwithlinkstopublicrelations orcorporatecommunicationsandhumanresources. A survey conducted among North American companies in the early 1990sshowedawiderangeofpossibilitiesintermsofthedepartmentsin whichtheinternalcommunicationsfunctioncouldbehoused.Therewere public affairs, corporate affairs/relations, human resources, finance, law, administration, advertising and marketing. In many of the UK examples includedinthisbook,internalcommunicationscanberubbingshoulders withanequallywiderange. Herearesomeoptionsonwheretheinternalcommunicationsfunction mightsitwithinanorganization.
Internalcommunicationsdepartment In an ideal world this would be every internal communicator’s dream scenario–adedicateddepartment. It is also possible that there could be mini-departments or individuals indispersedorganizations.Thiswouldlookratherlikeaclassicbusiness organizationstructurewiththesefar-flungteamsreportinginto,orworking inconjunctionwith,acentraldepartmentand/ordirector. The mining giant Rio Tinto has run its communications function very much along these lines. With over 250 locations worldwide it would be impossibletodeliveranythingbartheframeworkwithinwhichthecommunicatorsintheindividualbusinessesoperate.Acountrybasevariesfrom vastoperationswiththousandsofemployeestoalonegeologistortwoin theproverbialholeinthegroundinsomeremoteplace. Adedicateddepartmenthasallowedothercommunicationprofessionals intheorganizationtogetonwithwhattheydobest–publicaffairs,media relations,communityliaison. Therearesomeveryexotictitlesaround–‘changemanagement’crops upmorethanonce.Barclaycardhadaverylargeteamofinternalcommunicatorsbroughttogetherfromaseparateinternalcommunicationsfunction andachangemanagementteam.Thislatterrecognizedtheneedforconstant evolutioninthebusiness. ThewiderBarclaysgroupalsorecognizedchangeasthenormbutdivided itsactivitiesbetweeninternalandexternallybasedteamsaccordingtothe complexityoftheprogramme. ‘Performanceandorganizationdevelopment’putinanappearanceinthe localauthoritysector.Whattheseintriguingnamesmaybemostindicative ofisadesiretocomeupwithanewlabelforthefunction. There is a good argument for regarding the central communication function as facilitative rather than a delivery agent. Consultant Pamela 50
Managinginternalcommunicationin-house
Mounterasserts:‘Internalcommunicationisthelinemanagementresponsibility,themanagershavetodoitandtheinternalcommunicationsmanager hastohelpmanageit.Iftheboarddoesnotownitthenyouwillnotget anywhere.’ Thereisaninherentweaknessinthestand-aloneinternalcommunications department. A dedicated internal communications team or specialist couldbecomeisolated.Theymayhavefinelyhonedskillsinwebdesign and publication production but they could be telling a slightly different storyfromthoseotherprofessionals,especiallyiftheyhavedifferentline managers. External communicators could well be reporting to marketing while internal communicators could be overseen by human resources management. An effective internal communications department needs to raise its credibility most especially inside the organization. Many outsiders, and quite a few insiders for that matter, do not understand that keeping a workforceinformedcanandshouldbeasrewardingajobascarryingout essentiallythesamefunctionwithanexternalaudience. Good internal publications and websites are designed by people who recognizethatthosewhoreadthemarethesamepeoplelookingatmagazines, newspapers, websites and television programmes outside. The requirementsforattractivelylaidout,well-researchedinformationwitha humantwistdoesnotchangewiththedonningofthecompanyuniformor thebusinesssuit. Apositivereasonforhavingadedicatedinternalcommunicationsteam would be one of immediacy. They can roll into action as part of a crisis management team and if they have been allowed to do the job properly will have all the channels open and the communications vehicles ticking overandreadytogo.Perhapsthebestmodelistoseeotherdepartmentsas clientsoftheinternalcommunicationsdepartment.
Publicrelations/corporatecommunications Asweallknow,thepublicrelations,corporatecommunications,justplain communications,externalaffairs(orwhatever)departmentcanandought to be the repository for communication knowledge. Those who see communication as a broad, essential part of management and organization direction will most probably favour internal communication sitting in or reportingtothisfunction. A survey of internal communication in local government by Paul Inglefield (2002) found more than half the respondents reported internal communications managed by corporate communications, but worryingly 14percentsaiditwasnotmanagedatall. The downside of a non-dedicated team member will be that internal communicationwillgetsqueezedintothetimeleftoverfromthecompeting 51
Settingthescene
demandsofTVcrews,externalpublicationdeadlinesandthelike.Those questionedinthelocalgovernmentsurveyappearedtobemulti-talented and certainly multi-tasked individuals as they estimated they spent no morethanathirdoftheirtimeonthefunction. A more positive aspect is that an internal communicator wearing an external hat will be able to keep messages to both audiences consistent. Thiswouldhopefullyresultinthekindsofcrediblepublications,website, videos, etc that staff will want to read. It is also more likely that the PR professional will have the ear of senior management and the right level ofcredibilitytoensuretheycanarguetheircasemoresuccessfully.Ifthey havereallybeendoingtheirjobtheywillalsohaveawealthofexternally originatedmaterialwhichwillinvolveorinteresttheirinternalpublicsin thesamewayasexternalaudiences. ThePRpractitionershouldalsobringanexternalfocustoanyproblem areas,ashowtheseissuesarehandledcouldhaveanimpactonexternal perceptions.Thereisnothinglikeajuicyindustrialtribunalcase,particularly one involving sexual or racial harassment or discrimination, for destroyingyearsofpainstakingworkintheorganizationandinthewider community.
Humanresources Human resources departments can be perceived as the mouthpiece of management. When there is bad news to be delivered on the job front it is most likely to be seen as coming from this department. They are also perceived, rightly or wrongly, as doing little more than administering diversityandequalopportunitiesprogrammes,wage-roundnegotiations, benefitpackages,teamandindividualperformanceinthejob,disciplinary proceduresandthelike. However, an effective HR department would have early warning of relevantdirectivescomingfromEurope.Mostparticularlytheywouldhave takenaccountofthedirectiveonemployeeconsultationwhichisboosting demandsontheinternalcommunicationsfunction. TheHRteamwillhavealsobeenresponsibleforflagginguptheeffectsof legislationdesignedtorecognizetheinterestsofemployeesfromdifferent culturalbackgroundsand/orwithdisabilities.Specialistsinthefieldcould be well versed in communicating with a very diverse range of people –skillsthattheinternalcommunicationpersonwouldfindusefulincommunicatingmoreeffectively. TheHRdepartmentorspecialistswithinitarealsolikelytobeinvolved in career development and staff training. Delivering those packages is unlikelytofalltotheinternalcommunicationspecialistorPRprofessional, butsomecommunicationsinputcouldimprovetheexperience.Theseareas shouldalsoprovefruitfulformaterialforpublicationsandwebsites. 52
Managinginternalcommunicationin-house
Marketing A few years back the buzz phrase in marketing circles was ‘internal marketing’,anditseemedasifthemarketingdepartmenthaddecidedthat internal communication should be part of its remit.After all, they could wellbemanagingthesalesteamandmuchofthatsupervisionwouldhave requiredfinelyhonedcommunicationskills. Although wider ranging than marketing, public relations is often seen as part of the marketing function, when marketing communication is at the fore, particularly in consumer or industrial sectors. This is rather like the view that public relations is just media relations – a common misconception. Marketing has more of an external focus than human resources and is therefore more akin to the PR department. But again it could be argued thatthefocusisnarrowerthanthePRfunctionandisconcentratedonthe bottomline. Morepositively,theinternalcommunicationpractitionerwouldbenefit fromstrongerlinkswiththemarketingfunction.Staffareinterestedinthe resultsofcampaignsandinneworrenewedcontracts–theirlivelihoods dependonthem.Staffonthegroundparticularlyincustomercarecentres need to know about the product, what it does and how it is being sold. Largercorporationsarejustasguiltyassmalleronesofnotequippingthose inthefiringlinewiththeinformationneededtodotheirjob. Poorcustomerservicecanresultinnegativeheadlinesandpainfulslots on consumer television programmes. So those complex departments of old where the reception or switchboard was seen to report to the head of communication perhaps knew a thing or two. They were a particular featureofthepublicsector.Inordertobeabletorecruitandretainstaffat asufficientlyseniorlevel,unwieldydepartmentsoftengrewuparoundthe publicrelationsandmarketingfunction.Itwasnotuncommonfortyping poolsandreprographicdepartmentstobeincludedinthecommunication function’sremit. TheextremelycomplexactivitiesofVertex,whichhasprovidedservices forawiderangeofmainlypublicsectorbodies,reportstomarketing.Here theinternalaudiencescanevenincludestaffontheauthority’sownpayroll aswellasthosetransferredacrossfromformeremployingbodies.
ITandknowledgemanagement Itgoeswithoutsayingthattechnologyhastransformedinternalcommunicationinrecentyears.GettingtogripswithHTMLanditscousinsisthe bane of many a communicator’s life and it can be tempting to hand this overtotheITdepartment.
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Settingthescene
Anotherrecentbuzzphrasehasbeen‘knowledgemanagement’.Afew ratherimaginativetechnologyexpertshaveseenthisasanextrafortheir armoury. For those who have missed this trend, it involves persuading staff to share their knowledge with their colleagues. This can result in an unmanageable mass of data which proves the point that data are not necessarilyinformation,andinformationinitsturndoesnotalwaysconvert toknowledge. However,someITmanagersalsothinkthatbeingabletocrackthecode means they should manage the information. It is one step from there to managingtheinformationoutput.Database-generatedwebsitesareareal advancebuttheycanoverlookthebasicprinciplesofeffectivecommunication.Afewmulti-talentedindividualsmaymaketheleapintodesignand insomecasestocontent,butthiscouldexplainwhytheworldwidewebis litteredwithhard-to-usesites.
HOWINTERNALCOMMUNICATIONISREWARDED The internal communications function can certainly compete in salary terms with similar levels of external or corporate communicator roles. RecruitmentconsultancyVMAGroup’sCharlotteButlersaidthatthegoing ratesin2007were: Executive:upto£35,000 Manager:£35–50,000 Seniormanager:£40–60,000 Head(director):£60–140,000
SO,HUMANRESOURCESORPUBLICRELATIONS? Ultimately in the field of internal communication the two departments withinwhichthefunctionmostoftensitsiseitherpublicrelationsorhuman resources. David Ashford (2001) devoted his Masters dissertation to the questionofthefunction’smostnaturalhome. Hisfindingssuggestthatinlargercompaniesinternalcommunications mostlyhasareportinglineintopublicrelations,whereassmallorganizations link it to human resources. He also found that human resources and public relations practitioners take different approaches to internal communication. Hesuggeststhathistoricallyhumanresourcesandcorporatecommunicationsevolvedfromtheiroriginsastacticalsupport–personnelandpublic relations.Developingintotoday’smorestrategicallyfocusedfunctionhas ledtoabattlefortheboardroom. 54
Managinginternalcommunicationin-house
DavidAshford identified five models for the internal communications function:alignmentwithhumanresources;alignmentwithpublicrelations; division of responsibility between public relations and human resources; reporting directly to the chief executive; or full integration and shared responsibilitybetweenhumanresourcesandpublicrelations. Thereweredifferentviewsastothepurposeofinternalcommunication dependingonwhichfunctiontherespondentcamefrom.Humanresources executivesregardedemployeecommunications‘tobeinformationsharing andempowermentwiththeultimategoalofimprovingjobeffectiveness’. When it comes to change management, both sides were insistent that bothdepartmentsshouldworktogetherbutwithintheirspecificroles. Those who had come into internal communications from a journalistic background were adamant that human resources people should not be actually delivering the messages as they had a tendency to complicate issues.Thedangerhereisthathumanresourcescouldbecomethepolicy driverwhilepublicrelationsjustdeliveredatthetacticalend. Whereapublicrelationsreportinglinewasestablishedthiswasseento beagoodthing.Publicrelationshasaremitacrossthewholebusinessand candemonstrateanunderstandingoftheneedforconsistencyininternal andexternalmessages. Quiteafewoftherespondentsfeltthatwheretheinternalcommunicator ordepartmentreportedtodidnotmattertoomuch.Onepossibleoutcome isforpublicrelationsandhumanresourcespractitionerstobedrawncloser together. Wherevertheinternalcommunicationsfunctionsits,itshouldbedelivered in a sensitive manner which is attuned to the organization’s needs. SeeFigure5.1forwhatcanonlybedescribedasa‘dream’organizational chart.
CENTRALIZEDORDECENTRALIZED Evenwhenyouhavedecidedwhichspecificfunctionormixoffunctions the internal communicator should come under there is a further issue to consider. Writing in Profile (September/October 2005) Pamela Mounter looked at research by Melcrum Publishing into whether the internal communications function or department itself should be centralized or decentralized.‘Thecaseoftheinsolubleconundrum’looksatwhetherthe practitionershouldbebasedinonelargedepartmentatheadofficeorout inthedivisions/regions,dependingonthewaythebusinessoperates.The advantagesanddisadvantagesofbothmodelsarelistedbelow. Acentralizeddepartmentprovides:
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Settingthescene Board of Directors CEO Director of Communication (board or function)
Director of Human Resources
Head of Internal Communication
Head of External Communication
Director of Marketing
Internal Communication Manager Specialists (internally based?)
Specialists (externally based?)
� Website Editor � Publications Editor � Consultation
� Writers � Photographers � Video/audio production
Figure5.1 Theinternalcommunicationsfunction–theidealstructure:a theoreticalidealinternalcommunicationsdepartmentwithidealreportinglines
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aconsistentmessage; grouporientation; brandalignment;and rationalizationofeffort.
However,itsdisadvantagesare: localdisjoinwithstrategy; localdisjoinwithmessages;and peoplewhoaredistributorsratherthanstrategists. Adecentralizeddepartmentprovides: relevancetothegivenlocale; opportunitiestodevelopstrongleadership;and opportunitiestodeveloptalent. Itsdownsidesare: inconsistentmessages; 56
Managinginternalcommunicationin-house
brandmess(failuretotaketheoverview); duplicationofeffort;and communicatorsgoingnativeandoffcorporatemessage.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER InternalcommunicationshouldbeakeyresponsibilityoftheCEO. Internalcommunicationwascommonlyfoundincorporatecommunicationdepartmentsbutalsopossiblyhumanresourcesormarketing. Internal communication specialists need good cross-organizational linkswhereverbased. Consistencywithexternalmessagesisessential. Whereitsitsisnotimportant;beingsensitivelyattunedtotheorganization’sneedsis.
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6
Outsourcing theinternal communications function THEBUSINESSCASE Somethingofabarometerforthehealthofthewiderbusinesscommunityis offeredbykeepingtrackofthenumberofin-housecommunicationspeople whosuddenlyreappearonthehorizonintheguiseofrovingconsultant. When times are rather better there tends to be an influx of people into in-house positions. This appears true for both internal and external communication. As is the case with public relations generally, organizations both large andsmallmaydecidetouseexternalexpertiseforavarietyofreasons.This chapterwilllookattheprosandcons,includingeconomicargumentsand alsohowexistingin-housestaffmayreactundercertaincircumstancesand thereasonswhy.
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Outsourcingtheinternalcommunicationsfunction
Evenorganizationswithquitelargeinternalcommunicationsfunctions feeltheneedtodrawonexternalexpertisefromtimetotime.Somevery largeemployerskeepapermanentrosteroffreelanceconsultantswhocan becalledontoworkthroughwhatisnowdeemedtobeeverydaychange management. Othersmaywellcallonapoolofcommunicationconsultanciestopitch for individual pieces of work or even whole programmes. By and large theytooareworkingontheimplementationendofthings,producingthe publications,theevents,thewebsiteandthevideo. Butoccasionallyitispossibletofindanexamplewhereitisthestrategic thinkingwhichhasbeencontractedout.Thisapproachworriesthosewho arguethatgoingdownthatroutecanresultineverythingbeingtreatedas aseriesofone-offactivitiesratherthanaunifiedwhole,forthereisaview that the overall panoramic vision can only come from being situated inhousewiththeearofthetopmanagementatleastsomewherecloseby. AccordingtoconsultantRichardGaunt,whoeverdoesinternalcommunicationshastobeintheloopatthehighestlevel.Theywouldbebestpositionedalongsidethechangeagentinthecompany,beitthechiefexecutive, humanresourcesorwhatever. Inhisexperienceinternalpeopleoftengethijackedtootheractivities,or arenotdevotedfulltimetoit.Statisticsforlocalgovernmentcommunicators suggest the majority spend no more than 30 per cent of their time on internalcommunication.Asaresult,thefunctionwillfrequentlylackfocus and fall prey to the ills of procrastination and delay which can affect all organizations, only coming to the boil (if at all) when there is an emergency. Richard Gaunt says that many internally-based communication people are inexperienced and untrained, having had a career elsewhere in the company (engineering, safety, secretarial) while others are graduates in media studies or public relations trying to apply advanced theoretical modelstoabemusedandscepticalcompany.Hefearstheprogrammewill thengetditchedatthefirstsightofabudgetcut. An external consultant on the other hand will make the time (within your budget constraints) to give concentrated attention to your internal communicationissues,anditisinhisorherintereststodeliverontime. A glance at the recruitment pages indicates that even junior help will notcomecheapifitistobesituatedin-house(seethepreviouschapterfor rates).Companieshavetoconsiderthecostoftherecruitmentandselection process.Dependingontheseniorityofthepositionthiscouldproveexpensive,especiallyifheadhuntersarecommissioned.Inadditiontothisthere aresalarycostsandotherexpensesincludingpensions,NationalInsurance andotherbenefits.Eventhoughthereisadesirefornewcomerstohitthe groundrunning,therealityisfewwill.Someformofinductionandongoing trainingwillalsoberequired. 59
Settingthescene
Therearenot-so-obviouscoststoo.Desksifnotofficeshavetobefound and equipment supplied. Bringing staff up to speed on any newly introducedtechnologyisalsoahiddenextra.Theknock-oneffectgoesonand on.Obviouslythisappliestoanyjobbutitiseasytoseewhyanorganization wouldthinkverycarefullybeforegoingdownthein-houserouteinthefirst place. Whenusingexternalconsultanciesthefeechargedwillcoveraproportion oftheoverheadswhicharenolongertheresponsibilityoftheclient.Spread overanumberofclients,itispossiblethattheconsultantmaynotcostquite somuchoverthelongtermasanin-houseappointee. This calculation may come unstuck depending on the nature of the consultancybeingoffered.Moreandmoregeneralpublicrelationsconsultanciesaretemptedby,andareattemptingtogainafootholdin,whatthey seeaslucrativenewterritory.Asthereisacrossoverfromcommunication into organizational development, management consultants will also be operatinginthisfield. Chapter 24 is devoted to the nuts and bolts of purchasing external services.Togivesomeideaoffees,recruitmentconsultancyVMAGroup says a senior practitioner in 2007 could have sought £700 a day (others indicated it could be double for the exceptionally talented) while a more juniorpersonmightwarrant£250–300.Thiswouldbeahugecommitment ininvestmenttermsfororganizationswithlittlemoneytospend. Obviouslyitisacaseofhorsesforcourses.Itisunlikelyanorganization needingasimplenewsletterknockedoutwouldwanttopaythatkindof money (however, rates for journalists are not too dissimilar, according to the National Union of Journalists). But for a major change management projectthatneedstobeupandrunningquicklyitmaybeworthit. WhatyouarereallypayingforwhenconsultingwiththelikesofRichard Gaunt is perhaps decades of expertise which is unlikely to be similarly matched straight off a degree course. So there can be an argument for occasionallystretchingthebudgettosuchextremes. Consultantscanbecalledonnotonlytogivehigh-levelstrategicadvice, butalsotoprovidesupporttoin-housepeoplewhohaveratherlesspersonal experienceonwhichtocall.Thiscanbetimelimitedorrathermoreopenended;ifthelatter,clearguidelinesareneededtoensurecostsarecontained. In the case of specialist services such as printing and photography an understandingisneededastowhoisfootingthebill.
WHATCONSULTANCIESCANOFFER Consultancies,andforthatmattersolepractitioners,withsufficientexperienceandgoodcontactscaneffectivelyruntheentireinternalcommunications
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Outsourcingtheinternalcommunicationsfunction
functionon-siteoratoneremove.Themoreusualscenarioistocontractout specificactivitiesratherthanthewholeenterprise. A diverse range of services can be for sale, ranging from satisfaction surveysthroughtoboardgames.Technologicalsolutionsfortheprovision of websites, design of surveys or logistical management of employee conferences can save thousands of pounds and do away with some very boringtasksenroute. Manyorganizationshavethedesignandproductionworkforpublicationsandvideoscarriedoutbyexternalspecialists.ThoseworkingforCIPR accreditedconsultanciesoftencomewithgood-qualityexperiencegained in working in other categories of media such as national and regional newspapersandmagazines,orclientside,thatiswithinorganizationsin thepublicorcommercialsector. Change management involving staff relocating from across Europe to a base in the south-east of England was contracted out by DHL. The companywhichwonthepitchcarriedouttheorganizationaldevelopment workandthecommunicationsaspectstosupporttheprogramme.Running theprojectacrossanumberofothercountrieswasamajorpartoftheremit, andtakingaccountofthedifferentculturalnormswasoneofthebiggest challenges. Face-to-face interaction with employees can be a matter of concern not only for front-line supervisors but also for directors and other senior management. Some communications consultancies offer communications coaching. So the range of activities which a company can buy in is incredibly varied,rangingfromstraightforwarddeliverytostrategicadviceandeven deliveryofboth.Consultancycanbeboughtfromquitelargefirmsinterms ofnumbersthroughtosoletradersoperatingaloneorinpartnershipwith otherstodelivertheentirepackageortheirpartofit.Thechoicedepending onbudgetisyours.
REASONSTOBECAUTIOUS Your in-house person or team is preparing to work alongside the rather expensiveconsultancyteamyouhavebroughtintoinjectsomefreshideas. Whatcouldpossiblygowrong? Thereappearstobeadownsidetoeveryupside!Evenveryexperienced internalpeoplecouldwellgetjitterywhenexpensivesuitshoveintoview. Appointingconsultantscansendasubliminalwarningtoincumbentstaff thattheirjobsmaybeatriskorthattheirskillsareindoubt. Even where the consultant is working in an organization without inhouseexpertisethereisstillroomfortrouble.Itishardenoughforanew
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postholdertoconvinceorganizationaloldhandsthatthereisagoodbusiness case;itisevenharderforexternalpractitioners.Withoutcarefulplanning yourexpensiveconsultantsmaybeheldbackintheiractivities,whichmay proveunexpectedlyexpensiveforyouifthedelayscanbeblamedonthe internalend. Confidentialitymayalsobeanissuewhereconsultantsworkwithsimilar customers.Conversely,credentialsmaybeviewedwithdoubtifthereisno apparentpreviousexperienceinthefieldonwhichtodraw.Therecouldbe fearsthatexternalagentsmightoptforthe‘cookiecutter’approach.Thisis whereconsultancieshaveaparticularapproachwhichtheywilltailorthe clienttofitratherthanviceversa.
GETTINGTHEBESTFROMYOURCONSULTANCY Fromtimetotimemostin-housedepartmentswillwanttocallonexpertise outside their own experience to bring in fresh and wider insights, or simplymoremuscletogetthejobdone.Theprosandconshavebeenwell rehearsedearlierinthischapter,ashavethepotentialpitfallstoavoid.But therearewaysofworkingwithexternalspecialistswhichshouldensurea satisfactoryexperienceforall.ThesearecoveredmorefullyinChapter24, butsomebriefpointersfollowbelow. Thestartingpointshouldbetogobacktotheorganization’sobjectives andcurrentstrategyandestablishwhatitisthatshouldbedonetomeet them.Beclearastowhatitisyouactuallywantandbesensibleaboutwho youinvitetotender.Keepingnumbersofquotestoarealisticlevelwillhelp boostyourcredibilitywithexternalcontractorsandmaketakingtheright decisionmuchsimpler. Beforelookingoutside,takeaninventoryoftheskillsbaseofferedinternallyasthisisoftenacheaperoption.Determinewhointernallywilloversee thedeliveryofactivityandwhowillberesponsibleonaday-to-daybasis. Prepareadecentbriefandcheckthatitmeanssomethingoutsideyour department and organization – your internal jargon may be incomprehensibletoeveryoneelse. Be clear about what you are agreeing to in terms of time and budget. Drawupandsigncontractsandkeeptothem.Buildinsomeflexibilityat the beginning to allow for consultants learning your organization. Keep consultantswellbriefedonanychangesthatbecomenecessary. Itisalsoimportanttobuildintoanycontractacarefullywordedclause on how you expect your chosen consultancy to handle issues around confidentiality.Youneedtostrikeabalancebetweenbenefitingfromtheir
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expertiseinyourspecialistfieldwithouttheworrythatyourtradesecrets willbeshared. In conclusion, consultancies should complement rather than duplicate theskillsofyourselfandyourinternalteam.Youneedalsotoensurethat theconsultancy’sownculturecomplementsthatofyourorganization.Be realistic about costs and keep a close eye on budgets. Be clear as to the complexityoftheissue(s)youwishtheconsultancytoaddress.Clarifytheir coreskillsandwhethertheyarethoseoftheindividualswhowillworkon theaccountorsimplythefancysuitsfromtheboardroomsenttoimpressat thepitch.Andmostimportantlyaskyourself–doyoulikethem,canyou workwiththem? LiamFitzPatrickofCompetentCommunicatorsstressedamajordifference intheexternalpublicrelationsconsultancyanditscounterpartmajoringon internalaudiences.Theformer,hewouldargue,doesnotneedanin-depth understandingofaclient’sorganizationoritsbusiness.However,forthe internal communications consultancy to be able to contribute fully it has tohaveasgoodagraspoftheinternalstructure,cultureandpoliticsasan in-housepractitioner. Hewarnedthattherecouldbeatendencyforinternallybasedpractitioners to hire consultants ‘out of a sense of frustration hoping they will be able to transform’ difficult situations where top managers are not listening. If thein-housepractitionerhasbeenunabletoconvincethosewhoneededto hear,‘thereisnowayaconsultantwillbeableto’.Inthenewmillennium thequalityofinternalappointeesisratherbetterthanadecadeagowhen consultantswerethebetteroption. DavidCoeofChemistryDigital,whichmajorsonthenewertechnology deliverysolutions,believedin-houseclientsneedtocommittodeepsoul searchingbeforecallingintheconsultants.Thisthoroughinterrogationof theobjectivesoftheexercisewouldsavealotoftime,moneyandfrustration furtherdowntheline.Manywould-beclientsapparentlycontinuetoask forawebsite,agameoranintranetwithoutthinkingaboutwhyitisneeded andwhatitisintendedtoachieve.
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KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Consultantscansupplementinternalskills. Consultantsareusefulforimplementingprogrammes. Highlyexperiencedconsultantscanbeusedtoprovidestrategicadvice butusuallythisshouldbeaninternallysitedexpertise. Externalconsultantsneedtobekeptinformed. It is possible to contract out the whole function, but consider the rationalecarefully. Beclearwiththebriefandespeciallyaboutobjectives. Cover all eventualities in the contract (confidentiality, termination, deadlines,etc). Provideandmaintaineffectivereportingchannels.
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Howthelegal frameworkfitsin Internal communicators are as affected by the legal framework of the country as their external communication counterparts. When working across different borders it also pays to be aware of local regulation and legislationthatmaymakeadifference. Thissectionwilllookatthegenerallegalframeworkthatmayhavean impactontheworkdonewithintheinternalcommunicationsfunction.It will look at aspects of workplace rules and laws which may not at first sight seem particularly pertinent, before turning to the European picture andwhatliesahead.Therationaleforincludingwhatwillappeartobea substantialamountofhumanrelationslaw,includingthatondiscrimination,istheneedtobeawareofitwhendraftingmaterialsoradvisingon programmes.Agoodplacetostartinthesearchforadvice,forChartered InstituteofPublicRelationsmembersatleast,isthemembers-onlysection oftheinstitute’swebsite(www.cipr.co.uk).UsefulbooksincludeHoward’s The Practice of Public Relations (1988) and the latest edition of McNae’s EssentialLawforJournalistsbyWelshetal(2007).Theauthorsareindebted toJoSaundersofspecialistmediaandcommunicationslawfirmHarbottle and Lewis LLP for assistance with information included in this chapter. Furtherinformationisalsoavailableonthefirm’swebsite,www.harbottle. com.
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GENERALCOMMUNICATIONMINEFIELDS Defamation:libelandslander Youmayimagineitwouldbelesslikelyforaninternalcommunicatortofall foulofdefamationlaws,butintoday’smorelitigiousenvironmentitcould wellhappen.Thereareseveralwaysinwhichthelawoflibelmayimpact oninternalcommunicationswork. Forexample,publicationofthewrongphotographtoillustrateapoint could result in a claim being made by individuals either internally or externally based. One personal close shave for the author happened in thelate1980sinaLondonhospital.Purelyillustrativephotographswere takenofanisolationwardforaninternalpublication.Amisplacedcaption meantthataclearlyidentifiableindividualcouldhavearguedithadbeen impliedhehadaparticularcondition,whichhedidnot.Theconditionhad potentially unfortunate sexual connotations. In terms of libel, there is no distinctionbetweenapublicationintendedonlyfordistributionwithinan organizationandonewhichiscirculatedtothewiderpublic.Liabilityarises inanycircumstancewhereadefamatorystatementispublishedtoathird party(notthesubject)–evenifitisonlyonecolleague.Fortunatelyforthis author,thenarrowcirculationofthepublicationtoonlythepublicrelations departmentmeanttheriskofdiscoveryofthelibelwasreduced,andthis avertedanexpensivetriptothecourts.Thoroughproofreadingwouldhave preventedthislibel. Morecommonlytheproblemwillarisewithwrittenorspokenstatements rather than images. Be particularly careful of claims made about third partiesororganizations–checktheseoutwiththepartyconcerned.Ifyou believethereisapotentiallydefamatorystatementaboutathirdpartyitis of paramount importance you give them an opportunity to comment (althoughthisaloneisnotadefencetoanaction).Ifindoubtleaveitout. Defamationisthepublicationofastatementwhichlowersapersoninthe estimationof‘right-thinkingmembersofsociety’(iethetypicalreaderor recipientofthestatement).Libelcoversstatementsinwrittenorpermanent form; slander, spoken or transitory. Websites, intranets, podcasts, blogs ande-mailsareincludedwithinthescopeoflibel.Inthecaseofelectronic media,takecarewherestaffareabletoaddtheirownmaterialtosites–any difficultiesarisingfromuntruestatementswillbecometheresponsibilityof theorganizationpublishingthewebsitetogetherwiththeinternetservice provider hosting the site. If a website includes contributed third-party content it may be sensible to have a system to monitor new postings. If a complaint is received about any content, the item should be removed promptlywhileinvestigationsareundertaken. Office banter circulating by internal e-mail is a major risk. In 1997 NorwichUnionpaidWesternProvidentAssociation£450,000damagesplus 66
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costsafterstaffcirculatedrumoursabouttherivalcompanyviatheinternal e-mail.Thecompanywasliableforactivities(eventhoughunauthorized) ofitsemployees.Astrictpolicyontheuseofe-mailisthereforeessential. The law presumes the statement which is disputed is false, unless the defendantcanproveitistrue.Thiscanbeextremelydifficult,orevenimpossiblewiththeevidenceavailable.Rememberthedefendantalsohasto provethetruthofwhattheaveragereaderthoughtthearticlemeant–not whatthedefendantmighthaveintendedtosay–sotakecareofambiguity orunintendedmeanings.Inyourdefenceyoumightclaimthatthestatementistrueorfaircomment(basedontruefacts),orthattheinformation is privileged which usually applies to Parliament and court proceedings. Makegooduseofanylegaladvicetowhichyourorganizationhasaccess.
Copyright,registereddesignsandpatents Referencehasalreadybeenmadetothepossibilityoflibelinimagery.Much morelikelyisaclaimformisuseofcopyrightownedbyaphotographer. Unless your organization actually employs the photographer as an employee or has obtained a detailed signed contract transferring the rights, copyrightofimagesrestswiththephotographer. Beverycarefulaboutdownloadingimagesoffawebsiteunlessitisclear theycanbeused.Itisfarbettertogotoaphotographiclibrary,manyof whichareonline.Italsopaystoinformthephotographerorthelibraryof theusestowhichtheimageswillbeputaspartofthebriefingprocess.You shouldalsoconsultaboutanychangeofuseatthatorsomelaterdate.Ifthe photographerownsthecopyrighttheymayobjecttocertainuses. Using an image more than once may also incur an extra fee, so any contractshouldformallytakeaccountofthis.Thisalsoappliestotheuseof photolibraryshots–youwillgetbilledforextrauses. Asamatterofcourtesyifnothingelseitisagoodideatocredittheartist and/orsourceofanimageevenifyouhavepaidforthis.Goodmanners mayreducebills–legalonesthatis. Thelawdoesnotprotectideasassuch;itcanonlyprotecttheexpression ofthoseideasinwritten,artisticorotherform.Copyrightexistsautomaticallyandappliesonlyiftheworkisoriginalandthenforacertainperiod of time (eg literary copyright in words, such as in this book, lasts from themomentofcreationuntil70yearsaftertheauthor’sdeath).Copyright is breached where a ‘substantial part’ of the work is used or reproduced without permission of the copyright owner. The Copyright, Design and PatentsAct 1988 has been amended to take account of European Unioninspired harmonization. Keep in mind that copyright laws may still be differentfromcountrytocountryandthiscouldhaveabearingnotjuston publicationofinformationfromanothercountry,butalsoanythingbeing publishedacrossanumberofcountries. 67
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Anaggrievedpartymightseekaninjunctionforbiddingfurtherinfringement,askfordamagesandanorderforoffendingcopiestobesurrendered. Defencesmightbethatthereisnocopyrightinthework,thatyouhavenot usedasubstantialpart,thatyouhadalicencefromtherightsholdertouse thework,orthatthepersoncomplainingisnottherightfulownerofthe copyright. Another way of protecting intellectual property is by applying for a trademark. These can be granted over words and phrases, pictures and designs, colours and even smells. The trademark allows its owner to exploititexclusivelyinparticularareasofuse.TheEnglishlanguageseems peppered with trade names that have become generic terms (Hoover for vacuum cleaner). To save at the very least hours of a law lecture from a passing pedant it is worth finding substitutes from everyday language. Trademarkprotectionincidentallyisforalimitedperiod. Plagiarism is a related problem, certainly in any area which touches on the academic world. If in producing copy you refer to other people’s documents, quote them thoroughly and accurately. It is permissible to reproduce a copyright work if it is either an insubstantial part, or if it is beingusedsolelyforprivateresearch.Commercialusewillnotbecovered bythislatterexception.Itshouldbeclearyouarenotlayingclaimtothe ideasofanother.Ifnothingelseitisgoodmannerstogivecreditwhereit isdue.
Breachofconfidence Misuseofideasorinformationreceivedinconfidencefromsomeoneelse canbethesubjectofanactionforbreachofconfidence.Forexample,one clientmayobjecttotheirinformationbeingusedforthebenefitofanother. Converselythiscouldapplyifaconsultantfeltaproposalorplanhadbeen usedwithoutconsentorpayment.Thislattercanbedifficulttoargueon groundsoftheoffendingitemhavingtobeanexactcopyoftheiroriginal work.Itwillassistifyourequireclientstowhomyoupitchideastoenter into a confidentiality agreement, or at the very least make clear that the informationyoushareisconfidentialandmaynotbereused.Itisofcourse badformtopassoffsomeoneelse’sideasasyourown. Equally it is at the very least bad form and may be unlawful to relay to other parties information given to you in confidence. This could have beentheresultofabadlydraftedbriefandwouldapplyequallytothose given to in-house practitioners as well as externally based consultants. Seekclarificationofanythingthatcausesconcern,checkingdiscreetlywith othersinappropriatepositionswherepossible. A different kind of breach of confidence can be where an aggrieved memberofstaffhasgoneoutsidetheorganization,possiblytothemassor
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specialistmedia,tocomplainofallegedmalpractice.Whistleblowers(see also ‘Health and Safety’ section on page 71), where they can show they haveactedingoodfaithanditisclearlyinthepublicinteresttodisclosethe confidentialinformation,suchaswherepublicsafetyisanissue,mayhave adefenceagainstanactionforbreachofconfidence.However,thepublic interestmustbesufficientlystrong,andsomethingthatis‘interestingtothe public’isnotthesamethingasbeinginthepublicinterest.Whistleblowers may also be protected from dismissal if the disclosure is made to an appropriateperson,suchasaregulator,tradingstandardsorthepolice(the media is unlikely to be an ‘appropriate person’). The resulting publicity willdonogoodfortheorganization’sstandingorforinternalmorale.An internalcommunicatorwhohasbuiltasoundreputationatalllevelsofan organization may be able to act as an internal barometer, picking up on concernsbeforetheyreachsuchacriticalstage. Aspecialsubsetofbreachofconfidencehasalsodevelopedtoprotectthe individual’sprivacy.Ineffect,itisnowunlawfultomisuseprivatepersonal confidentialinformation.Thiswillcertainlyincluderecordedinformation such as medical and health details, political or religious beliefs, and domesticlife.Evenuseofinformationthatisinthepublicdomainmaybe aninfringementofprivacywheretherewasareasonableexpectationthat itwouldnotbegivenwidespreaddisclosure,suchasphotographstakenin placeswheretherewasreasonableexpectationofprivacy,likearestaurant orprivateparty,orshowingprivateactivities. For this reason it is good practice and in some sectors mandatory to secureinformedconsentforphotographyorfilmingofthepublic.Especial careneedstobeexercisedwhenhandlingsituationsinvolvingchildren,but alsoadultswhomay,byreasonofmentalhealthissues,beunabletogive informedconsent.Aconsentformcanbeeasilydrawnupandshouldbe phrased in simple but clear language because those signing must understandwhattheyareagreeingto.
Competitions Tolivenuppublicationsandencouragereaderinvolvementitcanbetemptingtocomeupwithacompetition.Beparticularlycarefulwhendrafting rules, especially where some external audiences might be included. The InstituteofSalesPromotion(seeAppendix4forwebsiteaddress)hasmore detailonthiscomplexarea.
Contractlaw Lawoncontractmayapplyinanumberofways,particularlyifyouyourself areaconsultant,orasanin-housepersonareusingsubcontractorstocarry
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outwork.Aconsultantcanalsosubcontractworkbutretainstheresponsibilityforthatwork.Itisworthkeepingrecordsincludinginvoicesforupto sixyearsafterthecontractisconcluded,asactionforbreachofcontractcan betakenforthatperiod. Asaconsultantitisimportanttoensureallagreementsenteredintowith and on behalf of a client are carefully worded. When booking rooms or orderingprintworkorphotography,itisrelativelycommonforsuppliers to bill the consultant direct who then charges the client. However, if the client defaults on the payment the consultant will be liable, unless it has been made very clear that the agreement is directly between client and supplierandtheconsultantisactingonlyasanagentoftheclient.Youmay onlyenterintoagreementsasanagentforyourclientifyouhavetheproper authoritytodoso. Employers or clients will be liable for the acts of employees or agents carried out in the course of their employment. If the act is of a criminal nature, liability would only apply if the act was carried out under the employer’sinstructions. Any contract for services implies a duty to carry out the services with reasonablecareandskill.Also,whengivingareferenceforanemployeeor supplierthereisadutyofreasonablecare,sotheseshouldbedraftedwith caution.Paintingtoorosyapicturecanbeasbadastheopposite.Remember therisksofdefamationwhengivingreferences.
INTHEWORKPLACEITSELF Employmentlegislation/goodpractice Thewayinwhichbusinessproceduresandrelationshipsareconductedin theworkplacecouldcomeunderpublicscrutinyshouldanindividualbe disciplinedand/ordismissed.Itisworthkeepinginformedofanychanges inthisareaandoftheexceptionsthatmightapply,asnotalllinemanagers willbesufficientlyinformedtohaveactedaccordingtothelaw. Employers may place restrictive clauses in the employment contract to attempt to prevent former employees being able on behalf of future employers to make use of information gained while in their earlier employment,orto‘poach’clientsorstaff.Theex-employeemayargueit restrictstheirfreedomofemployment.Usuallysucharestrictiveclausewill besuccessfulaslongasitisnotunreasonableinitsscopeorduration. Employeescanbringaclaimofunfairdismissaliftheyhavebeeninthe organization’semployforayear,althoughtherearecircumstancesunder whichproceedingsmaybebroughtwithlessthanoneyear’sservice.These occasionsusuallyrelatetodiscriminatorypracticesorwhereearlydismissal wasinstitutedfornootherreasonthantocircumventlegalrequirements. 70
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Incidentsofgrossmisconductmaymeanemployersdonothavetogo throughthelengthyproceedingsusuallyrequiredofthemwhenseekingto dismiss.Whatcouldconstitutegrossmisconductisanareaofsomedebate, andagaincouldleadinthedirectionoftheemploymenttribunal.
Healthandsafety Inheavyindustryandconstructiontrades,strictguidelinesareusuallyin placefortheprotectionoftheworkerandtheircolleagues.Someresponsibilitydoesfalltotheindividualtowearprotectiveclothingasappropriate andtoactsensiblyinareasofrisk.Thatdoesnot,however,exoneratethe employerfromprovidingthenecessaryequipmentforthesafeperformance of the work or from ensuring the environment is safe. Failure to do so can result in prolonged media coverage of a negative nature which will involveinquests(inthecaseofdeath),inquiry(deathandinjury)andcourt caseswhichcouldresultinimprisonment,heftyfinesandcompensation. Covering such incidents in company publications is likely to provide a particularchallenge. Wheretheinternalcommunicatorismorelikelytobeinvolvedonadayto-daybasisiswhenissuesofhealthandsafetyaredealtwithinadvance ofproblemsdeveloping.AtBMWPlantHamsHallavideowasmadeon thesubjectofcleaningtoemphasizeitsimportancetoeveryone.Practical tips on safe lifting and handling and also safe use of such seemingly innocuousequipmentascomputersmayalsobeaproactivewayofaverting problems. Health and safety can also be extended into more general workplace welfareandcanencompassharassmentandbullying.Despiteofficialhelp forthosewhoblowthewhistleonpoorpractice,tribunalsandothercourt hearingsarestillatoocommonoutcome.Therewere1,200claimsunderthe PublicInterestDisclosureActupuntilFebruary2003accordingtoGaymer (2003). Tryingtomoveawayfromthis,someorganizationshaveputinconfidential hotlines to encourage staff to see the internal route as the preferred one. Anticipating forthcoming law can bring competitive advantage and enhancedreputation,asglobalmininggiantRioTintosurelydemonstrated. Forsomeyearsprecedingtheintroductionoflegislationthecompanyhad beenrunningaprogrammewhichencouragedemployeestoconfidentially and,ifrequired,anonymouslyreportanyissueofconcern.Callsaretaken byanindependentthirdpartyandpassedtotwoseniormembersofstaffto investigate.Asummaryofthecallreportandanysubsequentinvestigation andactionthengoestotheglobalchiefexecutive.Thisisregardedasthe ultimateexpressionofcorporatetransparency,astepintherightdirection forgoodgovernance. 71
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Trying to implement a programme like that across different cultures, governments and languages has been quite challenging. The idea came fromtheCEO,asthecompanywantstomakesureallactivityiscarriedout inthesafestmanner,thatallproblemsareidentifiedattheearliestpossible stageandappropriateactionstaken. ThenCommunicationsAdvisorandtheprogramme’sglobalcoordinator, MikeMoser,said:‘SafetyisoneofthemostimportantissuesforRioTinto andalthoughwehaverigoroussafetystandardstowhichweoperate,should anemployeehaveanyconcernsinthisarea,wewouldlikethemexpressed. Theprogrammeisbeingpositionedasalastresortcommunicationschannel whenallexistingones–suchasanopen-doorpolicyorface-to-facemeetings–havebeenexhausted.InlightofrecentUKlegislationallmajororganizationswillneedsimilarprogrammes.’ Toshowhowseriouslyittakessafety,inwhatafterallmustrateasoneof thepotentiallymostdangerousindustrialsectors,RioTintorequiresevena twistedankletobeincludedinaccidentreports.Figuresforallthesereports are made public on the company’s safety website and summarized in its annualsafetyandenvironmentreport. Notallbullyingandharassmentintheworkplacestemsfromanattempt to cover up unsafe practice, but could be the unfortunate extension of a particular culture that the company may have fostered inadvertently. Pressured environments where difficult-to-reach targets are set could be abreedinggroundforthiskindofbehaviour.Theinternalcommunicator needstopayattentiontothetoneofmaterialstheyproducetoensurethey arenotaddingtoanyproblem. Monitoring staff behaviour is a particularly tricky area. Privacy too is of growing concern and there remain issues around the personal use of telephones.Abankmonitoredcallsforadayandfoundonly10percent relatedtowork.Thelatesttrendisnowrelatedtoe-mailandinternetuse andabuse,andtherehavealreadybeenseveralhigh-profilecasesregarding teamsandindividualssackedfordownloadingpornography.(Seealsothe earliersectionontheriskofe-maildefamation.)Staffshouldbeinformedif callsandinternet-basedactivityaretobemonitoredanditisrecommended topublishaclearpolicyoninternetande-mailuse. On a more positive note internal communicators may find themselves explaining benefits to staff as part of their work. Current issues around pensionrightshavebeenspillingoverintotheexternalmediaenvironment andneedtobeaddressedinternally.
Work–lifebalance Drawingthelinebetweenwhatpartofanemployee’slifeisinthepublic oremployer’sdomainandwhatisnotisbecomingincreasinglydifficult.
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Basicissuessuchasworkinghourshaveinrecentyearsbeenthefocusof directivesfromEurope.Parentsofbothsexesnowhavegreaterrightsfor time off paid or unpaid during certain periods of their children’s lives. Greaterflexibilityisapparentlythedesireoflargernumbersofemployees. Theserequirementsmayberathertimesensitiveasduringarecessionthere maybelessemphasisonrightsandmoreonhangingontothejob. Howyoudressisalsobecominganissueworthyofatribunalasrecent media coverage has demonstrated. Dress codes may seem eminently sensiblewhenfacedwithayoungstaffdeterminedtodressintorndenimon anexhibitionstand,butproceedwithcaution,especiallyiftherulescannot beappliedequallyacrossbothsexesandtoindividualswhoseclothingis partoftheirreligiousbeliefs.
Diversity Since2December2003legislationoutlawingdiscriminationonthegrounds of religion and belief extended the rather limited racial discrimination legislation in this area. Your organization will need to treat all religious groupsequally.Forexample,itwillneedtoprovideappropriatefacilities fordifferentreligiousgroups,suchasprayermats,ifitaffordsadifferent religious group equivalent privileges. With increasing diversity in the workplacethiswillbecomeevenmoreofanissue.Yourpublicationswill alsoneedtobedesignedtotakeaccountoftheneedforbalancebetween differentgroups. TheDecember2003deadlinewassharedwithregulationswhichapply not just to gender but also to sexual orientation. Disability legislation whichrequireseveryreasonableefforttobemadetomaketheworkplace fully accessible was further extended in 2004, while age discrimination regulationswereaddedinDecember2006. Thislatterisofparticularconcernwiththeincreasingfocusonanticipated shortfallsinpensionsandtheneedforworkinglivestobelengthenedto compensate. The legislation standardizes retirement at 65, but if a firm’s retirement policy is under 65, then it must be objectively justified. If a workerrequeststoworkbeyondtheretirementage,theemployerisunder a duty to consider this request, and ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and ArbitrationService)guidanceisthatthisshouldbeconsidered,focusingon thepositivereasonsforcontinuingtoemploy,andiftherequestisrefused, reasonsshouldbegiven. Itisentirelypossibletogotoofarinthisdirectionandwindupbeing accused of being too politically correct. Chapter 11 covers managing the needsandattitudesofdifferentstaffgroups(intermsofage,gender,ethnicity,culture,etc)rubbingupagainsteachotherintheworkplace.Striking abalancebetweengoodmanners,whatisrealisticintermsofthesizeof
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theorganization,andtheletterandspiritofthelawshouldbesufficient. Maintenance of good relationships with your human resources and legal colleagues is therefore essential. (Appendix 4 includes a range of useful organizations in this field including the Equality and Human Rights Commission,formedfromavarietyofequalitybodieson1October2007.)
Dataprotection Dataprotectionlegislationhasbeenextendedbeyondcomputerizedrecords toincludepaper-basedfiles.Thismeansthatallpersonaldataaboutaliving individual which is held or processed is subject to complex rules about whenandhowitmaybeused. Publicsectororganizationshavelongknownhowtohandlesensitiveand confidentialinformation,andcommercialenterprisescouldwelllearnfrom them.(Publicauthoritiesare,inaddition,nowalsosubjecttotheprovision oftheFreedomofInformationAct2000whichallowsindividualstorequire disclosureofanyinformationthepublicauthorityholds,notonlypersonal data.)Humanresourcescolleaguesshouldalsobewellversedintheprecise implicationsofdataprotectionlaw. Anindividualattendinganinterviewcannowrequestallnotestakenat theproceedingstobehandedover.Scurrilouscommentondresssense(or whatcouldbeconstruedassuch)isunlikelytoreadwellatatribunal. Scrupulousnotesonallproceedingsrelatingtoanindividualshouldbe keptbutshouldbedraftedinacarefulwaywithpotentiallitigationinmind. Bepreparedforwhateveriswrittentoberequestedatsomestage. Allorganizationswhichprocesspersonaldata(whichislikelytobealmost anyfirmwithemployeerecordsatleast)arerequiredtoberegisteredwith the Information Commissioner. The application form for data protection registrationisagoodplacetostartinattemptingtoestablishaframework for policy in this area. The legislation also applies to a whole range of otherinformationwhichmayhavebeenstoredconcerningindividualsor organizations.Itisgoodpracticetoreviewallfilesandestablishwhether materialneedstobekept.
Humanrights SincethecomingintoforceoftheHumanRightsAct1998,thecourtshave been obliged to interpret all legislation and case law in such a way as to ensure that the rights and obligations of the European Convention on HumanRightsareobserved.Thisnowcolourstheentiretyofthelaw.The mostimportantrightsinthecontextofcommunicationareArticle8–the righttorespectforprivateandfamilylife,homeandcorrespondence;and Article10–therighttofreedomofexpression.
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StockExchange Because of the impact of price-sensitive information on share price, the Stock Exchange requires to hear of major changes in the workplace from youfirst,beforeyoucantelltherestoftheworld. Itallhastobedonewithmilitaryprecision:theStockExchangeat7.30 am,thenanimmediateflurryofe-mailsandtextmessagingtoprecipitate cascadebriefingstostaffliterallyminuteslater,oftenastheyarriveforwork. Informingstaffofamajorchangeinthebusinessorworse,thattheyhave beenmaderedundant,bytext,telephone,e-mailorvideo(inonecelebrated case)isextremelypoorpractice.
ConsultationDirective/workscouncils Allthisisbroughtsharplyintofocusbywhatcouldeventuallyprovethe biggest shake-up in the world of internal communication for quite some time.TheEuropeanCommission’sInformationandConsultationDirective wasimplementedintheUKinMarch2005. AsstatedintheCharteredInstituteofPublicRelationspolicydocument onthesubject,itestablishesarighttonewminimumstandardsforworkforce communicationandinvolvementinlargefirms.Itmakesabasiccaseforthe fairtreatmentofpeopleatwork. TheDirectiveappliestoundertakingsorestablishments(eitherbusiness, or public and private organizations carrying out economic activity not necessarilyforgain)intheEuropeancommunity.Ithasbeenphasedinso that it applied to undertakings with 150 or more employees from March 2005,thosewith100ormoreemployeesbyMarch2007,andthosewith50 ormorebyMarch2008. TheDirectivegivesemployeestherighttobeinformedaboutthebusiness’seconomicsituation,andinformedandconsultedaboutworkprospects, and major changes in work organization or contracts, including redundanciesandtransfersfromoneorganizationtoanother. Informationgivingandconsultationhastotakeplaceatanappropriate time and at the right level of management. Usually it will be done via employeerepresentatives.Havingreceivedtheinformationtheymaymeet theemployer,presenttheiropinionandexpectareasonedresponse. Employers and employees may agree differing procedures. It is for the individual member states to determine the way they go about this. Employers can withhold information where its disclosure may harm the company or they may require it to be kept secret by the employee representatives. Previously employees were only entitled to consultation limited to collectiveredundancies,transfersofundertakings,healthandsafety,andin largemultinationalcompaniesthroughEuropeanworkscouncils. 75
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ThisframeworkisalreadyinoperationinotherEuropeancountriesand, despitesimilarlystrictmoneymarketstructures,hasbeenmadetowork.A recentsurveyof24multinationalcompanies’experiencesofworkscouncils hasbeenverypositive,accordingtolegalfirmHammonds. Speaking at the CIPR’s then Internal Communications Group in 2002 (nowCIPRInside)lawyerMakboolJavaidassertedthattheDirectivealso reflectstheverycleardifferencesbetweenBritishandEuropeancorporate culture. The UK approach had been to prefer to communicate directly to staffandtocontroltheagenda.TheEuropeanlineoptsfortherepresentation modelwhichconcentratesonnegotiationanddiscussionwithemployees ondecisionmaking. Suchafundamentalchangeinapproachislikelytoopenupmoreopportunitiesforcommunicatorswhohavethetrustofbothseniormanagement andtheworkforce.Beingawareofthelegislativeframeworkasawholeis thefirststeptowardsbuildingthisnecessaryconfidence. Key points to remember regarding the Information and Consultation Directive were set out by Paul Massie at a meeting of the then Internal CommunicationAlliance, now CIPR Inside, held in spring 2004. He said theDirectivewouldnotbe: setinstone; specific about the arrangement your organization should actually make. Itwouldhoweverbe: arecognitionoftherighttoinformationandconsultation; ageneralframeworksettingoutminimumstandards. Itwouldrequireemployersto: informaboutrecentandprobabledevelopmentsincompanyactivities andtheeconomicsituation; informandconsultaboutdecisionslikelytoleadtosubstantialchanges incontractsorinthewayworkisorganized; informandconsultaboutemploymentprospects. Paul Massie said the UK had a strong business case for adopting the Directive.Itcouldbearguedtobeessentialfor‘creatinghighperformance workplaces’ and building ‘a culture of trust, cooperation, mutual respect andinnovation’.Italsowouldimproveemployeesatisfactionandimprove managementdecisionmaking. In practice the Directive means organizations will have to inform and consult their workforce on a far greater range of topics. Employee rights 76
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to information and consultation have also been greatly extended. Such informing and consultation needs to be conducted through employee representativesandtherehastoberepresentationofthewholeworkforce notsimplythosecoveredbytradeunionmembership. ResearchonbehalfoftheInternalCommunicationAlliance(nowCIPR Inside) in early 2004 found that at that point 85 per cent knew little or nothingabouttheregulationsandmanyotherswerescarcelypreparedfor them. Organizations which fail to agree a valid structure could face a fine of £75,000. So how should organizations act? Paul Massie said they should audit their current industrial relations environment and check what workforceagreementsalreadyexist,andreviewthemandthemanagement decision-makingprocess. He believed the Directive offers internal communicators the chance to ‘driveemployeeinvolvement,participationanddialogue’.Itprovidesan opportunitytoreviewandimproveexistingtwo-waychannelsofcommunication and opens up the possibility of closer partnership with human resources.
HowtheDirectivehasworkedout PaulMassiehashadplentyofexperienceofaddingsubstancetotherhetoric intheyearssincegivingthattalk.AtthetimeofwritinghechairedtheCIPR Inside group and had moved on from National Grid Transco to become HeadofMarketingandCommunicationatSerco’sBPO(BusinessProcess Outsourcing)services. Thedivision’semployeeconsultativecommitteehasmetregularlyand hasbeenusedasaforumtoinformemployeesofchangesandtoconsult whereappropriate.Ithasprovidedausefulfeedbackchanneltomanagers andhelpedshapecommunicationprogrammes. Paul stressed that as a feedback channel it is not a ‘silver bullet’ and shouldnotbeusedasasubstituteforotherexistingornecessaryforums andothercommunicationmechanisms.Itis,however,averyusefulformal channelformanagerstoengagewithemployees. He felt that some companies might find the process uncomfortable. In thepastthey‘wouldhavecrossedtheTsanddottedtheIsbeforetalking toemployeesandbythenitwouldbetoolatetoenterintoengagement.It requiresachangeofbehaviourbymanagement. ‘Ittakesalotofwork.Youhavetohavesupportmechanismssorepresentativesdofeedbackanddotrulyrepresenttheircolleagues.Theyneed tobetrainedandawareoftheirresponsibilities,’hesaid.
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FreedomofInformationAct2000 Since1January2005,some100,000publicauthoritiesacrosstheUKhave been required to change the way in which they respond to and provide information to the general public. This legislation is intended to help the public understand how such authorities carry out their duties, make decisionsandspendthemoneytheyreceive.Thelistofpublicauthorities affectedbythelegislationiswide,anditcanrequiretheauthoritytodisclose not only information about their own organization but also information theyholdaboutthirdparties.TheActmaythereforehaveimplicationsfor commercialcompaniestoo,particularlythosewhoareregulatedbyapublic bodyorwhoparticipateinpublic–privatepartnerships. Exemptionclauseswillcoverinformationincludingthatwhichmaybe deemedlikelytoaffectnationalsecurity,involvepersonaldataorcommercialconfidentiality.However,itisfeasiblethatthelegislationcouldbeused indirectlytoflushoutsomeinformationwhichcouldaffectcompanies. Organizations which have devised appropriate record-keeping procedureswhicharesufficientlyflexibletotakeaccountofrequestsforinformationshouldbeabletocopewiththispieceoflegislation.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER
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Becarefulofaccidentallibelorslander;ignoranceisnoexcuse. Consentformsforphotography,filmandaudioformatsareessential. Checkcopyaswidelyaspossible. Becarefulofthird-partygeneratedmaterialonwebsites–liabilityis bornebytheorganizationpublishingthewebsite. Clarifyownershipofcopyrighttoimages,textorotherworksthrough useofcontracts. Keepfilesingoodorderincaseoffuturedisputesoncontracts. Be clear through use of contracts who is responsible for suppliers’ bills. Keepuptodateonemploymentandhealthandsafetylegislation. Diversityisanever-expandingfield:agehasjoinedreligion,sex,sexual orientationandrace. Major workplace changes must be communicated to the Stock Exchangefirst. TheEuropeanInformationandConsultationDirectivewillaffecteven quitesmallcompaniesby2008. Use the directive as a positive opportunity to build trust between managementandworkforcewithmajorbenefitsforthebottomline. The Freedom of Information Act has greatest impact on public authorities,butthoseprivatecompaniesprovidinganyinformationto publicauthoritiesneedtowatchout.
8
Thechannels, vehiclesand activities Now the fun bit. This chapter effectively acts as a menu of options as regardscommunicationvehicles.Therecanbeatendencytofocustoomuch onthemediaandlendabittoomuchcredencetotheMarshallMcLuhan much-misquotedslogan,‘themediumisthemessage’.Itmayalsobewhy somemanagementcontinuestoseecommunicatorsasmeremessengersor purveyors.Puttingthatargumenttoonesideitisworthbeingawareofthe manywaysyoucancommunicatewithyourworkforceifyouonlyhadthe budget! Thischapterwilltouchoneachmaingroupofactivitieswiththeemphasis onwhentousethem.The‘how’willbecoveredinmoredetailinChapters 13–24.
WHATISTHEMESSAGE? Beforelookingattoday’soptionsformediaselection,herearesomesimple guidelinestoassistmanagementincraftingthoseallimportantmessages.
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Theselectionofmediashouldnotbethehighestrankedpriorityonthelist whenplanningastrategyforinternalcommunication. Seniormanagementshouldfirstbeencouragedtothinkaboutwhatitis thatneedstobecommunicated.Averyfewkeymessagesshouldbedistilled becausetherecanbeatemptationtoswamptheinternalpublicwithfartoo manyideasallatonce.Adesiretocoverallthebasessimultaneouslycan leadtoasmuchconfusionasofferingnoinformationatall. Simplicity should also be the guiding principle behind the delivery of the specific messages. Information should be kept simple and presented inlanguagewithwhichtheselectedaudienceiscomfortable.Boardroom jargon may not translate too well down at the call centre, but will be appropriateatseniorandmiddlemanagementlevels. Aswithexternalcommunicationprogrammes,internalaudiencesshould besegmentedtoassistintheeffectiveandtimelydeliveryofappropriate information.TimingwouldobviouslybeafactorwhendeliveringinformationthatcouldhaveanimpactonStockExchangeratings.Inthisexample seniormanagerswouldbebriefedbeforethoseincustomer-facingormore front-linepositions. Justbecauseyourorganizationhasalwaysproducedaglossymagazine or has switched everything to a website does not mean that this is the only way information can be communicated. Media appropriate to the message,itstimingandtheneedsandpreferencesoftheaudienceshould beconsidered. It is unwise for any large organization to put all its eggs in one media basketandjustuseonemedium.Eventhesmallestoforganizationsislikely tobeusingmorethanoneapproachtocommunicatewithitsinternalaudiences.Whatfollowsshouldbeseenasanopportunitytotakeamoreholistic approachtocommunicationandadoptmultipleratherthansolomedia. Agoodcommunicationsstrategyrecognizesthestrengthsandweaknesses ofeachmediumandusesitappropriatelytoensurelateralaswellastopdownandbottom-upcommunication.Ahousejournalorvideoshouldbe seenasatacticinthestrategyratherthanthestrategyitself.
FACETOFACE–ONETOONE Often overlooked, but according to all the surveys still the most valued formofcommunicationbyemployeesacrossallsectors,isface-to-face,oneto-onecommunication. However, there can be a negative side. Senior management can often makeassumptionsthatacorporatestanceisunderstoodbyallinthesame way;thiscanbeadangerouspositiontoadopt.Itisnecessarytocheckthere reallyismutualunderstandingoncriticalissues.
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Ifmanagementhaschosennottopractiseone-to-onecommunicationor isnotdoingsocomprehensivelyenough,thestaffconcernedwillfindtheir ownchannelsforpluggingthegapsintheirknowledge.Whattheyhearon thegrapevineorroundthewatercoolermaynotbetherealpositionbutit willintheirviewhavetosuffice. Awilycommunicatorwillsetupamoreofficiallyapprovedversionof thegrapevinebydeveloping‘champions’toensuretherightinformation isgettingout,butthisneedstobehandledverycarefullytoovercomeany suspicionsorhostility. A technique from the human resources or organizational development endofthespectrumismentoring,buddyingorcoaching.Thereareshadesof opinionastowhethermentoringandcoachingactuallyconstitutedifferent things.Therelationshipcanbeverystructuredorquiteinformalandthese days does not in fact require much in terms of face-to-face meetings, as e-mailcansufficetomaintaincontact. Therearetoolsdesignedtohelpmanagersinteractmoreeffectivelywith thosetheycomeintocontactwithonadailybasis.Theemphasisisonpositiveratherthannegativefeedback,andtheopportunitytoapplythecriteria ofsuccesstootherareasofpractice. Behavioural change which can improve one-to-one exchanges was achievedwithnohurtfeelingsbyinternationaldevelopmentcharityPlan which invited actors in to conduct role-play. An extreme version of an ordinaryexchangebetweenaEuropeanfundraisingpersonandacolleague based in an overseas project was played out. By making people laugh, someseriouspointsweremadeaboutnotmakingassumptionsandhowto negotiatesuccessfullybeyondthem. Althoughfacetofaceinaone-to-onesituationisthestatedpreferredmode bystaff,itwillnotalwaysfitthebill.Itismosteffectivewhenmessagesare relatively simple and the opportunity it provides for the listener to give feedback instantly provides an excellent way of checking understanding and absorption. Messages should therefore be simple and repeated as necessary. One to ones are most likely to be used when briefing individual team membersandtocheckonprogressonworkinprogress.
FACETOFACE–ENMASSE Thereareobviouslyoccasionswhenamessagehastobedeliveredtomore thanonememberofstaff,andinternalcommunicatorsaremorelikelyto becomeinvolvedinpreparingthematerialsforsuchmassopportunities. Simplicity remains crucial whatever the size of the group but the larger it becomes the more supporting material such as audio-visual tools and
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informationpackswillberequired.Materialsmayneedtobetweakedto meettheneedsofdifferentlevelsofanorganizationordifferentabilities. Content is most likely focused on business news and developments. It should,inanidealworld,bethewaybadnewsaboutcompanyperformance isdelivered.However,individualbadnewssuchasredundancyshouldnot bedeliveredimpersonallybutinone-to-one,face-to-facesituations(textsto mobilephonesande-mailsdonotfitthebill). Somecompaniesputahugeamountofeffortintorunningeffectiveroadshows for groups of staff selected on a geographical or a business area basis. This structured approach ensures everyone gets the required and consistentmessageatsomepoint.Video/DVDcanbeaddedtothemixasa spur for discussion. Using a mix of approaches ensures the message is emphasized. Whereitisjustbusinessasusualitisimportantthatthereisapointto themeetingandaclearagenda.Someorganizationsholdregularcascade briefingsessionswhichrequirekeymessagestobeestablishedbytheboard andthenfiltereddownthroughthemanagementlevelsandbackupagain. Feedbackisnotsimplyone-wayastheexecutiveteamgivesitsresponseto employeecommentsthroughtheteambriefing. There is scope too for a more personalized approach. Employees from across the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust have been invited on a randomlyselectedbasistolunchsessionswithdirectors.Thesehavebeen noholdsbarred,andifquestionswerenotansweredonthespotthequery wasfollowedupafterthelunch.Theresponseisfedbacktotheattendees inamemodespatchedthroughtheinternalmailsystem. Walking the business is an important way of keeping top managers in touch with the ground floor.At the Churchill Insurance group managers havetoworkatthe‘coalface’severaltimesayear,therebydebunkingthe ‘specialoccasion’notion.InBPseniormanagersspendadayworkingata petrolstation.Thishelpsthemunderstandwhatishappeningatthefront lineofthebusiness. Consider holding meetings at the local equivalent of a Starbucks café. Suchaplacewouldprovideneutralterritoryforthemeetingandprovides spaceand‘quiet’forthinkingawayfromtelephones. Butitisnotnecessarytoleavetheofficetoachievearelaxedenvironmentas charityPlandiscoveredwhenitintroduced‘brown-baglunches’whereyou bringyourlunchtimesandwichestoaninformalmeeting.NormaJohnston reportedthatthemeetingswereamixoforganizationalhousekeepingand importantannouncements,andachancetohearhowcolleaguesinthefield actuallydeliverdevelopmentalprogrammes.Debateisencouragedbythe communicationsstaffandthesessionswerewelcomedbystaffwhorarely visitprogrammecountriestoseePlan’sworkforthemselves. Againthesesessionsactedalmostinthemannerofaphysicalmanifestation ofapublication.The‘showandtell’aspectaidedunderstandingbutalso 82
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sugaredthepillofothermoremundanebutcriticalmattersfordiscussion. Massface-to-facemeetingscanbeusedeffectivelytodisseminatecrucial messages which need to be delivered in the same way and at the same time to a large group. Building a slot for regular meetings can overcome perceivedcommunicationvacuumsbutitisimportantthantheinformation relayed is worthwhile, otherwise such activities can become discredited amongkeyaudiences. Factorinnotjustthefinancialcostoftravelforevents.Theenvironmental damagewroughtbylongdistanceflightsormultiplecarjourneysshouldbe considered,asthesewillcertainlybedeemedunsustainabledespitecarbon offsetting.
PRINT From newsletters to magazines via pay packet communication the value ofaneasilyportablecommunicationvehicleanditsfunctionasanorgan of record should not be dismissed, even if the concept may seem dated and not particularly environmentally friendly. Tips on content, design anddisseminationappearinChapter16whileChapter17concentrateson purchasingthenecessaryelements. Thedemiseoftheprintedwordhaslongbeenpredictedbutisshowing no immediate signs of happening. Companies that abandoned print in favourofintranetande-mailbulletinsoftenaddeditbackintothemix.Like many other organizations the BBC has maintained both, using the print publicationforreflectionandtheintranetforimmediatenewsitems. Publications should be content driven and could profitably take their inspirationfromthenews-stands.Rathertoomanypublicationsproduced forinternalaudiencesdonothavetheproductionvaluesand,therefore,the appealofpublicationsemployeescanbuyoffsite. ActivityattheLE(formerlyLondonElectricity)Groupincludedavery high-qualityfull-colourpublicationwitharticlesgeneratedfromallendsof theorganization.Junioremployeeswereencouragedtosubmitinterviews conductedwithseniormanagement,therebydemonstratingacommitment to listening to and involving employees in a very active manner.A flick throughshowssomedistinctlynon-journalistictypesmakingacrediblego atgrillingtopmanagers. Publications are an excellent way of ensuring important messages are stressedandelaborated.Theycanserveassupportforface-to-faceactivities, expanding and explaining particular points. Equally publications can be usedaslaunchpadsforinitiatives.Dispersedworkforcesnotalwaysableto attendorbereachedbyface-to-faceactivitiescanreadaboutthemattheir leisure. Publications give time for reflection and feedback, and although obviouslynotasspeedyasface-to-facecommunication,canbebuiltin. 83
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There is a wide range of publication formats to choose from. A fullblown newspaper, most likely to be tabloid rather than broadsheet these days,lendsanewsyaspecttoanypublicationandisparticularlysuitable foraudienceswhichfavournewspapersfortheirexternalnews.Asintheir externalcounterparts,contentcanbeafinebalancebetweentopicalnews itemsandmorereflectivepieces. Magazines may be deemed more suitable for the kind of workforce distilled from the readership of periodical-style publications. Production valuesarelikelytobemoresophisticatedthannewspapersandsowilltake longertoprepare.Up-to-the-minutematerialislesslikelytofeatureinthese andtheemphasiswillbeonin-deptharticles. Newsletterscanbeputtogetherrathermorequicklythaneithernewspapersandmagazinesandcanbeusedtotransmitmoreurgentmessages. Itispossibletohaveabalanceofnewsandfeaturesinthesebutthebalance ismostlikelytofavourtheformer. Less frequent and more difficult to describe in terms of format are employee versions of annual reports. Depending on the preference for newspaper,magazineornewsletterformatstheorganizationmayoptfor any of these. Whatever is selected is likely to be somewhat smaller scale than the version produced for the markets. Alongside the accounts the annualreportprovidesanopportunityfordeeperreflectionontheworkof individualunits.Aninjectionofimaginationintermsofdesigniscriticalfor ensuringtheyarereadratherthansimplyusedasdecorativebookends. Publicationsthereforecanbeusedassupportmaterialsforface-to-face communications activities. They are also useful for getting information outtohard-to-reachgroups.Regularpublicationscanbeusedtoreiterate messagesthathavebeendisseminatedinotherformats.Balancedagainst this needs to be consideration of the costs to the environment of print publicationsintermsofpaperuse,toxicinksanddistribution.
BROADCASTANDAUDIO-VISUAL As all good media studies graduates know, the moving image is more involving than static print. Broadcast can be quite expensive, although technological advances have already despatched video to the archives in favour of DVDs. This addition to the communicator’s armoury of communicationvehicleshastheextraadvantageofinteractivityandismost likelytobeusedtosupplementface-to-faceactivityratherthanstandalone, althoughitcanbeasubstituteparticularlyfordispersedworkforces. Content can include much of what would make a face-to-face meeting engaging. There can be a chance to see managers, hear their views, see productsandperhaps(iftheyarefeatured)colleaguesinotherpartsofthe
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organization.Ifproducedprofessionallythesecanprovequitecostlybutit ispossibletoturncameramanwithtoday’sdigitalcameras. Norwich Union Insurance produces a regular DVD programme every 12weeks.ItsthenHeadofInternalCommunicationsDeniceCurriesaidit wasamixofbusinessnewsandinformation,usuallyfocusedonatopical theme.Theprogrammeswerestructuredtocontinuallyreinforcetheorganization’sthreegoalsof‘service,morale,profit’.AsDVDswereatthattime considered costly to produce it was critical for senior management to buildinfeedbackmechanismstoensurefront-linemanagerswereactually showingthematmeetings. There are very practical reasons for going down the DVD route. With 16,000 staff in 70 different locations Norwich Union Insurance felt DVD programmeswereaneffectivewaytocreateasenseof‘one-ness’viateam viewings.Theformatalsoallowedtheviewerorpresentertoselectwhatthey wantedtosee,offeringarealsenseofpersonalchoiceandinteractivity. It would have been possible to move straight from the then standard VHSvideotostreamingtotheindividual’sdesktopviaPC.Howeverthis, itwasfelt,wouldhavecutoutthepossibilityforteamengagementwith managers.Livebroadcasttodesktopcanproveexcitingbutgiveslittletime forreflectiononmessagesandwouldneedtobebackedupwithadequate supportmaterial. InteractivitywasofferedbythegiantplasmascreensinstalledatBMW’s Hams Hall plant. Staff could find out about company news during their breaksiftheycouldnotgettoacomputerscreenaspartoftheirjobs. Phone-ins,sometimescalledradiobroadcast,arestillavailable.TheLE Groupincludedlivephone-insaspartofacomplexmix.Executiveteam memberswereputinthehotseattotakequestionsfromallcallers.Some questions were very technical, others were more prosaic. The responses appearedtobehonestandopen,andevenatouchofhumourcreptin.One callercomplainedtheyhadnotreceivedtheirfreegift;themanageroffered hisasasubstitute. Video-conferencing is still rarely mentioned by communicators in the field. At IBM it was considered that the technology was not developed quitesufficientlytomakeitanentirelycrediblealternativeforface-to-face meetings.Itwasoftenhardtoreadtheexpressionsofindividualsandthe occasionaltimelapsecouldmakeithardtoestablishwhowasspeakingata giventime.However,itisusefulforkeepingestablishednetworksintouch witheachother. Video and now the more prevalent DVD also have a function in the trainingmixoraspartofanoverallcommunicationmix.Audiocassettes continue to be used but are being increasingly superseded by DVDs or podcasts for dispersed workforces making use of drive and other down time.Messagesshouldbesimpleandengaging–butnottooengagingas manywillbelisteningwhiledriving. 85
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INTERNETDRIVEN It is hard to remember that intranets were very much the new gadgetry kid on the block even in the mid-1990s and as recently as 1999 only 65 percentofcompaniesusedintranets.Chapter21givesmoredetailonthe practicalitiesofinternet-drivencommunicationwhileChapter22looksat thenewersocialmedia. Itisimportanttorememberthatscreen-basedmediasuchase-mailand intranetarenotaseasytoreadasprintpublications.Thisisaparticularly importantpointforcommunicatorswithdiverseaudiences.Olderpeople and those with sight problems will have a particular problem. Perhaps technologistswillcrackthatoneintime. LEGroupreached4,000employeesthroughamixofnewspapers,meetings, newsletters,videos,postinginformation,intranet,audioconferences,mail information and video conferences. Its publications were branded Live Wireandthisbrandingwascarriedthroughtheprintpublication,online dailynewsandane-magazinewhichincorporatesvideoclips.Theintranet containsjustabouteverythingtoengagethevisitorincludingjpegs,mpegs andflash-enabledanimation. Attheturnofthemillennium,CableandWireless’sintranetprovedso impressive that its in-house editor pitched it to external customers. The company’sexperiencegavesomeindicationofwhatappearedtobeatrend away from enabling staff to establish their own content towards central coordination. Launched in 2001 it replaced what were six official and no fewerthan100non-officialsites. Whilst the vast majority of employees had access to the intranet, the teamoffiveinChinareceivedacopyburnttocompactdisctwiceayear. Therewerenoprintversionsofanycommunicationsmaterialswithinthe organization – everything from newsletters to newsfeeds were accessed online. Inearly2002theC&Wintranetbecamemuchmorebusinessdrivento ensurestaffwerefocusedontheneedsofthebusiness.Theintranethome pageincludedthelatestbusiness-relatednewsupdatedonadailybasis. From a communications perspective, the intranet provided news and housekeeping material together with newsletters from top management. Everythingtheindividualneededtodotheirjobwaslocatedontheintranet, anddifferentbusinessareashadtheirowndiscussiongroups. Butbeforeyougetcarriedaway,contentneedstobeparedtothebone becausereadingonscreenislikelytoremainaproblemforsometimeto come.Chapter21underscoresthetechniquesthatcanmakeorbreakasiteor internet-drivenactivity,althoughmuchdependsonthepreferencesofyour audience.E-mailnewsletters,forinstance,areaquickwaytokeeppeople intouchbutshouldbeusedsparinglytoavoidinformationoverload.
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Anadditiontothenewmediatoolboxistexting,naturallypopularwith younger members of staff. SophieAustin, then Internal Communications Consultancy Manager at IBM, used it to alert far-flung employees to activitiesonothermedia.Itseemedtowork:salesstaffalertedtoaphoneinprogrammemadetheefforttorespondandthehitratesurged.Texting was used throughout the campaign to remind staff to make the call. A similartechniquehasbeenusedtoalertmanagerstostartcascadebriefings around Stock Exchange-influenced communication and at times of mass redundancy. Mobilephonescaneffectivelykeepeverypartoftheworkforceintouch withthecentreonaconstantbasis.Thethirdgenerationor3Gallowsrather largeramountsofinformationtobeshiftedmuchmorequicklythanever before.Imagesofafarbetterqualityhavebecomepossibleandtechnological advances are making downloading of text and visuals a speedy exercise ratherthanatime-consumingchore.Despitethearrivaloftheaptlynamed ‘socialmedia’suchasFacebookandSecondLife(Chapter22providesmore detail)itisimportantnottogetcarriedawaywiththetechnologyasnot everyonewillhaveitorfeelcomfortableusingitforsometimetocome.
CORPORATEGLUE–GAMES,ETC Getting people to make the connection between company messages and their own actions is something of a major challenge. Sometimes a straightforwardpresentationfailstohitthemark,hencetheneedtoresort tosomethingunusual. CredodesignedaboardgameforBassBrewerstogetalltheiremployees focusedontheircontributiontothebottomline.Basedonaracetrackgame complete with dice and miniature cars, the aim was to help staff make the connection between their actions and the effect on the team’s overall performance. Apparently it met with as much enthusiasm in the board room as it did on the brewery floor where its underlying messages were equallywellunderstood. Former Managing Director Colin Sneath said that avoiding ‘corporate speak’wasprobablywhatmadeitsuchasuccessaseveryoneunderstood theallegory.Boxesofthegamecanstillbefoundyearson!DavidCoeof ChemistryDigitalencouragesclientstousegamesonintranetsandwebsites toenthuseandinvolveemployees. Gimmicks can also be used to draw attention to seemingly boring but essentialmessages.SpeakingattheCharteredInstituteofPublicRelations national conference in November 2003 Hamish Hayes of BSKyB demonstrated just how effective this could be, especially when dealing with a young audience. A top director in Scotland literally got on his bike and
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visitedtheteam,dispensingicecreamashewent.Bagsofchocolatecoins weredistributedtoemployeestoencouragethemtofindoutmoreabout pensions – the uptake went from nil to a respectable level very quickly. These may seem highly irreverent if not downright irrelevant – but the quirkinessoftheideashitthespot. Organizations both large and small often take employees away from theireverydayenvironmenttotrytoimprovenetworkingandgivethem thementalspacetothinkperhapsmorecreatively. Among the many kinds of possible activity are training sessions with actorsoroutingstounusualorglamorouslocations.Theseneedtobetreated withsomecautionasnotallstafffeelhappybeingaskedtodosomething theyhavenevertriedphysically.AregularcolumnistinHumanResources magazinesuggestssavingyourmoneyandinvestinginapubcrawlwitha stretchlimo!Althoughthefineartofchocolatemakingmaysucceedwith thosewhoprefertheirteam-buildingsugared! Perhapsamoreacceptableversionofthetriptothepubcouldinvolve stealingideasfromthepub’sownactivitiesinengagingcustomers.Sports teamsand‘pub-style’quizzesarepopularwithsomegroups.Bothofthese provideopportunitiesforlonger-termrelationshipbuildingwithinteams andwithmanagementandhavebeendubbed‘socialglue’afterthetrust theyaresupposedtohelpfosterbetweenindividualsandorganization.If you are expecting your workforce to join in these activities in their own time,donotputtoomuchemphasisonthework-relatedmessages–keep themsubliminal.
EVENTS Roadshowsandothermassface-to-faceeventshavebeencoveredelsewhere inthischapter.Eventscanalsobeseentofitratherwellintothecorporate gluecategorybuttheywarrantasectionoftheirown. Thereisawholeindustryouttherededicatedtowhatistermedincentive or corporate hospitality. Razzmatazz comes to the fore when motivation isregardedasthekeydriverbehindthechosencommunicationstrategy. Due to their expense these are most likely to be favoured for very large gatherings. They are probably best reserved for grand announcements and the goodnewsendofthescaleratherthanbadnews.However,thiscategory also includes what has been termed ‘town halls’ – mass meetings of all employeesinonelocation–whichcouldbedescribedasregularfixtures onthecorporatediary. Mary Cowlett writing in PR Week, 17 September 2004, highlights how such an event was used to reassure employees at life sciences specialist
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AmershamshortlyafteritstakeoverbywhatwasthenGEMedicalSystems. Thestructurewasoneofcelebrationandwasusedtolaunchthenewbrand identity.Asmallermorelocalizedversionisdubbed‘thebalconyaddress’. Geographically dispersed groups that rarely touch base in an office settingcanalsobereachedeffectivelyviathisroute.Themingtheoccasion helpstorenderitsomethingofaneventtoberememberedalongsidethe keymessages.
ENVIRONMENT There are of course other ways in which the organization communicates intentionallyorotherwisewithitsemployees.Theunderlyingmessagefrom thecompanywhichfitteditsofficesoutwithartificiallawnwasunclear,as were the uses to which it was put by its grateful recipients. The Design Councilhasameetingareafittedoutwithapebblefloor,intendedtostart thecreativejuicesflowing. TheArts have come off the gallery wall and into the office space in a number of initiatives across the country. An artist or something similar in residence has proved a popular way of attracting staff interest and demonstratingthecompanyismorethanamoney-makingmachine.Care isneededtoensuretheseactivitiesdonotcoincidewithredundanciesas theremaybeunderstandablecynicismandresistancegenerated. On a more prosaic level the job titles given to employees can also communicate some rather interesting subliminal messages. ‘Marketing evangelist’isaparticularfavouriteoftheauthor. Perhapsrathermoreusefultotheexternalcommunityistheopportunity forstafftohelptheadoptedcharityoftheirorganization’schoice.TheLE Grouplikemanyothershadextensiveprogrammeswhichworkedatboth localandnationallevels.Theseservedausefuldoublefunctionoflinking the organization with the wider community and motivating staff in the process.Theseschemescanformpartofanorganization’scorporatesocial responsibilityprogrammeanddeserveasectiontothemselves. Corporateidentityandbrandingcanalsoserveascommunication,deliberatelyorsubliminally,ascancorporatesocialresponsibility.
CORPORATESOCIALRESPONSIBILITY Corporate social responsibility programmes have obviously been with usinsomeguiseforyearsbutaremovingonfromnice-to-havetomusthave status. Demonstrating that an organization has an impact beyond shareholders underpins this initiative. It is obviously much wider than
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simplymakingadonationtothechairman’swife’sfavouritecharityorthe oddtripouttothelocalschool. Atalocallevel,organizationsusuallypullinmuchoftheircurrentand future workforce from the surrounding community, so being seen to act properlywithinitisessentialformaintainingtherespectofemployees. Themostvisibleandpossiblyinvolvingwayofdemonstratingcorporate social responsibility to the workforce is by engaging them in working withinthecommunity–eitherlocallyorinawaythatismoreappropriate tobusinessinterests. There is a perception that it is the animal and child welfare charities thatbenefitmostfromcorporatelargesse,butasthissectorbecomesmore sophisticatedthisislessfrequentlythecase. Fewpeoplewoulddenythatmentalhealthishardlyacuddlyissue,yet emotionalhealthcharity,Samaritans,hasforgednumerouseffectivepartnershipsinsomeratherunexpectedplaces. Atie-upwithinsurancegiantRoyal&SunAlliancesecuredthecharity fundsforbravenewprojectsaimedatyoungpeople.Butthebusinessitself foundwaysofnotonlygettinglocalemployeesinvolvedinlocalbranches ofthecharitybutalsoofferingitsownfacilitiestocharityvolunteersand employees. It was something of a two-way street as without any pressure, a large proportion of the charity’s branches took out insurance policies with the company. SuchCSRprogrammesneedtobeseenasongoingactivitiestoovercome anycynicismregardingunderlyingmotives,andtosetthemapartfromthe cause-relatedmarketingandsponsorshipprogrammesofyesteryear. Thereareinfactmanywaysforbusinessestodemonstrateacommitment to matters supposedly additional to the bottom line, but those involving employeesarelikelytobringextraaddedvalue.Photogenicactivitiescan provide material for internal communication vehicles reaching a wider audience.Theycanalsobeusedbytheexternalrelationsdepartment,but takecaretosecurepermissionforuseofsuchimagesfromthehostcharity. Volunteeringprogrammesappealnotjusttonot-for-profitorganizations but also to public sector bodies including schools and hospitals. Several largecityfinancialinstitutionshavewell-establishedprogrammeswhereby their employees assist with reading and numeracy classes. Older pupils maybenefitfrommentoringonaone-to-oneratherthangroupbasis,which couldbedesignedtohelpthemdecidetheirfuturecareerpathsorsimply provide them with role models. Less potentially labour intensive would beopportunitiesforpublicspeaking,particularlyatschoolanduniversity careersdays. Employees might prefer getting their hands dirty, and environmental projectsprovideagreatopportunityforgroupbondingovertheshovels.
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Naturereservesandotherconservationprojectsprovideastructuredand veryrealchallengeforteams,asdocommunityprojectsneedingafreshlick ofpaint. More senior members of staff can benefit from offering their specialist skills in an advisory as well as a more practical, hands-on approach. Charitiesfrequentlyhaveproblemsinfindingtreasurerstohelpbalancethe books or securing marketing advice. These activities offer the individual with the necessary skills an opportunity to enhance their CV as well as helpingtheorganizationplugexpertisegaps. TheMediaTrustisacharitywhichoffersarangeofservicesincluding matching media practitioners such as public relations professionals to organizationsinneedofskillsandadvice.Alternatively,charitystaffcan beinvitedtoshadowacommercialcounterpartandviceversainorderto experienceotherwaysofworkingandinjectnewperspectives. Local councils and health bodies along with the larger commercial organizationscanbuildtheiremployees’skillsbyactuallysecondingthem to run a charity or community organization or project. Such schemes are particularly good for middle and more senior managers who are being groomedforhigherpositions.Therecipientorganizationalsobenefitsfrom aninjectionofhigh-levelskillstheymightnototherwisebeabletoafford. Banking giant Barclays has found this a great way to refresh employee skills,givingstaffrenewedenthusiasmandperhaps,justasimportantly,a reasontostay.Retentionofkeystaffinthejob-is-not-for-lifeclimateisone ofthebiggestchallengesfacingemployersinallsectors. Largebusinesses,includingthesupermarketgiants,areinundatedwith bidsfromnot-for-profitswishingtobetheir‘charityoftheyear’.Themost successfulpartnershipsprovidescopeforthecommercialpartner’sstaffto getinvolvedinfundraisingactivitiesoftenoftheirowndesign.Dress-down daysareanon-timeconsumingwayofinvolvingstaffbutsponsoredruns, walks,beardshavesandthelikearewaystoamuseaswellasenthuse. Commercialorganizationsoftenexpressenvyattheseeminglyeffortless waytheirnot-for-profitcousinsattractsuchhighlevelsofengagementfrom their teams. Corporate social responsibility schemes, particularly those makingrealeffortstoengagewithlocalcommunities,couldwellhelpin thisrespect.
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Beforeselectingthemediahonethemessage. Segmentyouraudiencesandchecktheirmediapreferences. Checktimingisright. Pickandchoosefromamediamixratherthanconcentratingonjust one. Employees rate face-to-face highest but keep messages simple and consistent. Face-to-facegroupmeetingsrequiresupportingmaterial. Buildintwo-wayfeedbackmechanisms. Printiseasilyportableandisamediumofrecord. Keepabalanceofnewsandfeaturesinprint. Themovingimageisengaging–useittodojustthat. DVDsofferaudienceparticipation. Audiocassettesarestillgoodformobileaudiences. E-mailandintranetcanbehardontheeyes. Parematerialforscreen-basedmedia. Textmessagesaregoodfornewsflashesandalerts. Quirkygimmickslikeboardgamescanengage. CSRhelpsmotivatetheworkforce.
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Whouseswhich mediaforwhat Thewaycommunicationflowsaroundanorganizationandequallytheways inwhichitfailstodososhouldbeyourfirstandparamountconcern.Ifyou donotpayattentiontothisareayoumayaswellbeshoutingdownablack holebecausethatwillbethedestinationformostofyourcommunication efforts. OrganizationalculturefeaturesinChapter4.Herewewilllookinsome detailatthetop-downviewofcommunicationandinthenextchapterwill focus on the receiving end. Helping managers develop communication skillsiscoveredinChapter15.
THEMANAGER’SPERSPECTIVE Patrick Dunne, then Group Communications Director at 3i, appeared to debunk the apparently impressive state of affairs of the all-seeing allknowingbigboss.Atleasthedidintermsofaddressingtheevidencefor strategictoplevelthinkingwhenhetalkedtotheInternalCommunication Alliance (now CIPR Inside) in spring 2003. Referring in particular to the boards of relatively new companies, he warned that some executive directorswerenonetooawareofhowtheywereperceivedbytheirstaffand 93
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consequentlyputalowpriorityoninternalcommunication.Hesuggested seizingthechancetotalktothebossatanunplannedopportunity–inthe backofacabperhaps. At some level managers have to choose a method or combination of methodsfordeliveringtheirmessages.Theyarelikelytobepickingfroma communicationcontinuumwhichrunsfromthepersonalrightthroughto theimpersonal.Thepersonalfocusesonface-to-face,one-to-onecommunication – the conversation between two individuals, and to which might be added small and larger group discussions and briefings.At the other endofthespectrumlietheimpersonalall-encompassingpublicationsand broadcasts(bothauralandvisual). Alexander, Penley and Jernigan (1991) rank face-to-face, telephone, meetings,notes,memosandgroupmemosindescendingorderof‘media richness’,orthepersonal,interactivefeelofthecommunication.Asorganizations grow they are presumed to move closer to the midpoint of the continuumandawayfromthemorepersonalapproach. Movementalongthecontinuumhighlightssomeoftheperceivedweaknessesoftheface-to-faceapproachwhichmaycentreonsustainingcredibility over time. Daft, Lengel and Trevino, quoted byYates and Orlikowski (1992), suggest that written media gets attention, while the telephone is deemedasurgentandrequiringaction.Theyhavenotslottede-mailinto the calculation but it combines characteristics from both telephone and printandhasasgoodasreplacedthememo. Atthemassmediaorimpersonalendofthecommunicationsspectrum, theverynatureofitsuggestsalackofpossibilityforinteractionandfeedback. A degree of formality is achieved by what is arguably a uniform approach.Thereareadvantages–everyonegetsthesamemessage,hence consistencyinthecaseofprinted,video,DVD,podcastoraudiocassettebasedcommunicationandcanconsumethemintheirowntime.Face-toface communication on a one-to-several or one-to-many basis does not givemuchscopeforabsorptionandreflectionbutallowsforcheckingand feedback. The argument has to be whether or not the personal and impersonal approachesarenecessarilymutuallyexclusive.Perhapsitcouldbeargued thatthereisamiddleterrainopenedupbytechnology.
TOPDOWN–BUTWHATABOUTTHEWORKERS? Theconventionalmodelofcommunicationfavouredbymanyorganizations will be top-down. It would be naive to suppose otherwise. There will alwaysbeaneedforseniormanagementtogiveguidanceonthedirection inwhichitwantstheorganizationanditsconstituentteamstohead.But topmanagementshouldalsobepayingattentiontoandencouraginglateral 94
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communicationwhichbyvirtueofitsnaturecriss-crossestheorganization andfromwhichfreshperspectivesmaycome.Justashardisencouraginga trueupwardflowofcommunicationfromthefrontlinetotheboardroom. Like many government departments, HM Revenue and Customs has undergone several reshuffles if not complete makeovers in the life of the currentLabourgovernment.Intheearlypartofthemillenniumitwasin factstillCustomsandExcise,withInlandRevenueaseparateentity.Atthat pointithad23,000employeeswiththecommunicationsfunctionequally widespread.Tocutthroughlayersofbureaucracywhichhadbeenmuffling themessage,thefunctionwascentralizedinLondon. Amultitudeofprint-basedmediawasreplacedwithavarietyofchannels andinternalcommunicationwasnolongerseenasanadd-onbutanintrinsic part of the organization. The appointment of centralized advisers helped overcomethe‘siloeffect’–thisiswheredifferentprofessions,departments ordivisionslookinwardsandfailtocommunicateeffectivelyacrosstherest ofthegroup. No doubt the development of open and transparent communication, whichwasrecognizedtohavedevelopedeffectiveteams,helpedwhenan evenlargerreorganizationloomedonthehorizoninMarch2004.Withinlittle morethanayear100,000employeesin300locationsandtwodepartments representingafifthoftheCivilServicehadtobebroughttogether. SpeakingataCIPRinternalcommunicationconferenceinJune2005,the thenCommunicationandMarketingDirectorChrisHopsondescribedthe birth,incommunicationsterms,ofHMRevenueandCustoms.Itbecame necessarytobringtogethertwodifferentcommunicationsteamswithtwo differentsetsofpractices,assumptionsandterritories. Time constraints required a two-pronged approach. Phase 1 helped announceandexplaintheneworganizationwhilethesecondphase,using acombinationofprintandintranet,helpedbuildtheframeworkforlongertermtwo-wayinteractionbetweenstaffandmanagers. Theaspirationwastomakepublicationsmoresuitableforconsumption by employees than management. Top and senior managers were briefed and met by board members. Individual staff members were able to put questionstoboardmembersvia‘hotseate-mail’. Tacklingsuchmajorchangedoes,however,needthecompletecommitmentofthetopteam,otherwiseeffortswillcometonoughtorcouldprove counterproductive.ChrisHopsonwarnedagainst‘quickfix’expectations: changecouldtaketwoyearstoembedandtowork. Onelocalauthoritydidnothavetimeonitssideinthemid-1990swhenit neededtochangethewayinwhichitsfront-linestaffweredeliveringservices to the public. The old-style approach had something of the bureaucracy aboutitwiththeemphasisverymuchonthefunctionperformedratherthan ontheunfortunatepersononthereceivingendofitsbeneficentgestures.It couldtakeliterallyweekstocarryoutanythingmorethanasimplerepair. 95
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Withoutthepossibilityofalargetrainingbudgetthetextbookapproach to organizational development had to be abandoned. Instead the former functionalheadswereallaskedindividuallywhatitwastheymostneeded inordertodotheirjob. Rather depressingly they all wanted a new filing system, and they all wantedittohaveveryspecificqualities.Needlesstosaytherewereasmany versionsofthissystemastherewerepeoplewantingtouseit. Thesolutioncamefromdesigningthefilingsystemtofocusontheclient groupratherthanthespecialistskill.Effectivelythefilingsystemwasused inapurelysymbolicsense.Makingtheindividualslookattheirworkfrom adifferentangleachievedateamfocusinaveryshortperiodoftime. This example shows new ways in which the internal communicator canassistinthereshapingoftheorganizationbyhelpingbreakdownold mindsets.Effectivelythisisculturechangeorchangemanagement.
ENSURINGSOMEONEISLISTENING Obviouslycommunicatinglikemadisallverywell,buthowcantheprofessionalcommunicatorpossiblybesureanyoneisactuallypayingattention? The most brilliant publication and internal website will be absolutely worthlessifthereisnobodyactuallyreadingorkeyingintothem. Buildinginfeedbackmechanismsnotonlyprovidesthecommunicator withtheopportunitytocheckifthereisanybodyoutthere;italsooffers upachanceofinteractivity.Manyofthemediachannelsofferedcan,ifnot designedappropriately,encourageadegreeofpassivityonthepartofthe recipient. Adding the opportunity to engage and express opinion opens up a virtuous circle of communication, outlined by Pamela Mounter in Anne Gregory’s Public Relations in Practice (2004) as illustrated in Figure 9.1. Ideas and suggestions that are fed back into the system help keep the communicationprocessflowing.Inconversationalmodesofcommunication (face-to-face)thiscanbedonebyconstantlycheckingforunderstanding.In mediatedcommunication(publications,websites,etc)otherslightlymore sophisticated techniques are required. These can be heavily disguised in theformofcompetitionsandpolls.Butremembertheroadblocksmaybe higheruptheorganizationthanyoumighthaveimagined.
UNBLOCKINGTHEBLOCKAGES This is where an effective internal communicator can be of service to all layers of an organization in taking temperature checks throughout on a
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Feedback and evaluation
Morethan50%of communicationis listening 100%ofcommunication isownership
Target Tailor Test
Delivery Primarytools(face-to-face) Secondarytools(e-mail, publications,etc)
Figure9.1 Virtuouscircleofcommunication–buildinginfeedbackloops improvesall-roundcommunication regular basis and alerting senior management to problem areas well in advance.Thisissimilarinroletothatofthemodelexternalcommunicator feedingbackcriticalissuesarisingfromthecompetitionandotheraspects oftheoutsideworld. The potential for distortion somewhere between the top level and the frontlinehasbeenbroughtoutbytheauthor’scasestudiesonanumberof occasions.AparticularlygoodexamplewaspresentedbyBristolandWest Building Society which had introduced monthly team briefing sessions backin1992.Itfeltthatface-to-facecommunicationwasagoodmethodfor encouragingemployeestoachievespecificgoals. Although well received to start with, satisfaction with the system had declined over time. Particular concerns were raised in specific regions, suggesting that the problem was not necessarily rooted in the actual selectionofchannelbutinthewayinwhichitwasbeingdeliveredonthe ground. Thesituationhadbeencomplicatedstillfurtherbythesociety’smoveto demutualizeinordertobecomeamortgagebank.Quitealotofemployees didnotreallyunderstandwhatlayaheadandhowthingsmighthavetobe donedifferently. Whenthealarmbellsrang,thesocietycalledintheMCAconsultancyto identifyfirsttheproblemandthenthesolution.Undertheoldsystemthe emphasis had been on the manager talking and the employees listening; 97
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thereappearedtobeplentyofscopeforsomemanagerstoputtheirown ‘spin’onissues. Researchbytheconsultancyhighlightedtheseissues.The‘TeamListening’ programme changed the focus from the manager’s contribution to everyone’s. Employees were sent a briefing document in advance of the meetingtoenablethemtocontributeratherthansimplylisten. The new system was so well received that it was rolled out across the organization.Thein-housecommunicationsteamwasequippedwiththe skillstodelivertheprogrammemorewidelyandtocontinuetofine-tuneit asorganizationalandemployeeneedschanged. Thepanelbelowlistssometypicalblockstocommunication.
BLOCKSTOCOMMUNICATION
age; gender; disability; culture(religion); channeldistortions; overactivegrapevine; previoushistoryoforganization; distrustinmanagement; toomuchofthesameoldthing; regionaldifferences.
MEDIAORSYMBOL? Insomesectorsthechoiceofmediacanbepoweredbysymbolicaswellas orinsteadofmorepracticalconsiderations. Symbolismcanbeseenatworkincompanieswhichencouragea‘management by walking about’ culture and require top management to be seen eitherwithanopendoororthewillingnesstogettheirhandsdirtyonthe shopfloor. ConsultantBillQuirke(2002)saidthatcommunicationshouldnotsimply tell, but should also involve explanation as the workforce wants to be perceivedasadultenoughtounderstandwhatisbeingaskedofthem. Channelswhichallowforsomeinteractionarelikelytoprovethemost successfulanddonotnecessarilyhavetobethemosthigh-tech.BUPANews andtheJohnLewisGazette,bothprintpublications,amplydemonstratethat 98
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itispossibletoconvertseeminglyone-wayvehiclestotaketwo-waytraffic. Feedback may not be immediate but time for reflection may result in a betterqualityofresponse. Whatprobablydrivesmosttopmanagementdecisionsintermsofchannel isverysimilartowhatmotivatestheminthewiderbusinesssense.Willthe vehicleselecteddothejobfortheleastmoneyandthegreatestreturn? The Work Foundation has conducted much research into internal communication and its report on the subject published in 2002 showed managementregardingteambriefingsasthemosteffectivechannel(60per cent).E-mailisclosebehindat59percentandintranetisat38percent.This lastshouldgivepauseforthoughtasthiswouldseemtoimplyitshould beusedinasupportcapacityratherthanprovidethemaincommunication platform.Alternativelyitcouldjustbeindicativeofhowfarthemedium hadspreadatthetimeofthesurvey. However,theseoverlookthemostprevalentandthereforearguablythe most important communication channel of them all – the grapevine. No organizationhaseverbeenabletooutlawgossip,sowhynotgowiththe flow?Itatleastprovidesanotheroutletforinformation.
THEINVISIBLEWEB Theaverageorganizationalcommunicationchartlooksratherlikearoad mapwhichhasbeendesignedtoshowonlythemotorwaysandAroads, omitting the supposedly minor B, C and unclassified roads. You may be abletoreachyourdestinationwiththismapbutyouneedtobeawareof thedeceptivelyminorroutes–thegrapevine. Attemptstoblockthegrapevine–bystrenuousmonitoringofe-mails, thereintroductionofthetealady(nomorecoffeemachinechats),orever stricterrulesonworkingpracticewillmakelittledifference. On a positive note, informal channels can also be described as lateral ones–thesearecriss-crossroutesorshortcutsthatindividualsusetoensure theycandotheirjob.Muchofthechatmayseemjustthat,butitcanaid thesmoothflowofinformationthatneedstogetthrough.Thebestcourse ofactionistolearntouseinformalchannels,eitherbytuningintofindout whatisbeingsaidortotransmityourmessages. Organizationsacrossthesectorsareusingavarietyofdistinctly‘gossipy’ techniquestodrawattentiontoimportantmessages.Intheearlydaysof 3Gphones,IBMalerteditscar-boundsalespeopletothearrivalofregular communicationofasubstantialnatureviatextmessaging.SueRyderCare flags up news on its intranet. North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust has dubbeditsconfidentialphonelinethe‘rumourline’inabidtogetpeople tosortoutproblemswithoutnecessarilyhavingtoresorttowhistleblowing
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when the traditional line management route fails. There are a variety of stagesenroutetotrueknowledgemanagementorsharingofinformation acrossanorganization. But knowledge management takes a great deal of effort. LE Group at one time had 3,000 pages of information on its intranet. Finding your way round that scale of operation could become even more daunting thancircumnavigatingahugecorporatemanualinprintedformwithout effectivesignposting. Humour was used by IBM in a bid to encourage staff to personalize theirownworkspacesotheinformationtheyreceivedwastheinformation they needed. Even though this is by its very nature a high-technology company, it took a lot of effort to get employees to take advantage of a mechanismdesignedtomakelifeeasierforthem.Aquirkyadvertisement wastransmittedtoovercomeinitialinertia. Anothermorehumanwayofencouragingcross-organizationalcommunication is to create a working environment where employees can meet informallyandsparkideas.Backtothewatercooleranyone? However,amoreformalwayoflookingatthisistoincreasethenumber of‘dottedline’connectionsthatpeoplehaveacrossanorganization.Many ofthosetalkedtointhecourseofproducingthisbookhavedirectreporting lines but also dotted-line links with other departments which are most likelytoincludehumanresources.Theselinesarealsoformalrecognition thatmostpeopleneedtocommunicateinmorethanonedirection.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Top-downcommunicationcontinuestoprevail. Layersofbureaucracycanstiflemessages. Centralizing communication can cut the silo effect but replace this with‘usandthem’. Varietyisthespiceoflifeintermsofchannels. Interactivityshouldbebuiltintomediatoovercomepassivity. Take regular soundings from the workforce to spot blockages and breakdowns. Media selected can have symbolic properties not immediately obvious. Recognizeandusethegrapevinejudiciously. Build in opportunities for cross-organization communication via the organizationalchart.
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Thereceivingend STAFFPERCEPTIONS Herethespotlightisturnedontheotherendofthecommunicationtransaction–thereceivingend,theaudience,thepublic,yourreader,listener, viewerandwhateveryoucallthepersonmanipulatingtheirmousearound theintranet. Thetitleofthissectionshouldinfactgoagainstthegrainofalltherhetoric oninvolvement,engagementandinteractivitythathasgonebefore,andis themantraofthein-housecommunicationspecialist.However,itprobably more closely reflects the reality of life on the front line or wherever the chosentargetislocated. Itcanbehardtogainaccesstothose‘onthereceivingend’,ortotheir trueviews.Muchofwhatisavailableislikelytobeanecdotalalthoughthe nowstrongcommitmentbyorganizationstomeasurementandevaluation suggeststhiswillnotalwaysbethecase. In-housepeopleandconsultantsofacertainseniorityhavebeenkeento emphasizetheneedtoensurewhatevermediayouselectshouldbeableto standupagainstthecompetitionfromthehighstreetnewsagent.Concern aboutglossyvalues,certainlyinpublicationsproducedinthepublicand not-for-profitsectors,canbackfireasindividualscanreadsomethingextra intoyourmotivesforthechosenapproach.Theycouldperceivethisasa misuseoffundsorawayofhidingwhattheybelievetobebadnews.
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In the early 1990s while working in the health service the author was responsibleforeditingasix-pagenewsletteraimedpurelyatemployees.It wasblackandwhiteandusedphotographyimaginatively.Italsoincluded amixof‘business’newsandmorefeature-basedmaterial.Butthesewere thedaysofthepurchaser–providersplitwithhospitalssupposedly‘selling’ themselvestolocalfamilydoctorsandthelike. A decision was taken at senior managerial level to go for a full-colour tabloidglossy.Therewasstillnotmuchofabudget,butthispublication hadtodosomethingmostcommunicatorswouldcounselagainst–mixing upinternalandexternalaudiences.Actuallyitwasagreatsuccesswithboth theexternalgroupandemployeeswhofeltvaluedasaresultofreceivinga publicationwithfarhigherproductionvaluesthanpreviously.Theywere oftentobeseenreadingitandprofferedtheirnewsforinclusion.Itlasted untilthenexthealthservicereorganization.
ISTHEREANYBODYTHERE? One way to find out whether your publication is hitting the mark is to includeaReaders’Letterscolumnwhichallowsfull-blowncriticismofboth thepublicationitselfandthewidermanagement.Lighttouchpaper,stand backandwait.Butbepreparedforadeafeningsilence.Peopleoftencannot bebotheredtorespond,donothavethetimeoraretooafraidofpossible consequences. Forarefreshercourseonhowtogetyouraudiencetuningin,justlook atwhatishappeninginthemassmediaequivalentandpinchtheideasfor yourself.ThethenSeeboardratherneatlygotitsworkersfirmlybehindthe drive to rebrand the organization and demonstrate its focus on creating value.Itstagedauditionsforthemtoappearinadvertisementswhichin turn promoted the brand. Fans of numerous talent-based programmes enteredintheirdroves. Employees were also filmed in situ at work for a video which again proved a huge motivator and helped other groups understand their colleagues’ jobs. The bottom line demonstrated the approach worked, as customerattritionwentdownsubstantiallyandmoreemployeesstayedin theirjobs–notnecessarilytheindustrynorm. Possiblythesamekindofpeoplewouldrespondtopollsontheintranet as a light-hearted way of gaining not only interaction but also feedback. Itdoes,however,paytoaskformallyforreader,listenerorviewerviews in a structured way from time to time – annually is probably sufficient, althoughtwiceayearwouldbebetter.Readershipsurveysorthebroadcast equivalents will draw out views on content and design. (Evaluation is coveredmorefullyinChapter23.)
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INVOLVEMENTTHEKEY One organization which clearly understands that the real power in its hierarchicalorganizationchartisnotatthepinnacleofthetrianglebutin itsbaseistheChurchofEngland.AlexanderNicollwasthefirstHeadof InternalCommunicationsappointedbytheChurch’sversionoftheCabinet Office,theArchbishops’Council. TheChurchcametointernalcommunicationsasanidentifiablefunction ratherlate,havingtakenadecisionincouncilin1998thatitwasneeded. Attemptingthe‘megaphone’approachtocommunicationwasfeltunlikely towork.Parishesonthegroundactratherliketheregionalorlocalbranches ofsomeorganizations;theycantakeitorleaveit–whateveritis. ‘Thewaytodescribetheroleistoimagineusasinamaze.Youcannot easilyre-routethemazebutyoucantrimthehedgessothoseinthemaze canbemoreawareofeachother.Operationalandotherbenefitsaccrueto all,whereverweworkfortheChurchasaresult’,AlexanderNicollsaid. Feedback is probably one of the most important features which can be built into a communication vehicle in terms of both the health of the organizationandofthe‘publication’itself.Intranetsarenoexceptionand takingaleafoutofacommercialwebsitewilldonoharm. One of the early adopters of the intranet was PHH Europe which first exploredthesubjectin1997buthadtoleaveitontheproverbialbackburner until2000,asameetingofthethenInternalCommunicationsGroup(now CIPRInside)heard. Having brought employees up to speed on intranet use, a chatline was installed. There were no holds barred, according to then Employee Communications Manager, Rosie Mowatt. Favoured topics included car parkingandsmoking.Managerswereencouragedtoprovidefeedbackand thishadaneffectonpolicymaking. One thing learnt in commissioning the site was that designers would havegotcarriedawaywiththegimmicksattheexpenseofcontentifgiven free rein. What was more important was to include useful things which notonlygotthejobdonebutmadelifeeasier–likeincludingmenusfor the canteen.Alongside the more serious learning and development tools there was also a barter board allowing employees to put up ‘small ads’. Thesedevicesencouragedinteractionandinformalfeedbackinanatural andunforcedway.
LASTONTHEBANDWAGON? Thosewhohaveabandonedprintforintranet-basedcommunicationmay find they have trouble engaging older workers or individuals for whom
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English is not their first language. Providing training in computer skills does not necessarily mean even relatively senior people will actually go online. Beingawareandsympatheticofthetrueabilitiesofyourpublicsiscrucial ifyoudonotwanttobecommunicatingintoablackhole.Easeofaccessto technologyaspartofthedailyworkloadwilldeterminewhetheremployees willmaketheextraefforttoaccessintranets. This is also something to remember when the latest must-have gadget hits the marketplace. Text messaging in its early days was obviously the rageamongyoungermembersofstaff,butitmaynotalwaysprovequite sopopularforthosewitharthriticthumbsorotherphysicaldifficultiesand bifocalspectacles. Mobilephoneshavebeenbringingpicturesanddownloadstoanequally largelyyouthfulworkforce.Althoughentertainmentvaluecanbegauged, thejuryisstilloutonpracticality.Disabilitydiscriminationlegislationnow requires you to consider how to make your publications, intranets and roadshowsaccessibletoall.
GIVETHEMWHATTHEYNEEDTODOTHEJOB Attheendofthedaythemajorpurposeofinternalcommunicationisto helppeopledotheirjob.ConsultancyRedhouseLanedidthisbyproducing onlineandprint-versionguidestohelpemployeesintheNationalHealth Servicedotheirdailyjobsmuchmoreeffectively. Theformatinthisparticularcasewasanimportantpartoftheingredients, whichincludedtheinformationemployeesneededinahandyformatthat waseasilyaccessible.Theprintedversioncameinpocket-sizedwipe-clean booklets,justthethingforontheward.Theonlineversionwasdesigned to ensure it could be transported across to other formats whenever the computersystemswerechanged.Elsewhereinthehealthserviceinformal online chatlines provided a more friendly way for nurses to update their skills by exchanging tips and problems with their peers across the profession. ButJohnArlidgeoftheObserver(2March2002)quotedina2002issue of the Relationship Foundation newsletter warned that we are in danger of e-mailing more than we talk. Apparently the average office-bound worker spends three hours a day sending and receiving around 150 e-mails.Rememberthosehealthandsafetyexhortationstogetawayfrom thecomputerscreen?Perhapsamorebalancedcommunicationsmixwould makethatmoreofapossibility. ApaperbyNathanandDoyle(2002)ofthethenIndustrialSociety(now the Work Foundation) sketched out the communicative properties of the
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physicalofficeorotherworkspaceandhowtheycouldhaveanimpacton the individual and their interaction with colleagues. Office design could also have an effect on channels of communication, particularly if the selectedchannelsrequiredfreeassociationbetweenindividualsandthere wasafilingcabinetintheway!
THEIN-HOUSELANGUAGE Arelatedmatteristhatofin-houselanguage.Manyprofessionsandforthat matterorganizationshavetheirownprivatelanguagewhichcanserveto excludethosenotintheknow. Thereisadifferencebetweenjargonandprivatelanguage.Jargonusually referstopreciseterminologywhichisemployedbyindividualsexperienced intheirfield–medicineandsciencecometomind.Butinjudicioususeof suchlanguagetothewrongaudiencecanbequitealienating. Privatelanguage,however,refersmoreparticularlytoanorganization’s shorthand. This may have its uses but again will exclude some people. Thereisadangerthatifaninternalcommunicatoridentifiestoocloselywith theorganizationtheymayforgetthatthelanguageusedmeansnothingto those outside the inner circle. The quick way to find out is to question a newcomernotonlytotheorganizationbuttothesphereofwork. Chapter 15 looks in more detail at leadership communication and lists someofthetermsthatemployeesonthereceivingendcanfindconfusing ifnotdownrightalienating.Thoughtfuluseoflanguagecanmakeallthe difference. In-houseorprivatelanguageismostusuallyfoundamongprofessionals andmanagementabovecoalfacelevel.Ironicallyitistosuchaseemingly historic part of industrial Britain that you would need to go to find a versionthatnotonlyeffectivelyexcludedmanagementbutapparentlyalso hinderedsocialreforms. Formorethan150yearsminersinthenortheasthadtheirowndialect – Pitmatical. Writing in the Guardian, 30 July 2007, Matthew Wainwright soughtthe‘LostlanguageofPitmatic(getsitslexicon)’.In1842thisdenseand difficult dialect excluded even the friendly parliamentary commissioners fightingtocreatebetterconditions.Membersofthelastgenerationfamiliar withthisdialectwerebeinginterviewedtoensureitwasnotlostforgood, at least in terms of archives. This is perhaps an extreme version of what mayexistinnewerindustries.Theinternalcommunicatormaywellneed togoequippedwithadictionary/phrasebookwhenventuringontothe frontline.
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UPWARDSCOMMUNICATION More and more attention is now being paid to how communication is channelledbackupanorganizationfromthefrontline.Attitudesurveys areseenasavitalwayofgettingthevoiceoftheemployeeheard. Voice of the Employee was the title of Cable & Wireless’s regular programme, which mirrored its then rather more established Voice of the Customer survey. Employees were polled anonymously to seek their viewsonkeyareasoftheirworkinglife,fromtheirrelationshipwiththeir manager,totheirperceptionofthecompany’scustomerservice.Thesewere thencross-tabulatedagainstcustomerfeedbacktoestablishjusthowwell theymatchedup,providinganotherformofevaluation. As proof that management really did take on board comments made, employees in one office expressed strong objections to their working environment. The comments were consistent enough for the company to actuallyrelocatetheiroffice–whichmusthavebeenapowerfulvindication offeedbackandultimatelyasbeingamotivatorasemployeessawthattheir commentswerenotonlyacknowledgedbutalsodealtwith. AlliedIrishBankdiscoveredsomeyearsagothatinternalcommunication workedwelldownwards,butthatupwardcommunicationwasnoteffective. Itdecidedtomakeitsemployeesurveyamoreregularfeaturebutitalso looked at what it considered as less formal channels of communication. Head of Staff Communications Grace Perrott actually used the phrase ‘formalizedgrapevine’. Alotofinputandsupportwasrequiredforemployeeconsultationgroups whichactedasthelisteningearsoftheorganization.Theymetthegeneral managementeverysixweekstodiscussissuesandshareideas.Mucheffort wasputintoensurethegroupsdidnotsimplybecomecomplaintspanels. Theyneededthesupportofthetopmanagement,otherwisetheywouldnot maintaintheircredibilityontheshopfloor.Themanagersonthereceiving endhadtocommittofeedbacktheirresponsesandreportsweremadeon atleastaquarterlybasis. Keycommunicationissuescentredonsecuringsupportfromtopmanagement, whatever communication vehicles and programmes were selected, andinvestingthemoney,thetimeandthepeopleintothesevehiclesinorder tobuildinasounding-boardelementwhichwouldbetakenseriously.
CONCLUSIONSTOBEDRAWN The employee population is one public that organizations ignore at their ownrisk.
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Although management tends to see the media as the most important audience,thefarmorecriticalgroupisemployees,asChapter20oncrisis communication demonstrates. External audiences judge organizations to some extent on the way they treat their employees, while inside the organizationadedicationtocommitmentandcommonpurposewillboost corporate self-esteem. So all those Sunday Times supplements on the best employerstoworkformaywellbeontosomething. There has been a tendency among companies and communicators to overlookthefactthatmanyemployeesarenowshareholdersintheirown right.Transmittingconflictingmessagestodifferentaudienceswillnolonger work–ifiteverdid.Theentireseniormanagementteamshouldbecome thefocusofcommunicationtrainingbythecommunicationsspecialists. TheUK’sCo-operativeBankisquotedashavingadistinctivestakeholder ethos which has been running since the mid-1990s. In addition to taking onboardtheneedsofshareholdersandcustomers,thebankalsoinvolves sevenotherpartnergroupsinitsactivities.Theseincludestaff,suppliers, localcommunities,nationalandinternationalsocietiesandpastandfuture generationsofcooperators.Theproofofthepudding–profitshavedoubled and it features in the Sunday Times best employers list. The conclusion of the article is that communicators should not only listen to those who shoutloudest,butalsopayattentiontothequieterstakeholders,especially employees. Sohowdoyoutackleinformationoverload?Thepanelbelowprovides somepointers;seealsoChapter21fore-mailetiquette.
TACKLINGINFORMATIONOVERLOAD
Trainthecommunicators–dotheyneedtosayitatall? Trainthoseonthereceivingendonusingtechnology. Donotrestrictallcommunicationtoonechannel–varyit. Establishrealisticresponsetimes. Encouragestafftoapplyaclearelectronicin-traypolicy. Labelmissivesclearlytohelpprioritization. Agreee-mailprotocols. Neverpress‘replyall’. Bane-mailonceaweek!
Last words go to John Smythe, writing in the Smythe Dorward Lambert Review of the profession as long ago as 1995: ‘We can now deliver more informationviae-mail,satelliteTV,print,multimediaandtheinternetthan mostpeoplecanmakesenseof.Andthat’swhatemployeesaresayingto all of us; information pollution and overload are the greatest barriers to understanding.’ 107
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KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Employeeperceptionssometimesoverridereality–glossycouldequal profligacytothem. Feedback mechanisms do not have to be sophisticated – try letters pages,quickpollsonintranetandtext. Keep corporate aspirations for the media channel simple to avoid disappointmentatboardlevel. Contentisking–ensureitisusefultotheaudience. Providesupportforformalizedfeedbackchannelstohelptheworkforcetousethem.
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Communicatingwith specialgroups Inthesectionsthatfollowwespecificallydealwithdisabledpeople,and thoseofdifferentculturalandracialbackgrounds,age,genderandsexual orientation.Wewillalsolookathowotheremployeesmayreactandhow toovercomeanyfeelingsofexclusion.Othersectionsincludeworkteams working away from base and the motivation of volunteers. Chapter 12 will deal in particular with communicating across globally dispersed communities. Issues you may well have to start considering include dealing with differentculturesandnationalitieswhethertheybeworkingwithinyour physicalenvironmentorontheirhometurf,whereverthatmightbe. Certain industries and certain companies at a particular stage of their developmentmayberecruitingyoungerstaffwhoarelikelytohavevery differentmediapreferencesfromoldermembersoftheteam. Your business may require you to hire people who do not turn up for workintheconventionaloffice-boundsensebutworkatoneremovefrom you,eitherathomeorontheroad,rarelytouchingbase.Somemaywork on your premises but only at set times; some may be outsourced in this countryorabroad.Thepermutationsareendless. In these days of diversity you are increasingly legally obliged to take account of the specific needs of different racial and religious groups.
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Companiesalsoneedtotakeaccountofthe‘pinkpound’.Gayandlesbian workersarealsocoveredbyanti-discriminationlaws. Lawsalsoapplytoworkerswithdisabilities.Thesewillnotjustapplyto thosewithobviousphysicalproblems,buttothosewithmentalhealthand learningdisabilitiesandlong-termchronicconditionswhichmayatcertain pointsbeinvisible(suchasmultiplesclerosisandcancer)too. Not-for-profit sector organizations and some public sector examples suchashospitalscanrelyheavilyonworkerswhodonotgetpaid.Getting themtoturnupanddowhatyouwantonaconsistentandregularbasisis particularlychallenging. Increasingly,verytinyorganizationsaregoingtohavetogiveabitmore thought to their communication processes, particularly in these days of litigationatthedropofahat. Givingalldueconsiderationtotheabove-mentionedfine-tuningofthe genericstructures,processesandproducts,theorganizationshouldbenefit not just from a reduced legal bill, but from a more committed workforce thatwillreflectitscustomerbaseandthecommunityinwhichitisbased. Sothisisnotjusta‘nicetohave’,butabusinessimperative.
TAPPINGINTOCULTURALDIVERSITY In little more than half a century the face of Britain has changed out of allrecognitionandthisisjustastrueoftheworkforceasitisthegeneral population.Englishisunlikelytobethefirstlanguageofagreatnumberof individualsacrossthecountry. Many of them will celebrate different religious holidays, and perhaps haveacompletelydifferentdateforthestartoftheircalendaryearoreven theirownversionofthemillenium.Duringtheworkingdaytheymayneed tostopworktoprayorcarryoutotherfaith-relatedduties;theymayalso wishtowearfaith-relatedclothing. Notonlydomanagementshavetotakenoteoftheseverydifferentneeds, theywillalsohavetomanagethepotentialresentmentsandraisedexpectationsoftherestoftheworkforce. When planning roadshows, conferences and other briefing sessions it would pay to ensure that programmes have frequent breaks designed intothem.Concentrationspansarenotoriouslyshorterthanmanagement reckon, so these breaks need to be sufficient to allow those carrying out religiousactivitiestohaveenoughtimetogetfedandwateredtoo! Legislationnowrequiresthatifspecialarrangementsaremadeforone group,theirequivalentmustbemadeavailabletootherreligiousgroups withintheworkforce.TheremaybesomethingtobelearntfromtheNHS where the chaplaincy service in many large hospitals is often staffed by practitionersfromanumberoffaiths. 110
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When considering the content of publications (print or internet-based) andbroadcastyoucoulduseculturaldiversityasanopportunitytoshare different perspectives with the whole workforce. Bearing in mind that English may not be the prime language of all, it is worth stripping copy ofjokes,idiomaticphrasesandhomespunwisdombecausetheymaynot beunderstood.Youngerpeoplegenerallymayfindreferencestolong-gone practicesquiteincomprehensible. Youmayfeelthatproducingseparatetranslationswouldbeverycostly.A cheaperoptionwouldbetocompilealistofindividualswillingtointerpret ortranslateintotheirownlanguage.Incorporatedintopublications,boxed panelscouldincludeasimplephraseinmanyavailablelanguagesdirecting employeestotheinterpreterservice.Thiscouldalsobeavaluableadded extraforcustomersorserviceusers. PeoplewithlimitedEnglishfindnewsprintespeciallyhardtoread.The solution:selectbetterqualitypaper,useaneasy-to-readtypeface(seriflike TimesRoman)inareasonablesize,atleast12pt. Insomeculturalgroupsitmayprovedifficulttoreachwomeninparticular,oroldergroups.Theymaybeeffectivelyapproachedbyindividuals recognizedaseldersoraswellinformed:theyusuallyturnouttobethe ones with a rather better grasp of English. Women from certain cultural or faith backgrounds will often feel more comfortable embarking on an activityinthecompanyofotherslikethemselves. The 2001 Census shows 7.9 per cent of the population is classified as non-white,andthatby201030percentofcitypopulationswillcomefrom ethniccommunities.MostpeopleworkinginUKindustryareinfactwhite andBritish.APRWeeksurveypublishedinSeptember2003showsjust4 percentofallPRaccountmanagersintheUKcomefromadifferentethnic background.
RELIGIONSINBRITAINTODAY Baha’i.EstablishedbymysticMuslim.Springtimefastingafeature. Buddhism.Buddhistscomefrommanydifferentculturesandsohave differentfestivals.Largelyvegetarian. Christianity.RangesfromCatholictoProtestantwithmanyvariants. Hinduism.Frommanydifferentbackgrounds.Vegetarian. Islam.Haveregularprayertimerequirements.Dietaryconcerns,Halal foodarequirement. Judaism.SabbathisSaturday–sonoworking.Kosherfoodarequirement. Sikh.Maleobserversholdvarioustenetsoffaithwhicharemadevisible throughclothing,hair,etc.
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Anne Gregory, Professor of Public Relations at Leeds Metropolitan University,hassaid:‘Asanindustryandasaprofessionalassociation,weneed todrawontheexpertiseofallareasofsociety.There’snoquestionthatwe needtheinsightofadiversecommunityandit’snotaboutbeingPC.The approach needs to be holistic – if not, we’re missing the richness of our society’ (Profile magazine, Issue 42, March/April 2004 pp 14–15). See the boxabove,whichcontainsabriefoutlineofthereligionsyoumayneedto takeintoaccount.
THEDIFFERENTLYABLED Stiff financial penalties should persuade organizations, large or small, to make‘reasonable’adjustmentstorenderpremisesandservicesaccessible. Naming and shaming is part of the then Disability Rights Commission’s armoury,sobewarned.Getaheadbylookingatthewebsitesofavarietyof relevantcharitieswillingtogiveadvice;seeAppendix4. Areasofconcerncanfocusonhearing,sight,mobility(notjustfeetbut hands),voiceandconditionsinvisibletothenakedeye.Thislattercould relatetomobilityifitconcernsspinaldifficulties,mentalhealth,learning disabilitiesandneurologicalconditions. Computers can now be provided with large screens similar to those popularwithgraphicdesigners;theycanalsoofferverylargeandeasy-toreadtypefaces,bevoiceactivatedandhaveasoundfeature–allofwhich will especially help with sight issues. Braille could well be appropriate. Alternatively,tapedpublicationsworkverywellandthesecanbeextended toacar-boundworkforce. OrganizationslikeActionforBlindPeoplecangivesoundadviceonthe sizeoftypefaceyoushoulduseinanypublicationforpeoplewithreading problems–andyouwouldprobablyalsotakecareofthemoreseniorlobby too. Publicationdesignshouldtakeonboardthefactthatalargepercentage of the population wears some form of glasses and may find the current trendforsmall,elegantbutthintypefacesputsthemoffreading.Asimilar complaintcanbelevelledatmanydesignersofoverheadsforpresentations. Short-sightedpeoplehaveparticularproblemswithtoomuchinformation intoosmallaprint,particularlyonOHPacetates.Long-sightedpeoplewill havesimilardifficultieswithclose-upworksuchaspublications. Peoplewithhearingdifficultieshavearangeofoptionsopentothemwhich comeintoplayintheface-to-facearena.Inductionloopsareanunobtrusive wayofensuringeverythingcanbeheard.Itis,however,essentialtoensure allmobilephonesareswitchedoffastheycaninterferewiththefunctioning oftheloopandforthatmatteranycomputerizedpresentationsystemtoo.
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Many individuals who are hard of hearing may prefer sign language, andinterpreterscanbeincorporatedintomeetingplans.Hereitiswisefor thoseneedingtheserviceandthoseprovidingittobeincloseproximity to each other as sight lines are all important. In one-to-ones and smaller groupmeetingsthespeakershouldmakesuretheyfacetheindividual(s) concerned as many of them can lip-read or use lip-reading to reinforce hearingaids.ThereisalsoaDeafblindmanualalphabet;thecharitySense canadvise(seeAppendix4forcontactdetails). Intranets as well as external websites can be adapted to meet access requirements.However,theseadaptationscanservetoslowdownworkers withouttheseconditions.Morethanoneversionofaninternalwebsitemay benecessarytoovercomethis,andanypotentialresentmentsthatmayarise inthewiderworkforce.Againtherelevantcharitiesinthefieldareagood sourceofadviceandmanyearnsomeoftheirnecessaryfundingfromsuch consultancy. Make allowances too for employees in wheelchairs or with mobility issues.Meetingspacesshouldbedesignedtoallowforwheelchairstobe manoeuvredintoposition;wideaislesandperhapsspaceatthefrontofan auditoriumwillhelpmeettheserequirements. Mentalhealthandlearningdisabilityissuesareparticularlychallenging as these problems are largely invisible to the untrained eye. The internal communicatorneedstoensurethatthecontentofpublications,intranets, DVDsandthelikedoesnotinadvertentlycompoundexistingprejudices. Therearecharitieswhichcampaigntoridthemassmediaofthekindof language which can only reinforce feelings of alienation. ‘Going nuts for May’couldseemaninnocentheadlinebutislikelytoattractcriticism. When setting up editorial boards and consultative panels involving staffgroups,youcanaddressmanyoftheaboveissuesbytheinclusionof individualswhohaveapersonalknowledgeofspecificissues–age,culture, disability,etc.Morethanoneappointeewouldgosomewaytoovercoming possibleaccusationsoftokenism.
AGE,GENDERANDSEXUALORIENTATION Itcomestousallintime–age,thatis.Withdiscriminationlegislationrecently beefeduptoincludeolderpeopleyoucanexpectmorethanasprinkling of grey in the workforce in future. Many of the issues underlined in the previoussectionondisabilitymayalsoapplytoatleastsomeoldermembers oftheworkforce,butitisimportantnottoforgeadirectlinkbetweenthe twointhewiderpopulation’sminds.However,olderemployeesmaywell appreciateadjustmentsforsight,hearingandmobilitytovaryingdegrees. Whenitcomestogender–weallhaveone.Theprofessionalcommunicator shouldtakecarenottomakeassumptionsabouteithersexorage.Football 113
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mayhaveseemedamalepreserveformanyyears,butnowrecentcoverage of the talented women’s football team in their own world cup suggests change. Youngerteammemberscanalsofeeldiscriminatedagainst.Rathermore positively, they can be technically very literate, having grown up with computergamesattheirfingertips.Butarecenttrendtowatchistheriseof thesilversurfer–theolderinternetfan.Whendesigningprogrammesitis worthestablishingactualability,needsandinterestsandthiscanbedone unobtrusivelythroughsurveys. If you have a relatively young team, up-to-the-minute technologically driven activities may well be the key. Before deciding to go down the publication route it would be useful to establish whether the proposed recipientsevenreadsuchathingasanewspaperonadailyorweeklybasis. Findingoutwhatkindofpublicationdoesmeetfavourwillhelpdetermine theformattoadoptandtonetoset. Sexualorientationisarecentadditiontothelistofissuestobehandled sensitively.Donotmaketheassumptionthatallyourcolleaguesareheterosexualsinglesormarrieds.Carefulbalanceinpresentationofinformation overtimeshouldensureallshadesofopinionandchoicearecateredfor. Scrupulouslycheckcopyandimagesforanythingwhichmayinadvertently orotherwiseoffend,butbecarefulnottostripallhumourandcolourfrom it.
WORKINGFROMHOMEOROUTONTHEROAD Engineers,salesforcesandprofessionalsingeneralareincreasinglylikely nottobeworkingfromonefixedoffice.Keepingtheminthecommunications loopcanbeanaddedcomplicationinday-to-daycommunication. They face isolation if they do not have much social contact with their colleagues.Theimplicationforthecommunicatoristhattheyneedmore information not less, and special efforts need to be made to keep them awareofthewiderteam.Thiscanbedonethroughsocialeventsbutitis important not to consume too much of what they might regard as their personaltimetodothis. Thoseworkingliterallyontheirownwillforgetheirownnetworksand thesemaynotincludeeitherlinemanagersorcolleagues.Theirmostobvious links could well be with competitors in similar situations and this could provedifficulttohandle.Informalgrapevinesmayspringupandrumours maybeparticularlyhardtosuppressatadistance.Regularmeetingswill helptobalancethistendency,butmorepositivelytheseindividualscould bring fresh perspectives to issues concerning others and on occasion the competition.
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Bloodhitsthetarmac NationalHealthServiceBloodandTransplantwascreatedfromamergerof thebloodandtransplantdonorservicesin2005.Threenewdivisionswere createdandthesehavethrownupvaryingcommunicationrequirements, according to Vicki Davies, then National Internal Communications Manager. Some divisions are firmly rooted in specific locations while those employedtocollectblooddonationscouldbearguedtobepartofa‘virtual organization’. Theblooddonorandcollectionservicearmemploys5,500people,nearly halfofwhomarecollectionstaffwhodonotworkinacentreandrarely‘turn uptoaformaloffice’.Twomainformsofcommunicationareemployedto reachthem,oneofwhichisastaffmagazinethatcomesout11timesayear. Staffworkingremotelyenjoytheopportunitytositandread–anintranet wouldnotbeaccessibletoallandmanyarenotallthatcomputerliterate. Asecondstringtothebowisabriefingsystemthatoperatesonamonthly cycleandfromwhichmanagerscanaccessandselectmaterialrelevantto their teams. Managers cannot opt out of corporate material but they can selecttheregionallyandfunctionallyappropriatematerial.Throughsuch anapproachqualitycontrolismaintainedinthedeliveryontheground. The system generates the agenda from which managers and supervisors canbrieftheirstaff. Along with the more practical information everyone needs to know aboutmaternityrights,policyonvariantCJD,parkingandthelike,there isspaceforhumaninterestannouncements–births,marriagesanddeaths. Thehumantouchremainsvital.
IBMofferschoice Naturally IBM has been strong on intranet but it has not always been the practical option for its dispersed sales team. The then Internal CommunicationsConsultancyManagerSophieAustinobviouslyhadtothink ofotherwaystokeepthemintouchandactivelyinvolved. Eachquartersome15speakerswerelinedupforarecordedconference callwhichwasthen‘promoted’totheemployeesviatextmessaging.The salesforcehadaseven-dayperiodtophonein. Itwasmandatorytolistentothechiefexecutive’smessagebutthenthere was an option to choose from the menu of other speakers. To encourage feedback, employees could use their keypad to vote for their favourite speakers.Atthecentrethecommunicationsteamgottoknowhowmany phoned in and who they listened to, and how they rated them. With the company’sexternalmessagebeinge-businessondemandtherehasbeena correspondinginternalthrustto‘communicationsondemand’.
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THEUNPAIDHEROES MostofBritain’scharitiesrunpurelyonthegoodwillofanarmyofunpaid volunteers.Thereisnobigstickthatcanbewavedintermsofacutinsalary iftheydonotdeliver.Anyattemptatcoercionismorethanlikelytoresult inadowningoftools,probablyforgood. Many charities which do have paid staff teams still rely heavily on extensivenetworksofvolunteerstoenablethemtoprovideawiderangeof servicesandinsomecasestosimplystafftheoffice. With the growing professionalization of the not-for-profit sector, more and more structures are being put in place to support the unpaid crew. Particularattentionhastobegiventocommunicatingwithvolunteersina waythatisappropriatetotheirrole. LargeorganizationsliketheRedCrosswillhaveverydiverseaudiences with which to communicate. Trustees are likely to be busy people, often withimpressivejobselsewhere;theyalsohappentobetheequivalenttothe boardofdirectors.Insupportofthedecision-makingaspectsoftheirrole theyneedtobeincludedinanycommunicationsdrivethattheorganization isplanning,beitinternalorexternal. Fundraising committees often resemble special project teams from the businessworldmorethananythingelse,andcouldwellincludecelebrities and VIPs in their number.Again respect for their time and commitment needstobedemonstrated.Publicationseitherdedicatedtothisgrouporfor wideraudiencesareusefulandeventsworkwell. Keepingservices,shopsandbranchactivitiesgoingwillbeaverydiverse group of individuals who probably have nothing more in common than thecommunityinwhichtheyliveorthecausetheychoosetoserve(but notnecessarilyboth).Nowadaysallthesegroupsarelikelytoincludevery diversesectionsofthecommunity. Howyoucommunicatewiththemwillalsoneedtotakeaccountofthe level of expense that might be involved. A scrappy piece of paper will demonstratelackofrespect,butafull-colourbrochure,unlesssomeoneelse isclearlypickingupthetab,couldsuggestaspendthriftattitude. Face-to-face activities like conferences and roadshows work well for regionally (and sometimes internationally) dispersed supporters, as do discussion fora on the internet. Inclusion in decision making is essential: withouttheirbuy-in,activitiessuchascorporateidentitymakeoverscould fail. The following box gives a few pointers on how to get the best from volunteers.Producedbyareal-lifevolunteer,itcanbeappliedtocommunicationvehiclesbutalsotomakingbestuseofsuchindividualsinthework ofthecommunicationsdepartmentitself.
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GOLDENRULESFORWORKINGWITHVOLUNTEERS PamFreeman,herselfatrusteeforseveralorganizationsincludingtheUK FederationofSmallerMentalHealthAgencies,cameupwiththefollowing rulesforhappyvolunteers.
Tellthemallthereistoknowabouttheorganizationandtheirrole. Givethematrialruntomakesuretheyareashappyasyouare. Matchthemtojobswheretheycanusetheirfullskillmix. Treatingthemtoomuchlikestaffmakesthemfeelresentful. Givethemrespectandrespecttheirwealthofexperienceandskills. Considerhealthandsafetyissuesandproperinsurance. Volunteersgivetimenotmoney;reimbursetheirexpenses.
Astheformerchiefexecutiveofacharity,theauthorknowsitisalsoagood ideatoconstructactivityinsuchawaythatitprovidesvolunteerswithfresh experiencesandnewskillsthattheycanuseelsewhere.Butrecognitionfor the effort made seems to be the real and often only necessary or feasible rewardformany. A2004studyinvolvingtheSalvationArmysuggestedthatvolunteersmay needtobegivensomethingmorethantheusualwarmglowofgratitude, andskillsdevelopmentmayenhancetheiremployability.Transferringyour owncommunicationsskills,particularlywithspecialgroupslikethemedia, can be highly prized as Pamela Mounter found when working with the RedCrossmanyyearsago.Atleastonevolunteerwhoattendedthemedia trainingworkshopwentontoacareerinradio.
MICRO-ORGANIZATIONS The bulk of organizations in Britain are tiny. Managing relationships in verysmallgroupscanbeparticularlychallengingastheremaybeasmany viewpointsastherearepeople.Inlargerorganizationsitisoftenpossibleto findalternativeroutestoachievingagoalwhenobstreperousindividuals throwupobstacles.Insteadofoptingforconfrontationthecommunicator, likethelinemanager,shouldseektoestablishthetruereasonsforproblems whichmayhavenothingtodowiththeworkplace. An unobtrusive way of achieving this was demonstrated by legal firm Eversheds’Copenhagenoffice.Numbersweremanageableenoughtoallow themtoeatlunchtogether,providinganinformalenvironmenttodiscuss issues.Noteveryonewillwanttoshareluncheverydaybutonaweekly basisthiscanprovideasafeenvironmentformattersofconcerntobeaired andsettled. 117
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CONCLUSIONS When planning your communications programme it is worth dissecting youraudiencejusttoseewhotheyareasindividuals.Aretheyold,young, male,female,predominantlyBritish(whateverthatmeans),dotheyeven speak English? Are they gay, transgender, with families? Balancing the needs of the organization with a healthy respect for the privacy of these sameindividualsisatallorder. Incorporatingtheneedsofthevariousinterestgroupswhichyourstaff mightrepresentcanproveexpensiveintheshortterm.However,ifyouare seentotreatemployeeswellandwithrespect,yourcorporatereputation canonlygrowinstature.Diversityshouldalsobeseenasanopportunityto tapintoafarricherrangeofpointsofview.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Bepreparedtosegmentyouraudiencealongarangeoflessobvious permutations–age,gender,race,disability,etc. Takeintoaccountthefeelingsofallsectionsoftheworkforce–look particularlyforresentment. Culturaldiversitycouldbeseenasanopportunityratherthananextra burdenonresources. Considerqualityofpaper,sizeoftypeface,useofcolourwhencommunicatingwithaudienceswithdisabilitiesorfromadifferentcultural background. Interpreters are useful in group meetings for people with hearing difficultiesbutalsothosewhomaynotspeakgoodEnglish. Dispersed teams need a multitude of media choices to ensure their communicationneedsaremet.
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Theglobally dispersedworkforce Multinationalswilloftenhavetocommunicateacrosstheglobewithdispersed workers and teams. Smaller operators including many communicationconsultanciesworkinalliancesandpartnershipsindifferentmarkets andtheytoowillalsoneedtopayparticularattentiontodetail.Youmayalso havetocombattheNIHor‘notinventedhere’syndrome,wherematerial producedinonecountryisdeemedunacceptableelsewhere.Thereisalso therarepossibilitythatexpatriatesmayhavegonenative,whichproduces challengesofitsown. Anywayyouwillneedtoconsiderwhetherornottotranslatematerials fordifferentmarkets.Asausefulruleofthumb,evenifyouhaveAlevel Germanyouareprobablynotthebestpersonfortranslatingmaterialinto that language for dissemination among native readers or speakers. No matterhowgoodyourgraspoftheidiosyncrasiesofalanguage,youwill nevergetitquiteasontargetassomeonelivinginthecountryatthegiven moment. EvenwhereitispresumedthatEnglishisspoken,asinAmerica,watchfor theculturalminefield.ItmayevenbenecessarytotranslateBritish-produced materialforthataudienceandviceversa.Aswithexternalcommunication itpaystogetpeopleyoutrustfromwithinthetargetcommunitiestocheck yourapproachaswellasthedetailtomakesureyouhavegotitright.A
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lookatcommercialadvertisingdowntheyearsdemonstrateshoweasyit istogetithorriblyandexpensivelywrong.TheNovacardidnotgovery farinLatin-speakingcountriesbecausethenamemeantpreciselythat–‘no go’. It is not always language that causes the problems. National Grid had to pay attention to different attitudes and cultural difference as regards communication preferences. For example, when seeking feedback over the telephone, US employees were very open and friendly, but were more likely to say what they thought the listener wanted to hear rather than express their true feelings. Conversely, UK employees tended to be moredistant,suspiciousandsceptical.Findingoutexactlywhatworksin termsofcommunicationvehicleandactivitycanthereforebeparticularly challengingandlessthanstraightforward. Thereisaneedtoreturntobasicsevenwhendealingwithnearneighbours inEuropeandtounderstandthatthereisafundamentaldifferencebetween EuropeanandBritishapproachestoemployeecommunication. Britainlikestotakecontrolofdeliveringthemessage,whiletheEuropean approachistonegotiateandconsultmore.Theclockhasbeentickingfor sometimeontherequirementtoadoptthemoreContinentalline. Evenfurtherafield,howyoudonotcommunicateratherthanhowyou actually communicate can also play against you. A chief executive who failed to pay attention to the social niceties when visiting a Far Eastern division made the staff doubt the company’s future. A mass exodus of staffwasfollowedbyasimilarcollapseinprofitandtheoperationclosed, largelyduetoafailuretospendsometimeontheseeminglypointlesssocial round. Mining company Rio Tinto is dispersed around the globe – over 260 locationsin40countriesfromAustraliatoKazakhstanandMexico–and has36,000employeesspeakingadozenorsolanguages.Oftentheremay beonlyahandfulofpeopleinanyonelocationbuttheircommunication needsarethesamenonetheless.Eachofitsbusinesseshasitsownidentity and is responsible for producing its own communications. However, communicationsfromthecentregotoacertainlevelofmanagementwho areresponsibleforcascadingit. Then CommunicationsAdvisor Mike Moser stated: ‘We recognise that thereisalwaysaneedtoadaptcommunicationfromthecentretothelocal market and we are proud of the diversity of our individual businesses’ identities. The key phrase is to achieve consistency in our diversity.’ An intranet-based website enabled all global communicators to post their latestnews,corporateevents,awardsandcommunicationproductssuchas photography,companybrochuresandarticlessotheycouldbesharedwith groupcolleagueswhomightwishtolearnfromthem. Some aspects may not always be company specific. In South EastAsia face-to-face communication may be more difficult to make work in the 120
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samewaysasintheWestduetotraditionalhierarchiesthatinhibitjunior membersofstafffromquestioningmoreseniorstaff. However,communityrelationscanplaywellasamotivatorofemployees as well as the local population itself. As in the UK, programmes which provide something extra, equipment for schools perhaps, can be well received. Timedifferencesarealsosomethingtotakeintoparticularaccountespecially when attempting to set up video or audio conferencing. There are also cultural preferences: apparently voice mail is more popular in the United States than it is in the UK where there is a preference for group communication. A technical point to consider when translating material is that some languages are particularly greedy for space. German articles are always muchlongerthantheEnglishequivalent.WhentranslatingfromEnglisha distillationofthekeypointsmaybesufficient. The box below sets out a few overarching factors to take into account whenconsideringglobalcommunication.
KEYFACTORSFORINTERNATIONALINTERNALCOMMUNICATION
Timezones–noteveryoneisawake. Language–whichoneorones? Culturalpractice(howtheydoit). Socialmores–class,gender,hierarchies. Listentolocalpeople. Letthelocalpeopledothetalkingthemselves. Usetheappropriatespellchecker–USforAmericanEnglish. Usenationalsindestinationcountrytotranslate. Just because English is spoken does not mean communication is understood.
PamelaMounterhasmanyyears’experienceasaninternalcommunicator withinternationalreach.Shehasawidevarietyofusefultipsforthefledglinginternationalinternalcommunicator:
Courtesyisall-important. Toneisalsovital. Humourdoesnottravelwell. SlowdownalittleifEnglishisnotthefirstlanguage. Pause and recap fairly frequently when giving a presentation or a speech.
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Simplifywhatyouhavetosayandreducethenumberofmessagesand topics. Restate any important statements stressing the word ‘not’ more than once(peoplementallyeditthisout). Coach senior managers going overseas to give speeches to engage in simple pleasantries in the language of the country. Even if they then resortbacktoEnglishforthemainpartoftheirtalkitatleastshows theyhavebeenpreparedtomakeaneffort. Sharebestpracticeacrosslocations. PamelaMounteronceaxedaglobalhousemagazineandreplaceditwith anewsservicewhichpeopleinothercountriescoulduseastheysawfit. Headofficeapparentlyhadsomemisgivingsastheythoughttheirmessages wouldnotgetthrough.Shearguedthatthesemessageswouldinfacthave a better chance because they appeared in familiar local publications and people wanted to read the material as it included local information too. Sometimesthecentrallyproducedmaterialwascondensed,butthewhole exercisegavethelocalcommunicatorsaneffectivesenseofownership. Trainingisanotherexcellentwaytogaintrust.AneditorinAzerbaijan wassentfortrainingintheUKandtheendresultwasagood-quality,wellrespected local product.An added bonus was the addition to the central mixofcommunicationsofafreshandinterestingperspective. Language is especially tricky. Pamela Mounter has a golden rule that everythingmustbetranslatedbysomeonecurrentlylivinginthecountry where it will be read. Even nationals now living abroad will lose some currentnuances. Itisessentialtoaskpeoplenativetothecountrywhatworksforthem, evendowntowhetherornottokeepajacketonoroff.Gesturescanletyou downandhandgesturesarefarfromuniversalintheirmeaning. Whenitcomestodress,womenneedtocheckwhetheritisOKtowear asleevelessnumber,whetherthelengthoftheirskirtordressisrightand iftrousersareconsideredappropriate.Intoday’smoresensitiveclimateit maybepertinenttoaskwhenoriftheyshouldcovertheirhairincertain societiesandunderwhatcircumstances. ‘Dress down Fridays’ where employees are allowed to dress more casually are not always appreciated. Some countries are very formal in their approach and this essentially US predilection can cause great angst andevenoffence. Hierarchyisalsoimportant.Youcannotsimplygostraighttowhoeverit isyouwishtoconsult.Youmayneedfirsttogetagreementtotheapproach attherightlevels.Thoselevelsmaytranspiretobeverydifferentfromwhat youwouldsupposetobeappropriate. One manager in Thailand adopted a creative and thoughtful approach whenhewantedtosecureacross-sectionofviews.Thisparticularcountry 122
Thegloballydispersedworkforce
isveryhierarchical;youcannotleapfrogovercorporatestrata.Hedecided torunmonthlybirthdaylunchesopentoanyonewhohadhadabirthdayin theprecedingmonth,andthismeantitwasquitelegitimateforalllevelsto bepresent.Evenmoreimportantly,noonetookexception,seeingitasfun. Thebarrierscamedownandcommunicationthatwouldinthepasthave nevertakenplaceduetostrictstatusruleswasfacilitated.
THECONSULTANCYAPPROACH Globallydispersedcommunicationsconsultanciesmusttackletheseissues bothforthemselvesandonbehalfoftheirclients.Hill&Knowltonadopts a global but local approach on its own behalf to meet the needs of 2,000 employeesin70officesspreadacross34countries. LindsayEynon,thenDirectorofChangeandInternalCommunications, basedinLondon,saidherteamworksmainlyinEurope,theMiddleEastand Africa(EMEA).ThecompanylanguageisEnglish,asitisformanyclients, but the local language, knowledge and cultural empathy is encouraged inmanysituations,tohelpbringthebestofthemixtoclientsandHill& Knowltoncolleaguesalike. Akeyprinciplehasbeentoalignexternalandinternalcommunication and activity so that there is a seamless approach. What is being done on the outside of an organization should also ring true on the inside. This consistency helps to build trust between employees and the employer, andworksbothtoprotectandtoenhanceacompany’sexternalbrandand reputation. Most of the consultancy’s internal communication work comes from clientshelpingpeoplecommunicatechange.Whateverfunctiontheclient holds,thisworkusuallyincludescloseliaisonwithhumanresourcesand corporate communications teams, senior management and their in-house changeprojectteams. Sometimesclientsuseinternalcommunicationsupportasastand-alone service, while in other circumstances such as significant restructuring, clientsaskforanintegratedrangeofinternalandexternalcommunication services.SoacriticalskillfortheHill&Knowltonteamistobea‘chameleon’, blendingandshapingtofittheclient’sspecificsituation. Hill&Knowltonisitselfalargeorganizationandknowsonlytoowellthe challengesofcommunicatinginternallyacrossadiversesetofemployees, countries,nationalitiesandspecialities.Fromexperience,itseemsessential tolearntorecognizeandunderstandthesedifferencesandtofindwaysto benefitfromthem.Lookforthecorevaluesthatbindpeopletogether,and ‘helppeoplefeelpartoftheteam’,nomatterwhoorwhereyouare.
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THINGSTOTHINKABOUT– PAN-EMEAANDBEYOND The professional communicator needs to weigh up not just where the messagegiveriscomingfrom,butalsotheaudience. Socialcontextcandictatehowthemosteverydayandbasicofcommunicationisconducted.Insomecountriesitispossibletosendane-mailrequest to an unknown individual and get a response as in Germany. However, in the Latin countries like Italy and Spain it is necessary to be formally introducedfirst. In Asia Pacific asking personal questions about hobbies could well be seenasintrusiveandirrelevantratherthananattempttoshowaninterest inanindividual. National cultures operate on a number of dimensions, one of which is power.Insomeculturespowerisagiven.IntheUnitedStatesanindividual isaccordedpoweriftheyhavedemonstratedtheyhaveachievedit.InArab statespowerisgiventothefamily,soitisinheritedandisagiven. Change communications programmes originating in the United States willinvariablybeupbeatintone.PeopleintheUK,GermanyandHolland donotrespondquitesoenthusiasticallytothisapproachandpreferamore balancedapproach,tellingitasitiswithouttherazzmatazz. Communications style is explicit in the United States and the UK but implicitinJapan–wherealotofinformationandexchangesarehidden. DecisionmakinginSwedenismoreconsensusdriven;youhavetotake time, but this gains ownership and engagement. In the United States, however, you might need to get everything signed in triplicate to make sureyouactuallyhaveapproval. Thetheoreticalapproachisallverywell,butpracticalitiescanundermine the best-laid plans. Working hours may be different, bank holidays and religious festivals must not be overlooked – you can destroy your organization’s credibility if you ignore these factors. (See the previous chapterforalistoffaithslikelytobefoundintheUK.) IfyouareworkingwithMuslimcountriesyoumustallowforthepractice ofprayers;ifyoudonotyouwillhavebrokentherelationship. Itisimportanttousetheappropriatemedia.InSaudiArabiaitiscritical thatitisface-to-face.Thetelephoneisratedseventhintheirprioritylist. Insomenationalandcorporateculturesyouhavetoarrangeameeting inadvance,andinothersyoucansimplystickyourheadaroundthedoor. A bureaucratic or personality-focused culture will determine which one works. Differentcultureswillratefamily,workandreligionindifferingorders ofpriority.
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Thecannyinternationalinternalcommunicatormustkeepaneyeonboth thebiggerstructuralpictureformedbylegalchangeandthesmallerlocal picuresaffectedbybothcountryandcorporatecultures. AsWilson,Thomas-DerrickandWright(2001)assertinStrategicCommunicationManagement,noonesizefitsall.Whenoperatingintheglobalenvironment it is necessary to take account of language, culture and politics. To helpyourtravellingmanageradapt,provideanonlineglobaltraveltoolkit includinghandymaterialonlocalcustoms,businessetiquetteandcultural dosanddon’ts. A Scandinavian approach to merger and internal communication follows.
Scandinavianapproachhasliftoff Gro Elin Hansen, Communication Officer at Scandinavian Airlines Norway is responsible for the internal communications function at an organizationcreatedfromthemergerbetweentheScandinavianSASand domesticairlineBraathens.Shewrites:‘Oneofthemainobjectivesofthe new communications director was to launch a new set of internal communicationchannels–bothanin-housemagazineandanintranet.Thenew company,whichwasnamedSASBraathens(lateritchangeditsnametothe currentScandinavianAirlinesNorwayorSASNorway)sprangfromvastly differentculturesandthenewcommunicationpolicysoughttoforgethe twointoacommonculture. ‘A communications department was established with two members of staff dedicated to internal communication. Other team members concentrated on public relations, media relations and public affairs. The first taskwastobuildanewintranet,thesecondwastorevampthein-house magazine.Bothchannelshadtoberegardedasnewtoallemployees,not justex-Braathensorex-SASstaff. ‘The intranet was built and launched within six weeks of the merger. Laterintheyearthein-housemagazinewasmadeoverwithanameand designchange.Anexternalcommunicationsagencyfacilitatedtheprocess andhassinceassistedwiththeproductionof10issuesayear. ‘Themagazineseekstobridgethetwoculturesandgivereadersinsight into current issues and challenges within SAS Norway. On top of that, theintranetservesasaday-to-daynewsprovideraswellasaworktool. SASstaffuse theintranettoaccessnews,discussionboards,tocarryout e-buying,e-learning,accesssystemsandqualitymanuals,carryoutreportingandprovideandaccesssalesinformation. ‘In its infancy SAS Braathens was overshadowed by conflicts and crises including industrial action, departure of the chief executive and investigations by the Serious Fraud Office. The communication climate
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was therefore a difficult one and it took the company more than two yearstorebuildatrustingandopenatmospherebetweenemployeesand management. ‘Boththeformerandcurrentchiefexecutiveshavetravelledacrossthe countrytomeetface-to-facewithmembersofstaffinbothsmallandlargescalemeetingsdesignedtoencouragedialogue.Inordertogetthecompany culturebackontrack,topmanagementhasbeenclearabouttheneedfor dialogue,consultationandemployeeinvolvement. ‘During autumn 2006 the communications department initiated a staff committee which would undertake several staff events throughout 2007 and2008underthebranding“Idon’ttravelalone”.Themaingoalofthe events was to bring people together, discuss strategy, solutions and the future,andtoestablishacommonsetofcultural“groundrules”. ‘Other internal communication channels currently in use include webbasedtelevisionprogrammespostedontheintranetsixtimesayear.The11minuteprogrammeincludesevents,newsandinterviewswithstaff;these arealsobroadcastonTVscreenswherestaffmightnothaveeasyaccessto computers (ie cabin crews). Newsletters for specific staff groups such as flight crew and breakfast briefings are also employed. More technical informationonsuchissuesasturn-aroundprocessesforaircraftandemergency procedures are disseminated via SMS (short message service or texting). SAS crews who do not have constant access to computers are also kept informedviamessagescreens,whichareeffectivelytelevisedinformation boards.Staffthemselvesareabletopostquestionsandcommentsononline discussionboardsontheintranettowhichcolleaguesormanagersmight postanswers,feedbackorcomments.’
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Nativespeakerslivinginthecountryconcernedarethebesttranslators/ interpreters. TranslateAmericanEnglishintoBritishEnglishandviceversa. Pay attention to differing attitudes and approaches applied on the ground. Notcommunicatingisnotanoption. Allow space for written/spoken communication in languages like German–theytakeupmoreroom. Enable local communicators to put their own stamp on centrally generatedmaterial. HeadOfficedresscodesandhabitsdonotalwaystravelwell.
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THISPAGEINTENTIONALLY LEFTBLANK 128
13
Howtodoit–setting aboutcommunication Muchearlyeffortatinternalcommunicationmayhavegoneadriftbecause it was carried out with little reference to the values of the organization. Thereisalwayssomuchtobedonethatitistemptingtodivestraightin and get on with the task in hand. But without first establishing the key valuesoftheorganizationyouwillbesimplyreactingandrespondingto circumstancesratherthanshapingthem. Taking the temperature of the organization may be no more complex than building up regular contact points at key parts of the organization withthoseindividualstaskedtoactasyoureyesandears,sothatyouin turncanprovideasimilarfull-bodiedviewtoyourseniormanagement. Read your trade and specialist media to see how your organization is perceivedinthewayitperformsandthewayinwhichittreatsemployees and customers. This should give you a sound benchmark with which to compare the internal wishes and beliefs. It is unlikely you will find a completematch. Makesuretheinternalcommunicationsfunctionhasaphysicalpresence at any away-days the board or senior management may have planned inordertocasttherunesandhopefullydorathermorethannavelgaze. This all sounds great, except of course if you work in one of the many organizationswhichdoesnotautomaticallygrantyouequalstatusoraccess totheboardroom.Howdoyougetonboard? 129
Gettingitright–practicalapplication
Throughyourelementaryresearchyoushouldhaveestablishedthekey mattersofconcern.Bepreparedtosupportyourargumentevenifitdoes notappeartobeespousingthecurrentvalues.Youneedtoestablishwhere thereisdisparitybetweenwhattheboardthinksishappeningandthereal blockages on the ground, and suggest how to bridge them. Identifying the territory in between the reality and the corporate goal and placing a substantiatedvalueonitshouldprovidethetoolstogetyounoticed.The bottomlineandwhateverisstoppingtheorganizationfromachievingthe idealpositioniswhatmostgrabstheattentionandimaginationoftheboard. Learntoreadandinterpretabalancesheet(thisisnotasubjectforthisbook andthereareverymanyotherbooksandcoursestohelpyou). Likecorporatecommunication,theinternalcommunicationsfunctionhas theperfectexcusetostickitsnoseineverywhere.Donotjustdemonstrate yourvaluetothetop–practisethoseskillsonotherdepartmentslikehuman resources, finance, production, distribution and marketing. As with all relationshipsthereisnothingmoreattractivethananapparentlyinterested audience. Being a good listener may be one of the most important and valuableskillsyoucandevelop. Determining whether or not the organization has the right core values anddeterminingpreciselywhattheseshouldbearenotyourjobperse,but youcanactasabarometerandreflectbacktherealityfrombothwithout andwithintheorganization. Thisshouldbedoneaspartofyourroutinepractice.Thecommunication processanditsvitalcomponentsareshowninFigure13.1.
TheCommunicationProcess Agree/ownthemessage Target/Tailor/Test
Feedback: – surveys – focusgroups
50%ofcommunication islistening 100%ofcommunication isownership Deliver: – face-to-face(primary) – publications(secondary)
Figure13.1 Thecommunicationprocess–basiccomponentstobebuiltin 130
Howtodoit–settingaboutcommunication
WHATYOURPEOPLEWANTTOHEAR Itissometimeshardtogetawayfromthe‘usandthem’clichésoftheold schoolindustrialmanagement. CenterandJackson(1995)carriedoutastudyfortheInternationalAssociation of Business Communicators and came up with the following (see panelbelow).
SUBJECTSOFINTERESTTOEMPLOYEES Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Subject Organizationalplansforthefuture Jobadvancementopportunities Job-relatedhow-toinformation Productivityimprovements Personnelpoliciesandpractices Howwe’redoingvsthecompetition Howmyjobfitsintotheorganization Howexternaleventsaffectjob Howprofitsareused Financialresults
Scale1–10 8 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 5 4
Thisprovidesaprettygoodchecklistforthepreparationofanyshort-or long-term communication programmes.Your job is to find material from withintheorganizationthatfitsintothesecategories. Arnott (1986) puts all this rather more prosaically when he quotes Roger d’Aprix, former Head of Internal Communications at Xerox, who reframedstaffneedsalongMaslow’shierarchyofneedsmodel.Hereckons workersrequireanswerstothe‘I’questionsbeforetheymoveontothe‘we’ questions. The‘I’questionsask: What’smyjob? HowamIdoing? Doesanybodygiveadamn? Once answers to the above are satisfactorily given and processed, the questionsaskedare: Howarewedoing? Howdowefitintothewhole? HowcanIhelp? 131
Gettingitright–practicalapplication
Yourroleascommunicatoristobalancetheaboveagainsttherequirements ofmanagementandbepreparedforsomestiffdebatewherethetwomight diverge.Bepreparedtoupsetoneorevenbothsidesoftheequationrather morefrequentlythanyouwouldsupposeormightlike.Diplomacyandtact arecrucialcharacteristicsyouwillneedtodevelop,plusanoseforfinding alternativesourcesofinformation. Thenewcomertotheinternalcommunicationsfunctionneedstoestablish the extent of the resources available to them. It is unlikely you will have yourownprintingpresstohand;youmayhavetofocusthedepartment digitalcameraandwieldameanpen.Onlyyouknowyourkeystrengths anditisbesttobehonestwithyourselfandplaytothem. IncreasinglyexternalmediaarecomplainingthattheyoungPROsthey are encountering do not know what the media wants and are unable to writeinaneasytoreadanddigestiblemanner. A special plea: writing dissertations for a degree are not the same as writingshort,snappyanddeathlessproseforanewspaper.Aglanceatthe averagetabloidnationalnewspaperwillshowyouthat.Perhapsyourskills liemorestrategicallyinthethinkingandplanningratherthantheexecution anddelivery.Thefollowingchapterslookatthenutsandboltsofdelivering keycommunicationactivities. Butthemostimportantaspectforyoutofocusonisbeingclearastowhy youaresayingsomething,towhomyouaresayingit,howyouaregoingto transmititandthenmeasuringyourresults. Russell Grossman, then Head of Internal Communication, BBC, had a neatwayofmarshallingtypesofcommunicationconductedonadailyor lessfrequentbasis.Thebasicpurposeis‘Talkingtherightlanguage,creating passion,understandingandcommitment’.Thestructureisoutlinedinthe boxopposite. Toroundoffthischapter,acasestudyfromnorthoftheborder.Internal communication was formalized only at the turn of the millennium for VisitScotland, formerly the Scottish Tourist Board, a ‘non-departmental public body’ funded by the Scottish Executive. Here is how they went aboutit.
VisitScotlandbuildsinternalcapacity BasedinEdinburgh,VisitScotlandhasofficesinLondonandInvernessand employs193people,64ofwhomarefield-basedqualityassuranceadvisers. Muchofitsexperienceoftheinternalcommunicationsfunctioninthepast hadbeenpatchyifnotnon-existent.Amanagementreviewunderlinedthe need to communicate developmental and organizational milestones in a moreformalizedway.
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INTERNALCOMMUNICATIONSPECTRUM DaytoDayCommunication
organizationnews; awards,etc; housekeeping–pay,appraisals,appointments,operational,etc; interpretingexternalmediacoverage; listeningandrespondingtoworries,etc.
ChangeCommunication
explainingvision,purposeandvalues; helpingleaderstalkwiththeirteams; sharingknowledgeandbestpractice; embeddingchangeinitiatives; listeningforreactions; understandingresponsestochange; celebratingteamsuccess; industryandother‘biggerpicture’news.
MarketingCommunication
creatingpassionaboutproduct; internalmarketingactivity; invitingcritiqueanddiscussion; marketingprogrammes; visualenvironment(buildingsetc).
VisitScotlandwasalsoabouttoundergoradicalchangewithanewstructure andseniormanagementteam;communicatingthisinamoremeasuredway wasregardedasvitalforthesuccessofrestructuring. ExternalcrisesalsohitintheformoffootandmouthdiseaseandtheWorld TradeCenterattackwhich,combinedwithaglobaldownturn,broughtthe organizationintothepublicspotlightandnotalwaysinaflatteringlight. A survey conducted with employees underlined the need for clearer internal communication supported by the directors and board, a more formalcommunicationofthefutureroleoftheorganization,opportunity foremployeeempowermentandscopetogaingreaterunderstandingofthe rolesofcolleagues. Togettheballrollingagroupofemployeesfromvariousdepartments was set up to concentrate on the project. Their objectives were to communicate and champion the values of VisitScotland, launch a new way of communicating internally, build confidence in the organization and 133
Gettingitright–practicalapplication
getsupportfortheculturechanges.Theyalsoaimedtocreateaseamless organizationinwhicheveryonewasworkingtogether,moralewasraised and employees were kept involved in and informed about the change process. A series of initiatives was identified for swift action – implementing a staffsurvey,conductingacommunicationsauditandsettingupadedicated internal communications team. Other initiatives included opportunities to meet with the management team, staff awareness sessions, monthly newsletter,majoreventandnewintranet.Sosuccessfulwastheeffortthata newcommunicationgroupwasproposedtokeepupsupportandfeedback forthenewinitiatives. Employees saw the first stage of the intranet introduced in May 2002, providing news and information; its second phase was implemented in spring2003. Meetingswiththenewchiefexecutiveanddirectorswerewellreceived. Also helpful were the staff awareness sessions run simultaneously at all three sites on the one day. There were also presentations from different groupsanddepartmentswhichservedtoupdateprogresstowardsthenew organizationalstructureandculture. Anelectronicmonthlynewsletter,Outlook,wassentoutoveraperiodof 10 months. This included people news, corporate updates and facts, had livelinksandafeedbackfacility. An employee opinion survey conducted in December 2002 looked at theorganization’sperformanceagainstsimilarbodiesundergoingsimilar changeandearlyresultsshowedithadperformedwell. The new intranet that replaced an earlier version contained a staff directorywithphotographsandjobdescriptions,anewssectiononbusiness developments and other industry news. Also included were new ideas,corporateplans,projectsfromeachdepartment,financialandhuman resourcesprocedures,briefingsandfactsheetsandcorporatepresentations. Maps,organizationalcharts,links,socialnewsincludingachatroom,corporate database and photo library, competitions, new employee induction packandaroom-bookingservicewerealsoadded.Tokeepthe‘hub’well stocked,‘newsheralds’wereappointedfromtheworkforce. To show how far everyone had come, a hard-copy publication in the form of a review of the year ReVisitScotland was published.A dedicated internalcommunicationsteamcomprisingaknowledgemanager,internal communicationsofficerandintranetcoordinatorwassetupandlocatedin thecommunicationsdepartment,althoughitworkedcloselywithhuman resources.Asthiscasestudydemonstrates,itisnecessarytodeployaraft ofinitiativestoensuremessagesaregettingthrough.However,itispossible tooverdothingsandconcentratetoomuchontheactivityratherthanits purpose.
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VickiDavies,thenNationalInternalCommunicationsManagerforNHS Blood and Transplant, has found technology a great means of helping managersfiltermessages,ensurethingsgetdoneontimeandthattheright peoplearetold.Acommunicationandcoordinationplanningsystemhelps ensure managers in far-flung regions are not planning a major initiative all on the same day, thereby guaranteeing overload. The system helps managers on the ground determine their target audience and required message.Linkedviaawellmaintaineddatabase,whatisessentiallyalarge websitehelpsmanagersaswellastheprofessionalcommunicatorsgetthe messageacrossinatimelyandappropriatefashion.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Donottakeforgrantedthehealthofyourorganization–takeregular soundingstocheck. Seehowoutsidersviewtheorganization. Developyourlisteningskills. Employees most want to know about future plans and how they fit in. Behonestaboutyourownabilitiestodeliver. Establishwhatskillsyouneedtobuyin.
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Wecanalltalkcan’t we?Facetoface Manysurveysconductedintoemployees’preferredmodeofcommunication suggest that the all-time favourite remains face to face. This chapter will focusonlogisticalaspectsofimprovingtheconditionsfordialogueinoneto-oneorgroupsituations. CommunicationcoachJohnnyHarbenbelievestheinternalcommunicator now has the golden opportunity to lead on all levels of communication, starting with the rediscovery of narrative and ending with the killing off of PowerPoint-style presentations. To demonstrate his points on the formerheoutlinedhoweasyJetabsorbedrivalairlineGoattheturnofthe millennium.
LISTENINGINONEASYCONVERSATION ‘An organization in conversation with itself’: this was the stated, overall purpose of easyJet’s internal communication activity when in 2002 BridgeenReatookresponsibilityfortheICrole.Thelow-costairlinehad justannouncedthetakeoverofGo.
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She put the emphasis on conversations – essentially unrehearsed dialogue – in easyJet. Her job was to feed this grapevine with attractive, accurateandtrustworthynewsandinformationontheonehand.Onthe other,shewastolistentofeedbackbyprovidingopportunitiesforpeopleto beinregularconversationswithleadersandmanagersinordertodiscuss andchallengewhatwasgoingonaroundtheworkplace.Herdailywork was about the intrinsic (how people talk to each other) rather than the instrumental. Expertssaythatwhatisrelevanttoface-to-faceconversationappliesjust as much to telephone communication, the biggest traffic in most organizations, although e-mail has proved a strong competitor. The telling of storiesornarrativesisamajorcomponentandiscentraltoconversational success. Even the simplest of events is dramatized in ‘coffee machine’ stories, oftenwithnogreatskill(‘Iwasatmydesk,right?Andthephonegoes.And guesswhoitis?It’sJennyandshe’sallovertheplace.Shesaystome“I’ve justhandedmynoticein”,well!’) Story telling is central to being human, and stories or narratives – the termsareinterchangeable–crossallhistoryandariseinallcircumstances. Stories in this sense are not fables, lies or fairy tales. They are the way humansunderstand,experience,communicateandtrytoinfluenceothers. Storiesconstantlychangeaspeoplepassthemonandconsistoftheprocess oftellingaswellastheendproduct.Corporateculturemaythereforebe regardedasasetofconnectingstories. Thisisastylethatisengagingandembracing,aspirationallyopenand honest.Inconsideringyourorganization’sstyleitmightbewisetoadopt some principles for effective conversation. This may be published in the formofacommunicationagreementorcontract. The‘CommunicationContract’: 1. Everyoneisentitledtoreceivedailynewsofwhatisgoingonaround thewholebusinessbyanyreasonablemeans.Inreturn,everyoneagrees toseethisnewsasoftenaspossibleandtorespondandcontributeas theywish,includingquestioningandchallenging. 2. Everyone is entitled to a regular one-to-one meeting with his or her manager.Inreturneveryoneagreestobeashonestandopeninthese meetingsaspossiblesoastomakethemeffectiveforallparties. 3. Everyoneisentitledtoaccesstotheintranet.Inreturn,everyoneagrees tousethisresourceasoftenbutasresponsiblyaspossibleandtorespond andcontributeastheywish,includingquestioningandchallenging. 4. Everyoneisentitledtoaregularmeetingoftheirnaturalwork-team,at leastonceamonth,withtheirmanagerpresent,whentheycandiscuss andchallengewhatisgoingonfortheirteamandfortheorganizationas
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awhole.Inreturneveryoneisexpectedtocontributetothesemeetings byfollowingsomesimplerulesforeffectivedialogue. Inaddition,communicatorsmayneedtoprovideacourseintheessentials of good dialogue, including best practice in meetings. In the field of communicationitisincreasinglyrecognizedthattheemphasisintermsof personaldevelopmentneedstobeplacedonamanager’scompetencein face-to-facedialoguemorethanontheuseofformalmediasuchase-mail, memosandsuchaidsasPowerPoint.Audio-visualaidssuchasPowerPoint canallowpresenterstogetcaughtupinthemechanicsofthetechnologyat theexpenseofthecoremessagesandvalues. Communicatorsshouldbehelpingleadersandmanagersbygettingthem toaskthemselvesthreequestionsbeforetheystarttoframeapresentation for more than eight or ten staff or a team conversation: ‘What do I want peopletounderstand,feel,doasaresultofthisinput?’ Thequestionwilloftenleadtotheuseofstoriesornarratives,forexamplestoriesaboutthebestofwhatishappeningintheorganizationalready, or things that could be done more extensively in the service of a new strategy. It becomes obvious that it is easier to get people thinking and feeling differentlyaboutsomethingifboththeirheartsandtheirmindsareengaged. Theirmindsmighthaveturnedoffifthestoryofthenewstrategyimplied thateverythingthathadgonebeforehadbeenrubbish,becauseitcanbe seenascriticismoftheirownearlierefforts. Johnny Harben’s conclusions: learn more about conversation and dialogue, establish the benefits of a ‘communication agreement’ and banish PowerPointoruseitsparingly.
HOWOTHERSDOIT Demonstratingagreaterpropensityfortheothersideofdialogue–effective listening–iscritical.BuckinghamshireCountyCouncilhasputinplacethe necessarymechanismsforthisbydevelopingasystemofelectedemployee representatives from each of its services as part of increasing employee engagementandinvolvementindecisionmaking.Quiteseparatefromrecognizedunionrepresentation,theyworkonmajorprojects.Thissupplements awiderangeofcommunicationsactivitiesincludinganewsletter,intranet andvideo. Inmanagingeventhesmallestofmeetingstherearewaysofgettingthe mostfromcomingtogetherbyatleastestablishingtherightconditionsfor thewholeactivitytobebothcomfortablefortheparticipantsandeffective fortheorganization.Thefollowingboxsetsoutsomeaspectstoconsider.
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KEYPOINTSTOGETTINGTHEMOSTFROMYOURMEETING
Drawupanagenda. Senditoutingoodtime. Layonsomethingnicetoeat–chocolatecake,biscuits. Begenerouswiththetea,coffeeandbottledwater. Keeptotheagenda. Geteveryonetocontribute. Makesurethemeetingisminuted. Finishontime. Ensureminutesgooutquickly.
Someorganizationsfeelyoucangettoocomfortableandhaveintroduced meetings with no chairs. In these days of litigation and the Disability DiscriminationActthiswouldnotbewise,especiallyifyouareawarethat some of your staff have physical difficulties. This kind of approach also suggestsalackofcourtesyattheveryleast.Therearewaystomakearoom comfortablewithoutreducingtheeffectivenessofthemeetingandafirm, clearagendamanagedbyanequallyfirm,focusedchairpersonwillensure themeetingachievesitssetgoals. Keeptheroomwellventilatedbutnottoochillyandthiswillensureeveryonestaysawake.Ifyouareplanningtomeetinthatwell-known‘graveyard’ slotafterlunch,pickacontroversialorenergeticspeakerorachallengingor importantsubjecttokickoffwith–thatwaynoonewillwanttonodoff. Entertainment seems to be an underlying theme of this section and as JohnnyHarbensaid,oneofthebiggestkillerscanbemisuseofpresentation aids. But it is not just PowerPoint and other computerized systems that aretoblame–overheadprojectors,flipchartsandevenold-fashionedslide showscanbejustasdeadeningtotheimaginationofthepresenterandby extensiontheaudience. However, one of the most engaging presentations the author ever witnessedwasonadrearyNovembereveninginabadlylitcellarwinebar. Thespeakerhadnoaidsotherthantwoflipchartshehaddraggedacross Londonbybus.Heplacedthemeithersideofhimandspenttheevening divingbetweenthetwowhichhadbeenreadypreparedwithhiskeypoints. Nearlyadecadeonitisstillpossibletoremembertheunderlyingmessage abouthomelessnesscharity,Crisis.
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OVERCOMINGPRESENTATIONSICKNESS Thebestlessonsarenotalwaysthenewones.Belowaresomekeypointers ongivingpresentations.
KEYPOINTSFORPRESENTATIONAIDS
Usealargetypeface. Nomorethansevenwordsacross. Nomorethansevenlinesdown. Ensureinadvancethatequipmentisworking. Turnprojectoroffwhentalkingandnotpresenting. Talkaboutcontentsandnotsomethingelse. Skipthedistractinggraphics. Avoidlotsoftints,ortrycoloursoutinadvance. Providelegiblehandouts.
Itissomethingofajudgementcallwhetheryougiveouthandoutsbefore or after a presentation. Before, and you may risk the participants being distractedbythem.Providepadsofpaperandpensforthosecongenitally unabletobringtheirown–asurprisinglylargenumber. Butwhysticktothesameoldformat?HowardKrais,thenatlawfirm Eversheds,hadperfectedtheartoftheroadshowforanotoriouslyhard-toengageaudience. Popcorn seems to be a magic ingredient. Taking cinema as the theme, staffcalledtotheroadshowwereinvitedto‘haveyoursayatthemovies’, whichexpandedonearlier‘haveyoursay’quarterlysessionsheldineach oftheregionalcentres. Just as in the real movies, ‘advertisements’ were used to ensure the audienceknewwhattoexpect.Toaccompanythe‘films’orvideos,popcorn wasserved.Funappearstobeacrucialbutoftenoverlookedelement,buta lotofhardworkisalsoneededtomakesurethemechanicswork. Thepracticalelementsthatshouldbetakenintoaccountarelistedinthe followingpanel.
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LOGISTICSOFMANAGINGAROADSHOW/EVENT
Establishobjectivesofevent. Ensurethesematchwithotheractivities. Makesufficientroomsavailable. Checkthatroomsarelargeenoughformaingroups. Andsmallenoughfordiscussiongroups. Briefpresentersthoroughly. Preparescriptsforpresenters. Shiftpacebyinterspersingvideowithlive‘acts’. Provide the right balance of presenters (board, senior manager, functionalheads). Ensurepresentershaverehearsedsufficiently. Makesurepresentersarehappytoimprovise. Provide back-up if presenter drops dead (literally or metaphorically) enroute. Anticipateproblemswithtransportforspeakeroraudience.
Everyexchangeintheworkplacebetweentwopeopleormoreisanopportunityfordialogue.Thewayaheadistomaketheseexchangesworkeffectivelyalongsidemoreformalchannelsofcommunication. Thenextchapterlooksatskillingupthoseeventuallytaskedwithcommunicatingallthoseimportantmessages–theleadersthemselves.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Hang out by the water cooler if you want to know what people think. Storiesarehowpeopleshareinformation–usetheformat. Setsomegroundrulesforeffectivecorporateconversations. Emphasizeeveryone’sresponsibilitytocommunicate. Beclearwhyameetingishappeningandcommunicatethat. Takecareofparticipants–feedandwaterthem. Donotusetechnologyasaconversationalcrutch.
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Leadingfromthe middle Youhavethefinestnewsletter,theglitziestwebsite,anintranetthatfunctions wellandarecompletelyup-to-datewiththelatesttechnologies.Butyour employeesatisfactionsurveysarestillsayingthatyourpeopledonotknow whatisgoingonandthatnooneistalkingtothem. Thepreviouschaptercoveredface-to-facecommunicationinsomedetail; this chapter is intended as a companion piece and focuses on enabling front-line and middle managers to become leaders through effective communication. Unlesswehaveaseverephysicaldisabilityofsomekindwecanalltalk, butthatdoesnotmeanitisthecommonsenseactivityorabilitythatmost people assume. The board and the strata of directors and management beneath it are often under the misapprehension that everyone can communicate.Perhapstheycan–butaretheydoingiteffectively? SueDewhurst,onehalfoftheCompetentCommunicatorsconsultancy, hasreportedthatitisnotjustfront-lineemployeeswhocomplainthatthey havenoideawhatisrequiredofthemandwhatishappening.Eventhose oftenmalignedasfailedcommunicators,thelinemanagersandsupervisors, complainthatthosehigherupthechaincouldalsodowithsomehelpand trainingwithcommunication.
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Theboxbelowsetsoutthevariouslevelsabovefront-lineworkerswho maybenefitfromtrainingbythecommunicationsteam.Thisshouldalso give the professional communicator a greater insight into the number of managementlevelsthatmayinitselfbeaffectingtheirefforts. Understandingpreciselywhereyour‘leaders’sitintheorganizationwill help you shape appropriate training. Charan et al (2001) compiled what they termed the ‘Leadership Pipeline’; an edited version is shown in the followingbox.
LEADERSHIPPIPELINE Stage1.Firstlinemanager.Firststepinmanagingothers.Alsodescribed asfront-line. Stage2.Managingmanagers.Developingfirstlinemanagers. Step3.Functionalmanager.Responsibleforafunction. Step4.Businessmanager.Movingawayfromaspeciality/function. Step5.Groupmanager.Managingacollectionofbusinessareas. Step6.Enterprisemanager.InadditionanywherefromStep3upwards theindividualmaybecomeaboardmember.ThislevelmightalsoincludetheMD/CEO.
SueDewhurstandpartnerLiamFitzPatrickbelievethathavingidentified whichlevelofmanageryouaretargeting,therearefivethingsonwhichto focusattentioninordertoimprovecommunicationamongleaders.These are set out in ‘Bringing out the excellent communicator in managers’, in StrategicCommunicationsManagement,Aug/Sept2007.
FIVETHINGSTOCONSIDER 1.Domanagersknowit’stheirjob? Do they know that communication is part of their job? Have relevant standardsandcompetenciesbeensetdown?Doyourtoppeoplereinforce thekeymessagesthroughtheirbehaviour?
2.Who’scommunicatingwiththem? Do they get time to think about and discuss issues so they can ‘take ownershipofthemessage’?Iftheydonotbelieveit,isitlikelyanyoneelse willbelievethem?
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3.Haveyoutrainedthem? Givingpresentationsinpublicrankshighonthelistofmanagers’phobias. Donotassumetheycandoitnaturallyorthattheyevenapplythesame meaningtowordsandmessagesthatyoudo.Communicatingismorethan hittingthesendbutton–dotheyknowthat?
4.Areyougivingthemthetoolsandmaterialstheyneed? ‘Jargon-filled presentations’ or exhortations on every e-mail that ‘if you have any questions, ask your line manager’ without briefing them first meanstheywillsurelyfail.
5.Isanyonewatching? Remembertheoldadage,‘whatgetsmeasured,getsdone’.Whatmechanismdoyouusetotrackleaders’communicationbehavioursandefforts?If theyunderperformdoyoudoanythingaboutit?
In their article, Sue Dewhurst and Liam FitzPatrick have concentrated on improving communication skills through training the line manager. Addressingthefivepointslistedshouldimprovethecommunicationexperienceamongfront-lineteams. Speaking at the Internal CommunicationAlliance’s (now CIPR Inside) nationalconferenceon30June2005,KevinMurray,thenChairmanofthe PublicRelationsDivisionofChimeCommunications,outlinedtheskillsline managerswouldneedtodeveloptoengagetheirteamsmoreeffectively. Alwaysunderpinningalltheirrecognizablyjob-specificactivities(perhaps accountancy, sales performance or information technology) is communication.Thisisafundamentalaspect–noonecangetthebookstobalanceor thetrainstorunontimewithoutcommunication.Thekeycommunication skillsforlinemanagers(thelistisnotnecessarilyexhaustive)areshownin theboxbelow.
KEYCOMMUNICATIONSKILLSFORMANAGERS Theneedtolisteneffectively – understandwhatmoreseniormanagerswantintermsofaction – hearwhattheirdirectreportsaresaying. Understandtheorganization/division’srequirements. Interpretthisinformationinawaythatmakessensetoemployees. Spotproblemareasandaddressthem – gauge whether these can be dealt with directly or need to be forwardedtoseniormanagement.
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Leadingfromthemiddle Encouragefeedbackfromstaff. Deliverfeedbackinasensitivewaytohigherechelons. Finetunetheprocesswithdirectreportsinresponsetoseniormanager comments.
Nilsson and Heilskov (2007), in their article in Strategic Communication Management on developing a useful toolkit for support managers, have identifiedprocessesthatareneededatfourdifferentlevelsoftheorganization. The most senior leaders are described as ‘visionary strategist’ or ‘changeagent’andthemiddleorfront-linemanager‘peoplemanager’or ‘operationalmanager’. The visionary strategist needs to ‘paint and share an attractive picture of the future’ and ‘translate vision and values’ while being consistent andpersistent.Thechangeagentneedstosellchange,‘walkthetalk’and achievedialogue. Theothertwocategories–peoplemanagerandoperationsmanager–are treatedseparatelybytheauthorsbutcouldbearguedtooverlapiftheyare notinfactinterchangeable.Theprocessestheyneedtodevelopatthefront lineincludethefollowing.
PROCESSESFORFRONT-LINEMANAGERS
settingeasytograsptargets; ensuringresultsarefollowedup; makingtimetoanswerquestions; settingasidetimeandcreatingframeworkstokeepstaffinformed; ensuring feedback to direct reports is done constructively and consistently.
ACCENTUATETHEPOSITIVE This is not about producing top orators but helping individuals develop their own style that will help them persuade those reporting to them to engagewiththem,whetheritisinameeting,viae-mailoraroundthewater cooler. Trainingshouldnotemphasizehowbadtheparticipantisatcommunication –thiswillonlyservetocompoundhisorhernegativefeelings,whichwill hinderlearning.Toencouragemanagersatalllevelsoftheorganizationto participateincommunicationtrainingitmaybenecessarytoincorporateit
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asamoduleinawiderleadershiptrainingprogramme.Forthefirstlevelor front-linemanagerthismaybepartofregulartrainingorawaydayspecial events. Junior managers often comment to trainers that the training they hadreceivedwouldalsobeusefultomoreseniormanagers.Itishelpful toencouragethehigherechelonstoparticipateintheirownsessionssoat theveryleasttheycanunderstandwhatitistheirfront-linemanagersare experiencing.Atthislevelyoumayeffectivelybecoachingasthetraining maybebeingdeliveredonaone-to-onebasis. In2007DrJonWhiteandProfessorAnneGregoryconductedanauditof thevalueofinternalcommunicationonbehalfoftheDepartmentofWork andPensions.Thisservedtoemphasizethatcommunicationisnota‘bolton’oranextrabutanessentialaspectofmanagement. Returning to the training of front-line managers, the trainer should showthemhowtotakeastepbackfromthewaytheyusuallyapproach communication.Listeningisoneofthecriticalskillslinemanagersandfor thatmattercommunicatorsneedtodevelop.Toreiterate:theotherskillsare theabilitytoclearlyexpressinformationfromtopmanagementtofront-line staffandviceversa.Theskillsrequiredcouldbearguedtobebehaviours and therefore inherent, although those who find them difficult can be helped to reinforce them by constant repetition. Those skills/behaviours includeanabilitytohandledifficultsituations,impartbadaswellasgood newsinaconstructiveway,anduselanguageintelligentlyaccordingtothe needsofthespecificaudience. Itisnotallabouttalkingofcourse:beforeopeningmouth,firstengage brain, and that means listening. Mind Gym offered the following tips to listeningeffectivelyinManagementToday,November2005.
AREYOULISTENING? Oneatatime. Focusontheindividualwhoistalking. Suspendjudgement. Listentothewords,analysethemlater. Makegestures. Show you are paying attention. Keep eye contact. Nod at appropriate points. Askopenquestions. Encouragethespeakertoexpandonpoints. Referback. Refertoearlierpointsmadebyspeakeronthatoranearlieroccasion. Gettothepoint. Encouragewafflerstomaketheirpointsuccinctly. Hearthemout.
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Leadingfromthemiddle Donotreacttooquicklyorinmidsentence. Heartheiractuallanguage. Takenoteoftheactualwordschosenbythespeaker. Notetheiremotions. Takeaccountofthespeaker’stoneofvoice.
Thedevelopmentoflisteningskillswillhelpbuddingleadersrefocustheir attentionandcommunicationeffortsontheneedsoftheaudience.Inother words,theywillmoveonfromapositionofsimplydeliveringthecompany line without first understanding it themselves and anticipating its likely reception. AgainSueDewhurstandLiamFitzPatrickhavecomeupwithanumber ofsteps‘leaders’needtothinkthroughwhenplanningtheircommunication activities.
THINKINGTHINGSTHROUGH Step1.WhyamIcommunicating?WhataretheresultsIamhopingfor? Step2.Whatwillmyteamthink?Whatisinitforthem?DoIknowthe answerstoanyquestionstheymayput? Step3.WhatdoIwanttosay?ThreetofourkeycriticalpointsIwantthem toremember. Step4.What’sthebestwaytosayit?Ifitneedstobesoonwillaquick e-maildo,ateamdiscussionorone-to-ones? Step5.Sayit!HowdoImakethemessageengaging? Step6.HowwillIknowifitworked?Checkreactions.Rightresults?Ordo youneedtodomore?
MOVINGITON Language, and the particular choice and application of words, is one of thekeywaystheprofessionalcommunicatorcanhelpturnalinemanager from a less than successful amateur to a more competent communicator. Asstatedpreviouslythereisatendencytohidebehindcompanylingoor jargon.Itisveryhardtobreakawayfromrelyingonwhatareessentially clichésandstereotypes. The Guardian newspaper has on more than one occasion seen fit to outlinewordsandphrasesthatareusedwidelybymanagerstohidesloppy thoughtandintheprocessfailtocommunicate.Oneofthesimplestblocks to communication is the smothering of simple language with essentially 147
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meaninglessjargon.Elsewhereinthisbooktheneedforpreciselanguage inspecificbusinessorindustrialactivitieshasbeennotedanditisnotthat languagewhichcausestheproblem. Inlight-heartedpieces,‘Memototheboss–cutthejargon’(Guardian7 November2006),GuyBrowningsupplieshisfavouritesasdoesMalcolm Burgesswritingaboutwhatheterms‘corporatebullshit’inthesamepaper in‘Tonguetwisters’on4September2006.Aselectionofphrasesthatcould leadtoconfusionfollows,togetherwithalternatives.
PHRASESTHATCANBEMISINTERPRETED Drivethenumbers.Alternative:Improvesales/productionfigures. Facetime.Alternative:Talkingtotheindividualdirectly. Takingsomethingoff-line.Alternative:Tobedealtwithlater. Puttobed.Alternative:Finish. Added value. Alternative: Extra uses for the product/service or extra contributionthatemployeemightmake. Macro-management.Alternative:Seniororboardleveldecisions. New customer acquisition strategy. Alternative: What sales people do whennotsellingtheproduct/service. Organizational excellence. Alternative: What we are saying about ourselves,anaspiration/exhortationtodobetter. Outcomes.Alternative:Apublic/voluntarysectortermforresults. Shareholdervalue.Alternative:Maximumprofits.
SOWHATMAKESTHEMIDDLESPECIAL? AsNilssonandHeilskov(2007)demonstrated,therearevariationsbetween differentlevelsofmanagersintermsofthetypeordegreeofcommunication skillstheywillneedtoperformeffectively. Thereisarguablysomeoverlapatalllevelsbuttorecap,atthetopthe ‘visionarystrategist’needstovisualizethefutureandputthatinattractive butcomprehensiblelanguageandkeeponrestatingthiswhileremaining consistent.The‘changeagent’,arguablyonelayerdown,needstobeable to‘selltheneedforchange’,againpresentaconsistentmessageandbeable tofeedbacktheresults. Closertothemiddleandalsothefrontline,thepeoplemanagerneeds tobeabletomotivate,‘listenandshowinterest’andtackleproblemsconstructively.Thefront-lineor‘operationsmanager’hasto‘setcleartargets andfollowup’,andmaketimetoexplainanddealwithissues.
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Themiddleandforthatmatterthelinemanagercanfeeltorninmore thanonedirectionastheyarepositionedliterallyinthemiddleandhave toaddresstheconcernsofbothtopmanagementandthoseatthedelivery end. Thespecificproblemsarisingfrombeing‘sandwiched’betweenmultiple levels involve the need to be able to understand and use the different ‘languages’employedatdifferentlevelsoftheorganization.Thesemanagers need to be consummate politicians gauging the temperature at board levelandtranslatingthatinanacceptablemannerforthefrontline.They alsoneedtomaintaineffectiverelationshipswithothermanagersattheir ownlevel–theirpeersbasedinotherfunctionsordepartments.Itcould thereforebearguedthattheyarethecriticalmanagersinanyorganization. Theyareeffectivelythegatekeepers–providingthemostrespectedroute to front-line employees for senior management, and vice versa. If they areequippedtodotheirjobeffectivelytheyarekeytotheorganization’s continuedsuccess. Arecentstudyof600globalmanagersbyWorldBusinessmagazine(Nov/ Dec2006)showedthat50percentrate‘gettingworkdonethroughothers’ asa‘toughchallenge’,whilealmostasmany(44percent)aretroubledby ‘engagingandinspiringemployees’.Reportingonthesurvey,JamesCurtis statesin‘Thelongjourneytothetop’,thateachstageinthemanagement climb offers a set of skill development issues to be addressed. However, theseallappeartohavecommunication,tointernalorexternalaudiences, attheirheart.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Pinpoint the natural communicators in your organization and use themasyourstartingpoint. Identifyandfocustrainingonthosestrugglingwiththecommunication process. Design programmes pitched as help rather than punishment. Use disguisetosugarthepillifnecessary. Teach front-line managers the importance of listening to senior managersandalsotheirownteam. Giveleaderstimetoabsorbmessagesbeforeexpectingthemtopass themon. Provide useful tools with which to make a few points simply and attractively. Include communication competencies in development plans and appraisals. Rewardeffectivenessbutdonotpunishfailure. Get‘leaders’tolearnfromtheirmistakes.
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Thecreativeaspects –writing,editingand designingityourself Ever spotted a strange little figure in an unexpected location scribbling furiously?Donotassumetheyareunwell;theycouldhavebeengrabbedby themuseandarebusycapturingtheirinspirationbeforeitisgoneagain. Probablythemostdifficultthingtoteachanyoneiscreativity.Italways seemsthatifyoucannotdrawastraightline,fashiondesignandthelikeare barredintermsofcareer.Andifyoudidnotwinanessaycompetitionin childhoodyouprobablyfeelyoucannotwriteforaliving.Youmaywonder whatplacecreativityhasinthegrandschemethatisinternalcommunication. In Chapter 13 the list of subjects the workforce wanted to be kept in the knowaboutdidnotexactlyreekofthemostimaginativethings. But without that inspired spark most of what passes for consumer advertisingwouldbereducedtomereexhortationsonnewnessandcost.It isoftenthatsomethingextrathatsellsthebrandandthisisunlikelytocome fromastraightforwardtranslationofthebalancesheet. Thereisnointentioninthischaptertoteachyouhowtowriteortotake award-winning or even serviceable photographs. Instead, using some examplespresentedbyresearchforthisbookandafewtricksofthetrade
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learnt from years at the journalistic coalface, the author hopes you will bemoreconfidentinyourowncreativeabilityorableattheveryleastto intelligentlybriefspecialists(seeChapter24formoreonthis).
CAPTURINGTHESPARK Gettingstartedonawrittenpieceisalwaysthehardestpart,butoncethe firsttwoorthreeparagraphsarewrittentherestjustseemstoflownaturally. Thepointofthestoryofthehuddledfigureisthatinspirationcanandis morelikelytostrikeawayfromtheconstantlyringingtelephonesandother interruptionsofeverydayworkinglife. Muchhasbeensaidaboutindividuals(somecreativegeniusesandothers notrecognizedassuch)goingtosleeponadifficultproblemanddreaming oratleastwakingupwiththesolution.Andthesesolutionsarenotalways bizarrenonsensicalduds–some,oratleastpartsofthem,maywork. Both the act of going on a long walk or waking up shouting ‘Eureka!’ mayworksimplybecausethemindhasbeenletofftheleashandcanroam morefreely. Sowhereandwhendoyougetyourbestideas?Isitintheshoweratthe endoftheday?Isitjustbeforeyougotosleeporwhenyouwakeup?Isit atwork–onyourownwiththevoicemailtakingcalls,orinagroupina set-piecesituation? Itmaymakeformessyliving,butwhynotdotyourmostlikelythinking spots with a small pad of paper and pencil (in the bathroom) or, for less dampsurroundings,pen.Itisalsopossibletobuypocket-sizednotebooks tocaptureyourthoughtsonthemove.Perhapsyouwouldpreferamore technologicallydrivenapproach.Aminicassetteplayerwouldworkwell inthecarandwillalsofitneatlyintoahandbag.
SPARKINGIDEASTOGETHER Differentpiecesofresearchhavefromtimetotimesuggestedthatanindividualmightproducemoreideasontheirownthanthecombinedefforts ofagroupworkingtogether.Thishasalsobeenappliedtoe-mailforawith conflictingresults. Nick Fitzherbert from Magic Management speaking at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations National Conference in November 2003 declared travelling as the best opportunity for idea generation at 39 per cent.Apparently only 11 per cent found inspiration while at work and a mere1percentmorefounditintheshower,while18percentpreferred sleepingonit.
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Despitework’spoorshowinghehassometipsforeffectivebrainstorming asillustratedintheboxedpanelbelow.
THEIDEALBRAINSTORM
Sixindividualswithdifferentskills(experts,novices,chair,recorder). Equipmenttorecord. Noalcohol. Nottoomuchcomfort. Stricttimeframe. Clearobjectives. Broadownershipandstatusofideas. Allideasencouraged,nonedismissed.
Itmayseemoddtoplacesuchafirmstructurearoundwhatissupposedto becreativeactivity,butitistheonlywaytoensurethatgoalsareachieved. Outofalltheideasgeneratedprobably90percentwillbejettisoned.It isthereforeimportantthatnooneiscriticizedforhavingsupposedlywild, impracticalideas.Everyoneenteringintotheprocessshouldbecompletely happywiththenotionthatfewideaswillactuallygetonletaloneoffthe drawingboardandthatnoshameorblameisimplied. PeterLawlor,CreativeDirectoratHill&Knowltonconsultancy,reckons that when a child is five there are few barriers, and if a child chooses to drawabluecowthensuchanentityisdeemedpossible.Childrendonot filterideassoseeminglyimpossibleonesareexplored,andadultswoulddo welltorelearnthatskill,atleastinpart. NickFitzherbertdescribesfourlevelsofbrainstorming.Wordassociation isabitlikestickingapininathesaurus(incidentallyagreatwaytofinda name for something) and involves playing games with words associated withanobjectandthenworkingwiththeresultingthoughts. Free thinking is, exactly as the label suggests, an opportunity to range farandwidewithagivensubject,andseveralconsultanciesruncreative thinkingprogrammesfortheirclients. Testedstrategies,however,aretheopposite,takingideasthathavealready workedelsewhereandthengivingthemanextratwist.Thisoneprobably workswhereanextensionofaready-developedprogrammeisneeded. Marginal or magical mindset is the search for different perspectives. Movingtoanunusuallocationmayworkhereandmayinvolvebringingin peoplefromoutsidethenominalgrouporperhapssendingindividualsoff toworkalone.Thisapproachmightalsolenditselftoreversaloftheusual circumstances–turningtheproblemonitsheadbeforeseekingananswer.
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Eventhecoloursinthemeetingroomcouldhavesomebearingonthe success or otherwise of the session. Nick Fitzherbert says red generates excitement, yellow lifts mood, blue calms, white can be sterile but also uncluttered, while green is peaceful. A bowl of nuts will also get the participantsbuzzing–apparentlyboostingserotoninlevels–againallto dowithmood. Brainstorming is not restricted to strict idea generation. It can also be usedaspartofthecommunicationsprocessasdemonstratedbelow.
SEXINGUPTHEMISSIONSTATEMENT A solo brainstorm in advance of a team presentation resulted in the brainstormingtechniqueitselfbeingusedtogetstaffattheRoyalBankof Scotland thinking about the bank’s core values.A relatively long-serving teammemberhadtogiveapresentationtoamonthlyteammeetingand decidedtoemphasizetheorganization’smissionstatementbybringingit to life in an unexpected way. There were penalties for not knowing key elements, so she sought to find a memorable way of making it all stick. Whatbetterwaythanusingthatage-oldmotivator–sex. SheemployedoneofNickFitzherbert’stechniques–wordassociation. Sothephrase‘fitforpurpose’became‘condom’,‘interdependence’became ‘69’,‘individualresponsibility’–‘birthcontrol’.Thegroupwereaskedto supplytherest,whichtheydidwithgreathumour. HumourwasalsocrucialtoBSkyB’sattemptstogetalargelyyouthful workforcethinkingaboutasharesaveprogramme.SpeakingattheCIPR’s November2003conference,thenGroupHeadofInternalCommunications, Hamish Haynes, employed bags of chocolate coins to get the message acrossentertainingly.
THINKVISUALLY Many of the best ideas are in fact visual and summon up ready-made images.Therehasbeenatendencyinrecentyearstouselittlebetterthan passport-sizedphotographstoillustratearticles.Inanotherwiseexpensive or good-looking publication this could project meanness, perhaps an unfortunate subliminal message. There is an old adage that a picture is worthathousandwords–youcantesttheveracityofthatbyhavingalook atanynationalorregionalnewspaper.Thesepublicationsalsogivespace generouslytopicturesthatwarrantthetreatment;dothesame. Anditistheideathatcounts.Alongline-uparoundachequepresentation, or a group shot of an entire team may suit an economically driven
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photographicunit(localpaperssellmoreprintsofteamphotos)butitdoes notprogressthestory.Agoodphotographshouldemphasizeorillustrate apoint.Carefulpositioningonthepagewilloftendrawtheeyein.Usean eye-catchingimageonthefrontpagetoenticepeopletolookontheinside byteasingthemwithafewrelevantdetails. Whetheryouarebriefingaphotographerortakingtheimageyourself, bear certain things in mind. Make sure your subject is comfortable with whatyouhaveinmind,includingthefinalusageoftheimage.Theymay have an added twist of their own which would give a better result. Be carefuloftimingforphotoshoots–avoidmid-tolateafternoonasfrom autumn through to early summer the available light will surely let you down.Photographsareprobablybesttakeninthemorningunlessnightis partofthecontext. Ifyoucannotaffordtobriefaphotographerorareunabletotakeyourown images,anoptionispresentedbyanyoneofthemanyphotolibrariesnow in existence. Catalogues of literally thousands of images can be accessed online.Justrememberyouarebuyingonaone-offusebasisonly,unless youhavenegotiatedotherwise.Itisalsopossiblethatyourchosenimage willbeusedelsewhere. Youmayalsowishtoconsiderwhethercolourorblackandwhitestrikes therightchordforyouraudience.Blackandwhitedoesnotalwayshave toappearold-fashioned;itcaneffectivelygenerateatmospherecompared withthesameimageincolour. Andifyoudohavetouseapoorpicturebecauseitistheonlyoneavailable,dowhatthenationalpapersdo:useitbigorcropittofocusonthe goodorinterestingfeatures. Ofcoursephotographsarejustonekindofvisualelement.Sketchesand drawingscanbeappropriateandoftenmakeapointmoresubtlythanthe gritty realism of a photograph. It is most likely that such images would needtobecommissionedandthereisagraphicdesignerouttherewiththe righttouchforyou. Digitalcameras,aswellastakingstillsforprint,alsoallowtheinsertion ofstillormovingimagesintowebsitessothereisnoreasonwhytheintranet shouldberegardedasapurelystaticmedium.Overalltipsonintranetand technologicallydrivenplatformsarecoveredinChapter21.
BACKTOTHEWRITTENWORD If a picture is worth a thousand words you will still need words for the caption.Picturesalonecannotprovidethenecessarycontext.Sothissection culminates with tips on writing for publications which apply equally internallyandexternally.
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Therearetipsworthlearningfromthemassmediaaboutthewaywords areemployedonthepage.Dissertation-stylewritingisnouseforaninternal newspaper unless the audience is an academic one. First, it is necessary to establish what your readers would usually choose to read in terms of nationalnewspapersandasfarasispracticalmimicthestyle. Onceuponatimetherewasarulethatthereshouldbeamaximumof 40 words for an ‘intro’ (introductory paragraph) and 30 for subsequent paragraphs.Nowadaysitislikelytobeshorterstill,especiallyforpublicationswithanexternalaudience.Theserulesaremadetobebroken–have alookattheoccasionalheadlineintheGuardianwhichreadslikeafully fledged sentence or paragraph. However, use this particular technique sparingly. Peopleareinterestedinotherpeople,especiallyonestheyknoworwho arelikethemselves.Findingahumanaspecttoacorporatestorywillensure ithasabetterchanceofbeingreadanditskeypointsunderstood. Howtogoaboutaddingabitofhumanitytoyourcopy?Youmightgo insearchoftheherowhokeptthemachinesrunningagainstalltheodds, the champion runner who excels both in and outside work, a winner of anindustryprize.Interviewsprovidetheopportunitytoputkeypointsin someoneelse’swords. Youshouldalsotrytomakeyourcopyasactiveaspossible.Alwaysuse asimplewordratherthanthejargonorcomplexversion–‘mother’isso muchbetterthan‘maternalparent’. Whynotuseyourorganization’sownemployeestoconductinterviews with the top brass? The genuine voice will then come through. The LE Group’s Livewire publication made a regular feature of such interviews. Carefuleditinghelpedretainmuchoftheflavouroftheoriginalwriter’s voice. OntheCIPRwebsiteJohnFoster,authorofEffectiveWritingSkillsforPublic Relations(2008)listssomeusefulpointersforwriterswhichareadaptedand editedintheboxbelow.
TOPTIPSFORWRITERS Gettingstarted.Ifscreen/sheetofpaperisblank,don’tpanic.Takea break.Talktocolleagues. Think of the reader. You are not trying to be Charles Dickens. Go for brevity, accuracy, simplicity. Put points in logical sequence. Make surestorieshaveabeginning,middleandend.Usepresenttensein headline. Brevityrules.Trimsentencelengthtotheminimum.Keepparagraphs tonomorethanfoursentences.
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Gettingitright–practicalapplication Plainisbest.UsesimpleEnglish.Usetheshortnotlongword.Avoid foreign words (that includes Latin). Do not overuse adjectives and adverbs.Avoiddoublenegatives.Sticktothefacts. Writetight.Avoidsayingittwice.Trimmeaninglessadditionalwords. Varythewayyoubeginsentences. Getthegrammarright.Keeptotherulesbutdon’toverdoit,language evolvesovertime. Punctuationessentials.Usecommassparingly,twopersentencemaximum.Don’tgomadwithbrackets.Onlyhyphenatewheretwowords readasone.Exclamationmarksshouldbeusedrarely. Outwithclichés.Thesearenotthejargontermsreferredtoelsewhere. Avoidover-familiarwaysofsayingthingsastheyareprobablyclichés. Jargonandslang.Theformerhasbeencoveredelsewhere.Slangmight occasionally work in headlines but not otherwise; beware causing offence. Stylematters.Decidetherulesforuseofcapitals,singularandplural, stylefordates,jobtitlesandabbreviations. Makeitreadable.Breakupyourcopywithsub-headingsandthelike. Do not set masses of type across very wide width columns, break a pageintoatleasttwocolumns(easierontheeye). Bewarespellings.Certainwordsareoftenconfusedwithothers.Read Foster’sbooktofindoutmore. Accuracyfirst.Checknames,figuresandtechnicalwords.Checkcopyrightandlibellaws.
MANAGINGTHEEDITORIALPANEL Many publications boast extensive editorial committees and these can oftenbethedeathofalivelypublicationunlesstheexpert–you–manages them. Ifatallpossibletrytowhittledowntothebarestminimumthenumber ofpeoplewhocanrejectcopy.Withanyluck,ifyoudemonstrateyouwill notabusetheirtrust,theapprovalprocesswillbecomelittlemorethana formality. Meetingscanberestrictedtooneattheplanningstage,whichcanalso servetoreviewthepreviousissue,andanotheratthebasiccopy-checking stage. Positioning stories should be left to your discretion except to take accountofthecorporateweightingofparticularissues. Ifthepanelislargewhynotusethistoyouradvantagebymakingeach individualresponsibleforgeneratingandcollectingideasfromtheirspecific workarea?Thismakesthemfeelfarmoreinvolvedinthewholeprocess.
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IT’STHEOVERALLLOOKTHATCOUNTS Alongwithphotography,imagesandwords,thereisonelastaspect–the overalllookofthepublication.Dependingontheformatyouhavechosen, orhavetoworkwith,whynotstealaleafoutofyourcommercialcounterpart’sbook?Evenanewslettercanlookmuchmorenewsyifascaled-down approachtonewspaperdesignisadopted.Headlinesshouldbemorethan justlabels–makethemactiveanduseasfewwordsaspossible.Do,however,makesurethatyourchosengemsincombinationmeanwhatyouwant themtosay–itispossibletobetooeconomicalattimes. Look at facing pages together rather than separately. Where possible avoid whole banks of headlines running across the top of one, let alone both, pages. Photographs, drawings, logos and bylines (a chance to give credit where it is due) help to break up such runs. Cross-heads or boxes containingquotesfromthecopycanbeusedtobuildinnaturalbreaksto vastslabsofcopy. Whenchoosingphotographsremembertoplaceafacesothatitfacesinto ratherthanoutofthepage.Ifyoudonotdothisthereader’seyewilltravel offthepageandtheycouldbelosttoyouforever.However,youcanbreak thisruleonthefrontpageasameansofencouragingpeopletofollowupa storywithin.Catchycaptionshelptheprocess. Therearealsoargumentsaboutwhetherpeoplereadfromthefrontorthe backofapublication.Thereisnoonecorrectanswerbutgoodsignposting intheformofcontentspanelswillensuretheygettowheretheywanttogo. Ifsporthasalwaysresidedonthebackpageyoutinkerwiththistradition atyourperil,particularlyasitissomethingofamassmediatradition. HOWTOMAKEYOURPUBLICATIONGRABATTENTION
Getaprofessionalredesignthatyoucanfollow(template). Pickatitleyoucanlivewith.* Taketipsonwritingfromyourfavouritenewspaper. Goforsnappyheadlines. Pulloutquotestobreakupcopy. Usecross-headstoassisttheeye. Useprofessionallyproducedphotography. Briefthephotographerbutlettheprofessionaldotheirjob. Placethepicturestocatchtheeye. Donotrunheadlinesacrossinbanksoftwosandthrees.
*Alocalauthoritywhichshallremainnamelesslaunchedaninternalnewslettercalled CorporationTipsinthebeliefthiswaswitty.Perhapsitwasbutworkers,particularly thoseworkingatthe‘tip’(theworksdepot)endofthebusiness,werenotamused andemployeerelationswereputbackyears.Thepublicationwasshortedlived. 157
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WHATTOPUTIN Bearinmindthewisewordsoftheauthor’sfirstbossinjournalism:‘What iswrittenwithinterestisreadwithinterest’.Ifyoucannotmaketheeffort toinjectyourowninterestintoasubject,whyshouldyourreadersbother? Itisworthtestingthenameofanypublicationwithpartsofthereadership you can trust for an honest answer. Your brainstormed gem could well haveameaningyouneveranticipated.Shouldthemagazinebedespatched overseasitiswellworthgettingthelocaldictionaryouttoo. Stuckforcontentgenerally?Well,gobacktoChapter13anduseCenter and Jackson’s (1995) checklist to establish what your audience wants to knowabout.Givethemthenewsoftheorganization,butalsorememberto addthehumaninterestaspectstoo.
THEANNUALREPORT Formanyorganizationsproducingtheannualreportisamajorheadache, but here a creative approach can pay dividends. A health board used the Harry Potter school of publishing and produced different covers for differentaudiences,andpresentedthecontentinablockbusternovelstyle. Whatever you do, pick a form that excites. Charity Volunteer Reading Help,whichencourageschildrentoread,produceditsreportliketheendof-yearreportssofamiliartoparents–allthoseticksandcrossesworkeda treat.Contentdoes,however,needtoincludeaclearexplanationofaccounts andstatementsfromseniorexecutives.Butthereisalsoampleopportunity to share excellent practice from the different corners of the organization. Whynotlettheteamstalkintheirownwords?Theimageswillalsoenliven things. Itisimportanttorememberpreciselywhowillbetheaudienceforyour annual report. If your organization is a charity it will have very many externalaudiencesincludingtheCharityCommissionandpotentialdonors. Itmaypayyoutoconsiderproducingmorethanoneversion–oneforthe externalaudiencesandonefortheinternal. Although the accounts side of things will not be part of the internal communicator’sroleasarule,youshouldensureyouunderstandprecisely whatthefiguresaresayingsothatyourmessagesareconsistentwiththe organization’s true position. An upbeat tone may not work too well in timesofstress.Whateveryouwriteshouldalsobeclearedwiththeinvestor relationsteamtoensureconsistency. Theannualreportalsoofferstheopportunityfortheinternalcommunicatortoworkmorecloselywiththeorganization’spublicrelationspeople.
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Harness them to uncover stories that might appeal internally and vice versa. Thenextchaptertouchesonthelogisticsofpublicationproduction.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Bepreparedforthecreativemusetostrikeinoddplaces–waterproof padintheshower. Usejourneysforthinkingtime. Brainstormsneedstructureandrulestowork. Makeuseofavarietyoftechniqueslikewordassociationtogetgroups buzzing. Beforebriefingaphotographervisualizetheimageyouwantachieved. Useimageryontheprintedpagetoencouragepeopletoreadon. Read both tabloid and broadsheet newspapers to gauge writing style. Keepparagraphsandsentencesshortandsweet. Findthehumanaspecttoyourstory. Cutjargon. Gettheworkforcetointerviewthebosses. Keepyoureditorialboardmanageableandmanagethem. Goforanewsyoverallappearanceandapproach.
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Publishingthe printedword–the logisticalaspects Therewasatimeinthemid-tolate1990swhenitwasfirmlybelievedthat theprintedpublicationhadhaditsdayandwewouldallbereadingour employee publications straight off our computer screens.Although there have been advances to the ‘i-book’, it still has to overcome its inherent disadvantages. Only in a limited number of cases have all publications been moved online, and usually only in appropriate technology-based companies.Someorganizationsmayhavereducedthenumberofprinted publicationsbuttheystillexistalongsidethee-version,ensuringemployees withoutconstantaccesstoaterminalarekeptintouch. However, producing print can be expensive and it remains something ofanumbersgame.Thefirstthousandcopiesofanythingwillcarryabulk shareofthecostsasitbearsthecostoftypesetting,artwork,platemaking andproofsplusotherintermediatestages. Quantitiesbeyondtheinitialthousandwillberathercheaperasyouare being charged for paper, ink and collation alone. However, should you miscalculateandreturnforreprintsyouwillbechargedtheset-upcostsall overagainbecauseplatesarenotalwaysstoredandsomehavealimited
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lifespan anyway. It pays to calculate print runs very carefully. Should storageproveanissue,talksweetlytotheprinterwhomayhavecapacity andbeabletoassist.
USINGTHEPROFESSIONALTYPESETTER ANDPRINTER Youcansavetimeandmoneytosomeextentbyusingdesktoppublishing packageswhichcombinetypesettingandlayoutfunctions,previouslythe provinceofinkyoldcraftsmen.However,thefinishyouachieveisunlikely tobeasimpressiveasthatofaprofessional. Copycanbetransmittedelectronicallytoaprofessionaltypesettereither bydiskore-mailbutitisuptoyoutohavecheckeditfirst.Failuretocheck copyisoneofthesinglegreatestcausesofunexpectedpricehikesinthe middleofprintjobs.Author’sproofscanaddsubstantiallytocostandalso taketime. It is also possible for the occasional print professional to prove to be dyslexic. Even if the copy is your own deathless prose and left you in a pristineandaccuratestate,youstillneedtocheckfullyeachsetofproofs inturn.Amazinglymistakescancreepinsomewherebetweenyouandthe printer’sversion. Shouldyoubeworkingonadirectoryorlisting-styleformat,orapublication with headings, always check that these are where you want them placedonapage.Evenchangingonesmallwordcancauseeverythingelse inthedocumenttoshiftandthrowoutofalignmentyourcarefullyplanned designelements.Butthemostimportantpointisthatconstantcopychanges willaddtothebillandcertainlywillnotimproveyourtemper. If you need to make corrections at proof stage, follow standard proof correctionpracticeasshowninFoster(2008).HisvolumeEffectiveWriting SkillsforPublicRelationsprovidesmuch-neededguidanceonawholerange ofrelatedissuesrelatingtowritingandpublicationstylegenerally. Make sure at contract stage that the price agreed makes allowance for reasonableauthor’scorrections,andhaveaguideastowhatisregardedas reasonable.Ensureyouarenotinfactgoingtobechargedforputtingright theprinter’serrors. Paper probably constitutes one of the largest elements of cost in any printingproject.Differentweightsofpapercanhaveanenormousbearing onthebudgetgenerally,especiallyinthosecostcentresrelatingtopostage. Beforefinalizingacontractwithyourcommercialprinteritissensibleto lookathowdifferentqualitiesandweightsofpaperwork,notjustinterms ofphysicalweightbutalsohowtheycarrytheinkitself.
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Alargeprintrunofatabloid-stylepublicationmayseemappropriateon anewsprintweight.Evenifyourefrainfromusingtoomuchhigh-density colourphotographyortintpanelsyoucouldstillexperiencewhatistermed ‘bleed-through’.Tryreadingapageofnewsprintagainstdaylightorstrong light;ifthepaperistoolowinweightorqualityyouwillfindwordsand picturesfromfollowingpagesgrinningthroughwhateveryouarereading. Thiscanalsoprovetrueofqualitiesofpaperotherthannewsprint. Itispossibletoproduceanewspaper-stylepublicationonaglossypaper, but this is more than likely costlier than newsprint. This may, however, be an appropriate alternative depending on the nature of your audience and its expectations. High-gloss or shiny paper, depending on how copy and images are used in terms of scale, can also communicate subliminal messagesbothgoodorbad.Insomecasesglossycantranslateastackyand downmarketandsomaybestbereservedformagazineformats. Heavier-weight matt paper is rather more versatile in that it can be usedonalltypesofpublicationfromnewspapersthroughnewslettersto magazines.Thebetter-qualitypaperscanalsohavearathermorepleasant feelthangloss,soagainbeswayedbyyouraudience. Incertainpublicsectorandnot-for-profitarenasifeconomicconditions arehardusingaheavy-weightpaperwheresomethinglighterhadsufficed previously could exude an unfortunate message of profligacy. However, choosingtoothinapapercantransmitaverydifferentmessage–thatof lackofcareorawarningoftoughtimestocome.
DEPLOYINGCOLOURANDTYPEFACE Fewpublicationsappearoncolourpapersanditisnotsimplybecausethey tendtocostmoreortheircreatorsareold-fashioned.Formostreadersapart from those with sight problems the easiest combination to read is black printonwhitepaper.Colourpanelsshouldbeusedsparingly,especiallyon newsprintweightsofpaper.Donotbetemptedtousemorethana10or20 percentwashofcolour(ortintasitismoreproperlytermed)evenifyou areplanningtouseaveryheavy-weighttypeface. Youcanbreakthisrulewhenusingblackordeepcolours,settingthetype inwhite.However,thesearebestrestrictedtoverysmallboxesorpanels perhapsfortheauthor’sbyline,headlinesorintroductorypanels. Shouldyoudecidetousecolourinthisway,payparticularattentionto thekindoftypefaceyouplantouse.Therearetwobasictypes:sansserifor serif.Sansseriffacesdonothavetheserifsorshortlinesattheendofthe character.SansseriffacessuchasGillwillbehardertoreadforanylength oftimeandTimesandotherseriffacesareeasierontheeye.Seriffacesmay looksomewhatold-fashionedbuttheystillmanagetodothejobandget readeffectively. 162
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Toachievesomedegreeofconsistencyinthelookofprintedmaterialit iswisetorestrictyourselfintermsofthenumbersoftypefacesyouchoose. Youmayselectoneforheadlinesandanotherforbodycopy–two,perhaps three, different families of type but no more. You may use the different facestoflagupachangeofpace–perhapsseriffornewsandsansseriffor featuresorviceversa. Withineachtypefacearangeofdifferenttreatmentsispossiblewhichcan beusedeffectivelyforheadlines,photographcaptionsandpull-outquotes. UprightversionsoftypefaceswillbedescribedasRomanwhereasascript effect will be Italic.You can also use expanded or condensed versions of themall,boldorregular.Butitisworthcheckingtheeffectbeforeventuring inthatdirection.Againusethemsparinglyforgreatestimpact. Itmayalsobepossiblethatsomeofyouremployeesmayhavedisabilities which render certain media inaccessible to them. Charities looking after the interests of people with physical disabilities can advise you. When producing print publications or, for that matter, online newsletters it is worth increasing the point size – that means even shorter stories! Crossheadsandthelikehelptaketheeyecomfortablythroughthemazeofprint. Rememberthatyourprizednewspaperore-mailpublicationisstilllikely to be a second, third or fourth choice with voice communication, that is face-to-face,stillthemediumofchoice. Backtocolouraspects.Colourpanelscanbeusedtoenlivenalargelycheap black and white newsletter format. Mastheads carrying the publication namecanlookmoreeye-catchingasblackorwhiteoutofaheavytint.If youhavetophotocopy,orthinkthereisanychancetherecipientswill,itis agoodideatoseehowcertaincolourcombinationsreact.Blackoutofdeep mauve or aubergine will translate as black with no definition and so no typewillbevisible.Paleyellowoftendisappearsasaneffectaltogether. Colours on glossy or matt publications can hide some unexpectedly nastyandembarrassingsurprises.Asouvenirguideforahospitalwhich used the corporate blue (a particularly deep shade and a fairly standard colour)onthecovertransferreditselftotheroyalwhitegloves.Infactthe blue redistributed itself for many years to come. Make sure your printer eitherprovidesaprotectivecoatingtosealthecolour(anotherextracost), consideradifferentpaper,orensureitisproperlydried.
PAGINATIONANDOTHERWEIGHTYISSUES Pagecountsareanimportantconsideration,particularlyonthecostfront. Dependingonthetypeofpublicationyouareproducingyoumaywishto lookatprintingcopyoninsidecoverstomakeuseofotherwiseredundant space.Eachpageofprintyouproduceusuallycomesasoneoffour–soyou
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usuallytalkabouta4-,8-,12-pageetcpublication.Ifyoucanonlyfillthree youdonotgetareductionforspaceunfilled. Using full colour throughout a publication can prove to be expensive. Onewaytocutcostsistodiscusswithyourprinteremployingcolouron alimitednumberofpages.Thecorrectterminologytouseis‘forms’and referstothenumberofpagesthatcanbeprintedinonepassthroughthe presses.Aformcouldtake2,4,8or16pages,perhapsmore.Forinstancethe frontandbackpages,say1and8,ofapublicationwillbepassedthroughat thesametimebutpages2and7willneedtobepassedthroughseparately. Sodecidewhetheryouwantcolouronthefrontandbackpages.
Gatefolds Itispossibletoproduceasix-pageorgatefoldpublication–thesefoldout todisplaythreesidesatatime.However,thisisnotastandardsizeandwill costmore,butprobablynotasmuchaseight,whichwillrequiresomeform ofstaplingorstitching.Itisalsopossibletoinsertextrasinglesheetsbut unlessthepublicationisstapledorboundthismaypartcompanyfromthe mainpublication.Shouldyoudecidetogodownthisrouteafeaturecould bemadeoftheextrasheet,describingitasabonuspull-out.Butmakesure nothingvitalappearsonitasitmaycomeadrift. Thereisapagelimitintermsoflogisticsformanytypesofpublication. An A5 directory which is simply stitched (stapled) will automatically springopeniftoomanypagesareincluded(somewhereintheregionof60 sidesisprobablyit).Progressingtoadifferentformatmayaddtoomuch tothefinalbillbutscalinguptoanA4versionmightsolvetheproblem.A newspaper can look satisfactorily chunky but it may be worth making it appearmoremanageablebybreakingitdownintosections,muchinthe mannerofweekendnewspapersandtheirsupplements. Capacityisanimportantissue.Notonlyispostagebecomingmoreand moreexpensive(thePostOfficehascomplicatedmattersbyvaryingcoston sizeaswellasweight),butsoispackagingandyoushouldneverstinton this.Publicationsofalonger-lastingnaturesuchasdirectoriesorhandbooks inbinderformatneedspecialistenvelopes.Theproducerofthebindermay wellhavethoughtofthisandcanprovidespeciallydesignedandsizedcard boxcontainers;thesewilladdtothepostbillbutthecontentswillremain pristine.Weightcouldbekeptdownthroughtheuseofpaddedenvelopes; itisworthdoingatestrunasthesecanalsobepricy.Alsoprotectsharpor well-definedcornersonanypublicationsasthesecanoftenworkholesin eventhetoughestofpadding. Whenproducinganewsletter,newspaperormagazine,theenvelopeor polythene wrapper in which it is to be sent needs to be large enough to accommodatethepublication.AC4envelopemaynotbelargeenoughto
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taketheA4publicationsogoforgussettedenvelopesorsomethinglarger –tryafewforsize. Factsheets and A4 publications may be destined for extended use by insertion in folders and the like.Again check the folder will comfortably accommodate the publication – split and torn sections do not look attractive.Folderscanalsobeconstructedwithgussetstogivemorespace. AnA4 folder with contents will of course need a larger-size envelope to accommodateit. Distributionisaboringbutcrucialissue.Itshouldbetheresponsibility of someone in the internal communications department to ensure transportation of the finished item actually works. If your prized efforts are simplybeingdumpedatdepots,howdotheygetfromtheretothedesktop orworkspace?Postageorcourierdespatchtohomeaddressesmayseema luxurybuttheextraexpensedoesatleastensurearrival.Check,however, that the recipient will welcome receiving effectively work mail at home. Makesurealsothatyouareworkingfromup-to-dateaddresslistsasthis toowillsaveonwasteanddisappointment. Logisticalaspectscanservetodeflectyoufromthemostimportantfactor –ensuringthechosenformatsuitsitsdesiredpurposeratherthanthepostal servicerequirements.Ifyouhavejustonecriticalmessagetogetacrossto a lot of people very quickly, perhaps a leaflet might be an option. These canvaryenormouslyinsizebuttendtobefractionsofanA4sheet–ad/l (asprintersrefertothem)issuchasheetfoldedtomakesixsides.Ifyour subjectmatterisweightieryoumightsizeuptoA5whichwillstillfitintoa handbagandisinfactA4foldedinhalf. Newslettersshouldbeusedwherethereismoretosayonamoreregular basis.TheyaremostusuallyA4formatalthoughsomemaystillbeproduced inA5butthishasaslightlyold-fashioned,parishchurchmagazinefeelto it.AnA4newsletterisinfactA3foldedinhalfandyoucanhaveasmany pagesasyoulike;however,rememberthatprintersoperateinmultiplesof fourandyouwillgetchargedevenwhereyourcopyonlyfillsthreesides. YoucanalsoplaywiththeA4formatbutuseagatefold,similartothed/l leaflet;thisis,however,whatinlesspoliteprintercirclesiscalleda‘bastard’ size,sowillcostmore.Youdonothavetorestrictyourselftostandardsizes butitwillhelpinabudgetarysense. MagazinesmostusuallyappearinanA4formatbutothervariantsare also possible including tabloid which you would normally reserve for a newspaper format. Newspaper publications for internal communication purposes are most usually tabloid; broadsheet is far too unwieldy and appearstohavehaditsdayinthewiderworldtoo.Butrulesaremadetobe broken;theauthorhasseenanannualreportintheformofacalendar. Printpublicationswouldappeartobeastrangeoptiontobechampioning when all around are espousing the environmental advantages of the paperless communication world. If print is the only option, ensure you 165
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havethoughtabouttheoriginsofthepaperusedanditsrecyclability,and thetoxicityorotherwiseofinksandglues.Givesomethoughttoaccurate calculationofthesizeofprintruns(humanresourcesshouldknowthetrue headcount),ensurethedistributionnetworkactuallyworksandhopefully youwillnotbestumblingacrossheapsofyellowingsurpluspublications foryearstocome. Thenextchapterlooksatbroadcastmedia.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Print can be costly – remember to factor in artwork, typesetting, proofs,etc. Ordersufficientcopiesfirsttime–extraprintrunsarecostly. Checkallcopybeforesendingittoprinters. Proofreadateachstage–mistakesdocreepin. Usestandardproofcorrectionmarks. Paperisexpensive;checkweightonpostagecosts. Whitepaperwithblackprintisstilltheeasiestcombinationtoread. Usetintpanelssparingly;checkhowcolourchoicesworkonblackand whitephotocopying. Selecttypefacesaccordingtoreadability. Keepnumbersoftypefacestoaminimum. Useinsidecoversforcopytokeepcostsdown. Usecolourphotographysparinglyforeconomicreasons. Make sure envelopes and other packaging are large enough for contents.
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Broadcast–doit yourselforcallin theexperts? Wanttogetsomethingacrossquicklyinanemergency?Visualimageryin theformofavideomightbetheanswer.Itworksbestwhenitsfullpotential forengagingtheaudienceisrealizedandsowillworkparticularlywellfor majoreventsandlaunches.Feworganizationsregardvideo(usedhereto mean both video and DVD) in quite the same way as print and so it is unlikelytobeusedforeverydaycommunications. Shouldyouthinkaboutitalittlemoredeeplyyouwillbegintorealize thatbroadcastisprobablygoingtobethemostexpensivewaytoreachyour audiencesintermsofset-upandproductiontimes. Aswithprintthemostcriticalfactorisinfactthecontentofyourvideo. Tomakesureyoudonotstrayoverbudgetestablishthekeymessagesyou will wish to transmit and then determine the way in which you plan to maketheseengaging.Muchaswithprintpublications,casestudies–lifein practice–arewhatgripratherthantalkingheadsbythedozen. DVDshavelongovertakenandreplacedvideo.DVDprovidesanextra element–interactivity.Itisalsorelativelycheaptoproducediscs(butnot thecontent)thatcanbefedstraightintodesktopcomputersforone-to-one
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presentations.EquallythesecanbeusedonadepartmentalDVDplayerfor teampresentations. Webcasting (or webstreaming as it is sometimes known) straight to desktop is becoming more common as personal computers or networks are manufactured with greater capacity for handling vast amounts of data at speed so that quality is not compromised. Paul Massie of Serco findswebcastingausefuloccasionalchannelparticularlyforveryspecific purposessuchasthebroadcastofannualresults.DVDdiscstakeupvery little capacity on the hard drive of the individual’s computer whereas webcasting still requires rather a lot more. Although the gigabytes are becomingevercheaperthereareprobablymoreefficientandappropriate usesforsuch‘space’thanaspecialrallyingcrytothetroops. Accordingtoaspecialistvideoproducer’swebsite,videocanbeproduced foraslittleas£1,000aminute.Youshouldrealizeitisunlikelyyouwould getallthatmuchintermsofqualityorquantityforthatmoney. Writing in her guide to charity public relations, Moi Ali (1999) warns thatitisnotamatterofpointingadigitalcameraandsimplydownloading thecontents.Fortheresultstobeworthwhileitcantakemonthsofcareful planningandexpertiseandediting. However,ifyouhaveplentyoftimetogetitrightandtherightsetofskills onboard,broadcastmedia,likeitsexternalcousins,willgrabtheattention likenoothermedia.Veryfeworganizationswillhaveasparecameraman onthestaffandaneditingsuiteonthepremises.Thisisnotterritoryforthe amateurnomatterhowgifted.Itiscostly,butifvideocanbeclearlyargued tobeanessentialpartofyourcommunicationmixthenyoucanjustifyits shareofthebudget.
CELEBRITIES–HOMEGROWNORREAL? Donotletyourexpertbamboozleyou.Beveryclearastowhatyouwant to achieve and just who should be taking part on the action side of the camera. InthesedaysofTheX-Factorandrealitytelevisiontherewillprobablybe keenperformerswithinyourworkforcebothatthetopandatotherlevels. Whetheryoushouldemploytheirskillsisanothermatter.Whatiscriticalis todeterminethescriptandwhetherornottheyarethepeopletodeliverit. Justhowwellrespectedandreceivedareyourwould-bepresentersamong thekeyaudiences?Thereceptionistisnodoubtknowntooneandall,butis shetherightvoiceforseriousnews? Isyourproductionaone-offorwillyoubeputtingoutregularbroadcasts? Iffrequencyiscritical,youmaybewelladvisedtogetyouramateurkey presenters trained. At the very least they need to practise delivery of
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theirscriptsandhowtousethekindofautocuethatkeepsmuchexternal media flowing on air.A trial recording will also show how voices sound on broadcast – sometimes quite different from their usual face-to-face settings. Anditisnotjustsoundthatcounts:sodoesimage.Abadhairdaywillbe magnifiedonscreen,therebydistractingfromthekeymessages.Checked suits,stripyshirts,busypatternsandluridtiesmayalsoplayhavocwiththe viewers’eyeballs.Thearrivalofhighdefinitionstandardswillexacerbate this,highlightingeveryspotandwrinkle. Although it may be fun and useful in terms of engagement and team building, if time is critical it may be safer to restrict in-house guest appearancestotheminimum.Newspresentersandthelikemaycomeata heftypremiumbuttheyareatleasttheconsummateprofessionalsandwill delivertotimeandonscript.Anaddedbonusistheirfamiliaritywiththe audience. Awordofwarning,however.Ayoung,ratherflippantcarshowpresenter maynotbetheonetodeliverhard,financialmessagesunlessofcourseyou areintheracingindustryorsomethingsimilarlyhighoctane. Talkingheads,whetheritbetheCEOoracelebrity,canbecometedious sooffsetsuchfootagebyinterspersingitwithrelevantsiteshotsor,better still,action,asbuildingsthemselvescanbecomeboring. Broadcastinthischapteralsoextendstoaudiotapesanddial-inservices. Herephysicalappearancewillnotgetintheway,butitisvitalyouensure your speaker enunciates clearly. Think of the way you react to garbled messagesontraintannoysonthewaytoandfromwork.Ifyouraudience literallycannotunderstandthemessage,howcantheygainanythingfrom it?Shouldyouremployeeteambemadeupofaproportionofpeoplewho donothaveEnglishasafirstlanguage,translationorsubtitlesmaybethe answer.Attheleast,complexlanguageshouldbeavoided. InfactthisisanotherareainwhichDVDscoresovervideo,especiallyfor organizationswithalargeoverseaspresence.Youcanrunupto32different subtitletracks,thusextendingthereachofyourpresentationasnecessary. When filming, be prepared for a massive amount of standing around waitingforsomethingtoactuallyhappen.Settinguplightsseemstotake positively ages. Filming schedules, especially those involving external footage, need to take account of Britain’s notoriously fickle weather.You willbechargedfordowntime–soalternativeschedulesforinsidefilming willassisthere. If you have chosen to shoot indoors, pay attention to what is behind your speaker. It has been known for a mischievous cameraman to leave plantpotsandworseapparentlysproutingfromtheheadofthepresenter. Asectiononhealthandsafetywillnot,forinstance,beenhancedbyscenesetting shots with rubbish piled against emergency exits featured in the background. Paying attention at this stage should save having to shoot 169
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morefootagethannecessary.Thefilmcrew,whetherinternalorexternal, needstobewellbriefedbutalsoaccompaniedtosmoothoverthoselittle localdifficulties. Briefyour‘actors’well.Thereisnothingmorecalculatedtosurpriseand perhapsterrifytheTVorradionovicethanthelengthofthescriptneeded todeliverjustafewminutesofactivity. Along with interviews and panning shots of attractive interiors and exteriors you may also want to add music. If this is the case ensure you havetheappropriatepermissionsandpayanyfeesrequired. Withtoday’sdigitalcamerastheremaybeatemptationtosavemoney and do everything in-house. But this new technology may not produce much better results than the VHS (Video Home System) that some of us maystillrelyon.AvideorecordedintheVHSformatwillnotproducegood enoughquality–Betacamistheminimumstandardtoaimfor.
WORKINGWITHTHEPROFESSIONALS Productioncompanies,likemanyotherspecialists,havetheirownlanguage anditisimportanttomakethemtranslatewhattheyaresayingintoyour terminology.Iftheycannotorwillnot,movetoonethatcan. Your budget should include pre-production – research, story outline (or synopsis), preparation, story boarding (running order) and scripting. Inaddition,post-productionneedstobefactoredinandincludeofflineor rough(first)edit,online(final)editing,addinggraphics,sound,voiceovers, creditsandtitles.Copyingandpackagingneedstobeincluded.Youmay alsowanttoproduceprintedsupportmaterial. Copyrightisamajorissue,andnotjustwhenitconcernssomeoneelse’s music, graphics or images. Make sure the video’s own overall copyright belongstoyourorganization.Thisshouldmeanallmaterialincludingthat whichendsuponthecuttingroomfloor–otherwisesomeofyourshots maywellappearinsomeoneelse’svideo. Contracts are important if you are dealing with outside presenters. Celebritieshavebeenknowntopulloutofcontracts–sobuildinclausesto counterthis.Itmayalsobeworthhavingatleastacoupleofalternativesin mindfortheworst-casescenario;thisshouldspareyourblushesandease budgetpressures. Makesuretoothatyouhavesignedconsentswherenecessary.Customers andserviceusersmaydecidetoargueabouttheirinclusionorthewaythe videohasbeeneditedaftertheevent. Noneofthishastakenaccountofyourowninternalconsentprocesses whicharesimilarbutmorecumbersomethanthosethatapplytoprinted material. Winning over those with the control of budgets is critical.
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Changingmateriallateinthedayismoredifficultthanforprintandeven moreexpensive.Shouldyoubereceivingfundingfromanexternalsourceit isalsoworthensuringtheyarehappywithprogressandtheresults. TofindoutmoreaboutvideoproductionpayavisittotheInternational VisualCommunicationAssociationwebsite,detailsinAppendix4.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Video/DVDisrelativelyexpensivetoproduce;useforspecialpurposes ifbudgetisamajorconsideration. Goforrealstoriesandeaseuponthetalkingheads. Takethetimetoplancontent. Build downtime into filming schedules especially in countries with unpredictableweather. Amateurfootageisnotanoption;usetheexpertstoshootfootage. Choosepresentersfromtheaudience’spointofview. Makesurepresentersspeakclearlyoncamera. Checktheirwardrobechoicesforthestrobeeffect. Makesureyourlocationsarenotdistractingfromorcontradictingthe message. Ensureallproductionstagesareincludedintendersandcontracts. Checkcopyrightissues.
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Managingchange Whenaglobalcompanydriftingtowardstherocksrealizedithadtochange, the internal communication manager did an unscientific but revealing studyofitsseniormanagers.Sheaskedthemhowtheymanagedinternal communicationintheirpartoftheworld.Herearesomeoftheiranswers:
Ihaven’tgottime. I’mtryingtorunabusiness. We’reone-mail. Don’ttheyreadthepapers?
However, communication is the responsibility of the whole workforce, notjustthosetowardsthetop.Communicationisathree-wayprocess:top down, bottom up and lateral, across functions. This chapter takes three case histories to highlight how three different organizations successfully managedthechallengesofradicalchangewiththethreecomponentparts ofthetripod. Thefirstcarriedoutamerger,thesecondsoldoffitsEuropeanbusinesses andthethirdreorganizeditsoperationstoincludeoutsourcingmanyofits operationstoIndia. But first some general principles on managing change. To start with, the management role. While employees do not expect to receive all their informationfromtheirmanagerstheseniormanagementroleiscrucialto success.
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Most importantly, senior managers must own the messages they are delivering. If they pay lip-service then do their own thing, employees willsoonfindoutandlosetrustinthewholeprocess.Next,theymustbe clearaboutwhattheycanandcannottalkabout.Commerciallysensitive information,forexample,willprobablyfallinthe‘not’category.Managers shouldsaywhytheycannottalkaboutsuchinformationforthetimebeing. Norshouldtheyspeculateonwhatmighthappen.Tospeculateunsettles employees.Farfrommakingemployeesfeeltheyareontheinsidetrack, speculationmakesthemuneasy. Seniormanagersmustalsobeencouragedtomaintaincommunication, eveniftheyhavenothingnewtosay.Thatmightsoundodd,butinchange situationsemployeesneedthereassurancethattheirmanagersaretalking tothem,evenifonlytoexplainhowfartheyhavegotwiththeprocess. Few managers are naturally comfortable with communicating face-tofacewiththeirstaff.Yethelpingthemdothejobisnotrocketscience.Itis acaseofcarrotandstick.Theidealcarrot–andstick–isifthecompany recognizescommunicationasacorecompetence.Ifthisisnotarecognized –andrewarded–competencethenthecommunicationmanagermightlike tostartaconversationwiththehumanresourcesprofessionals. When BP researched what made a manager a good communicator, it cameupwithsomesurprisingresults.Whileperhaps20percentrelated to natural talent and a similar percentage related to training, by far the mostimportantaspectwasthemanager’sattitude.Thosewhowantedto communicatewerequitesimplythebestatit,includingthosewhostuttered. Sopersuadingmanagersthatcommunicationwillhelpthemdelivermore effectivelyisonewayforward.Figure19.1showswhatabilitiesarerequired ofthegoodcommunicator. Ifallelsefailstheycansimplyfakeit.Thereisnowathrivingindustryin actorscoachingmanagerstosoundconvincing,eveniftheydonotfeelit.It works,becausesuccessbreedssuccess.
What makes a good communicator? Whatmakesagoodcommunicator?
Attitude Technique Talent
Figure19.1 Whatmakesagoodcommunicator–thecharacteristicsneededto communicateeffectively 173
Gettingitright–practicalapplication
Sofarasthebottom-uppartofthetripodisconcerned,theoneessentialis formanagementtoacknowledgetheyhavereceivedfeedbackandcommit toactioninatimelyway.Iftheycannotacttheymustsaywhy.Feedback tools are spelt out in more detail elsewhere in the book but useful ones includesurveys,light-touchquestionnaires,focusgroupsforanin-depth andqualitativeunderstandingofissues,andtheUnitedStates-style‘brown bag lunches’. With these a small group – frequently a cross-section of functionsandseniority–sitsdownwithaseniormanageroverasandwich lunch.Themanager’sroleistolistenratherthantell.
NETWORKS Lateralcommunicationisperhapsoneofthemostdifficulttofix.Howdo you make sure that people in different units and functions and possibly differentpartsoftheworldaregettingthesamemessageinasensibleand timelyway?Hereiswherenetworksplayastarringrole. The communication manager mentioned at the start of the chapter developed her first global network because she had to: she needed help. Akeysuccessfactorforthenetworkwasthefactthatshedidnotchoose it. The relevant senior managers nominated and hence supported their representatives,notallofwhomhadcommunicationexperience.Withthis supportthenetworkwasabletotakedecisions. Othermoreinformalnetworksariseoutofsimilarneeds.Thegroupof peopleindifferentfunctionsinheadoffice,forexample,whodonotmeet formally but recognize that the work of those outside their departments impactsuponthem.Thediscoveryonatrainingsessionthatseveralshare acommoninterest.Inonecompany,thatledtoarockbandbeingformed fromstaffaroundtheworldwhowentontoplayintheCleveland,Ohio Rock&RollHallofFame. Nordonetworksneedtomeetfrequently.Regulare-mails,telephoneor videoconferenceshelpkeepthemalive.Whattheydoneedisapurposeand askilledfacilitatortomakesurethatpeoplefromdifferentcultures,from headofficetotheregions,fromonecountrytoanother,arefullyinvolved inthedecisionmaking.
INTEGRATEDCOMMUNICATION Themerger Creating appropriate networks was key for the merger between Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKlineBeecham. GSK’s communication principles for 174
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the merger required that every task force, functional support team and special issue team should include a communications representative from each of the companies. Elaine Macfarlane set up a team of integration communicators with her opposite number from Glaxo Wellcome, Justine Frain.Allcommunicationhadtobechannelledthroughthisextendedteam networktotheinterimexecutiveplanningcommittee.TherespectiveCEOs ofthelegacycompaniesmadethefinaldecisionsonwhatcould–orcould not–becommunicated. Elaine Macfarlane told a meeting of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations’InternalCommunicationAlliance(nowCIPRInside)thatgetting seniormanagersupportandensuringtheirvisibilitywascrucial.‘Demand for information will be insatiable, so get your communication principles andguidelinesestablishedearly’,shesaid. She also warned that the process would take longer than managers expected.Shehadtoremindseniormanagersthatalthoughthemergerhad formallyclosedandstocksofthenewcompanyweretrading,themerger was not over for employees. Far from relaxing on day one of the new companylaunch,itwasessentialtorecognizethat‘new’wasnot‘normal’. The company had to maintain merger-style communications during the transitionintothenewcompanycommunicationsstructuresandproducts. A merger process needs to go through several phases, from denial to enthusiasmandfromendingstonewbeginningsbeforeitiscompleteand accepted (see Figure 19.2). Regular communication is essential. Where therewasnonewinformationGSK’sseniormanagersremindedpeopleof processesandtimingsandexplainedifnecessarythatcertaindecisionshad hadtobepostponed. People want to know what the change means for them. They want to knowiftheywillhaveajobattheendofit.Theywanttoknowhowthey will fit into the new organization. Few of these answers will be known becausetheyneedtobeworkedout.Sohowdoyouhandledemandfor information that is not yet available? And what tools do you use as the organizationprogressesalongthetransitioncurve? Howyouhandleitpartlydependsonwhereyouareonthecurve.All change–goodorbad–isunsettlingandpeoplewillwantlotsofreassurance throughout the process. They will want someone to talk to. Upbeat graphs and statistics are not enough. So the primary tool of face-to-face communication will be particularly important at the start. People will wanttohear‘thebigpicture’fromseniormanagement,compensationand benefits advice from their human resources professionals. The secondary tools–newsletters,videosandintranet–cancarrythenewsandtransition processupdatesandrepeatandreinforcethekeymessages. Roadshows with senior management are best for explaining the big picture.Theirroleistopaintavisionofthedesiredoutcome.Theyarethe crediblepeopletotalkaboutwhytheorganizationhadtochange,whythe 175
Managing change
Gettingitright–practicalapplication
Transition curve Endings
Neutral
Beginnings Enthusiasm Trusting
Denial
Excitement
Refocus
Anxiety
Relief/Anxiety Hopeful/Sceptical Impatience Acceptance
Shock Confusion Resignation
Realization of Loss High Stress
Anger Approach-Avoidance Undirected Energy
Conflict
Creativity
Accept
Engage
Figure19.2 Thetransitioncurvefromdenialtoacceptanceofchange– employeesgothroughalargenumberofstagesandreactionsbeforetheyembrace change(GlaxoSmithKline) particularroutewaschosen,whyitwillbesuccessful.Thatshouldbedone atthestart. Linemanagersarethenaturalandpreferredsourceforinformationon teamgoalsandpersonaldirection.WhenGSKestablisheditscommunication principlesandguidelines,itdefinedwhatthelinemanagerscouldcredibly beexpectedtodeliverinboththeirownandtheirteam’seyes.Thecompany usedotherchannelsofcommunicationsuchastheintranetande-mailsfor therest. Sorightfromthestartthelinemanagershouldcommittoholdingregular meetings to give timely updates to employees on what is happening. However,theirroleisasmuchaboutlisteningastelling.Theywillneedto beabletodealwiththeshockandanger.Theyarelikelytoneedtraining forthis.Youcannotfobpeopleoffwithaprintedhandout,nomatterhow glossilyproduced,whilepeoplearestillgoingthroughthefirstpartofthe transitionprocess. Wherethereisnonewinformation–andwhilethebigpictureisbeing filledinnewinformationcanbescarce–thelinemanager’scommunication rolewillbeasmuchaboutlisteningastelling.Theycan,however,remind employees of the timetable for the transition, including when they can expecttohearnewsaboutjobdecisions. Awordofwarninghere.Somelinemanagersgetsocarriedawaywith theircommunicationrolethattheystarttellingtheiremployeeseverything 176
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they hear, including rumours. You see this happening as the transition curveapproachesthe‘undirectedenergy’ontheacceptanceside.Butitis counter-productive.Asstatedearlierinthischapter,speculationunsettles ratherthancomfortsemployees. Throughout, the line management feedback role will be crucial. Line managerscanevaluateandresearchissuesastheyariseand,inthecaseof aglobalorganization,uncovertheculturalnuancesthatcanmakeorbreak adeal.Actiontakenonfeedbackhelpsmakethetransitionfromacceptance toengagement.Feedbackshouldfocuson: Isthemessagegettingacross? Whatdoemployeesthinkofit? Whatisconcerningpeoplerightnow? Trainingwillhelpboosttheconfidenceoflinemanagersunusedtocommunicating.Itisalsoagoodideatoprovidelinemanagerswithacommunicationexpertwhocanhelp,forexample,anticipatequestionsandprepare answers. As the organization progresses along the transition curve, the actions takenasaresultoffeedbackwillbecomemoreandmoreimportant.Employees will switch off if they feel they are not being listened to, so line managersneedtobepreparedtosaywhatactionhasbeentaken–andwhat hasnot.Iftheresultisnoactionthentheyneedtosaywhynot.Itmight, forexample,betodowithcommercialconfidentiality,timing,orthesimple factthattheseniormanagementisnotyetinapositiontobeabletogive thatinformation. Primaryface-to-facecommunicationshouldbecomplementedandreinforcedbywhateversecondarytoolsareavailable,suchashousemagazines andtheintranet.Somechiefexecutivesuseapersonalpageontheintranet, orane-mail‘fromthechiefexecutive’,toreachouttoalltheiremployees with regular updates on what is happening. Feedback on specific issues willfeatureinthesesecondarytools. New secondary tools may need to be developed, such as a dedicated mergervideoandnewsletter.Thesetoolsenableaconsistentsetofmessages tobedeliveredandcanprovideanongoingreminderofwhythemergeris happening.Nothingshakespeoplegoingthroughthetransitionmorethan managersappearingtochangetheirmindsaboutwhattheyhavealready said.Ifpeoplelosetrustintheirmanagersthewholeprocesscanstall. Communication consultant John Smythe (2002) makes the point that engagement is the ‘process, considered or accidental, by which leaders and their employees become personally implicated in the performance oftheirownteaminthecontextofcontributingtoawiderorganizational change, strategy, transformation, operational improvement or day-to-day performance’.Effectivecommunication,usingbothprimaryandsecondary 177
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tools,willpreparethegroundforengagementandhelppeopleseehowall theelementsofthechangestrategyfittogether. ToreturntothespecificGSKmerger,managingamergerforsome120,000 people in 130 countries involved balancing global, regional and national communications.Theteamofintegrationcommunicatorsnotonlyhelped track consistency of messages but also ensured coordination of sensitive issuesthatmightunsettleitsstakeholders–like,forexample,planningto announceasiteclosurethesamedayasananalystbriefingforecastinghigh earnings.Thatwaspickedupbytheteamandthesiteclosureannouncement wasdelayed.
Thesale Averydifferentoperation,wheretimelycommunicationwasfundamental tosuccess,wasthedecisionofoneEuropeanorganizationtoselloffpartof itsbusiness.Thiswasspreadacross10countriesandcarriedoutbycompany employeesandcontractors.Toaddtothecomplexityitwasnotmarketable asawholebecausethepotentialbuyerswouldbesmallbusinesses.Ithad tobekeptgoingwhileitwasbeingsoldbecauseifcustomersoremployees werelost,thebusinessbecameworthless. Thechallengeforthecommunicationstrategywastokeepthisdiverse organization motivated. Here again the creation of the right networks helped.AnetworkofcommunicationmanagersacrossEuropesupported theprojectteamwhileacomplementarynetworkofhumanresourcesmanagersdealtwithpeopleissuesandemploymentlaw.Thesetwonetworks workedverycloselytogether. Asecondkeysuccessfactorwasthebonusplansetupforthebusinessline managers.Reputationandpeoplemanagementwerethemainperformance criteria. Thecommunicationstrategyhadthefollowingcharacteristics: Linemanagerstoengageinfrequentdialoguewithstaffandlistento staffconcernsevenifthereisnonewstotellthem. Over-communicate news to those directly affected but undercommunicate news to others; always communicate news via line managers. Givestafftimetocometotermswithonepieceofnewsbeforedelivering thenext. Takefullaccountofnational/culturalissuesanddifferentiatestyleand timingofmessagesindifferentcountries. Managethewholeprocesswithmilitaryprecision. Employees naturally asked why the new solution – the sale – should be anybetterthanwhathadgonebefore.Theemphasisondifferentoptions 178
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fordifferentcountrieshelpedmanagersreply.Itwasnota‘onesizefitsall’ approachandthathelpedlocalemployeesfeelownershipoflocalsolutions. Therewasalsoconcernthatannouncementsinonecountrywouldbeseenas the‘writingonthewall’forothercountries.However,earlycommunication ofthecontext–explainingtheproblemsfacingthebusiness–helpedgive peopletimetogetusedtotheneedforradicalchange. EU employment law requires pan-European consultation of crossnational business changes with significant social impact. Negotiating so many disparate local deals with a European Works Council would have beenimpossible.SogeneralcontextwasdealtwithatEuropeanlevel,detail atlocallevel. Diditwork?Thebusinesswassold,allstaffweretreatedwithdignity andthemanagersgottheirbonuses.
Thereorganization The final case history concerns Norwich Union Insurance (NUI) and the challenge it faced to improve performance a year after the company’s merger with CGU (the insurance company formed from the merger of Commercial Union and General Accident). Interestingly NUI used a bottom-upapproachtoachievesuccess.Theywontheheartsandmindsof thelocationandteammanagersfirst,ratherthanthetopteam,andcreated agroundswelltosweepawayresistancetochange. WhileNUIhadmovedfasttorationalizestructures,locations,products and systems to achieve the planned merger savings, it wanted to delve deepertoimproveperformance.AtthesametimetheCEOstartedaculture change programme to move NUI from being a centrally controlled and internally focused organization to being an externally focused service provider. Alastair Ham, NUI’s then Director of Organizational Development, mastermindedtheproject.HeisafanoftheWarnerBurke/GeorgeLitwin causalmodeloforganizationalperformanceandchange.Thismakesclear that sweeping strategic, structural and process changes are unlikely to deliverimprovedperformanceunlessyourpeoplearemotivated. ‘Companies can never demand loyalty and motivation from their employees.Theyhavetoearnitfromeveryindividualtheyemployandthat’s noteasywhenjobsecuritycannolongerbetakenforgranted’,hesaid. Working with Cathryn Riley, then NUI’s Operations Director, he researched the local work unit and communications climate. They found that, like other organizations going through change, NUI’s managers werelargelyoutoftouchwiththeirstaff.Theyspentmoretimefillingin spreadsheetsordoingprojectworkthanleadingandcommunicatingwith their teams and centrally NUI was bombarding people with all sorts of irrelevantandconfusedinformation. 179
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‘Weneededtoputmanagersbackinapositionofleadingtheirteams’, saidAlastairHam. Starting with the supportive managers involved in the research phase theyaskedthemtoconductadaily‘huddle’.Theideawastofocusonthe performanceoftheteam,providerelevantcommunicationsfortheirjobs andencouragethemtoraiseanyissuesthatweregettinginthewayofthem doingwhatwasasked. Usingexternalconsultantstheypreparedthegroundbymakingsurethe 200orsostaffandaround20managerswereupforit.Preparationsforthe managersculminatedinatwo-dayoffsiteeventwithactorsandanexpert behaviouralcoachtoequipthemforwhatwastocome. ‘Managers had to get up from behind their desks and genuinely lead their teams and they had to resolve an absolute flood of issues, many of which were relatively trivial hygiene issues (ie to do with their working environment)butthesewerethethingsthatmatteredmosttostaff.Criteria for success was that it should be cost neutral, it should not damage performance and staff and managers would love it so much that they’d neverletitbetakenaway’,saidAlastairHam. Each part of the business had to be won over – pull not push – and AlastairHam’steamusedposters,competitions,intranetsites,staffdiaries andhumoroussketchesactedbystaffandmanagersatconferences.When theCEOheardaboutithebecameoneoftheproject’sbiggestsupporters. ‘TruechangedoesnothappenjustbecausetheCEOsaysso,butthere’sno doubtithelps,’hesaid. Mergers,changingdistributionpatternsandmovingworktoIndiameant NUIhashadtomanagesituationswherepeoplewereunfortunatelydueto losetheirjobs.Whilegivingpeopleafinancialreasontostayplaysapart,it doesnotguaranteeperformanceorattitude.Treatingpeoplewithrespectis essentialandforNUIthatmeans: allowinglocalmanagerstomanagethesituation; tapping in to everyone’s pride and competitive edge by making performancestandardsclearandachievable; engagingtheminhowtomakethechangeshappen; listeningtoconcernsandissues. The daily huddles proved an ideal vehicle for all these things. Quarterly staffsurveysshowedquarteronquarterimprovementsdespitetheuncertaintyanddifficultiesfacingpeople.Successhasbeenmeasuredaccording towhatevertheindividualhuddleshadbeenfocusingon,fromsalesand productivitytocashcollectionandcustomersatisfaction.AllNUImanagers received quarterly reports from their teams on how well they had been doingacrossanumberofcriticalfactorsbelievedtohavemostimpacton performance. 180
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KeytosuccessinIndiawasmakingsureNUImeasuredtherightthings. WithcustomerserviceintheUKmuchisimplicitandtakenforgranted.In India,wherestaffarealreadyveryperformanceandcustomerfocused,NUI speltoutsomeoftheseimplicitdrivers,developedaclearandspecificsetof customersatisfactionmeasuresandcoachedtheteamsonhowtoachieve them. Alastair Ham said they had most success where NUI had combined a seriesofchanges.Wheretheyhadbeenlesssuccessfulwaswheretheyhad been inconsistent, setting expectations about engagement in change that hadnotbeenmet.Hesaidthatinhisexperienceinternalcommunications departmentstendtoplacetheirfocusoncorporatecommunicationsvehicles and are not skilled in organizational effectiveness and change. Where a changegoesagainsttheprevailingmindset,presentationsandperformance statisticsdonotwinheartsandminds. Changecouldbeseenasarelativelypositiveifchallengingdriverofcommunication.Itscloserelativeis,however,usuallyrathermorenegative.The nextchaptercoverscrisiscommunication.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER
Hearitfromthebossface-to-face. Committoregularmeetings. Setupnetworks. Don’tspeculate. Actonfeedback. Communicate,communicate,communicate.
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Communicating inacrisis Insomequartersitwouldnodoubtbesaid,perhapswithsomejustification, thatifyouarecommunicatingfromthemidstofacrisisthenyouhavefailed, orattheveryleastgotsomethingterriblywrongwithyoursystems. Buttherearetimeswhenthenaturalworldorsomeotherwhollyunanticipatedexternallygenerateddisastercomesfromatotallyunexpecteddirection.Itcouldbearguedyourriskmanagementhasfailed,buttheonething youwilllearnfromtheexperienceistheneedtomakeplansforthefuture. Althoughfocusedinthemainonexternalaudiences,RiskIssuesandCrisis ManagementinPublicRelationsbyMichaelRegesterandJudyLarkin(2008) isagoodplacetostartinestablishingyourprioritiesforthenexttime. Thischaptercouldbeseenasthenegativetwinofthepreviousone,but getitrightandyourorganizationcouldevenbenefitfromastrengthened reputation. Get it wrong and it could be curtains. It cannot of course all beblamedoncommunication,butitischasteningtorealizethathalfthe companies that closed temporarily following the 2001 terrorist attacks in theUnitedStateswereneverreopened,accordingtoFrasierHardiewriting inProfile(Jan/Feb2006). In‘Planfortheworst,andhopeforthebest’hereportedthathalfofUK firmshavenoplanforkeeping‘thewheelsturningwhentheunthinkable happens’;infactthatproportionhadactuallyincreasedintheperiodbetween
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2001andthe2005attacksinLondon.However,havingaplanontheshelf doesnotmeanmucheither.Apparentlyonlyaquarteroforganizationsthat dohaveplansactuallytrythemouttoseeiftheywouldwork. Thischapterfallsratherlateinthebookforaverygoodreason.Itishoped thatpractitionerswillhavetakenonboardthemessageaboutgettingbasic everydaycommunicationrightinthefirstplace.Unfortunately,formany organizationsacrisismightbethefirsttimeemployeesfeeltheyarebeing talkedtoatallbyseniormanagement.Eventhenmanyofthemmightstill hearthebadnewsfirstfromthenewscrewshangingaroundtheworkplace entrance. The crisis is, however, the precise point at which your internal andexternalworldscollide,accordingtoRegesterandLarkin. Anearlystageindrawingupaplanforactionshouldbealistofpossible scenarios–themoreoutrageousandunexpectedthebetter,asthebombings inLondonsurelydemonstrated.RegesterandLarkinsupplyalistoftypes ofcrisis,innoparticularorderofseriousnessorlikelihoodofhappening.
TYPESOFCRISES
Environmentalpollution. Productdefect. Hostiletake-overbid. Sabotage. Deathofseniormanagementfigure. Kidnapofstaffmember. Computersystemsfailure. Industrialdispute. Fraud.
Totheseyoumightaddredundancies,individualbutprominentdismissals, harassment(sexual,racial,ageordisability),sackingsofexecutives,external lawsuits,oranyoftheaboveinvolvingotherorganizationsinthesamefield. It is entirely possible that a competitor’s disaster could have devastating repercussionsacrosstheindustrialsector. So you might ask whether particular industries are more likely to face acrunchthanothers.Itwouldseemthattheyare,asdemonstratedinthe followinglistfromRegesterandLarkinonthosemostlikelyintheUnited States.
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MOSTCRISISPRONE
Financehouses(allkinds). Carmakers. Aircraftmakers. Softwarecompanies. Newspaperpublishers. Sports. Airlines. Telephonecompanies. Legalservices.
FortheUKwecanadd,innospecificranking: Health(publicandprivate). Localgovernment. Fuelcompanies.
ConsultantLiamFitzPatrickbelievesthatinternalaudiencesneedadifferent approachfromtheexternalaudienceswhousuallygetmostattentionunder suchcircumstances,butthereareofcourseoverlapsbetweenthetwo. In a presentation given in 2004 he outlined the situations he believed mostlikelytocauseproblemsinternally.Someofthesehavealreadybeen coveredinthechapteronchange,buttoemphasizethevulnerabilityofany organization,whateveritssize,ifitfailstoplanorreactearlyenough,they areworthrestating;seetheboxbelow.
WHENISITAPROBLEMINTERNALLY? Businesschange Theunexpected
Take-over. Financialcrisis. Product/servicefailure.
Expectedbutsecret
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Site/branchclosure. Saleofall/partofthebusiness. Merger. Withdrawalfrombusiness/productline.
Communicatinginacrisis Joblosses. Reorganization.
Crisisoftrust
Industrialdispute. Employmenttribunals.
Disaster
Affectingcustomers. Affectingemployees. Affectingneighbours.
Reputationchallenge
Companypracticesattacked. Managementfoibles. Organizationalincompetence.
Usuallycrisesaredealtwithinacommunicationssenseintheaftermath oncetheintensivephaseofactionhaspassed(firefighting,etc)butthatis notalwaysthecase.Workinginallaspectsofthehealthservice,theauthor tackled quite a few public service versions of the above. One key lesson emphasized was the value of relationships fostered prior to the disaster. Naturallytheinternalcommunicatorneedstobeongoodtermswithhis orherexternalcounterpart,butthisshouldalsobetrueatalllevelsofthe organization.Itisnotjusttheboardofdirectorsandheadsofdivisionswho matter,butalsothepeopleontheground,iffornothingelseotherthanthe efficientgatheringofaccurateinformationintheheatofthemoment. However, relationships can become a little too cordial, as the author discovered.Theoldestwingofthehospitalcaughtfireintheearlyhours and the first thing she knew about it was on arrival for a day’s work a few hours later. It transpired the switchboard team had denied having a contactnumberastheydidnotwanttodisturbher.Sobewarned–youcan fraternizeabittoofreely!
SOWHATGOESWRONG? AccordingtoLiamFitzPatrick,crisesturnintofullblowndisastersoratleast becomeexacerbatedwhenbossesfocustheirattentionentirelyonexternal stakeholders such as the media, investors, the government or regulators. Quite naturally in the heat of the moment (possibly literally) they will concentrateontheshortterm,worryingaboutgettingthemediapack‘off 185
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ourbacks’.Oritcouldbethatcommunicationisdictatedbyexternalfactors –byStockExchangerulesorafixationonlyonreleasingwhatthemedia alreadyknow. Sometimes managers themselves really are not sure exactly what has happened. They only ‘desire to communicate certainty’ and because thereisnone,staysilent.Perhapsthereisaconflictofviewsbetweentop managementandthoseontheground.Morelegitimately,theremightbe legal constraints on what can be said to staff under given circumstances (perhapsduringtake-overbids). LiamFitzPatricksaysitmatterstocommunicateinternallybecausestaff are ‘the key advocates’. They will talk to the media whatever your rules mightdictate,soyoumayaswellensuretheyhavetherightstorytotell. Employeeswanttobegivenreasonstotrustmanagementbothintheshort andthelongerterm.Thosemanagerssituatedonthefrontlineareatthis stageofacrisismostinneedofsupport.Italsoshouldberememberedthat internal processes need to be maintained to ensure there is a business as usualtoreturntooncethedustsettles.
ONTHEDAYITSELF Regester and Larkin urge that employees should be informed and kept informed.Saveduplicatedeffortbymakingsurepressstatementsareavailabletostaffbeforetheinformationisreleasedtothemedia.Theimportance ofmiddleandlinemanagerscomestotheforewhenconductingbriefings. Theyshouldbebriefedatleastasfrequentlyasthemediasothattheycan cascadeinformationandareabletodealwithanyquestions.ProvideFAQs (frequently asked questions) sheets for the intranet and websites. E-mail letterstomanagerstosupportface-to-facebriefings,especiallywhenthere maynotbeanynewinformationtoimpart.Printednewslettersmayprove useful,especiallyforstaffgroupswhohavenodirectaccesstocomputers. Usetextingifmessagesneedtobebriefandareparticularlyurgent.Texts can also prove useful in alerting senior, middle and front-line managers whencascadebriefingsneedtobesynchronized. Do not focus solely on the now and the negative. Regester and Larkin urge communicators to disseminate widely the plans to fix the situation. Theseshouldbeupdatedonaregularbasis. Nodoubtbothyourinternalandexternalwebsiteswillhaveprocessesin placetoensuretheycanbekeptup-to-date.Apparentlymanycompanies have what are termed ‘dark sites’ that are only turned on during an emergency.Thesecanincludetemplatesformediareleasesandthereisno reasonwhythiscannotbereplicatedforinternalpurposes. RegesterandLarkinstronglyrecommendthattheaftermathisplanned forasitislikelythatseriouslydisgruntledstaffwillleaveandifenoughdo, 186
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thiscouldproveasdamagingasthedisasteritself.Dependingonthenature ofthecrisis,counsellingmaybeneededforemployees.Thisisnotinthe communicator’sfieldofworkassuch,butpractitionersneedtoinformstaff howtoaccesssuchservicesandtohandletheissuesensitively. Onceacrisishaspassed,theexperiencecanbeusedtoupdatethecrisis planitself,andsimulationsshouldberepeatedatleastonceifnottwicea year.Repetitionhelpsensurelessonsareabsorbedandactedon,andalso takesaccountofanysubsequentpersonnelchanges. WritinginProfile(Sept/Oct2005),LiamFitzPatrickhighlightsarelated problemregardingstaffturnover.In‘Preparedtocare?’hewarnedofthe needtokeepemployeerecordscurrent,asdemonstratedbythefalloutfrom theLondonbombingsinJulyofthatyear.Organizationsneededtoknow inwhichdepartmentindividualemployeeswerebasedandwhetherthey were on duty on that occasion.A simple cascade process by the relevant linemanagershouldbeabletodealwiththis,butitdoesneedrehearsal and should form part of a constantly updated departmental contingency plan.Manyfirmsarenowusingconsultantsoragencystaffandameansof includingthemintheprocessisneeded. This could be extended to more personal aspects of an individual employee’sdetails,asdemonstratedbyoneofRegesterandLarkin’scase studies.Inadditiontotheindividual’swhereabouts,theHumanResources Department, the authors argued, should regularly update next-of-kin detailsasthiswouldhelpinbreakingeithergoodorbadnewsconcerning arelative.Familiesandpartnersareoftenanimportantbutfrequentlyoverlookedpartofthecrisisequation.Failuretomeettheirneedscouldprovide externalmediawithnegativestoriestofillanygapsinthenewsagenda.In thecaseofthePiperAlphaoilrigexplosionin1988,OccidentalOilprovided hotel accommodation for relatives of those affected. What the company hadnotrealizedwasthatsomeoftheirmaleemployeeshadbeenleading complexlivesonshoreandmorethanonewifeturnedup.Soencourage HRtokeepthoserecordsstraight! However,hereawarningnoteisrequired.Theneedtohaveup-to-date informationmustbebalancedagainstlegalaspects(dataprotection,right toprivacy,etc)andhandledinanextremelysensitivemanner.Itispossible that some individuals might interpret this as an extension of corporate surveillance.Theneedtocollectsuchdatawouldhavetobedemonstrated asbeingintheinterestsoftheindividualandtheirfamily,andreassurances given that it would not be used for any other purposes. Employees may needtobeofferedtheopportunitytooptoutofgivingthisinformationand giventhechancetoselectwhichpiecesofinformationtheysupply. Themediarelationssideofthecrisismightlastonaverageafewdays. However,forthecompanyitselfanditsemployeesitcouldwellrumbleon foratleastacoupleofmonths,asLiamFitzPatrickrecalledfromhisdays in-house. 187
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And it is not just words that count. Consultant Sue Dewhurst found thatapreviousemployerrestoredconfidenceinthemiddleofafinancial catastrophebyhonouringpledgestopaypromisedbonusestoemployees ontime.Thisservedtorebuildtrustforthefuture. Getting information out to managers and employees is critical. At an earliercompanyshehadhadtorelyonfaxdistributionforbriefings.This failedinsomelocationsasthemachineshadbeenswitchedofftosavepower andthememorycapacityhadnotbeenactivated.Duringthemorerecent experience,e-mailcirculationwasemployedandforthatitwasessentialto ensurecontactdetailswereup-to-date.
Preparingforbirdflu The terrorist attacks on the United States in September 2001 provided somethingofawake-upcalltotheWorldBank,accordingtoMorierand Gean (2006). This event triggered the setting up of a permanent crisis management team, which included heads of various departments across the organization. This proved apposite following the outbreak of avian flu in Asia. Staff were advised (as appropriate depending on location) that there was no imminent threat, but were urged to prepare localized communicationpoliciesandsupportservices. Theplanwascommunicatedviaonlineinterviews,printandaudio.The websitewasconstantlyupdatedandincludedpoliciesandplans.A‘town hall’meetingwasheldinWashingtonforallstaffandwas‘streamed’more widelyviatheweb. Systemsweretestedforcrisisteamsas‘meetings’couldnotnecessarily be physical and would be conducted via telephone, e-mail, face-to-face where possible or via conference calls. Every tool possible was deployed toensurefullcoverage,includingaHumanResourceshotlinecallsystem, ‘communication trees’ for cascade briefings and travel updates with advice. Closer to home, in the UK Paul Massie, Head of Marketing and Communications for Serco’s BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) Services division,hasbeenpreparingforthesameeventuality.Asheexplained,50 percentoftheworkforcecouldbeoffsickorcaringforrelativesintheevent ofanoutbreak.Communicatingwithabsentworkers,particularlytoinform themofthepossibilityofasafereturntowork,shouldthereforeformpart of the worst case scenario and requires quite different channels to usual. Planningandscenarioenactmentcouldhighlighttheneedforcontingency planssothatthereisnotjustonepointofcontact.Theywouldalsoshow theneedtoallowfortechnologyandinfrastructurefailure:telephonelines maybedownandpostmayfailtogetthrough. Manycascadebriefingstendtorelyontheuseofcomputerstogenerate contactcalls–butwhatifthesystemssupportingthesecollapse?Websites 188
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mightneedtobebackedupwithgoodoldfashionedposters.Ahelpline shouldalsobepartofthecontingencyplan. The international picture affects Serco to some extent as it has some overseasinterests,includingsomeinAsia.Conferencecallingmightprovide asafealternativetotravel.Itisearlydaysyetbuttheemphasisatthis,the planningstage,isshiftingtomultipleroutestoinformation. Gorman(2006)hassomeothersimplemeasurestobackupcontingency plansthatshouldalsobefine-tunedtocopewithtechnologycollapse.He suggeststhatthecrisisplaninitsvariousdraftformsshouldbeproducedin hardcopyandnote-mail.Recipientsshouldberequiredtoreturndraftsto theirsource,whichshouldgiveanindicationthatthedocumentshavebeen readandthattheyarenotconfusedwiththefinalversion,whichshould also be in paper format. He suggests two or three scenarios should be developed.Itislikelythatkeymessagesderivedfromthesecanbeapplied toothersituationsthatlaterarise. AsRegesterandLarkinassert,‘Anissueignoredisacrisisensured.’You havebeenwarnedsogetprepared.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Inadvance
Identifyandprepareforlikelycrisisscenarios. Testplanstodestruction. Actonproblemareasidentified. Retestupdatedplansregularly. Makesurecrisistrainingispartofinduction. Ensure representation of the internal communications function on crisismanagementteam. Buildrelationshipsatalllevelsinadvance. Keepup-to-datecontacts. Identifypremisesforcrisescentre. Trainleaderstomakethemselvesvisibleinternallyaswellasexternally.
Ontheday
Gatherinformationquicklyanddisseminatefast. Dealinfactnotguesswork. Havebackgroundinformationtohand. Brieffront-linemanagers. Don’tthinkyoucanstopstafftalkingtothemedia–sobriefthem. Wordallcommunicationcarefully. Bepreparedforthingstochangequickly. Keepupyourstaminaforthelonghaulthatwillbetheaftermath.
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Signpostingthe ether They keep saying paper is on the way out in terms of publications and communicationsingeneral.Justincasethisturnsouttobetruethischapter looks at some of the ways to make e-communications – communications withoutrecoursetopaperandink–aseffectiveaspossible.Thischapter concentrates on the older model of intranets and the like, while the next chapterconcentrateson‘socialmedia’. Referred to in some circles as electronic media or in certain academic quartersascomputer-mediatedcommunication(CMC),itisimportantto rememberthatcomputerspurelyserveastheplatformandshouldnotbe seenasthedriver.HavingadeepknowledgeofHTML(hypertextmarkuplanguage)anditssuccessorsisratherlikeassumingatypesettercanbe entrustedwithfillingthepagesofanewspaperandmagazinewithcontent. Today’s more user-friendly packages should give the upper hand to the content providers rather than the technician; it is up to us to grasp the opportunityandprovethevalueweadd. Thischapterwillnotlookatmark-uplanguagesandthelike–thereare coursesandotherbooksthatclearlydothatverywell–butwillconcentrate onwhatisneededfromyouthedeployerofthetechnologytomakefora betterexperienceattheinterfacewiththeaudience. Thepreviouslyseparateconceptsofreader,listenerandviewerappear conflatedasitispossibletobeordoallthreeandaddinafourth–participant, 190
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andevenafifth–co-author.OneaspectCMCdoesaddtothemixthatother vehiclesnecessarilystruggletoprovideisinteractivity.Thisdoes,however, havetobedesignedin,notbeingcompletelyautomatic.Polls,pop-upmenus andthelikeserveseveralpurposesincludingdevelopingandmaintaining involvement,increasinginterestandmaximizingfeedback. Onewayofadvancingthecauseforallformsofinternet-basedcommunication would be to put the cost-saving case – something all boardrooms appreciate. These tools should not only save money but also potentially combatenvironmentaldamagethroughcuttingbackonpaperandinkusage. This could also support the organization’s corporate social responsibility drive.
E-MAIL–GETTINGITRIGHT Before looking at ways to make intranets deliver on their promise most effectively, let us take a brief look at e-mail. With fewer opportunities to clusteraroundthewatercooler,peopleseee-mailasawayofkeepingthe moreinformalorganizationalconversationgoing. Becausethetechnologygivestheappearanceofspeeditoftenprovokes expectationsofinstantresponses;thesehavetobemanagedandtheflood kepttoasmoothflow.Alongwithpoliciesonwhatcanorcannotbesentin termsofcontent,manycompanieshavebeensettingframeworksfortiming. Somehaveresortedtobanningtheuseofe-mailonagivendayoftheweek, forcing employees back to talking physically to their colleagues face-toface.Othercompanieshavealsobannedthesendingoftextmessagesand calls to mobile phones outside specified normal working hours to try to combatinformationoverloadandstress.Thisisnotnecessarilyuniversal practicehowever,butitisworthconsideringalongsidepoliciesone-mail usagewithoutsidebodiesandthewaysinwhichtheinternetshouldand shouldnotbesurfedincompanytime. Eveninnocente-mailscanbebarredentrancebecausetheirtitlescontain a word deemed inflammatory. The word ‘seduction’ halted the progress ofaromanticallyintendedadvertisementfromamajorfloristchaininthe run-uptoValentine’sDay.Trytobeshortandsnappy,butnottothepoint ofconfusingtheissue. If your e-mail address does not include your actual name, select one thatdoesorusethesubjectheadertomakeitclearwhoitisfrom.Some organizationsinsistonacommunalinboxsousethesametrickifyouhave towritetoinfooradmininsteadofanamedindividual. Weallknowhowwerespondtocarelesslyaddressedjunkmail–awellpractisedaimatthenearestwastepaperbin.Ifyouknowtheindividual’s name,useitinasalutation.Whetheryouaddressthemformallyas‘Dear Joe’, more informally as ‘Hi Joe’ or just ‘Joe’ is best judged by company 191
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or individual preference. Some group mails where the recipients are all knowntoeachotherandregularlyexchangesuchmissivesmayignorethis stricture. Theoveruseofcapitallettersorotherextremessuchasboldannoypeople asitisregardedastheequivalentofshouting.Turnthe‘caplock’off. Sloppilycompiledpublicationsirritate,anditistheworkofamoment to spell check and also proofread your missive. The recipient will not automaticallyputinwhateveritisyouhavemissedout. Justbecauseittakesonlyasecondtosendarequestoraquestiondoes not mean the recipient will be able to respond straight away. Give them timeandtaketimeyourselftoreadthroughtheinformationbothpriorto despatchandonreceiptoftheresponse. DanielGoleman,championoftheconceptofemotionalintelligenceand more recent advocate of social intelligence, warns that people substitute e-mail for face-to-face interactions at their peril. Writing in the New York Times, 21 October 2007, he declares, ‘E-mail is easy to write, easy to misread.’Inface-to-facesituationsthebraininterpretsnon-verbalcuesto adjustreactionstowhatisbeingsaidand,justasimportantly,howitissaid. Ine-mailconversationsthebrainhasnosuchcuestoworkwithandtries tocompensate–oftenthisisinanegativeratherthanapositivedirection. Thismightexplainwhyjokescanfailandsupposedlyfriendlyexchanges descendintofull-blownconfrontation.
E-MAIL–GETTINGITWRONG Inhisbookone-publicrelationsDavidPhillips(2001)soundswarningbells onaconcepthedubs‘porosity’.Thisrelatestothepassageofinformation fromwithinanorganizationtoexternalaudiences,outsidethecontrolledand formalinformationflowsandwithoutregardforthebroaderconsequences of the communication. This could be seen as the 21st-century version of whistleblowingbutitcouldequallybesheerinabilitytogettogripswith thecomplexityofthecomputer.Thatishowheregardsmany‘leaks’which couldhavebeenmadewithrelativelyinnocentintention.Inothercasesthe sheereaseofusingthe‘forward’iconhasledtodevastatingdisclosures. Phillipsusestheexampleofattachingatenderdocumenttoemphasize a point aimed at the recipient alone without realizing it can be sent or interceptedbyanunintendedaudience.Thatpersonmaypossessorhave accesstootherinformation,mayputtwoandtwotogetherandmakefour foronce.Inotherwordsthetenderdocumentmightlinktoplanstomove toadifferentsiteheraldingjoblosses.Ofcoursethiscouldinfactbeatan earlystageofexploringoptions,butyoucanseehowscreamingheadlines inthemassmediaaremade.Sobeawarethatanye-mailmessagemayend upinthewronghandsandthinkcarefullybeforeyouworditandsendit. 192
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Intentionalinformationsharing,whichcanbetermedrathermorepositivelyastransparency,hasalwayshappened.Nowitissimplyquickerand easiertodoattheclickofabutton;italsoreachesfurtherfaster–around theglobeeveninseconds. Messagescanstartonnewsgroups,jumptoonlinenewsmediaandblogs, whilebroadcastmedia,politiciansandallcontinuetoaddtothestoryso aninnocentsharingofamediareleaseorstatementcanhaveunforeseen repercussions. Spamwasalreadyaproblembackin1998.Itcandeflectfromimportant stuffthatstaffshouldbereadingandcanincludeunsolicitedcommercial e-mail.However,itisjustaslikelytobeaninternalversionbywhichstaff membersorcustomerscansharewhattheyviewasajokebutwhichcould wellberegardedasobscenedependingonthecontentandleadtoaraidby theViceSquad. Disaffected employees can also create their own material which can servetoclogthesystem.Theycanalsointentionallyorotherwiseintroduce viruses. Securityaspectsmeanthatcompaniescannowusesoftwaretomonitor staff e-mail to ensure certain information does not get out, but data protectionlegislationsuggestsitisatleastgoodmannerstoletthemknow they are being monitored. It is worth bearing in mind that e-mail is not securewithoutencryption. E-mails by their very nature are usually one-to-one communications. They can be used to send red alerts about critical issues – for instance Stock Exchange-sensitive information. Here security aspects are certainly crucial. Intermsofappearance,e-mailsmostcloselyresembleold-stylememos butwiththeaddedinformalityofthetelephonecallminustheintimacyof the voice element.Appropriate forms of address and other ‘etiquette’ or ‘netiquette’remaintobefullydetermined.However,itisgoodpracticeto encouragestafftoexercisealittlecaution,astheboxpanelsetsoutbelow.
E-MAILETIQUETTE–AFEWPOINTERS Carefully word subject heading, or risk it being returned and/or rejected. Makeitclearwhothemessageisfrom. Donot‘cc’everyone,unlessessential(bewarethesend-allbutton). Doprovideasalutation(DearJoe/HiJoe). Donotusesolidbanksofcapitalletters–itisnotonlyrudebutdifficult toread. Dosendhyperlinksratherthanbulkyattachments.
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Checkformistakesandomittedwords. Thinktwicebeforeyousendanythingout. Thinkmorethantwicebeforeyoureply. Readthroughtotheendeverythingyoureceiveandsend. Do not sign off with love and kisses unless you’re e-mailing your valentineorfamily.
TEXTING–BOTHPROANDCON Similarlytextmessagingisanotherwayofgettingtime-sensitiveinformation acrossandcanbeusedtotriggercascadebriefings. BobSchukai,thenDirectorof3GProductsMotorola,assertedthat3Gor thirdgenerationtechnologycouldbeusedtogeneratemorelight-hearted communication. The sending of images may have a serious use in some quarters–sendingbackpicturesofvillainsfromthesceneofacrime–but intheearlydaystheemphasiswasongettingindividualstoactuallyuse thetechnology. Thetechnologyenableseveryonenotjusttotalkbutalsotoseeeachother andexchangematerial.3Gmakesitallfaster,savingtimeallround.Itis now possible to download sports highlights and films as the size of the screensandqualityofimagehasimprovedsufficientlyandissuesofspeed ofdeliveryareaddressed. Video-conferencingismadepossibleinminiature,althoughPaulMassie of Serco feels the technology is not yet good enough for widespread adoption. Early examples include a video message sent from Motorola’s Europesectorvice-presidentdownloadedtophones.Staffalsomadetheir ownminivideostohelpdemonstratethecapabilityofthetechnology.In theearlydays3Gcouldhandlemuchlargerfilesatreasonablerates,with speedssixorseventimesfasterthantheusualmodem. Akeyfactortobearinmindwithmobilephonecommunicationisthat themessagesneedtobeshorterthanever.ThinkSunnewspaperheadlines oratthemostthestoryintro,andcutinhalf.Donot,however,assumeyour audienceisproficientintextEnglishandusefullwordswherepossible.
Textinglanguage Textingisnotanaturaluseoflanguageandfranklyhorrifiessticklersfor goodgrammarandspelling.Screensonmobilephoneshaveforcedtheuse of a more economical, theoretically phonetics-based language or way of presenting language. Below, courtesy of British Gas, are excerpts from a directoryinitiallyintendedforusebyolderstafffailingtocomprehendtheir youngercolleagues’indecipherablemessages.Yourown‘dictionary’could 194
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bequitedifferent.AversionofthisappearedintheObservernewspaperon 7March2004.
COMMONTXTTALK AFAIK:AsfarasIknow CID:Consideritdone CUBL8R:Callyoubacklater IMCO:Inmyconsideredopinion IMTNG:Inmeeting MergNC:Emergency InvSTg8:Investigate NRN:Noreplynecessary Po$bl:Possible CuzF2Tnow:Customerfreetotalknow 2moro:Tomorrow T4LUK:Thanksforlettingusknow TUVM:Thankyouverymuch
WINDINGUPTHEINTRANET Rathermoreflexibilityandscopeisofferedbytheintranetalthoughagain theluxuryofbroadsheetnewspaper-lengthparagraphsareprobablynotan option.However,intranetshavebeenwithusforsometimeandtheheady days of stripping copy to bare bones are over. Context is back, although mostoftenintheformoflinksfromthemaincopy. Youmayalsoberesponsiblefortheintermediatesteptotheoutsideworld: extranetswhichlinkinlargergroupsthatconnectwithotherorganizations involved in your work. Some regionally dispersed organizations such as the charity Sue Ryder Care found it easier to set up an extranet to keep everyone,includingvolunteersoutintheregions,intouch. Intranets, extranets (intranets which involve suppliers and the like as well as employees) and websites all share an important feature – the endlessopportunitytostorebackgroundinformationtoberetrievedonly when needed. The hard copy’s advantage is the information is all there, andthereaderdoesnothavetomakeaspecialefforttoretrieveit.Notall usersofintranetswillhavethetechnologicalexperiencetogoandlookfor themselves, and this needs to be borne in mind. The process of retrieval needstobemadeveryeasyandtrainingshouldbegiven. AccordingtoDavidPhillips(2001)thetheoryisthattheintranetwould giveeveryemployeeaccesstothesameknowledge–theycouldconduct 195
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researchandcouldstudytheirownrecords.Butinhisviewmostintranets are not like this. Often they are masses of difficult-to-reach information whichhavenotbeendesignedtofollowthewayworkisdoneinpractice.Six yearsonlittlehaschanged,accordingtoDavidCoeofChemistryDigital. Firewallsinstalledforsecurityreasonscanenduppreventingaccess.But wilystaffcanfindwaysroundfirewalls,somakingimportantinformation hardtoprotect.Itisratherbettertolimitthenumberoffirewallstothose that are strictly necessary. Another theory is that employees should be able to create their own pages if they wish, thereby facilitating sharing ofknowledge.Youdo,however,needtokeepawatchfuleyeonthemas inappropriate material may find its way online. See the next chapter for moreonthis. SpecialistconsultancyEtribes,talkingatane-publishingconferenceheld by the National Council for Voluntary Organizations in 2002, reckoned that a whole library could go online in the form of newsletters, research papers,fliers,leafletsanddirectories.Providedthedocumentisnotawork inprogressthepdfformatispreferablebecauseitcannotbeeasilyaltered inthesamewaythatyoucanchangeWorddocuments,aformatyoumay preferifyouaresharinginformationorpreparingdocuments. Thecompanyestimatedthatcostsofplacingmaterialonlineisaround one-hundredthofnormaldistributioncosts,strippingapostaldirectmail billof,say,£312to£437per1,000,downto£3.12to£4.37viae-mail.This wasbeforedifferentiatedchargingforvarioussizesofenvelopesmadepost evenmorecostly.Onlinematerialcanalsobegotoutmuchquicker. Itisnowmucheasiertotakeaccountofdisabledmembersoftheworkforce asBrailleformatsarepossible,butinordertoensureotheremployeesdo nothavetogothroughthesameoftenlengthyprocesses,theseindividuals shouldhavetheirowndedicatedversion. More people can be involved in content production but you do need to consider copy flow management – who will edit, and who will check copyright and for libel. Just because you fancy an image you saw online doesnotmeanyoucanuseitwithoutchargeorattribution.Ifyoudothisit islikelytoproveexpensive. Makeuseofalltheorganization’smediatopromoteuseofeachother. Theappearanceofaprintpublicationcanoftenservetopromptasurgeof activityonthecorporatewebsiteand,whereitexists,e-mailforum. Rememberitisgoodpracticetoensureconsistencyofimagepresentation acrosswebsite,intranet,publicationsandpresentationmaterials.
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WRITINGFORTHEONLINEAUDIENCE
Peoplereadwebpages25percentslowerthanprint. Theyscanthevisualelementsandskimreadthecontent. Lessthan10percentwillscrollthepages. Headlinesaremoreimportantthanpictures. Lowresolutionandscreenflickercanaffectreading. Make text easily scannable by breaking into chunks and linking to otherpages. Makecopybrief. Usefrequentheadlines,subheads,navigationandhyperlinkstobreak itup. Makethecontentreallyattractiveinitself. Gettothepointfastwhenwritingforthescreen. Honeeveryword,sentenceandparagraph. Formattextforrapidscanning. Providereadablecasestudieswithinterestingphotographs. Avoidcolourconflictsanddistractingelements. Donotusereversewhiteoutofblackorcolour. Usereadablefonts,sizesandstyles. Cutlinelengthtonomorethan10words. Donotusetoomanycapitalletters,italicsorunusualtypefaces. Dounderscorehyperlinks,givelinkssummariessopeopleknowwhat theyare. Use bold, bullet points, numbering, indentation to make text stand out. Takeatipfromnewspapers:donotrunoncopybelowthefold(below thescreen). BreaklengthyarticlesintonomorethanA4pagelengths. Restrictcopytonomorethantwopagesor500words. Offeropportunitiestodownloadpdf,Wordfileore-mailtoafriend. Provideopportunitiesforcommentandfeedback.
WRITINGONLINE Malcolm Davidson of Writing for the Web, speaking at the 2002 NCVO conference,sharedhisviewsregardingeffectiveonlinewriting.Seethebox above. You can regard your intranet as the magazine or newspaper of the organization, combining extra elements from broadcast media such as clips. To exploit fully the potential you need to make yourself aware of the specification of the equipment your recipients are using. Flashes and movinggraphicsmaynotbeviewableoncertainsystemsandcertainlywill 197
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notbefavouredbypeoplewithsightproblems.Providewell-explainedsite mapstoguideeveryoneinandoutofyoursite.Disabilitylegislationnow requiresthis:theonusisonyou.
GETTINGTHECONTENTRIGHTONLINE SpeakingattheVolcomConferenceforthevoluntarysectorin2004,Content andCodeprovidedanintriguinglistofengagingcontentaugmentedwith afewextrasuggestionsasoutlinedintheboxbelow.
WHATMAKESAGOODREAD
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news; policies; procedures; office/regiondirectory; applicationforms; reports; publications; onlinetraining; FAQs(frequentlyaskedquestions); weather; news(feedtoactualnewspapers); travelsites; calendar; staffdirectory; profilepagesonstaff; personalization; discussionboards(notjustwork,alsoEastenders/latestrealityshow); workportal–integration; interactivetraining; e-commerce–stationery/ordering; thecanteenmenus; acronym/jargon-buster; integratede-mail; instantmessaging; healthandsafetymatters; dictionary; corporatecatalogue; smallads(forsale/swapitems); projectmanagementprogramme; bottom-linefigures.
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Content and Code believes that to be truly effective an intranet needs to betheonegood,true,reliablesourceforallstaffsoitmustbethemostupto-date with the latest version of expenses forms and policies. To do this documentsmustbestoredcentrallyandnothiddenawayontheauthor’s computerinaccessibletoanyoneelse. Thereisanargumentfordecentralizedcontrolwithinternalaudiences empoweredtoputincontent.Sopublishingmustbeaseasyasprintinga hardcopy. Thecompanysaysthatbuildinganeffectiveintranetisallintheplanning and in the consultation with all users. They suggest the requirements assessmentcanbedoneinternallyorbyconsultants,butshouldbetreated seriouslyandtaketheformofworkshopsordiscussiongroupsheldwith differentpartsoftheorganization. Hosting of the site can be done in-house depending on the size of the organization, but probably not in the internal communications function itself.Itcanalsobeoutsourced. Theadvantagesofgettingitrightarethattheorganizationshouldbeable tocutdirectcosts,reduceprintingandcopyingcosts,cutdirectoryenquirytypecalls,freeupspaceandsoreducestoragecosts,andmakeothersavings onnetworkandadministrativecosts.Lessobviouslyaneffectiveintranet shouldincreaseproductivity,savelabour,improveinternalprocedures,cut backonduplicationandwaste,bekindtotheenvironmentandimprove customerservice. Employees should be able to subscribe to new versions of documents, to search their file servers, search external sites as well as internal files generally, and subscribe to alerts to any changes. Booking forthcoming trainingonlineisalsoapopularoption. Designers should deliberately build up relationship networks across regional outposts. These more informal channels can be encouraged to flourish through the setting up of ‘Poll of the week’ – which may focus on such essentials as where to hold the Christmas party. It is vital that departments and useful information are just one click away. Employee profiles can explain who does what and reports to whom, providing an organizational tree.A further enhancement with contact details could be invaluableintheeventofacrisis. Chasingcopyisaneternalheadache.Theanswercouldbetogiveevery documenttwoowners–theauthorandtheirboss;thatshouldsortoutthe deadlineissue.Butitcouldruntheriskofnotonebuttwopeopleincluding changes, amending, altering and rewriting, spreading confusion and missingdeadlines.
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INTRANETOFRECORD Printnewsletterscanbereplacedtosomeextentbytexte-mailnewsletters. Theseobviouslytakelesstimetopulltogetherandrequirelittleartistryin termsoflayout.Youwillneedtoexerciseyourcreativegiftsonthewords toensuretheyareread. Thetimesetasidetoreadanewsletteronlineisprobablynomoreand very probably less than most people devote to unsolicited postal junk mail.Youcanexpandonyourlittlegemsthroughlinksbacktotheinternal website,asattachmentsarenotespeciallywelcome. Torecap,togetthemostcommunicationjuiceoutofthenewtechnology followthetipsbelow.
MAKINGTHEMOSTOFYOURE-COMMUNICATIONS Cutyourwritingtothebone. Find out the average size of your recipient’s screen and design your pagestosuit. Checktheleveloftechnologyattheirend. Keepitsimple. Ifyoucan’tgoflashymakeyourcontentpunchy. Updateyournewsregularly. Useallyourmediatopromotetherestofthemix.
Itisofcoursepossibleforcompaniestoemployalltheindividualsnecessary to do everything themselves but this is not a particularly efficient use of resources.InChapter24welookatoutsourcingallorpartoftheinternal communicationsfunction.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Computerspurelyprovidetheplatformforcommunication–nothing more. Exploitthebenefitsofinteractivityoffered. Seee-mailasjustonetoolinthecommunicator’swarchest. Becarefulofchoiceofheadingfore-mailifyouwantittoarrive. Establishclearcorporatepolicyone-mailandinternetusage. Checkyourmessagesbeforeyousendthem. Becarefulhowyouusetheforwardbuttontoavoidsharinginformation indiscriminately.
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Theygoitalone– online Technologyseemstobeevolvingbytheminuteandalthoughtherearenew possibilitiesemergingeveryday,itisinevitablethatfamiliartechnologies and concepts will also continue to develop. This means there is some overlap between this and the previous chapter and to a lesser extent the oneonbroadcastmedia. Socialmediawasnotevenaconceptwhenthefirsteditionofthisbook wasbeingputtogether.Fromconversationsatalllevelsinthepreparation of this edition it seems that a fair proportion of internal communicators continuetoregarditwithsuspicion. Facebook,MySpace,theirmanycousinsandtheirinevitablesuccessors (lifeinsocialmediaisshort,althoughperhapsalittlelongerthanclothing fashioncycles)areenablingexternalaudiencestotalktoeachotherwithout recourse to internal communicators, conventional media or commercial interests. These new skills and activities are unlikely to remain confined to use in leisure hours and will spill over into the working day. Many organizationsareresistingmovestoreplicatesuchmodelsfortheirinternal audiencesandeventhosefew,bravepioneersarestillintwomindsasto whether they feel comfortable letting go of the communication reins and effectivelypassingthemondownthechainofcommand.
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In the previous chapter, the merging of communication roles – reader, listener, viewer, participant and co-author – was mentioned. It is unclear whether social media tools may yet generate a more autonomous and powerfulbeastwhoworkscompletelyindependently;thegrowingtrend towardsmorehome-workingmakesthisincreasinglylikely.Allthiscould be seen as an extension of what David Phillips (2001) dubbed ‘porosity’ – information leeching out of organizations where valued data might go astrayandlandinunauthorizedin-boxesfarfromthecorporateshores.Of courseyoucouldarguethisisnothingnew,astheissueofbadlyaddressed e-mailshasalreadydemonstrated. Themassexternalmediahavealsobeenrepletewithtalesofwoe,first withwebsitesandnowblogsandsocialnetworkingsites.Employeesare allegedlyspendingalldayostensiblyworkingonimportantfilesbutinfact checking out how many virtual friends they have attracted and catching uponthelatestcelebritygossip.Thisisnotcalled‘twittering’fornothing – the name given to a recent social media variant where individuals can contributeshort,sharpresponsestoothers,ratherlikeaflockofsquabbling starlings. Ithasnotallbeengoinginthedirectionoftheemployeethough.Apparently,cannybosseshavebeenvisitingsocialnetworkingsitessuchasFacebook to establish whether potential recruits are as squeaky clean as they claimtobeininterview.Somejoboffershavebeenwithdrawnasaresult ofbossesfindingmaterialthatdoesnotsupportwhattheyhavebeentold. Beware posting up vodcasts (videos) or photographs from drunken hen partiesandthelike,orill-consideredcomment. Weblogsorblogshavealsocomeinforclosescrutiny.Individualswho havefelttheneedtounburdenthemselvesoftheirgrievancesinwhatisafter allapublicarenacouldfindthemselvesfacingdisciplinaryproceedingsfor bringingtheiremployersintodisreputeorsharingconfidentialinformation withunsanctionedgroups.Thislattercanbeaparticularconcernasregards price-sensitiveinformationbeingsharedincontraventionofStockExchange regulations. Thereisobviouslyplentyofwhichtobewary,bothfromacorporation’s perspective and that of the recipient/producer. There are also plenty of opportunitiestoo.Togainaninsider’sviewofwhatispossible,seethebox belowforaguidetosocialmediaandotherrelatedareas/terms.
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SOCIALMEDIAANDRELATEDAREAS–SOMEUSEFULTERMS Blog. Evolution on from online diary. Some staff trust these more than
theCEO’sruminations.Unattractivelydubbed‘sucksites’byManagement Today(June2007). Broadbandweb.Audio/visualvirtualvenue. Folksonomy.Onlinecommunitythatorganizescontentbytags. Hypermedia. Coined in 1965 by Ted Nelson. Complex information processing. World wide web is an example. Non-linear medium – graphics, video,audio,plaintext,hyperlink. Instant messaging (IM). Faster than e-mail. Although a telephone technology it allows individuals to choose their own time of reply rather than instantly. More than one conversation can be in session. Good for homeworkers. IntranetTV.MultimediabroadcastsorTVqualitybriefings. Multimedia.Usesmultipleformsofinformationcontentandinformation processing(text,audio,graphics,animation,video,interactivity). MySpace/Facebook.Popularsocialnetworkingsites. Podcasting.Onlinebroadcastscanbedownloaded.AudiotransfertoiPod and similar. Largely replaces audio cassettes. Use for executive specials, newsflash. RSS (Really Simple Syndication). User in control receiving syndicated information. Stores information online, content from web pages. Used to publishfrequentlyupdatedcontentsuchasblogs,headlines,podcasts.RSS documentcontainssummaryofcontentfromwebsite/text. SecondLife.Virtualworld/community.Companieshavesetupapresence typicallytoreachcustomers.Individualscandevelopchosenpersonalityor avatar.Thecommunityalsoboastsavirtualeconomy. Skinkers.Desktopalertashighprioritycommunicationchannelstraightto desktop.Worksoutsideexistingchannelsandoverotherapplicationslike e-mail/intranet.Goodincrisesforalerts. SMS.Shortmessageservice.Texts. Social networking. Sharing information/files/pictures with virtual friends (chosenindividuals). Social tagging. Helping staff to find content through application of keywords. Streaming media. Continuously received by and displayed to end user, delivered by provider/producer. Also known as webstreaming or webcasting. Vodcasts.Essentiallypodcastsbutwithpicturesorfilm. Web 2.0. Current wave of online activity/trends. Includes blogging, podcasts,socialmedia. Wikis.Clustersofinformationcanbeaccessedandupdated.Canbeused for projects, collaborative working on policy. Easy method of linking fromonepagetoanother.WikiisHawaiianwordforfast.Wikipedia,the collaborativeonlineencyclopaedia,ismostfamousversion.
(CourtesyofarangeofsourcesincludingWikipedia,CIPRInside’s2006TechnologyExpoandthejournalStrategicCommunicationManagement,2006.)
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Thereisnoscopeforthisbooktoprovidetechnicaltipsontheabove.Should youwishto‘windowshop’beforeyou‘buy’,visitasmanysocialnetworking sites and blogs as you can. This will enable you to decide what would be best for your organization in terms of its need, stage of development, technicalcapacityandculture.Ifyouworkinaverybureaucraticand/or hierarchicalestablishmentyoumayfind,justaswhenwebsitesandintranets were novelties, that you have to tread carefully when presenting this to the board. Encourage your top executives to read books like Wikinomics: Howmasscollaborationchangeseverything,byTapscottandWilliams(2006). Thisdemonstratesthecostandbenefitsofwhatcanappeartothenervous potentiallyverydangerousterritory. Thesubsidiaryheadingtothisbookgivesacluetothenatureofthenew channels. They could be argued to be a fresh take on some very old and inothercasesslightlymorerecentapproaches.Anexampleisgiveninthe bookofaminingcompanystrugglingtomakeanageingmineprofitable. Itaddressedthisbyprovidingsensitivebackgroundmaterialandposting a question which gained sufficiently good quality responses to uncover furtherrichseamstomine.Thosewhoofferedinformationwererewarded financially.Essentiallytheuseofwikiscouldbeseenasanextremeextension ofknowledgemanagement(fashionable,especiallyinITcircles,inthelate 1990s)andtherathermorevenerableemployeesuggestionbox.Themain differenceisthepotentialspeedandscaleofresponseandthevisibilityin apublicarenaofpossiblyconfidentialinformation.Somanyorganizations in the past simply paid lip service to the value of employee suggestion schemes.Ifacompanyadoptsthesameapproachtowikisandthelikeand effectively ignores or fails to acknowledge employee contributions, staff will soon become alienated and switch off, leaving the organization the loser.Employeeofthemonthanyone? There are literally millions of blogs out there and more going online every hour. Visit a few and it will soon become clear that even the most technologicallyliterateoperatorscanbreakthekeyrulesofcommunication. Keepblogsandotherentriesfresh.Ideallytheyshouldbeupdateddaily, perhapsweekly.Butmaterialthathassataroundunamendedorupdated for months on end will turn people off. If visitors see no change and no commentfromotherstheywillleave,probablynevertoreturn. Paul Massie, Head of Marketing and Communications at Serco’s BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) Services Division, warns that channels have to be right for the end user. Not all staff groups have access to the technology or the skill, confidence or time available to use it. ‘Some are frightenedtousethecomputer.’ Vicki Davies, then National Internal Communications Manager, NHS Blood and Transplant agrees, and warns that ‘it depends on the demographicsofstaff’.Inherorganizationthebulkoftheworkforce(60percent) isagedover50.Therecanalsobegeographicaldifferences–curiously,in 205
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thesoutheast,staffaremorelikelytoprintoffformsratherthancomplete themelectronically.Thelesson:makenoassumptionsonanybasisastothe abilityandwillingnesstoparticipate. Even those at the forefront of promoting this new technology admit its effective or extensive implementation remains rare, although this is beginningtochange.DavidCoe,ManagingDirectorofChemistryDigital (thedigitalarmofChemistryCommunications)said,‘veryfewpeopleare actuallydoingit’.Hisconsultancyhasworkedonprojectsinvolvingblogs andwikis,butmostattentionisstillbeinggiventomakingintranetsand websitesmoreattractiveandeasiertoaccess. Wikis and social networking can really make sense to the boardroom where they are recognized as contributing to the bottom line, and this can best be done by viewing them as facilitating the development of ‘communities of interest’. Such communities ignore geography and/or previous ties and cut across functions and disciplines, helping tackle the tendencyforpeopletosticktotheirownfamiliarterritory.SueDewhurst of Competent Communicators has described social media activity as the equivalentof‘thecoffeemachineconversations’–perhapsitcouldprovide themeanstocrackopentheinformalgrapevinethatremainsthebaneof manyprofessionalcommunicators.
WORKINGWITHSOCIALMEDIA Not surprisingly, technology giant IBM is among the more enthusiastic early adopters of social media. In January 2007 it set up a separate new mediafunctionwithinthecorporatecommunicationsdepartment.Itshead in Europe, Philippe Borremans, was interviewed in the April/May 2007 issueofStrategicCommunicationManagement.Heseeshisroleas‘guidenot God’,andsuggeststheapproachtosocialmediashouldnotbethatadopted for more conventional communication strategies. ‘It is not an enforced strategy – full of campaigns, “push” models, restricting and mobilizing people,butanurturingoneprovidingtheplatformandthensupport,’he argues.Personalizedportalsforemployeesshouldconnectnotonlywith theintranetpagesthatlinknews,policydocumentsandthelikebutalso discussionforums,wikis,blogsandpodcast/vodcastelements. IBM has had a wiki platform since 2005, through which staff can collaborateonprojectsandshareknowledge.Itisanespeciallypowerful way to solve problems. Employees have been encouraged to post blogs, wikisandpodcastsanditishopedthatvideocasts(vodcasts)willsoonbe added. Podcasts have proved popular as many people feel more comfortable talkingthanwriting.Overa12-monthperiod304podcastshadbeenposted, coveringeverythingfromhobbiestobusinessstrategy. 206
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IBMhasalsosetupagroupofIBMislandsinthevirtualworld,Second Life.Althoughthisiscurrentlyexternal,introducingcustomerstoproducts, it is considered likely to be an effective way of engaging employees, perhapsbyholdingglobal‘meetings’atafractionofthecostofarranging internationalmeetingsandevents,andpresumablymorefunthanvideoor audio-conferencing. Thecompanyisalsousingratheroldertechnologiesininnovativeways. Neville Hobson (2007) writing in Strategic Communication Management, describestheuseofvideogametechniquestoprovideengagingwaysof sugaringthetrainingpill.
HOWWIDESPREADISSOCIALMEDIA? Melcrum,publishersofSCM,alsorunshighlyregardedsurveysamongtop communicators across the globe. Its 2006 Pulse survey, described by Sue Dewhurst (2007), suggests a rather sluggish take-up at that point. When respondentswereaskedabouttheuseofvariouschannels,itseems12per centusedblogs,8percentpodcasts,6percentRSSand4percentwikis. Theydid,however,expectadoublingofuseinthecomingyear. In2007Melcrumpolledaratherlargergroupandaskedthemtoratethe relevanceofparticulartechnologies.Topofthepopswasonlinevideowith 63percent,RSSandwebfeed51percent,blogs48percent,socialnetworks 47percentandpodcasts46percent. When asked for the top three benefits from these mechanisms, 71 per centchoseemployeeengagement,59percentcollaborationand47percent two-waycommunicationwithbosses.However,onthenegativeside45per centthoughtthatemployeestalkingaboutthecompanyonlineviablogs, discussionforumsande-mailcouldriskharmingthecorporatereputation. But70percenthadnoguidelinesforsocialmediausagebyemployeesand only26percentknewhowtomonitorwhatwasbeingsaid.Apparentlyjust athirdofrespondentsratedsocialmediaasanimmediatepriority,41per centsaidtheywerecommittedtotwo-waycommunicationonlineandjust overhalfwereoptimisticthattheywouldgetmoremoneytospendonthis areaoverthecomingyear. So what are the points to bear in mind when setting up an internally generatedblogorventuringintootherareasofsocialmedia?Herearesome points,dealtwithinmoredetailbyDarrenBriggs(2007).
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SETTNGUPANINTERNALBLOG/SOCIALMEDIA Don’tgetcarriedawaywiththeideaofanewtechnologyforitsown sake. InvolveyourITpeopleearlyonanddon’tgetboggeddownwiththe mechanics.Youconcentrateonyourareaofexpertiseandleavethem totheirs. Encourageatoppersontoparticipate. StaffcantellifCEO’smessagesarebeingfilteredorsuppliedbyPR. Berealisticabouttimecommitmentforproducerandrecipientalike. Usealivefeed,awebcast,toproveCEO/director’sactualpresenceif necessary. Prepare and rehearse. Dress rehearse, but only to an audience you trust. Getitrightfirsttime.Oncetrustinasystemislost,itisgoneforever. Buildineffectivemeasurementcriteria.
Oneofthemostcriticalareastoovercomeiscompanyfearoftheoutcomes of dabbling in this area; another, conversely, is giving employees the confidencetoparticipatefreely.Formulatingpolicyandguidelinesisaway ofaddressingtheneedsofbothgroups.Thelistbelowgivessomepointsto takeintoaccountbeforeembracingsocialmediafully.Checkoutwhatyour competitionandothersbothinandoutsidethefieldofoperationaredoing; getideasfromcompletelydifferentsectorstogiveyoureffortsacreative edge.
POLICYGUIDELINESFORBLOGS/SOCIALMEDIA Establishwhatvalueblogs/socialmediabringtoyourparticularorganization. Isyourcultureopenenoughtocope? Willyourtopmanagerstoleratepotentiallynegativematerial? Setclearguidelinesaboutwhatcanandcannotbesaidorshown. Emphasizetheemployee’sresponsibilityforconfidentiality. Think carefully before extending the policy to material generated fromhomemachinesinleisuretime. Trainstaffinresponsibleuse. Demonstrate how easy it is for IT experts to track the source of entries. Warnstaffofdangers–identitytheft/harassment. Actswiftlyifharassmentisapparentin-house.
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Theygoitalone–online Keepmaterialfreshandmakesurecontributorscommittothelonger term. Check for libel and other illegal acts from originators and participants. Make sure social media link with ease to other communication channels.
Followingonfromthefirstwebrevolutionthatprovidedtheworldwide web,socialmediaissometimesreferredtoasWeb2.0.Itisalreadybeing seen as a solution to a whole range of communication and operational issues.Theseincludeengagingstaff,securingfeedback,sharingideasand good practice, finding solutions and providing a barometer for the true climateinboththeexternalandinternalworlds. The final chapter, which focuses on the future, gives some clues as to potential further development, but as a cautionary note it has to be said thatmuchthatfeaturedinthefirsteditionofthisbookisalreadyoldhatin manycircles.
WHATCANSOCIALMEDIAADD? AlthoughsocialmediahasbeenwidelyacceptableinKoreaforadecade ithasonlycometotheforeintheWestsincetheturnofthemillennium. Ithasbeenenthusiasticallyadoptedforexternalcommunicationpurposes butitwasonlyin2006/07thatinternalcommunicatorsbegantorealizeits potentialforinternalaudiences. Aseveritisessentialtorememberthatsocialmediaisreallyjustanother toolinthecommunicator’sboxandshouldbeconsideredaspartofawider mediamixratherthanasthesinglemagicsolutiontoallcommunication problems.Socialmediashouldnotbeseenasatotalreplacementforother more traditional media such as intranets, publications and videos. Its particularstrengthliesinitsinteractivityandexcellentfeedbackproperties, whichprintandbroadcastmediastruggletodeliver. However,thesepropertieswillbewastedifemployeesarenotconvinced thatseniormanagementwillreactfavourablyoratleastnotnegativelyto theresponsesandactivitiesthatsocialmediamightelicit.Manycompanies have been instituting bans on blogging and wider internet usage and if similar strictures are imposed on internally generated versions of social mediatheyareunlikelytobeusedtotheirfullpotential. The corporate travel burden can be partially eased by social media, in particular Second Life and Facebook, as virtual conferences are now possible. But until the technology is developed further it is unlikely to replaceface-to-faceinteractionseffectively. 209
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Sowhatwouldsocialmediabebestfor?Herearesomesuggestions.
SOCIALMEDIA–BESTUSES
Engagingemployeesinafunway. Reachingyoungerstaff. Gettingemployeesactivelyinvolved. Providingausefulfeedbacktool. Encouragingcollaborativeworkingonprojects. Knowledgesharing. Supplementing/replacinglong-distancemeetings. Demonstratingnewschemes/products/services.
Oldermediaarenevercompletelyusurpedbynewmedia,althoughsome suchastelexes,eight-tracktapecassettesandslideshowshavefadedaway. InKorea,textingisapparentlyreplacinge-mailamongyoungeremployees butolderstaffstillclingontoestablishedmodesofcommunication. More traditional media will have their place for quite some time to come and in many cases new uses may be found for them, giving them an extended lease of life. Where the workforce is mixed in terms of age, technologicalknow-howoraccesstocomputersandmobiles,itisbestto maintainamixincludingprint,broadcastandface-to-face.Employeeswill continuetofavourreadingpaper-basedprintintheirowntime,seeingtheir linemanagersinthefleshandwatchingtopmanagementonscreen.The mixwillcontinuetobeessential.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Socialmediaisjustanothercommunicationchannellikeanyother. Canyouremployeesactuallyusesocialmedia?Aretheyskilled?(Ifnot, train them.) Are they even interested? (Give them an incentive.) Do theyhavethetechnologyreadilytohand? Whydoyouneedafurtherstrandofyourcommunicationtapestry? Willsocialmediadoanythingnewforyouthatotherdeliverymethods cannot? Check what you already have by way of channels and test them for fitnessforpurpose. Avoidduplicationofeffort/outcome. Setupclearguidelinesforusageifyoudodecidetogoahead. Bepreparedtoheartheworstandrespond.
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Theygoitalone–online Don’tshootthemessenger:listenandlearn. Doescollaborationfityourculture? Getbuy-infromalllevelsofmanagement,fromboardroomtosupervisor. BepreparedtosetanexampleandengagewiththetechnologyyourselforgetyourCEOdoingitforreal. Don’tbesurprisedifallhellbreakslooseatfirst. Scheduleintimeforover-zealoususageininfancy;onlytightenprocedureslater. Workcloselywithyourexternalcommunicationcolleagues. Build up early warning systems to alert centre to existence of disgruntledusers. Socialmediashouldbeintegratedwithandlinktootherchannels. Makesureyoucanmeasureimpactmeaningfullyagainstthebottom line.
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Howtomeasure success An unattributed news item in the September 2003 issue of Professional Manager sounded the warning bell to all communicators. A study by researchers Intercommunic8 showed that 37 per cent of the 1,000 people polledfeltthatwhatevertheyreceivedintermsofcommunicationfailedto explaintheirorganization’svalues.Fewmanagerswereregardedasmore thanaverageatcommunicating–soundfamiliar? For communication to earn its place at the boardroom table or at least the ear of the people in the rarefied upper echelons, how everything the communicatordoesimpactsonthebottomlineneedstobedemonstrated. Inthischaptertheworldofmeasurementandevaluationisexploredand givensomethingofahumanfacebylookingatsomeofthewaysinwhich practitionersareactuallyrunningtheruleroverorganizationalplansand activities. Measurementcaninstilacertainamountoffearinthecommunications professional.Thismaybebecausefigures,statisticsandthelikearenottheir natural territory, whereas words and to a lesser extent images are rather morefamiliar.Perhapsitseemsboringandcomplex,buteveryactionhas a financial cost which may appear to outweigh perceived benefits. With therightstatisticstohand,theinternalcommunicationsfunctioncanshow how it helps every other department (human resources, finance, et al)
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demonstratebenefits.Inthepast,failuretodemonstrateanabilitytoadd value has resulted in the function being at the head of the queue when budgetcutsarehandedout.Withoutgoodmeasuresinplace,arguingfora fairersliceofthecakeisthatmuchharder. DavidBoyle(2001)makesthepointthatifyouchoosethewrongthing tomeasureyouwillgettheoppositeresultoreffecttowhatyouwanted toachieve.Unclearwordingonsurveysmaygivenorealclueastowhya particularprogrammeisfailing.Timingmaybecitedastheissue,butdoes thatmeanthetimeofdaythatanactivityoccurs,orthedurationofthat activity?Withoutclaritythenumbersaremeaningless. Fear of measurement can also be the result of not understanding the mechanics.Lookedatsimply,evaluationcanhelpyougetwhereyouneed tobeandplantheroutemapforthenextstageon.Foronethingissure: thereisaconstantneedtokeepcountingandtakingsoundingsfromthe corporatedepths. DavidClutterbuck(1997),writingintheHandbookofInternalCommunication illustrateshowyoucanmeasureatanumberoflevelsincludingmessage, programme or campaign, channel/medium and environment. These can allbetrackedandmeasuredindividuallyorcollectively. Itispossibletomeasurebothwhataretermedhardorsoft,quantitativeor qualitativemeasures.Hardmeasureswouldprovideastrictnumbercount – how many people actually read the publication. Soft measures might showhowtheyreactedtoparticularitemsortothepublicationoverall. Depending on budget, you can do this cheaply or expensively. Focus groupsarelikelytoprovideawealthofdetailbutcanbeexpensivetoset upifdoneproperly.Observationmayseemacheapoptionbutitishardto carrythisoutwithoutdrawingattentiontotheprocessandsoaffectingit. Beforegettingoutthecalculatorortheslideruleyouwillneedtodevelop a clear understanding of where the organization aims to be in terms of marketshareandrelatedfactors.Presumablytherearemarketingstatistics, accounts and the like; also external media coverage which will show externalviewsonthecompany. Topmanagementshouldhaveaclearidearegardingtheirdesiredgoals. Deskresearchwillprovideastartingpointasitdoesforexternalresearch, butitisonlyasgoodastheinformationstored.Itcanattheleastbeused toestablishwhichaspectsoftheinternalcommunicationprogrammeneed extraattention. Thelessonsforprofessionalcommunicatorswouldappeartobethatthere arelotsofdifferentthingstomeasureoutthere.Doyoumeasurethemall ordoyoudecidewhichonesareimportantandrelevant?Forwhatreason areyoumeasuringthem?Whatisgoingtohappentotheinformationyou collectandhowwillitbeused?
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BENCHMARKING In the lead-up to a major internal survey it can be useful to look around forotherorganizationsofsimilarsize,complexity,businessinterestand/or geographytoactasacounterbalance.Benchmarkingcanbeaninvaluable tool, not just a one-off measurement, and is at its best when used to encouragecontinuousimprovement.Itshouldbeusedovertimeandifnot continuouslyatleastatpreviouslyagreedstages. Althoughcommunicationisobviouslyvitalthereareotherfactorsthat maybehavinganevengreaterimpactonperformance.Whenlookingfor evidenceofitsimpactitisbettertoselectafewkeypointstoexplorerather thanattempttosolveallproblemsinonego. Internallyitmaybepossibletomeasuretheperformanceofonedepartment against another, especially where there is evidence that all other thingsbeingequal(communicationchannels,vehicles,content)oneisoutperformingtheother.Toproducemeaningfuldatathemeasuresusedwould havetobepertinenttoboth–perhapsclientcontactandclientsatisfaction. Noteveryoneagreesthereisavaluetobenchmarking.Attheturnofthe millenniumCable&Wirelessfounditdifficulttofindappropriatelysized or dispersed organizations to measure up to, so decided to benchmark onlyagainstitself.KatieHadgraft,UKInternalCommunicationsManager, believedthatbenchmarkingcouldleadtocomplacency. ShesaiditsVoiceoftheEmployeesurveyenabledthecompanyto‘establishpastperformanceinordertomoveforwardmoreeffectively.Wecheck eachwavetoseeifactionshavebeensuccessful.’ Technologycanbeusedtofacilitatethewholeprocess.Thereareonline measurementtoolswhichcandeliverresultsinstantlyandinotherlanguages ifnecessary.Akeysuccessfactorinallinternalinvestigativeworkistouse simplelanguage.
SURVEYS Readershipsurveysandpanelscanbeusedtogaugethesuccessofoverall effortsandasastartingpointforfurthermorein-depthresearch. Surveysarenotnecessarilyatthecheapendofresearch,althoughtechnologyishelpingtobringdownthecost.Theyareprobablythemostcommonwayofgaugingtheorganization’stemperatureandcanbedelivered by telephone (potentially costly in time and money) or hard copy and posted,oronline.Thewholestaffgrouporarepresentativeproportioncan beusedasasample. Surveys can be short and sweet or very long and involved. If you are simplytestingreactiontoyournewversionnewslettera‘quickanddirty’ tick-boxsheetore-mailpollmaydothetrickadmirably.However,ifyou 214
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arewantingabroaderviewyoumightoptforpageuponpageofquestions. Justwhowillbecollectingandthenanalysingthestatisticsforyou?Ifyou haveaspecialistonboardgettheirhelp.Surveyscanbeconductedbyan outsideconsultancy. Thereisaninherentdangerinsatisfactionsurveysthattheorganization willnotbeabletoactonwhatitlearnsandtheupshotwillbeathoroughly disillusionedworkforce.Ifyouarenotgoingtobeabletodeliverwhatis askedfor,themostsensiblethingtodomightbenottoaskthosespecific questionsinthefirstplace.Thismayseemlargelyamatterofconcernfor human resources, but internal communications practitioners might find theissuehastobeaddressedthroughtheorganization’scommunications vehicles. After a short time producing and looking at evaluation sheets (which are after all simply a snapshot satisfaction survey) and more in-depth questionnaires,youwillcometolearnwhatresponsestoexpect.Whaton earthdoyoudowiththestatementthatonespeakerataneventkeptpacing upanddown,especiallyifyouhavenoideawhotheymean?However,you candosomethingaboutnotstickingtotheprogrammeandnotstartingon timeifthosearethebugbears.Itisimportanttobeclearwhatyoucanhave animpacton. Butifquestionnairesaredesignedcarefullyandsomethoughtisgiven to precisely what it is you are looking for, you may get back some very usefuldata.Usingscalesrunningfrom1to5withsomeclearguidanceas towhichendisgood,andwhichendisbad,makesitfareasiertospotareas forconcernandthereforeaction.Questionnairescanhaveacommunicative functionoftheirowninthatalooselywordedonewillnotonlyconfuse butalsosuggesttheorganizationdoesnotreallycareandismerelygoing throughthemotions. An over-reliance on numbers will take care of the quantitative end of thingsbutomittherichdatawhichcouldprovidetheinspirationforfuture changes. So when designing questionnaires, allow respondents some opportunitytoexpandontheirtick-boxanswerswithfullercomments.Itis alsoimportanttotellyourinformantsaboutplannedfollow-upaction. To improve response, why not borrow a trick from the commercial world? If you are expecting people to give up valuable time to fill out yourquestionnaire,offerthechancetowinabottleofwineorsomeother appropriateprize.
Sowhatcanyoumeasure? Individual departments and the organization as a whole may need to measurefactorssuchasjobinterest,promotionprospects,stress,statusor confidenceinmanagement.Theinternalcommunicatorwillbeinvolvedto someextentinthedelivery,theinterpretationofresultsandcommunicating plansforcorrectiveaction. 215
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Whenlookingatinternalcommunicationitselfyouwillwanttomeasure whatisdirectlyattributabletothefunction,butgivesomepassingreference tofactorsoutsideyourcontrol. Thosethatyoucanaffectincludethefollowingsetoutintheboxbelow.
FACTORSCOMMUNICATORCANINFLUENCE Isthelanguageclear?* Howoftendoesthepublicationappear? Caneveryoneaccessit? Dotheyunderstandthekeymessages? Isthematerialrelevant? Coulditbedeliveredthroughadifferentmedium? Isthetimingright? Howwillresultsandanyfollow-upactionbecommunicated?
TheFleschFormulalooksatthenumberofsyllablesinwordsandsentence length to determine difficulty. The Dale-Chall Formula takes account of averagesentencelengthandthenumberofwordsthatdonotappearon alistof3,000commonwords.TheGunningFormulalooksatrathermore factorsincludingaveragesentencelength,numberofsentencesused,verbs, prevalenceofabstractwordsandpercentageoflongwords,amongothers. Fry comes up with an equation which works on the basis of selecting three100-wordpassageswhicharetheninspectedtoestablishtheaverage numberofsyllablesandsentencestocomeupwithanaveragereadingage. FormoreonalltheaboveseeCutlip,CenterandBroom(1985). Perhapsamuchsimplerwaywouldbetoestablishwhichdailynewspapers yourchosenaudiencesreadandthenlooktomodelyoureffortsontheirs. Sentences and paragraphs in the average tabloid newspaper appear to shortenatleasteverydecade.Nomorethan32wordsforthefirstparagraph accordingtotheFinancialTimes,soifyourpublicationismodelledonthe Sunbepreparedforashock. Simplifythingsforyourrespondentsbyusingtick-boxformatswherever possible.SeeatypicalLikertscaleinFigure23.1.
HowCableandWirelessdidit TheglobalcompanyCableandWirelesshadlikemanyotherssufferedfrom aglutofsurveys,withdifferentdepartmentssendingthemoutwhenever *Readabilityorkeepingthingssimpleiscrucialwhenitcomestocontent.Thereare anumberoftoolsavailablewhichwillhelpgaugethereadabilityofyourcontent, sometimescalledthe‘fogindex’. 216
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strongly agree agree
neither agree nor strongly disagree disagree disagree
Ireceiveenough informationtodomyjob. Ihavenomeansof expressingmyviewsto management. Mysupervisor/manager hasgoodcommunication skills. Mysupervisor/manager keepsmeregularly informedofthecompany’s progress.
Figure23.1 Likertscale–apopulartoolusedbyresearchersfortestingshades ofopinion
inspirationstruck.Thoseonthereceivingendwereshowingclassicsignsof surveyfatigue,especiallyastheydidnotalwaysreceivefeedback. Itwasdecidedtocoordinateandconcentratesurveyactivity,andVoice of the Employee was the result. For some time the company had been conductinganonlinecustomersatisfactionsurvey,VoiceoftheConsumer, anditwasdecidedtoalignthetwosothatdiscrepanciesinresultscouldbe actedupon. Surveying the whole workforce, certainly a global one, is not to be undertaken lightly, so it was first piloted and was then gradually rolled out.Afirstsnapshotofcompanyperformancewastakeninonepartofthe organizationbyMORI. As well as looking at performance aspects the survey was designed to findoutwhatemployeesthoughtoftheirworkingenvironment.Questions weredesignedtoestablishtheircommitment,whethertheyworkedwell with their supervisors and whether there were any big issues that were stopping them performing. Questions were linked to key performance indicators and the responses to relevant questions used in assessment of seniormanagers’performance. The company demonstrated action on receipt of feedback so essential for credibility with employees. So many members of one overseas-based 217
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teammadeadversecommentsontheirworkingconditionsthattheywere relocatedtomoresuitablepremises. KatieHadgraftofCableandWirelessdescribedVoiceoftheEmployeeas ‘achangemanagementtoolforthecompany.Itischangingthewaysenior managersinteractwiththeirpeople.Itisstartingtochangebehaviourswithin thecompany.ThelinkageworkweundertakewithVoiceoftheCustomeris aparticularlypowerfulwayofcorrelatingemployeeperformanceagainst customerloyalty.’ Although conducted mainly online, in recognition that some field engineersdidnothaveonlineaccessaprintversionofthesurveywasmade available.Thefirstsurveyattracteda77percentresponserate,thesecond 61percent. Fiftypercentofemployeesselectedrandomlytwiceayearweresurveyed anonymously.Thesurveywasintendedtogiveemployeesaformalvoice by gathering insights and feedback in a regular, consistent and objective manner.
Surveypointers Points to consider when embarking on surveys are outlined in the box below.
CHECKLISTFORSURVEYS
onlineorprint; tellthemwhy; decideonfrequency; measureonlywhatmatters; phraseyourquestionsclearly; usesimplelanguage; keepthemsuccinct; haveafirmdeadline; givethemtheresults.
The channel, whether online, print or telephone, will be determined by available staffing at the collection end but also should take account of thetimeandskillsavailabletorespondents.Theyneedtoknowwhyyou are suddenly taking an interest, and normal communication vehicles can helpexplain.Donottrytomeasuretoomuchallatonce.Useshort,clear sentencesorquestions.Telltherespondentswhenyouneedtheirresponses by,andwhenyouexpecttofeedbackresults–anddoitwhenyousayyou will,orexplainanydelays. 218
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Sojusthowoftenshouldyoubedustingdownthethermometertogauge thetemperatureoftheorganization?Iftheorganizationisrelativelystable then perhaps quarterly or twice yearly might be fine. Yearly is likely to beseenasamajoroccasionandanylessfrequentlythanthatcouldprove worthlessasstaffmoveonandotherfactorschange. However,ifyouareintherun-uptomajorchangeperhapscheckingthe temperaturegaugealmostconstantlymaypayoff.ConsultantMarkWinter (2002)reportsthatPrudentialUKtooksoundingsonaweeklybasisduring therun-uptomajorstructuralchange. Thiswasdonequicklyandrelativelycheaplythrougharandomonline survey which targeted different staff across the organization each week, thus overcoming that well known condition – survey fatigue. Questions coveredunderstandingofthechangesandresponsestothem.Thisshowed howattitudeschangedoveraperiodfromsevereanxietytorelativecalm.
AUDITS Surveysarelikelytobeusedtolookatawiderangeofissueswhichmayor maynotbecausingconcerntomanagementandstaffthemselves. Audits are becoming increasingly popular as internal communication is seen as a strategic tool. An audit is likely to be used to look in more detailatspecificaspectsofcommunicationsactivity.Suchatoolwilllookat channelsofcommunicationtoidentifywheretheremaybecommunication ‘blackspots’orgaps,andatthemediavehiclesused. Therearearangeofdifferentauditsthatcanbeemployed.PRauditsare mostlikelytofocusonissuesaroundmessagesandwhetherornotyouhave targetedtherightpeople.Productiontargetsmightbeessentialreadingfor thefactoryfloorbutseemlargelyirrelevanttotheservicecentre. Communicationsauditswillrelatetotheeffectivenessofchannelsand content. Technical issues may slow down channels which may be critical ifinformationisneededstraightawayandchoiceandtreatmentofsubject matterwillalsobeofconcernhere. Hardertogaugewillbetheresultsfromsocialauditswhichwillfocuson theeffectsthatcommunicationsarehavingonthechosenaudienceandthe widerorganization.Thesearelikelytotaketimetodeliverandinterpret. In-housestaffarenotalwaystherightpeopletoconductsuchauditsif therealworldistobecapturedinameaningfulsnapshot.Thesesurveys are usually conducted by external consultants or at least with their help toensuretheanxietiesofin-housepractitionersdonotaffectresults.They should also be more objective, which could be seen as a strength by the respondents.ReedintheHandbookofInternalCommunication(1997)provides awealthofmaterialonaudits.
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Technologynowmakesitpossibletorunregularauditsofcommunication vehicles.Onehighstreetbankusesvotingsystemstoenablestaffmembers of their communication audit teams to express their views regarding particularaspects.Theresultsareinstantlyavailabletothecommunication practitionerwhocanthenexplorethemfurther.
OTHERWAYSIN Measurement does not have to be done in a completely formal manner. Readershippanelscanfeedbackessentialdatawithalotmorebackground than can be elicited from cold questionnaires. This can take the form of focus groups which come together only once or twice, or they could be constitutedtomeetonaregularbasis.Focusgroupsareexpensiveintime andlabourterms,andneedthereforetobedesignedcarefullyandfacilitated bytrainedpeople. Adding competitions to publications and websites provides a useful feedback mechanism and you should be keeping an eye on letters pages andotherformsofcontribution.Thesedevicesarerelativelycost-freeapart fromtheoccasionalincentive,andsurprisinglypopular.
TAKINGTHEMEASUREOFNEWMEDIA AngelaSinickas(2007)haspointersfor‘Measuringtheimpactofnew-media tools’ in Strategic Communication Management. Early efforts to measure blogs,RSSfeedsandthelikehasfocusedonactivityratherthanoutcomes orresults. Itispossibletofindouthowoftenanorganization’snamecropsupon blogsandothersitesandsomeanalystscanevenratethepositivenature orotherwiseofcommentsmade.Aswithmediarelationsevaluationtools, contentanalysiscanbeconductedtojudgethetoneofcomment.Acountcan bemadeofthenumberofpeoplecommenting,whichcangivesomeclueas toengagement.ThenumberssubscribingtoRSSfeedscanbecountedand alsohowmanyactuallyfoundtheirwayontothefurtherreachesofyour site. Sinickas argues it would be more useful, however, to identify who the ‘visitors’actuallyare.Moreusefuloutcomestomeasuremightinclude: greatersharingofgoodpractice; howuseofRSSfeedsmightcuttimeexpendedonexternalwebsites; anyincreasedsales/savingsasaresultofusageofRSSfeeds/blogs.
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To measure the real effect of new media technologies, Sinickas advises identificationofadesiredoutcomeandthebehaviour(s)neededtoachieve this. In-depth interviews or surveys rather than quick and dirty polls are more likely to uncover which communication act or channel had a particulareffectonbehaviour.Stealatrickfrommedicalresearchornew productdevelopment–setupapilotandcontrolgroupandpromoteand/ orintroducethenewtechnologiesatdifferentstagestodifferentdivisions so the effects can be compared. On the annual satisfaction survey, check whetheremployeesevennoticedthenewchannelsandwhethertheyused themandlikedthem.Takingallthesefactorsintoaccountshouldgiveyou anideaofreturnonyourinvestment,anargumentthatplayswellatboard level.
LOOKINGBACKANDONWARDS ‘Evaluation’isawordwithasmanyinterpretationsasusers.Itseemslikely thatitisusedinterchangeablywithothermeasurementterminology.Itis usedheretomeanmeasurementofactivitythathastakenplaceandhowit canbeusedtofine-tunepracticeforthefuture. Speaking at the Internal Communication Alliance (now CIPR Inside) launch event in October 2002, CIPR Excellence Award finalist Seeboard referredtoitspracticeofconductingevaluationateverystageofitsbranding project. It used questionnaires, focus groups, vox pops on its intranet, surveys and ‘mystery shopper’-type activity whereby performance was testedwithouttheemployeebeingawareoftheprocess. A survey during the first phase showed 99 per cent understood the newcustomervision.Separately,thetwice-yearlystaffsurveyattracteda creditable 83 per cent response rate. Some 88 per cent would apparently recommend Seeboard as a good place to work, 92 per cent felt proud to workforthecompanyand95percentknewtheprioritiesoftheirteam.All thiswasuncoveredwhileSeeboardwasbeingsoldtotheLEgroup. Whileitcanbedifficulttodemonstrateeasilyhowitsupportsthebottom line,itcouldbearguedthatwithouteffectiveinternalcommunicationthere wouldbeanegativeimpactintermsofthecostoffailure,lossofvaluable employees or of lost opportunity. One to bear in mind when you find yourselfinthehotseatfacingthefinancedirector.Aneconomicargument amply supported with forecast figures could demonstrate that staff need toknowwhatisexpectedoftheminordertodeliverit–sofailingtokeep theminformedwouldbecostly. Aframeworkwouldgivetopmanagementaclearunderstandingofwhat canbemeasured;adescriptionofwhatisbeingmeasuredatthemoment; recommendingwhatshouldbemeasuredinthefutureandalsowhyand
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how, the cost and timescale – thereby giving an opportunity to choose betweentheoptions. Simplyproducingthenumbers–somanyhitsontheintranet,suchand such a percentage of employees think or know a certain set of facts – is no longer enough. You need to add extra dimensions by looking for the reasoningbehindthefiguresoratleastprovidesomecontext.Thisiswhere qualitative information collected from more in-depth interviews would comein. There needs to be an intertwining of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Management tends to get distracted with the process end of researchunlessthereisaclearexplanationastowhysomethingisbeing measuredinaparticularway,ataparticularplaceandtime. Communicatorsfindthatkindofjustificationhardtodeliver,butifthey candeveloptheskillstodoittheywillbeabletoconcentratetheireffortson whatmattersmost–whattherespondentsaretellingyou. Backin1995theITEMgroupcameupwithaframeworkwhichstillholds goodasausefulchecklistforallevaluators.Theconsultancybelievedthat internal communication can be measured at four levels as the following panelindicates.
MEASUREMENTMATRIX
Campaignprocesses:efficiencyofplanningandexecution. Campaignoutputs:didanythingchange? Mediaprocesses:efficiencyofeachmedium. Mediaoutputs:effectivenessofeachmedium.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Measuretherightthing,andnottoomanyfactorsallatonce. Qualitativeandquantitativemeasuresarenotmutuallyexclusive–one providesdepth,theothernumbers. Benchmarkingcansettheframeworkforfutureplottingofthecorporatecourseanditssuccess. Start with desk research including internal statistics before seeking externalclarification. Measureregularly–longerthanyearlyanditishistoricandirrelevant. Makeuseoftechnologywherepossibletobringdowncosts. Providehelpscreensforonlinecorrespondents. Simplefeedbackdevicessuchascompetitionscangiveaquicksnapshot cheaply.
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Howtomakeit happen–gone shopping! Evenintheageofinformationtechnologythetypesetterandothersuppliers arenotentirelysuperseded.Perhapsharkingbacktodayswhenitwasstill possible to move from secretary to boss in the press office (admittedly a longtimeago)therehasbeenatendencyinsomeplacestoexpectagood typisttobeagoodjournalist,layoutartistandphotographerallrolledinto one.However,ifyouwantadecentendproductconsistentlyovertime,do notventuredownthisroute. Even where there is a stand-alone function there has been an often misplaced belief in the magical all-rounder. Originally a newspaper and magazinejournalist,theauthorneverventuredintothedarkroom. After all, the professional photographer’s skills do extend beyond the clickofadigitalcameraand,ifyouarestrictlyhonest,youwillagreethat unlessyouhaveafullunderstandingoflightingandcompositioninmany cases your efforts will still resemble holiday snapshots despite the latest gadgets. Industrial giants have been known to resort to the use of photo-booth snapstoplugthoseawkwardspacesbetweenwords.Rememberthatold
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clichéabouteverypicturetellingastoryandbeingworthathousandwords. Bothcanbetrueifthepictureistherightoneforthejobinhand,butareyou sureyouaretherightpersontotakeitandwieldyourpenortaperecorder atthesametime? This chapter will look at going shopping for those necessary services which, if well selected, will help convert you from delivery mode to strategist.
STARTINGFROMSCRATCH Itisstillpossibletobegivenacleanslateonwhichtomakeyourmarkwhen takingupaninternalcommunicationsroleforanorganization.Butevenif you have held down such a position for a long period it is worth being objectiveandquestioninghowthingsarecurrentlydoneandwhetherthey couldbedoneatleastdifferently,ifnotperhapsbetterbysomeoneelse. Supposingyouaretheinternalcommunicationsfunctioninitsentirety –whatnext?Itisunlikelythatyoualonewillbeabletoproducetheideas, thewords,theimages,thedesign,theprintedpageandthendespatchitto thegratefulreaderorviewer.Intranetshaveconsignedsomeoftheabove rolesandtaskstothedustbinofhistory,butnotall. Ifyouroperationislikelytobeofasufficientsizeandcomplexityyou couldappointyourveryownin-housebasedspecialist,andavisittothe CIPRInsidewebsitewillgiveyoualistofthosespecifictasksandskills. Hereweconcentrateonpurchasingservices. AshighlightedinChapter6youcanbuyanyserviceyouwantoutthere fromlickingandstickingstampsonenvelopes,totakingthelongerstrategic view.Tosomeextentwhetheryougodowntherouteofoutsourcingpurely tacticalsupportorthehardthinkingdependsontheskillsbaseyouhave in-houseandtheexistingdemandsonstafftime. Beforedecidingtohandoveralargechunkofyourbudgettoanoutsider, firstmakeanauditofwhatalreadyexistsintermsofskillsandexperience inordertoidentifytruegaps.Shouldyouneedsomeno-nonsenseadvice tingedwithyearsofexperience,itmaybeworthwhilecallinginaseasoned practitionerwhowillnotmincewordsintheboardroom.Theymaynotbe sayingthingsthataretotallynewtoyou,buttheextragravitaswhichthey projectmayensurethosewordsareheard. However,ifyourrelationshipwiththoseatthetopoftheorganization isasyouwouldwish,youmayrequireextraresourcesforassistancewith ideagenerationandthenwithbreathinglifeintothoseideas. Atoneendofthespectrumcommunicationsconsultancieshavetheskills ontaptoprovideone-to-onecoachingformanagers,andtoponesatthat, whoneedhelpinface-to-facecommunicationsituations,betheyone-to-one discussionsorgroupsneedingmotivationofahighcalibre. 224
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At the other end of the spectrum, consultancies can provide both the ideasandthetechnologicalknow-howtorefreshwhatyouaredoing,and to support inexperienced people in rising to meet a particular challenge suchasatakeoverormerger.
WHERETOLOOK Tosomeextentthisdependsonwhatitisyouarelookingfor.Ifyouare planningtooutsourceelementsofyourpublicationprogrammeyoumay beabletopickupnamesfromthebackpagesofpublicationslikePRWeek. Perhapsamoreeffectiveapproachistocollectin-housepublicationsthat youlikethelookof,seewhoisinvolvedintheproductionandmakethe initialapproach.Ariflethroughthefilingcabinetorthedepartmentalintrayeverysooftenwillalsomorethanlikelyturnupafewpossibilitieson thisfront. Associations such as the Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ CIPR Insidegroup(previouslyInternalCommunicationAlliance)andtheBritish AssociationofCommunicatorsinBusinessareworthjoiningtokeepupto datewiththecommunicationsworld. Strategic advice is probably going to be slightly harder work to track downinthefirstinstance.Itisworthtakingyourtimeoversuchpurchases. No doubt you are reading appropriate publications (for inspiration see ReferencesandFurtherReadingsections)anditcouldbefruitfultoextend this into the human resources field and read a little more widely. Take a noteofinterestingcasestudiesandaddtheconsultantsconcernedtoyour personallonglist. Recommendationbywordofmouthisoftenregardedmuchmorehighly thanacold-callapproach.Keepupyourcontactswithsimilar-levelpractitioners not just in your industrial sector but in others too, and check out thenamesthathaveimpressed.Write-upsinthetradepressoracademic journals,particularlythoseauthoredbytheconsultantsconcerned,maynot tellthefullstory–gettheothersidefromthoseonthereceivingorpaying end. Ifthebudgetwillstandit,attendafewindustryevents;therearesureto beconsultantspresent.Lookoutforyourfavourednamesonspeakerlists –notonlywillyougettoseeandheartheminaction,youmaybeableto spendtimewiththemafterwards. Shouldyoubeoperatinginthepublicorvoluntarysectoritisregardedas goodpracticetoadvertisemajortenders.Thismaysoundtediousandlongwinded but it can bring in some interesting outsiders you may not have considered.Advertisementsfortheseusuallyfollowastrictformatwhich maynotoffermuchscopeforcreativitybutdoesmeanitshouldbepossible tocomparelikewithlikeamongthoseresponding. 225
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Theadvertisementinthesecasesispossiblytheeasiestitemtoproduce; theimportantaspectisthetenderspecificationdocumentwhichcanrunto manypages.Thestructuremayseemcumbersomeandpossiblyunnecessary initsscopeanddetailbutitcanprovideaframeworkforaneffectivebriefing documenttobeprepared.Seekadvicefromyourprocurementdepartment whenpreparingthetender.
PREPARINGTHEBRIEF So you have identified your targets and want to approach them. Finetuning the briefing document should ensure your effort is rather more rewarding than fishing in a paddling pool instead of the proverbial fish farm.Anysuchdocumentshouldincludeafairamountofbackgroundon yourorganizationandoughttoincludetheitemslistedinthepanelbelow.
THECONTENTSOFTHEBRIEF
missionoftheorganization; goaloftheICprogramme; industrialsector; sizeoforganization–staffing,financial; whereemployeesarebased(UK,overseas); anyspecificissues,includinglanguagedifficulties; parentorganizations; internalcommunicationactivitiesalreadyunderway; timescale(whenneeded,howoften,howlongfor); expectedresults; responsibilityforproduction; budget.
Add items such as existing publications, annual reports and media cuttings as background to the main briefing document. In these days of websitesgaloreitmayseemthatmuchofthisshouldbeunnecessaryand thattheexperiencedconsultantwillknowwheretolookintermsoftheir ownresearch.Thereisanelementoftruthinthisandconsultantscanbe pointedinthedirectionofthecorporatewebsitetocollectback-upmaterial. However,itisworthbeingpreparedtoofferthepaper-basedversionsof anythingavailableonlineandimportantdocumentsthatarenot. There is a rather more fundamental temptation with websites, which istorelyontheseandtofailtoproduceabriefingdocumentofanyreal substance. Providing a well-considered and clear document will save 226
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time at later stages of the pitching process. Unless you are clear on your objectivesfortheprogrammeyouarelikelytohavetowadethroughalot ofirrelevantmaterial.Withoutthatclarityonyourownbehalfyouwillbe offeredoff-the-shelfapproacheswhichmaybearlittlerelationshiptoyour specificproblem. Youmaybeimpressedbythespeedatwhichconsultantsrespondtoyour brief.Thismayappeartoindicateacapacitytohitdeadlines–obviously critical.Butthereissometruthintheoldsaying‘morehaste,lessspeed’–a morethoughtfulapproachmightdeliverbetterresults.Sobuildinsufficient timetotheinitialprocessforconsultanciestorespond–probablynomore thanthreetofourweeks.Muchlessthanthatandyoumayreceivearather rushedresponseornoneatall. Atthisearlystagebepreparedtotakequestionsbytelephoneore-mail from interested parties but do not agree to too many meetings. Treating eachandeveryapproachinthesamemannerisequitabletoall.Afailure to ask questions on the part of a consultant at this stage does not mean they are inadequate – perhaps your briefing document has done its job as required. If, however, you are repeatedly asked the same questions, why not send out a FAQs (frequently asked questions) document to all respondents?
INTERVIEWINGLIKELYCONTENDERS Oncethepitchdocumentsarein,giveyourselfsufficienttimetoconsider all proposals, marking them against a rating system to ensure all your pointsarecovered.Hopefullyyouhavenotbeenseducedbytheideaofthe immenselylonglist–sixatthisstageisquitesufficient.Byallmeansfollow updocumentswithfurtherquestionstoconsultants,butnowpreparefor theactualpitchingprocess.Youshouldhavebeenabletoreducethelong listtoashortlistofthree,certainlynomorethanfour.Haveacleardatein mindandsetasidethewholedaytocarryouttheprocess.Makesurethere arenointerruptions,andswitchoffmobilephones. Recruiting a consultant is very like recruiting an individual in some respects, and should be treated with as much care and courtesy. Ensure yourdiaryandthoseofothersinvolvedontheinterviewingpanelareclear of other distractions. Prepare questions that are common to all but also specific to the proposal being examined. Where possible give the date of theinterviewsinthebriefingdocument–thereisnothingmorefrustrating foraconsultantthanhavingtopullouthavingcarriedoutsomuchwork inadvance. Aspecialwordhereifyouarerequiringamajordemonstrationofcreative ideasandprocess:bepreparedtoprovideafee.Manyinternalandexternal communicationsconsultanciesarenowtiredofspendingsomuchoftheir 227
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timeandresourceswithnoobviousreturn.Formany,workputinatthe pitchstagewillconstituteanythinguptoathirdofthethinkinganddoing requiredtoproducetheendproduct. Allowagood-sizedtimeslotforeachpresentation–perhaps90minutes – and give yourself and others on the receiving end a clear period in betweentobeabletoapproacheachpresentationafresh.Itisbadmanners tokeepapplicantswaitingandverybadformforthemtobesharingthe samewaitingspace. Providetherequestedtechnologyforthepitch–dataprojectorsandthe like–andmakesuretheywork.Conductthemeetingsinagood-sizedroom with comfortable furniture and sufficient refreshment. Keep the ‘judging panel’toareasonablesize–threeisgoodasacastingvoteisautomatically builtintobreakanypotentialdeadlock.Divideupthequestionsaccording tothequestioner’sownbackgroundandmakesureallnecessaryquestions getasked. Make your decision quickly and do not request return visits – it all costs money. Keep all those who participated informed of the details of theprocessandofyourdecisioninthetimescalepromised.Silencecommunicatesrudenessandcouldwellbehurtfultoyourorganization’slongtermreputation. Aswithexternalrelationsconsultancies,beawarethatyoumaygetthe topgunswheeledoutforthepresentationbutmorejuniorpractitionerson aday-to-daybasis.Beclearastoyourexpectationsandyourwillingnessto payforthem.
SOWHATNEXT? Contracts need to be unambiguous and workable for both sides. They shouldsetouttimescales,monthlycontactmeetingarrangements,payment andforwhat,andapprovalsystems. Certainly in the early stages of any new relationship as the client you will want to meet relatively frequently with the account handler at the leasttoensureeverythingiskeptontrack.Howoftenwillyoumeetwith theindividualsdoingtheactualwork?Withwhomwilltheyneedtobein contactwithinyourorganizationtoensuretheycandeliver?Thekeypoints torememberaresetoutintheboxbelow.
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CONTRACTSANDBEYOND
Whowillmaintainregularcontact? Whoapproveswhat? Whowillopenupthecontactnetworks? Whenshouldcopybedeliveredforconsentandreturned? Whenisthefinisheditemtobeproduced? Whopaysforwhatandwhen? Durationofcontract? Breakingcontract?
Consultantsneedtobekeptinformedofanychangesinpersonnelonthe clientsideandviceversa.Itmaybenecessarytobuildinscopeforsuch changestoensureindividualsarebroughtuptospeed. Acontractshouldbeneithertoolongnortooshortinduration.Agreeingto anopen-endedperiodmakesimposingchecksandbalancesratherdifficult. Anythinglessthanayearwillprobablynothelpyoudeliverconsistency – and reviews at the half-yearly stage will enable major problems to be tackled. Quarterly meetings should be used as extended feedback and progress meetings. Clauses should be built in to cope with unexpected circumstancesbutnotmisusedfortrivialissues. Payyourbillsontimeandgiveregularfeedback–goodaswellasnotso good.Afullbankaccountisnotallthatcounts.
WORKINGWITHSUPPLIERS Thetenderingprocessworksparticularlywellwithcompaniessupplying printinganddistributiontypeservicestoo.Beclearinyourlanguageand ensurethewould-besupplierhasactuallyansweredyourquestionstoyour satisfaction.Typesettingisoftenseenastheclient’sproblem,somakesure itisunderstoodthisisarequiredserviceifnecessary. Photographers, event managers, designers and creatives generally will need to be judged on their previous work. Expect to wade through a lot of portfolios and judge on ability to satisfy similar briefs. With images, remembertosecurecopyright. Dotallthei’sandcrossallthet’sinadvancesoyoucanconcentrateon themorerewardingandinterestingaspectsoftherelationship. Youneedtobeveryclearastowhoispickingupthevariousbills.Allowing aconsultancytobuyinspecialistservicessuchasprintandbroadcastcan inflatethebottomlineuncomfortably.
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Aspecifictime-limitedprojectwhichiswellwithintheexperienceand capabilityoftheconsultantisrelativelyeasytocost;lesseasycanbethe ongoing production of a regular publication. Clear guidelines need to be established or costs could escalate out of control with the use of very talentedbutexpensivecreativeinputincludingphotographers. Hereitisworthrestatingthatifyouuseexternalphotographersitishighly likelytheywillretaincopyrightofimagesproducedonyourbehalfunless youhaveacontractwhichstatesotherwise.Photographycanbecomevery expensiveifyouhavetonegotiaterepeatedlyforfreshusesofimagesand youneedtoensureyourconsultancyappreciatesthis. Ideallybuy-inshouldcomefromasnearthetopofyourorganization’s managementtreeasissensible,dependingonthenatureoftheproject.Some chiefexecutivesdoseeitaspartoftheirroletoapproveallcommunication; otherswillwanttodelegatethis.
KEYPOINTSTOREMEMBER Recognize your actual ability – if you can organize, organize; if you canwrite,write. Checkoutexistingcontractsandprocedures–changeonlyifyoucan doorobtainbetter. Talktoothercommunicatorswhenseekingoutcontractors. Taketimeinpreparingtenderdocuments. Giveconsultanciestimetorespondtothetender. Buildintimetogivebidsproperconsideration. Aimforarealisticallyshortshort-list. Make sure there are no distractions on the day the consultancies pitch. Contracts need to be practical documents setting out deadlines, meetings,payment,approvalsystem. Paybillsontimeandgivehonestfeedback.
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Internal communications– thefuture Good morning Mr, Mrs, Ms Internal Communicator, this is your early morningwakeupcallfromthebigscreeninyourlivingroom.Itis1January 2035andyouhavenotmadeyourNewYear’sresolutionsyet,anddon’t forgetyourrequired15minutesonthetreadmilltofireupyourcomputer. Fossilfuelsareadimmemory. Sounds like something out of a benevolent version of George Orwell’s 1984?Well,crossitwithadashofAldousHuxley’sBraveNewWorldand youmightbegettingthere.Ofcoursethemostsuccessfuldepictionsofthe future only hit the mark because they filter the unknowable through the lensoftoday.Sothebleakerthefuturevisionthemorelikelythepresentis itselfdysfunctional. AsPaulMassieofSercoandchairoftheCIPRInsidegroupin2007said, if those in work now think they have gone though a lot of change they couldonlybegintoimaginewhatliesahead.‘Changeisverymuchapart oflifethesedaysandcommunicatorsdoneedtounderstandthat.Weare deludingourselvesifwethinkwehavereachedmaximumspeedyet.’So beltupfortherideofyour,orperhapsyoursuccessor’s,life.
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Remember that genius Professor of Cybernetics down at Reading University? Back in 1999 Professor Kevin Warwick heralded the new millenniumwithacomputerchipembeddedinhisarm.Heusedhisfor opening doors, probably because his arms and hands were full with his laptop, mobile phone and later his iPod, all going off at the same time. Oncehewasabletopersuadebigbusinessthisnewtechnologyhadwider applicationsthanactivatinghisarmpit,ittookoffinwaysfewofuscould haveexpected. Wheremightithavefetchedupbythetimewereach2035?Wellbefore thisdate,hospitalswouldhavestartedbar-codingnew-borns.Everyonewill havetheirNationalInsurancenumberfirmlyembeddedintheirarm,legor whereverwasmostconvenientfortheneo-natalsurgeon.Therewouldno longerbeanychanceofparentstakinghomethewrongbaby,whichwas apparentlystillhappeningaslateas2007somewhereontheplanet. Sounds great doesn’t it?After all, identity theft suddenly got a whole lot trickier, except for those psychopaths willing to steal your arm or leg literallyratherthanmetaphorically.Passportswouldhaveprobablybecome athingofthepasttoo,puttingcertainforgersoutofbusiness.Allthatearly millennium paranoia about identity cards would also look ridiculous in retrospect.Nochanceofachilddisappearingorforthatmattertheerrant husband or wayward employee attempting to make a getaway with the contentsofthesafe;theywouldbetrackeddownveryquickly. Thechipthatfinallyemergedfromthiswhollynewbranchofthecomputer technology sector combined so much more than just a bar-code. It incorporated satellite geographical positioning systems so you could be tracked at all times every day of your life. Something similar has been possibleforsometimewiththemobilephone.Sonomoresneakingofffor acraftycigarette(longsincetotallybannedinallareasoflifeanyway),no morefibbingaboutyourwhereaboutsonaFridayafternoon,andnomore fabricatingdetailsonyourexpensesforms.Quiteafewprofessionsmight befeelingrathersurplustorequirements–humanresourcesforone! Yes,yourbossknowswhereyouareatalltimes.He,sheorit(perhaps thecomputershavetakenoverthedrudgeryofmanagementtoo)cantrack you just like an item in a supermarket supply chain. How does it feel to be a commodity – part of a production line rather than the independent agentyouimaginedyouwere?Disciplineshouldbejustsomucheasierto impose. Mobilephonesofsomekindorinsomeformatwillcontinuetoexist.By now they will have become embedded in our clothes. Perhaps if you do havetogotoaplaceofwork,youdonaspecialjacketintowhichyoutalk andcanbetracked. Possiblygiventhecontinuedfascinationforallthingsold,thewristwatch has made a comeback and you can chat via your wrist. For the older readersamongyouthismayconjureupchildhoodmemoriesofthecartoon 232
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detectiveDickTracyforevercommunicatingviahiswatch–andthatwas backinthe1930s. Admittedly you could, in theory, watch videos on your watch back in 2005,butmostpeoplestillpreferredsomethingwithascreenlargerthan 2 cm.Your mobile phone will also have taken on new functions as your mobile entertainment centre. No more TV dinners for the family then, although these may have been resurrected as in-home gatherings for the latestfilmsonthehugeplasmascreensjusttakingoverattheturnofthe millennium.Theseweretheforerunnersofthescreenthatwokeyouupand gaveyouyourinstructionsforthedayahead. Asearlyas2007theIBMresearchlaboratorieswereclosetoperfecting adevicethatwouldincreasechipdatastoragecapacitybyupto100-fold, as John Markoff reported in the New York Times (21 October 2007). In ‘A technology that may alter the future of computing’, he reported that it wouldmeananiPodwouldbeabletoholdupto200hoursofvideo,which wouldequatetoeverysingleprogrammebroadcaston120channelsover the course of a week. This assumes no real desire on the part of viewers toarchivematerialforlongperiodsinordertoforgettowatchitatsome futuredate. Just think how many corporate videos, training game programmes, manuals, policies, intranet (or whatever that has become), PDF format magazines,PowerPointpresentationsandthelikecouldbestoredforyou andyourcolleaguestoabsorbtogetherorsinglyatatimetosuityourather thanatyourmanagement’sbehest.Nearlysuggestedinyourleisuretime. DespiteEuropeanUnionDirectivesonmaximumworkinghoursissuedin thelate20thcentury,theconceptoftheworkingdaysupposedlyhavinga startandfinishtimewasalreadyathingofthepastwithinadecade. Oncethenotionofthecommutetotheofficehadbeenkilledoffbythe failuretofindarealalternativetopetrolthatdidnotdeprivemillionsof food crops thereby fuelling the outbreak of global war, managers finally embracedthenotionofhomeworking.Nomorematernityleaveasnoone wouldhavetoleavehometoactuallycarryoutthebusinessofworking. Teams would have taken on a whole new appearance too. Other than bychoicefewpeoplewouldnowmeetupinphysicalterms.Insteadthey parade themselves in front of those aforementioned television screens, whichhavealsotakenoverthefunctionsofthepersonalcomputerarmed withthelatestversionofwebcamera. Touchscreensandvoicerecognitiontechnologywouldnowbesogood itwouldbeabletohandlethebroadestofaccentsandwouldmeannoone would have to get repetitive strain injury typing. Ironic really, as those keyboardswereinventedinthe19thcenturytoslowoperatorsdownsothe keysdidnotgetmangled.However,therewouldnowbemountingclaims forvoice-boxinjury!
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Like many other companies, in 2007 IBM finally followed the latest consumer movement onto Second Life and other virtual world systems. Apparentlyeveryonehatedtherealworldsomuchtheydecidedtoreinvent themselvesinacommunityoftheirownmakingandgoverning. Havinggotconsumerstotestrunthelatestgadgetsinvirtualsurroundings andthenaddthemtotheirshoppingcartswithoutgoinganywhereneara shop,thetechnologygiantdecidedthiswasthewaytoengageitsstaffand savetheplanetatthesametime.Funnyhowgovernmentswerestilltrying togetcommunitiestoagreetothemassiveexpansionofairportsaslateas thefirstdecadeofthenewcentury.Onceitbecameobviousthatbiofuels couldnotproduceenoughtokeepexecutivesjettingoffconstantlyaround theglobetothenextconventionormeeting,alternativeshadtobefound. Video-conferencingtechnologyfinallycaughtupwithcorporateaspirationsatthesametimeasSecondLifehadbecomesecondnatureininternalcommunication.Backin2007PaulMassiehadcomplainedthatvideo- conferencing was being hampered by the meagre capacity of available technologyandthataudio-conferencinghadthereforebecomemuchmore appealing.Butnowin2035everyonecanuseanavataroravirtualreplacementthatrepresentstheirversionofanidealizedviewofthemselves,and itisonlythevoicethatneedsfine-tuningratherthanthewardrobe.Such devicesthereforetriggeredanunexpecteddownturninthedemandforcosmeticsurgeryasappearancediscriminationbecameathingofthepast. Usingtheseidealdepictionsofyourselfhasalsomeantthatotherforms ofdiscriminationlongbannedbylawcouldalsobebanishedtothehistory booksinrealterms.Whennooneisabletoworkoutyourracialheritage, your colour, age, gender or sexual orientation, you finally have the long desiredlevelplayingfieldforall. Obviouslytherewouldbesomeinterimstepsalongthewaytocorporate nirvanaorutopia.RememberWeb3.0?Itwasfirstalludedtointhemedia in2006,whichprobablymeanstheboffinshadbeendiscussingitforyears beforehand.AccordingtotheObservernewspaper,anearlyusewasattributed toRadarNetworks,asmallcompanytryingtodevelopthe‘semanticweb’. Itdoes,however,provethereremainsnothingcompletelynewunderthe sun,asthiswasoriginallypartoftheweb’sfoundingfather’svision.Radar Networks’ chief executive Nova Spivack reckoned it would ‘intelligently andautomaticallyshare(s)andorganize(s)knowledgeforyou’,according to David Smith writing in that newspaper on 14 October 2007. He felt it combinedelementsofsocialnetworkingwithanintelligentsearchengine –sothinkFacebookcrossedwithGoogle. Elsewhere,intheTimesHigherEducationSupplement(25February2005) the Open University’s Brain and Research Group’s Director, Professor StevenRose,waswarningaboutthepharmaceuticalindustry’sdesignson yourbrain.Intheearlydaysofthemillenniumtheindividualmighthave been perfecting his or her outer appearance with the cosmetic surgeon’s 234
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knifeorwithpotions,butbigpharmawasmoreinterestedinfine-tuning drugstoproduceanewer,betteryouontheinside. ProfessorRosewasconcernedthatmakingusallperfectlyhonedhuman beingsincorporatebehaviouraltermswasamovethaturgentlyrequired wide-rangingdebate.Onlyyouinthefuturecansaywhetherweactually gotthatdiscussion.Butbackin2005protestagainstthewaypoliticiansor authorityfigures(readboss)ledthecountry(readcompany)gaveriseto thedevelopmentof‘oppositionaldefiancedisorder’.Astheprisonswere alreadyfullandtheoldlunaticasylumslongconvertedtoluxuryapartment living,thecheapestwaytodealwiththiswasviathepharmaceuticalcosh, long ago thought so effective in treating mental health problems. After all, Professor Rose argued that children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivitydisorder)usedtobethoughtofasjustplainnaughtyuntila newusewasrequiredtoextendthelifeofaspecificdrug. Sonowyouknowwhyyouhavebeensohappytobedictatedtobythebig screeninthecornerofyourlivingroom.Thatistheonedownloadingyour workloadforthedayandthevirtualholidayyouwerelookingforwardto (farawaydestinationsaresolastmillennium). Wheredoesthisleavetheofficeofthefuture?Itwillhaveshrunksubstantiallyandinmanycasesdisappearedaltogether.Freeingupofficeblocksfor conversiontoluxurylivingspacemeanttherewouldbenoneedtobuild overwhatwasleftofthegreenspacebetweentheeverencroachingmegacities that characterized mid-century life. The unemployed underclass alreadyinplainsightaslongagoasthelate20thcenturyhadtomakedo with camping out in old small industrial units, which had followed the samepathtooblivionastheheavyindustriesofthelate19thcentury. Theemployeeofthefutureisnaturallyuniversityeducated.Automation of absolutely everything has meant that even burger flipping and street cleaningrequireadegreeofsomedescription.Fromtheearlypartofthe millenniumDanielGoleman’sconceptofemotionalandsocialintelligence had overtaken the need for bothering the developed world’s brains with scientific and other allegedly practical concepts and skills. After all, the dirtyworkandquitealotofthecleanertaskshadbeenshiftedoffshore quiteliterally. Funny thing is that as early as 2007 Indian employees had started to becomerestiveanddemandhigherwages.Theircountry’scorporationsthat hadprovedsosuccessfulatdevelopingcallcentresthatsoundedlikethey werebasedonlyuptheroadfounditcheapertooutsourcetheoutsourcing. Andguesswhereitwent?That’sright,backtotheUnitedStatesandEurope including the UK where it all started. This time the business strategy bit (whereallthemoneyresides)stayedfirmlybackinMumbai. Sonobodyhasneededtocomeintoanofficeeverydayforyears.Nobody neededtomeetupanymoreandperhapsnobodyneededtotalktoanyone everagain.Whereonearthwouldthatleavetheinternalcommunicator? 235
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Well,hopefullyby2035allthosepeoplewhothoughttheycouldpointa cameraandtakeprofessionalqualitypicturesoractionmovies;everyone who thought that because they could write their own name they could produce a great publication everyone else would want to read, have all realizedthatittakesabitmorethanthat.Iftheywantedtocarryonmaking moneyfromtheirdayjobwhilejugglingalltheabovetheywillhaverealized theyneededtheexpertsintodoitafterall. Andnotjustthespecialistwriters,editors,photographersanddesigners but also those who decide on the future direction that the organization needstotake.Tomorrow’sorganization,nomatterhowflatithasbecomein termsofmanagementlevels,orhowdispersedandatomized,willstillneed theprofessionalvoiceandguidinghandoftheinternalcommunicator. Onceyouhavecompletedyourearlymorningablutionsandconsumed your specially formulated breakfast pill it will still be down to business foryou.Youwillhavebecomethegreatstrategistyoualwaysyearnedto be, advising top management on how to craft their exhortations to those deliveringwhateverconstitutesamid-21stcenturyproductorservice.They willstillneedsomeonetointelligentlyliaisewiththetechnologyspecialists (information technology will be a long dead term by then) to ensure the chosencommunicationchannelsfeedoutsensitivelycraftedmaterialthat willbewellreceivedattheotherend. Youwillhaverecognized,asDanielGolemanhadbackin2007,thate-mail wasnosubstituteforthenuanceslostbybypassingoldfashionedface-toface talking. It was found to aggravate tensions, so there was a need for somewayoffeedingbackthenon-verbalcuesthebrainrequirestoadjust yourreactions.Theauthorcannotbegintowonderwhatthatmighthave constituted. TorevisitDavidCoe’sconclusiontothefirsteditionofthisbook,‘lookat whatishappeningexternallyforwhatwillbedoneinternallyintermsof communicationinthefuture’.Lookslightlybeyondthattotheindividuals receiving the communication. Do not get distracted by the games, blogs, podcasts and other yet unimagined technologies; instead look at how peopleusethattechnologyathomeandatleisure.Thefutureisprobably hereonacomputerinabedroomnearyourightnow.
IMPLICATIONSFORTHEINTERNAL COMMUNICATOR For many internal communicators the above will have filled them with horror.Theymightimaginetheirjobsoutsourcedtopractitionersincheaper toruneconomies.Alternativelytheymightfearthatnewtechnologiesyet tobeimaginedwillrenderthemobsoleteorreducethemtomereprocessors ofinformation. 236
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DespitePaulMassie’sassertionthatwehaveseennothingyetwhenit comestothepaceofchange,itdoesnothavetoberegardedinsuchagloomy light.AtleastthatistheviewofProfessorAnneGregory,whobelievesthat communicatorshaveneverhadsuchpotentiallypositiveopportunitiesto graspintermsofboththefunctionandtheprofession.
Howwilltheywork? Themid-21stcenturyoperatorwillbefullyintegratedintotheorganization’s hierarchy.Awidelydispersedworkforcewillrequiremuchmoretargeted andeffectivecommunication.Withcommunicationfinallyrecognizedasan integralpartofmanagement,thespecialistcommunicatorwillberecognized astheexpertbytheboard.Internalcommunicationsasafunctionwillhave itsplaceattheboardroomtablealthoughthattablemightwellbeavirtual entitysituatedinasuccessortoSecondLife. Seniormanagementwillexpectthespecialisttoadviseonallaspectsof communication,sodemonstratingtheirrealizationthatinternalcommunicationisasmuchaboutstrategyasitisaboutdeliverymechanisms.Infact technology will have advanced to such a degree that any obsession with the mechanics of the job (liaising with printers, laying out publications, pointingthecamera)willnolongerbeamajorfocus.Givingadviceatall levelsofmanagement,groomingthosemanagerstodelivertheirmessages effectivelyandtoreacttofeedbackconstructively,willbethemainpointof thejob.Afterall,thishasbeenwhattheprofessionhasbeenstrivingafter foryears.
Whatknowledgeandskillsareneeded? Therewillalwaysbeaneedforanabilitytospeakandwritecoherentlyand attractively.Anunderstandingofthemechanicsofthefunctionwillstillbe requiredsothatpractitioners,oradvisersastheymightmoreproperlybe described,candeliversensibletop-leveladvice. Politicalunderstandingwillperhapsbethemostimportantskillforthe professionalcommunicator.Adeepunderstandingofhowtopmanagers’ mindsworkandhowthatmighthaveanimpactonthewaytheorganization functions will be essential. The communicator will need to understand business information – financial matters and the organization’s field of operation,forinstance. However, the key attribute will be an extreme level of adaptability – a willingnesstogettogripswiththeadvancesthatwillcontinuetounderpin communicationtechnologies.Communicatorswillneedtoadapttothenew waysinwhichtheiremployerinteractswithitsmarketandinitssector.
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Wherewilltheywork? Communicators,justliketheworkforcetheyfacilitatecommunicationwith, maynevertraveltoaphysicaloffice.Theymaywellworkfromhomeora hub.However,itislikelythattheywillstillneedtoattendanadministrative centrefromtimetotime,ifnolongeronadailybasis. The function in which they work may simply consist of them alone or it could be they work within a team of specialists employed directly or indirectly.Managementofsuchrealorvirtualteamswillrequireexceptional communicationskillsinthemselves.
Howwilltheyberegarded? Getitrightandinternalcommunicatorswillberegardedasequallyimportanttothesmoothrunningoftheorganizationastheirexternalcommunicator counterpart,andsoearntheirplaceatthetoptable.Getitwrongandthey willberelegatedtotheroleofdelivererofcommunicationproductswithan over-emphasisontheprocessaspectsofthejob. Education,andcontinuingeducationatthat,willbecriticalinensuringthe internalcommunicatorachievestop-levelstatus.Anincreasinglycompetitiveglobalmarketwillensurethateffectivecommunication,whetherwith internal and/or external audiences, is seen as vital to economic survival. Getitrightandthefutureisyours.
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Internal communications knowledgeandskills In 2004 a joint working party comprising the then Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ Internal Communication Alliance (now CIPR Inside), Communicators in Business, the International Association of Business Communicators and the then Internal Communication Association (now partofCiB)wassetuptolookatarangeofissues.Oneofthemostimportant ofthesecentredonestablishingthelevelsofskills,knowledgeandtraining internalcommunicatorsneedatvariousstagesoftheirprofessionallife.A matrixwasproducedthatcoveredbothgenericbusinessandmanagement aswellasaspectsmorespecifictointernalcommunication. Thisandasecond‘competency’basedmatrixcanbefoundontheCIPR websiteunderthegroupssection.Thefirstmatrixlooksatthesubjectina chronological fashion while the second groups competencies or essential behaviours,organizedaroundspecificareas. Both can be used in a variety of ways. An individual practitioner can establishhisorherowndevelopmentalneedsintermsofskills,experience andknowledgeandhowtomeetthem.Adepartmentheadcanplotwhere teammembersfallonaskills/knowledge/experiencecontinuumandplan theirdevelopment.Anemployermightuseeitherversionwhendrawingup 239
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personand/orjobspecificationsforrecruitment,foroverallteamdevelopmentpurposesandalsoestablishingthefunctioninthefirstplace. Beforemovingontomorerecentdevelopmentsthetwoversionsofthe matrixareoutlinedbelow.ForfullerdetailsavisittotheCIPRInsidesection oftheCIPRwebsite(www.cipr.co.uk)isstronglyrecommended.
BAND1(ENTRYLEVEL,6–12MONTHS) Graduateintheprocessoflearningcoreskillsandgainingbasicknowledge inthewidercontextofcommunicationandmanagement.
Genericbusinessandmanagement Knowledge Basicsofmanagementtheoryandpracticerelevanttosectorofoperation. Legalissues–healthandsafetylegislation,etc. Skills Timemanagement. Meetingpractices. Teamworking. Networking. Deskresearch. Interpersonalcommunication.
Specialist–Corporateandinternalcommunication Knowledge Whatisinternalcommunication? Thepoliticsofcommunication(whereitsitsintheorganization). Planningbasics–audiences,messages,media,etc. Skills The basics of writing and editing (proofreading, grammar, style, plain English). Workingwithclients(internal/external)andsuppliers. Photographyanddesignbasics. Directexperience Workingasanassistantorjuniorteammember. 240
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Supportingcolleaguesinthedeliveryofcommunicationcampaigns. Exposuretoavarietyofchannelsandtechniques. Basicnewsandfeaturewritingforavarietyofchannels.
BAND2(12MONTHS–2/3YEARS) Becoming an effective practitioner, growing skills set, deepening understandingofbusiness/managementandinternalcommunication.
Genericbusinessandmanagement Knowledge Financefornon-financialmanagers. Managementagenda(quality,InvestorsinPeople,etc). Communication and leadership – communication competencies, role of leaders,etc. Skills Negotiationskills. Assertiveness. Interpersonalskills(consultingtechniques). Presentationtechniques. Basicprojectmanagement. Budgetsettingandcontrol.
Specialist–Corporateandinternalcommunication Knowledge Planningsimpleinternalcommunicationprogrammes. Roleandbenefitsofface-to-facecommunication. Awarenessofwidercommunicationdisciplines(PR,marketingcommunication,etc). Knowledgeandunderstandingofrelevantprofessionalcodesofpractice. Relationship between human resources, internal communication and marketing. Roleofresearchandmeasurementininternalcommunicationpractice. Law. Psychologyintheworkplace. Selectionandevaluationofdifferentinternalcommunicationmedia. Howinternalcommunicationlinkstobusinessstrategy.
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Skills Writingandsub-editingnewsletters,intranet(includingnewsandfeatures). Interviewingforpublicationandresearch. Sub-editingcolleagues’work. Planning simple programmes/campaigns (including audience segmentation). Providingtacticaladvicetomanagersoncommunicationpractice. Conductinglimited-scoperesearchprojects. Simplefacilitationskillsforresearchandplanningmeetings. Developingpersonalnetworks. Organizingandrunningeventsandconferences. Visualidentityandbrandmanagement. Directexperience Regularwritingandsub-editingforvarietyofformats/media. Managingrangeofinternalcommunicationchannels(projectsandcontinuous). Conductingsmall-scalequalitativeandquantitativeresearchprojects. Developingsimplecampaignstodefinedobjectives. Workingwithcolleaguesonhumanresourceissues. Working with colleagues from corporate communications and marketing background. Organizingandrunningarangeofevents(conferences,roadshows,workshops).
BAND3(MANAGER/SUPERVISOR) Atleasttwotothreeyears’communicationexperience.
Genericbusinessandmanagement Knowledge Financialandstrategicplanning. Branding. Humanresourcemanagement. Skills Delegationandsupervision. Managingconflict. Influencingskills.
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Managingabudget. Facilitationskills.
Specialist–Corporateandinternalcommunication Knowledge Masteryofmanagementtheoryandpracticerelevanttosector. Planningcomplexinternalcommunicationprogrammes. Goodpracticeinpeoplemanagementandbudgeting. Knowledgeandunderstandingofcodesofpractice. Lawandhowitrelatestopeoplemanagementandcommunication. Evaluationofinternalcommunicationgoodpractice. Organizationcultureandchangemanagement. Riskandincidentmanagement–theroleofinternalcommunication. Skills Specifying and managing suppliers including negotiation and account management. Maintaininginternalnetworks. Coachingandleadingsmallteams. Coachingmanagersoncommunicationprogrammes. Speechwriting. Improving organizational communication flow – development of e-mail guidelines,policies,etc. Developinganddeliveringcomplexprojects. Planningandmanagingdetailedresearchprojects. Facilitationskillsforresearchandplanningmeetings. Supportingchangeprojects. Alignmentofinternalandexternalcommunicationprogrammes. Directexperience Developingneworexistingcommunicationchannels. Deliveringcomplexprojects. Managingexternalsuppliers(designers,AV,consultants). Commissioning and reviewing qualitative and quantitative research projects. Developingcommunicationcampaignstomeetdefinedobjectives. Involvementinmultidisciplinaryprojectteams. Working in environments where a number of cultures need to be managed. Working with colleagues from corporate communications or marketing backgrounds.
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Workingonprojectsattimesofcrisisorrapidchange. Planninglong-termcommunicationprogrammeforlargeorganization. Experiencedeliveringprogrammesconcerningbrands,valuesandbehaviours,restructuring,culturalchange.
BAND4(SENIORPRACTITIONER) At least five years operating at Band 2 or above. Leading department or consultingpracticeprovidingsupporttoseniormanagers.
Genericbusinessandmanagement Knowledge Understandingkeyfunctionsandissuesfaced(marketing,finance,human resources). Deepsectorexpertiseandknowledge. Keepingabreastofcurrentthinkingandgoodpracticeinmanagementin andoutofthesector. Businessethics. Motivationandleadership. Skills Leadingandinspiringateam. Coachingindividuals. Humanresourceplanningandmanagement. Advancednegotiationskills. Advancedfacilitationskills.
Specialist–Corporateandinternalcommunication Knowledge Knowledgeandunderstandingofcodesofpractice. Translating complex business requirements into internal communication programmes. Goodpracticeinpeoplemanagementandbudgeting. Skills Leadingdepartmentorconsultingteam,includingprovidingdevelopment andcoachingforjuniorteammembers. Managingcomplexrelationshipswithsuppliers.
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Workingwithandcounsellingveryseniorleaders. Managinginmultiplecultures. Useofadvancedtoolsandtechniques–appreciativeinquiry,storytelling, etc. Internalbranding–makingthelinksbetweeninternalandexternalcommunication. Conductinginternalcommunicationaudits. Directexperience Leaderoforganizationalchangeprogrammes. Developmentofinternalcommunicationstrategy. Regularexposuretoseniorleadershipteam/board. Developing strong coalitions with other functions (marketing, human resources,finance). Thealternativecompetency-basedmodel,whichcanalsobeseenassupportingtheknowledgeandskills-orientedmodel,outlinessevenareasof concern: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Understandingthecommunicationenvironment. Planningandstrategy. Craftingandorganizing. Usingcommunicationchannels. Researchandmeasurement. Buildingeffectiveworkingrelationships. Advising,facilitatingandcoaching.
This matrix recognizes that there is something to be gained from each competencycategoryformostifnotallbands.
COMPETENCIES–AMOREDETAILEDLOOK ConsultantsLiamFitzPatrickandSueDewhurstofCompetentCommunicators both worked on the two versions of the skills matrix. In 2006/7 they further researched the skills and development needs of internal communicators. In particular they wanted to gain insight into what practitionersdoatthevariousstagesoftheircareers. Theyconductedaglobalsurveyandreceivedresponsesfrom800people as regards careers, skills and development plans. What their statistical analysisrevealedwasthatthereisoftennostrictlylinearprogressionbut simplyindividualswhohadoptedtoconcentrateontheirownchosenfoci
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andstyles.Theresearchrevealedthatindividualscouldbebrokendown intosixgenerictypesthatcanbefoundatanystageofacareer: 1. Thedoer.Verytechnicallyfocused.Couldbeajuniorpersondeveloping e-maillistsorasenioreditor/writer. 2. Managerial/supervisor.Stillfocusedontactics. 3. Projectmanager/adviser.Spendsmuchtimeliaisingwithclients. 4. Manager/leader.Probablyquiteseniorwithstrongfocusonthebusiness’sneeds.Providesadvicetoseniormanagersnotjustontacticsbut howcommunicationcanhelptheorganization. 5. Local(division-based)manager.Businessmanagerwhohasaspectsof internalcommunicationaspartofjob. 6. Superspecialist.Usuallybasedinlargeorganizations,notnecessarily basedwithinaninternalcommunicationsdepartment.Couldbewebor eventsspecialist. Theresearchuncoveredtwogeographicallybasedvariants.InEuropethere is a tendency to focus on advisory roles, while in the United States this shiftstodeliveryormechanics.TheEuropeanpractitionerismorefocused ontheHR(humanresources)orsofterperspective,whereasintheUnited Statesheorsheismorelikelytobejournalisticallyoriented. Thissurveyhasthrownup12essentialcompetencieswhichdonotoveremphasizethetechnicalskillssuchaswritingbutaremoreovertlydirected towardsrelationshipbuilding.Thosesurveyedfeltthecraftskills(editing, writing,eventsorganizing,etc)shouldbetakenasagiven;tobesuccessful, managingrelationshipsandpossessingevaluationskillswereseenasthe moreimportantareasonwhichtofocusattention. Inthismodelthebandsofseniorityhavebeenreplacedbythreelevels– basic,intermediateandadvanced.Theresearchandsubsequentinterviews suggest that most roles can be plotted against two dimensions that run along strategy/tactical and advise/implement axes. It recognizes that eachinternalcommunicationroleispossiblyuniqueinitsownparticular combinationofrequirements. The12competencies(amixofbehavioursbutalsoskillsandknowledge) are: 1. Building effective relationships (building networks to make things happen). 2. Businessfocus(specifictoorganization). 3. Consultingandcoaching(advisingclients,helpingothersdevelop). 4. Cross-functionalawareness(acrossdisciplines/departments/functions). 5. Craft(writinganddesigning). 6. Developing other communicators (helping others develop communicationskills). 246
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7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Innovationandcreativity(newwaysofworking). Listening(research). Makingithappen(plansintoaction). Planning(planningprogrammes,activities,evaluation). Specialist(specificsubjectmatter/area). Visionandstandards(professionalism,ethics).
Obviouslyeffectivebehavioursareoutlinedingreatdetail,butinterestingly anaddedfeatureisasectionidentifyingineffectivebehaviours,whichare oftenoverlookedinfavourofdescribingdesiredattributesandbehaviours. They are rarely taken into account, potentially to the detriment of the profession.Theyarelistedbelow.
Ineffectivebehaviours 1.Buildingeffectiverelationships Ignoresothers’views. Reliesonforceorhierarchytomakethingshappen. Failstoengagecrucialparticipantssothingsdonothappen. Afraidtoaskquestions. Beingrightregardedasbetterthangettingthebestresults. 2.Businessfocus Doesnotlinkcommunicationactivitytobusiness/organizationcontext. Lacksunderstandingoftheirbusinessarea. Insufficientunderstandingofbigaudiences. Fails to demonstrate understanding of business priorities/problems with bosses/clients. 3.Consultingandcoaching Doesnotdelegatetacticalactivityevenwhenthatwouldbebestoption. Doesnottakeuporprovidechancestocoach/consult. Confusescoachingwithtelling,advising,givingfeedback. Failuretolistentoclients. Failuretoexplainexpectations. Afraidtochallenge/querydecisions/answers. 4.Cross-functionalawareness Failstomakeconnectionbetweenownandotherdepartments’work. May concentrate efforts on too few favoured departments, overlooking othersinneed.
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5.Craft Writinginappropriate/unappealingmaterial. Unabletobrief/supervisedesigner. Produces shoddy work in terms of corporate identity, grammar, design, delivery. Managersfailtotrustindividualtodeliveronowninitiative. Clients/colleaguesprefertouseotherstofulfiltasks. 6.Developingothercommunicators Unabletogivesufficienttime/budgettothisarea. Unabletogivefeedback. Blocksaccesstoactivity. Moreinterestedinholdingbacktalentedindividuals. 7.Innovationandcreativity Prefersoldroutinesevenwhencircumstanceschange. Producesboringmaterial. Takesnointerestinexamplesofbestpracticeinfield. Detersothersfromconsideringnewideas. 8.Listening Notinterestedincollectingemployeefeedback. Putsforwardownorcolleagues’viewsinstead. Acceptswithoutcheckingthird-partyopinionsonemployeeviews. Failstoanticipateemployeereaction. 9.Makingithappen Nottrustedtodelivertoschedule. Producesimpracticalactionplans. Failstomeetdeadlines/budgets. Unabletoseelocalimplications. Notgoodatdetail. Tendencytopanic. Easilyfrustrated/diverted. 10.Planning Failstoplanactivitiesincoherentway. Failstoevaluateprogrammes,substitutingownviewsforothers’perspectives.
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11.Specialist Doesnothaverequiredknowledge/expertise. Nottrustedtogivegoodservice/advice. Littleawarenessofbestpractice. 12.Visionandstandards Communicationonanadhocratherthanplannedbasis. Ignorescorporateidentitystandards/grammar,etc. Givesfalse/misleadinginformation. Failstomeetorganizational/nationalethicalstandards. Unabletoresistpressuretoproduceinappropriatecommunication. ThecompetencymodelisexploredmorefullyinareportonskillsandeducationforinternalcommunicatorsproducedbyLiamFitzPatrickandSue Dewhurst,publishedin2007onwww.competentcommunicators.com. The authors have also looked at the roles and skills required by team members in specific roles in ‘Building a learning framework for internal communicators’,inStrategicCommunicationManagement(2007a).
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Communicationsin thepublicsector– asnapshot The public sector is often seen as one amorphous mass, but it is a much more complex environment affected by its reporting lines to politicians, be they in local or central government. Many of the activities previously deemedtobetheroleofthelocalmonolitharejustaslikelytohavebeen outsourced,andlocalauthoritieshavecorrespondinglyshrivelledinsize,at leastintermsoffront-linestaff.Thisappendixwilllookatlocalgovernment inparticular. Localcouncilshavetobalancethedemandsoflocallyelectedcouncillors whomayormaynotbeintherulingcoalition.Policycanshiftradicallyon thesuddenvacationofaseat.Thishascertainlyhappenedincouncilswhere therehasbeennosubstantialmajority.Gainingconsensusonthemanagementviewonserviceandpolicyissueswhichmayhitstaffinglevelscanbe justastortuousaslaunchinganyannouncementtotheStockExchange. Thesectorhasbeentakinganincreasinginterestininternalcommunication as pressure is brought to bear by central government wishing to deliveronelectionpromises.Withthatinteresthascometheappearanceof consultanciesthatspecializeinthefield,andonesuchadvisersaidtherehad beenanincreasedinvestmentininternalcommunicationonbehalfoflocal 250
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authorities.Councilsareoftenemployersofliterallythousandsofpeople, manyofwhomlivelocallyandsoaretrulyambassadors.Techniquesfrom thecommercialsectorsuchasstaffroadshowsarebecomingmoreprevalent andthereisagrowingemphasisonmeasurementofresultsovertime. Morethan2millionpeopleworkinlocalgovernment.Inhisstudyoflocal government internal communications (2002) Paul Inglefield, then Head ofPerformanceandOrganizationDevelopmentatAdurDistrictCouncil, received a creditable near 50 per cent response to his survey of all authorities. More than half the respondents said that the internal communications functionismanagedbycorporatecommunicationswhile14percentsaidit wasnotmanagedatall! Some 91 per cent use team briefings and 85 per cent use conferences orbriefings.Astaffnewsletterisproducedby89percent,mostlyatleast quarterlyinfrequency. Localauthoritiesarenotsogoodontheresearchandevaluationofprogrammesbutthatmaybeindicativeofthefairlyrecentrecognitionofthe valueofinternalcommunicationinthesector. At the time of the survey 12 per cent of respondents did not have an intranet.Corporatecommunicationsfunctionsin12percentofcaseshave responsibilityfortheintranet,but40percentsharethetaskwithITand32 percenthavenoinputatall. Communicationsdepartmentsvaryenormouslyinsize.Justunderafifth havemorethanninefull-timestaffwithcommunicationsasthemainfocus ofwork,withthebulk(32percent)havingjustoneortwofull-timers.But 10 per cent of all authorities reported they had no member of staff with responsibilityforcommunicationseitherinternalorexternal. Just 12 per cent spend more than 30 per cent of their time on internal communicationwhilethebulk(40percent)earmarkednomorethan10per cent.Aworrying16percentspentnoneoftheircommunicationsbudgeton internalcommunication,58percentspentlessthan10percent,whileonly 7percentdevotedjustunderathird. Nearlyaquarterofallauthoritiescarryoutafullstaffsurveyeveryyear but16percenthadneversurveyedtheirstaffatall.However,itcouldbe theyareassessingviewsinotherways,as47percentsaidtheyusefocus groupsand70percentworkshopsorseminarstoestablishstaffviews. Thereisnoneedtogetcomplacent,asnearlyhalfthoseaskedsaidthat lessthan50percentoftheirstafffeltthatthecouncilcommunicatedwell with them.A slightly lower percentage felt that less than half their staff understoodtheorganization’saimsandobjectives. Topmanagementseemedtobeequallydividedastotheimportanceof internalcommunication.However,seniorechelonsoftheauthorityseemed largelyinvisiblewithrespondentsreportingthatnearly70percentoftop managersdonotorrarely‘walkthejob’. 251
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There were country differences in responsibility for the internal communications function. Scottish unitary authorities reported that internal communicationsismanagedbycorporatecommunicationsin71percent ofcases.Thefigureoverallwas56percentbutonly33percentforNorthern Ireland. In the London boroughs a quarter report that human resources managesinternalcommunications. Justathirdofcouncilshaveastrategyforinternalcommunicationand a similar percentage says it is updated every year. Some 42 per cent of headsofcommunicationdescribetheirroleasthatofsenioradvisertothe decisionmakers.Approximately27percentsaidtheyhadfullresponsibility forinternalcommunicationsprogrammesandmadepolicydecisions.Just under a third described themselves in terms of products (newsletters). However,16percentofheadsofcommunicationareatboardorcorporate managementteamlevel. Communicationtrainingisseenasimportantnotjustformanagersbut alsoforstaff.Itisnotclearwhetherthiskindofactivityenablespractitioners totakeonamoreadvisoryroleorinfactbereplacedatthefrontline.Broader findingssuggestcouncilsthatpractisetwo-waycommunicationaremore likelytohavemorecontentedstaffandinturnmoresatisfiedresidents.
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Settingupaninternal communications function–things toconsider Perhaps surprisingly there are still large as well as many smaller organizationswhichhaveasyettoformalizetheirsystemsforconductinginternal communication. The following is intended as a checklist for practitioners setting up an internalcommunicationsfunctionfromscratch.Ittakestheformofaseries ofquestionstobeconsidered.
Whowillbeyourtop-levelsponsor? EvenifyoudonothaveaseatontheboardoradirectlinetotheCEOyou needaseniordirectortotakeontheresponsibilityforinternalcommunication.Itdemonstratestotheorganizationthattheyunderstandtheimportance ofthefunctiontotheorganization.
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Howwillyougetthebackingofthenextleveldown? You need to build relationships with directors/heads of functions key to theinternalcommunicationsfunction–theseincludeplanning,corporate communications,humanresourcesandmarketingastheminimum.
Doyouknowhowwelltheorganizationisactually performing? Buildagoodunderstandingofthecompany’sfinancialpositionanddevelop argumentstoshowhowtheinternalcommunicationsfunctionwillhelpthe bottomline.
Whattoolsarealreadybeingused? Lookatwhatisalreadyinplaceintermsofmeetings,publications,websites, etc.Establishhowoftentheytakeplace/arepublished/updated/refreshed. Lookatthestateofthecontent–justhowinterestingandrelevantisit?
Whatismissing? Findoutifemployeesaregettingtheinformationtripodtheyneedtodo theirjobs,ieinformationtopdown(fromtheboardandseniormanagement forthebigpicture),bottomup(feedback:howaretheirviewscapturedand given to the board?) and sideways (across functions and, dare we say it, silos).
Doemployeesactuallyattend,read,watch,interact withthemediaoffered? Elicit employee views on existing communication channels and vehicles. Whatwouldtheyreallylikeinordertoperformtheirdutiestotheoptimum? Set up a regular means of auditing both the individual aspects of your communicationstrategyandthetotality.
Whatdoyourcompetitorsdo? Comparewhatisalreadyofferedbyyourorganizationwithsimilarbodies againstwhichyouwouldnormallybebenchmarked.Dotheydoitbetter, oristheirapproachdifferentforareason?
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Whatissuesbugmanagementandemployees? Ask directors, senior managers and employees what really irritates them about the way the organization currently works and how this might be correctedthroughcommunication.
Cantheorganizationaffordwhatyouhaveinmind? Prepareabudgetthatmeetsthecommunicationneedsofbothmanagement andemployees.Buildupyourargumentforwinningthefundsbydemonstratinghowyourplanswilladdtothebottomline.
Isthereanyonecurrentlyfulfillingsomeinternal communicationduties? Eveniftherehasbeennoclearlyestablishedfunctionitismorethanlikely that an intranet is being run out of IT or a newsletter thrown together by the CEO’s PA. You need to get these people on board when you are eitherputtingsomeprocessintowhattheydosoitfitsintothebigpicture, relievingthemoftheirdutiesorotherwiseobtainingtheirsupport.
Ifyouworkforadecentralizedorganization,how willyoukeepinternalcommunicationconsistentand coherentacrossthedifferentparts? Setupanetworkofpeoplewithresponsibilityforinternalcommunication. They do not need to be professional communicators; they do need the supportoftheirmanagementandinturntheboardand/orintermediate levels(seeChapter19).
Doyoureallywanttoprovidethefunctionsinglehanded? Establishyourexpertisedeficit,yourpersonaloneandthatofanyexisting practitionersintheorganization.Decidewhatisbestdonein-house,and whatbestoutsourced.Ensureyouhaveyourfinancialargumentslinedup toshowyoucanbridgethegapsyouhaveidentified.
Areexistingsuppliersanygood? Review all supplier relationships and only keep the ones that work and arecosteffectivewithinyournewbudget,nottheoldone.Makesureyour tenderingprogrammeforanyreplacementsisrealistic. 255
Appendix3
Whenwillitallhappen? Establishatimescaleyoucanworktothatisrealistic.Donotover-promise butdonotkeepeveryonewaitingtoolongforresults.
Howwillyouestablishtheelementsofthestrategy andtheirspecificcontents? Consult the front-line staff as well as their managers and directors to formulatearelevantcommunicationprogramme.
Howwillyoudemonstratethataddedvalueyou keepgoingonabout? Buildineffectiveevaluationmechanismsandmakesuretheyarecostedin thebudget.
256
Appendix4
Usefuladdresses Thefollowingareorganizationssupportingindividualsworkingininternal communication. Where available, websites have been given or e-mail contacts. CIPRInside Sectoral group of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (formerly InternalCommunicationAlliance) website:www.cipr.co.ukthengotosectoralgroupandselectCIPRInside InternationalAssociationofBusinessCommunicators website:www.iabc.com Communicators in Business (British Association of Communicators in Business) website: www.cib.uk.com; this now includes Internal Communication Association,aspecialinterestgroupoftheWorkFoundation The Work Foundation (formerly Industrial Society) www.thework foundation.com InternationalVisualCommunicationAssociation(IVCA)www.ivca.org InstituteofSalesPromotionwww.isp.org.uk
257
Appendix4
Legaladvice Advisory,ConciliationandArbitrationService(ACAS) www.acas.org.uk HarbottleandLewisLLP www.harbottle.com
Equalityanddisabilityorganizations ActionforBlindPeople www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk AgeConcern(ageissues) www.ageconcern.org.uk EqualityandHumanRightsCommission(cameintoexistenceinOctober 2007,merginggender,raceanddisabilityequalitybodies) www.equalityhumanrights.com GirlGuidingUK(youngwomen) www.girlguiding.org.uk Mencap(learningdisability) www.mencap.org.uk MIND(NationalAssociationforMentalHealth) www.mind.org.uk RNIB(RoyalNationalInstituteofBlindPeople) www.rnib.org.uk RNID(RoyalNationalInstituteforDeafPeople) www.rnid.org.uk Scope(physicaldisability,specificcondition) www.scope.org.uk Sense(deaf/blind) www.sense.org.uk Stonewall(gayissues) www.stonewall.org.uk
258
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262
Furtherreading BOOKS Argenti,P(2003)CorporateCommunication,3rdedn,McGrawHill,London Arnold,J,Cooper,LandRobertson,I(1995)WorkPsychology:Understanding humanbehaviourintheworkplace,Pitman,London Baker,SandK(1998)TheCompleteIdiot’sGuidetoProjectManagement,Alpha Books,NewYork Belbin, R (1996) Management Teams, Why Do They Succeed or Fail?, Heinemann,London Buchanan,DandBoddy,D(1992)TheExpertiseoftheChangeAgent,Prentice Hall,London Burke,W(1994)OrganizationDevelopment:Aprocessoflearningandchange, AddisonWesley Collins,JandCJ(2002)FromGoodtoGreat,Robson,London Collins, J and Porras, T (2000) Built to Last, Random House Business, London Covey, S (1994) First Things First: To live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy, Simon&Shuster,London Deetz, S, Tracy, S and Simpson, J (2000) Leading Organizations through Transition,Sage,London Eden,CandAckermann,F(1998)MakingStrategy,Sage,London Evans,H(2000)EssentialEnglishforJournalists,EditorsandWriters,Crawford Gillam,London 263
Furtherreading
Frank,AandBrownell,J(1989)OrganizationalCommunicationandBehaviour, Holt,Rinehard&Winston,NewYork Freeman, R (1984) Strategic Management: A stakeholder approach, Pitman, London Goyder,M(1998)LivingTomorrow’sCompany,Gower,Aldershot Gratton,L(2000)LivingStrategy:Puttingpeopleattheheartofcorporatepurpose, PrenticeHall,London Handy,C(1994)TheEmptyRaincoat,Hutchinson,London Ind, N (2001) Living the Brand: How to transform every member of your organisationintoabrandchampion,KoganPage,London Isaacs,W(1999)TheArtofDialogue,BantamBooks Jensen,B(2000)Simplicity:Thenewcompetitiveadvantageinaworldofmore, better,faster,HarperCollinsBusiness,London Johnson(1999)WhoMovedmyCheese?Anamazingwaytodealwithchangein yourwork,Vermilion,London Knight,S(2002)NLPatWork,NicholasBrealey,London Kotter,J(1996)LeadingChange,HarvardBusinessPress Larkin,TandLarkin,S(1994)CommunicatingChange,McGraw-Hill,New York Lewis,R(2000)WhenCulturesCollide,NicholasBrealey,London McQuail, D and Windahl, S (1981) Communications Models, Longman, London Mintzberg,H(1979)TheStructuringofOrganizations,PrenticeHall,London Murray,D(1995)KnowledgeMachines,Longman,London Peters, T and Waterman, R (1982) In Search of Excellence, Harper & Row, London Pringle, H and Gordon, W (2001) Brand Manners: How to create the self confidentorganizationtolivethebrand,Wiley,Chichester Quirke,B(1996)CommunicatingCorporateChange,McGraw-Hill,London Quirke,B(2002)MakingtheConnections:Usinginternalcommunicationtoturn strategyintoaction,Gower,Aldershot Rees,W(2001)TheSkillsofManagement,5thedn,ThomsonLearning Robbins,HandFinley,M(1997)WhyChangeDoesn’tWork:Whyinitiativesgo wrongandhowtotryagainandsucceed,OrionBusiness,London Rousseau,D(1995)PsychologicalContractsinOrganisations,Sage,London Schein, E (1999) Corporate Culture Survival Guide, Prentice Hall, Hemel Hempstead Schultz, M, Hatch, M and Larsen, M (2000) The Expressive Organization, OxfordUniversityPress Sellers,L(1968)DoingitinStyle,Pergamon,Oxford Stone,D,Patton,BandHeen,S(1999)DifficultConversations:Howtodiscuss whatmattersmost,MichaelJoseph,London Tuck,M(1976)Howdowechoose?Astudyinbehaviour,Methuen,London Weick,K(1995)Sensemakinginorganizations,Sage,London 264
Furtherreading
Woodward, H and Buchholz, S (1987) Aftershock: Helping people through corporatechange,Wiley
JOURNALS/PERIODICALS BusinessCommunicator CommunicationResearch EuropeanJournalofCommunication HarvardBusinessReview HumanCommunicationResearch HumanResources JournalofBusinessandTechnicalCommunication JournalofCommunicationManagement ManagementCommunicationQuarterly ManagementToday PRWeek Profile(CIPR) StrategicCommunicationManagement
265
Index
3G 87,99,104,194 AA 26 ACAS 73,258 accessibility 103–04,112–13,196 ActionforBlindPeople 112,258 advertising 22,100,103,140 Advisory,Conciliationand ArbitrationService 73,258 age 30–31,73,103–04,109,111, 113 AgeConcern 258 agendasetting 41–42 AirProducts 12 AlbrightandWilson 12 Alexander,Eetal 94 Ali,M 168 AlliedIrishBank 106 American-English 119,120,121 AmershamBiosciences 88–89 annualreports 84,158–59 appreciativeinquiry 45
266
Arnott,M 131 arrowtheoryofcommunication 38 arts 89 Ashford,D 54–55 Asia 120–21,189 attitudesurveys 13,134 audiences 25–31,101–08 audio 26,85,169–70 audio-conferencing 121,234 audiovisual 84–85,138,167–71 audit 134,219–20,224 avianflu,crisisplanning 188–89 awaydays 129 balconyaddress 89 Barclaycard 50 Barclays 50,91 BassBrewers 87 BBC 10,49,83,132–33 behaviours 81,246–49 benchmarking 129,214
Index
blackboxmodel 43 blockagestocommunication 95, 96–98 blogs 203,204,205,207,208–09, 220 BMWHamsHall 26,71,85 boardgames 87 boardofdirectors 27–28,93–94, 129–30 Borremans,P 206 bottomline 130,212–13 Boyle,D 213 BP 13,82,173 brainstorming 152–53 branding 89 Brandon,M 11–13,14 breachofconfidence 68–69 breachofcontract 70–71 briefing,consultants 62,226–27 briefing,photographers 154 Briggs,D 207 BristolandWestBuilding Society 97–98 BritishAssociationof Communicatorsin Business 21,225,239,257 BritishGas 194–95 broadbandweb 204 broadcast 84–85,167–71 Brosius,HandWermann,G 41–42 brownbaglunches 82–83,174 BSkyB 29,87–88,153 BuckinghamshireCountyCouncil 138 buddying 81 bullying 71–72 BUPA 30,98 bureaucracy 34 businesscase(in-house) 48–49 businessknowledge 18 CableandWireless 86,106,214, 216–18 CapitalOneBank 26,30
captions 154,157 cascadebriefing 82,188 celebrities 116,168–69 Center,AandJackson,P 131,158 centralizedadvisers 95 centralizeddepartment 55–57 CEO 27–28 champions 42,81 changemanagement 50,55, 172–81 channelselection 79–92 characteristicsofICpractitioner 17–24 Charan,Retal 143 charity 4,28,90–91,110,116–17, 158,163,225 CharteredInstituteofPublic Relations(CIPR) 61,75,87, 151,153,225,231,239–45 ChurchofEngland 103 ChurchillInsurance 82 CIPRInside 9,21,77,93,95,103, 144,175,225,231,239–45,257 circuittheoryof communication 38 Clampitt,P 38,44–45 Clutterbuck,D 213 coaching 22,81,122,138,224 colour(inpublication design) 162–63 CommunicationDirectorsForum 21 communicationprocess 130 communicationscontinuum 94 communicationscontract 137–38 communicationsskills (managers) 20–21,144–45 communicationstraining 142–49, 173,177 communityprogrammes 121 competencies 239–49 competitions 69 components–Internal Communication 253–56 267
Index
computer-mediatedcommunication 45–46,86–87,190–201 conferencecalls 115,188–89 conferences 110,116 confidentialhotlines 71–72 confidentiality 61–62,68–69 consents(photographyetc) 69, 170 consultancy 58–64,123,180,225, 227–29 consultancyrates 60 consultativepanel 113 content,online 198 contractlaw 69–70 contractedoutstaff 28–29 contracts 62,70,170,228–29 conversation 94,136–41 Co-operativeBank 107 cooperative model 44–45 copyright 67–68,170,196,230 Copyright,DesignandPatents Act 67 corporatecommunicationsa functionalhome 19,52 corporateglue 87–88 corporateidentity 89 corporatesocialresponsibility 89–91 CouncilforExcellencein ManagementandLeadership 10,15 creatives 29 creativity 150–59 Crisis(charity) 139 crisiscommunication 182–89 crisisplanning 182–89 culturechange 36–37,95–96, 179–81 cultures,country 119–26 cultures(organizations) 33–37 Curtis,J 149 HMRevenueandCustoms 95 Cutlip,Setal 216 cybernetics 232 268
Daftetal 94 dancetheoryofcommunication 44–45 D’Aprix,R 39–40,46,131 darksites 186 dataprotection 74,187,193 decentralizeddepartment 55–57 defamation 66–67 design 157 DesignCouncil 89 deskresearch 213 deviantreading 42 Dewhurst,SandFitzPatrick, L 143–44,147,207 DHL 61 dialogue 22–23,137–38 digitalcameras 154,223 Directive–EuropeanCommission, EmployeeInvolvementand Consultation 4,15,75–77, 179,233 disability 73,103–04,110,112–13, 139,163,198 DisabilityRightsCommission 112 discrimination 30,31,73–74,104, 110,234 dispersed 83,89,109,114–15, 119–26 distortion 97–98 distribution(publications) 165, 196 diversity 30,73–74,109–18 dress 122 DVD 82,84–85,94,167–69 easyJet 136–38 e-communications 190–201 editing 150–59 editorialboard/panel 113,156 elaboratedcodes 42 electroniccommunication 45–46, 190–201 e-mail 46,86–87,94,99,104,107, 191–94,210
Index
e-mailcosts 196 e-mailetiquette 107,191–94 e-mailnewsletters 86,200 e-mailpolicy 67,72,191 emotionalintelligence 44,192, 235,236 employeebuy-in 18,177 employeeconsultationgroups 75–77,107 employeeengagement 39–40, 90–91,138,177,207 employeeinterests 131 employmentlegislation 70–72, 179 Englishasasecondlanguage 110, 111 environment 89,104–05,165–66 EqualityandHumanRights Commission 74,258 ethnicity 109–12,119–26 EuropeanCommissionInformation andConsultationDirective 4, 15, 75–77,179,233 evaluation 212–22 events 88–89 Eversheds 117,140 externalmedia 23 extranet 195
Fiske,J 37,41 FitzPatrick,LandDewhurst,S 143–44,147,207 focusgroups 213,220 folksonomy 204 Foster,J 155–56,161 Fox,S 10,15 FreedomofInformationAct 74,78 (frequentlyaskedquestions) 186, 227 frontline 25–26,142–45,149
Facebook 87,202,204,207,234 facetofaceenmasse 81–83, 136–41,175,186 facetoface(onetoone) 22,46, 80–81,94,136–41 faith 109,110–12,124 FAQS(frequentlyasked questions) 186,227 FarEast 120 fax 188 feedback 38,82,94,96,99, 102–03,106,177,217–18 filming,production 169–70 firewalls 196
Hacker,K 46 Handy,C 33–37 harassment 71–72 HarbottleandLewis 65 headlines 157,163,197 healthandsafety 71–72 healthservices1–2,66,82,91, 99–100,102,104,110,185 hearingdifficulties 112–13 hierarchyofneedsmodel 42–43, 131 hierarchy(organizational) 122–23 Helsby,N 15,17–22,32 HillandKnowlton 123
games 87–88 gatefold 164–65 gatekeeper 42,111,149 Gaymer,J 71 Gean,MandMorier,R 188 gender 73,109,113–14,234 German 119,124 gestures 122 gimmicks 87–88 GirlguidingUK 30,258 global 119–26 Goleman,D 192,235,236 Gorman,B 39,46,189 grapevine 46,81,99–100,106,114, 137 Gregory,A 96,111 GSK 174–78
269
Index
Hobson,N 207 Holland 124 homeworkers 109,114 housejournal 13 Howard,W 65 huddles 180 humanresourcesvpublicrelations 54–55 humanresources 18,52,54–55 humanrights 74 HumanRightsAct 74 Hutton,P 40 hyperlinks 193,197 hypermedia 204 hypodermicneedlemodelof communication 38 i-book 160 IBM 26,85,87,99–100,115, 206–07,234 India 181 individual(astheory) 42–44 informalchannels 99–100 informationoverload 107,191 informedconsent 69 Inglefield,P 52,250–52 in-house 48–57 in-houselanguage 105 in-housestructure(chart) 56 instantmessaging 204 InstituteofSalesPromotion 69, 257 interactiveTV 85 interactivity 85,94,95,167 internalcommunication,history 10–14 internalcommunications function 50–51,130,253–56 internalcommunicationsfunction location 14–15,18–19,48–57 international 119–26 InternationalAssociationof BusinessCommunicators 21, 239,257 270
InternationalVisualCommunicationAssociation 171,257 internet 86–87 interpreters 111,119 interviewing,suppliers 113, 227–28 intranet 14,45–46,86–87,99, 100,103,113,115,126,134, 190–201 intranetpolls 102 intranetTV 204 iPod 204,232 ITasfunction 22,54 ITEM 222 Jakobson 40 Japan 124 jargon 105,147–48 JohnLewisPartnership 98 journalism,schoolof 12 knowledgegap 41–42 knowledgemanagement 54,100, 205 knowledgerequired 239–49 Korea 209,210 Kwiksave 1 Larkin,JandRegester,M 182–83, 186–88 Lasswell 41 lateralcommunication 96,99–100, 174 Latinspeakers 120 LEGroup 83,85,86,89,100,155 leadership 9,15,142–49 leadershipcommunication 9, 142–49 legal 31,65–78,187 libel 66–67,196 Likertscale 216–17 linemanagement 26–27,142–49, 176,178 linearmodel 38
Index
listening 24,96,98,106,138, 146–47 localauthorities 28–29,52,59,90, 91,95–96,225,250–52 magazines 83–84,115,164 manager’sperspective 93–100 marketing 19,53 Maslow’shierarchyofneeds 39, 42–43,131 massmediastyle 155 massmediatheories 41–42,94 mastheads 163 McQuail,D 41 measurement 212–22 media,assymbol 96,98–99 mediarichness 46,94 MediaTrust 91 meetingmanagement 138–39 meetings 136–39 Mencap 258 mentalhealthissues 112–13 mentoring 81,90 merger,casestudy 174–78 message,importance 79–80 micro-organization 117 middlemanagers 27,142–49 MIND 258 MindGym 146–47 missionstatement 153 mobilephones 87,104,232 mobileworkforce 115 mobilityissues 112–13 monitoringbehaviour 72,193 Morier,RandGean,M 188 Motorola 194 multimedia 204 multinationals 119–26 MySpace 202,204
NationalGrid 120 NationalUnionofJournalists 60 Nationwide 22 networks 114,174,178 neurolinguistic 43–44 Newcomb 38 newmedia,measurement 220–21 newsgroups 193 newsletters 83–84,102,126, 164–65,186 newspapers 12–13,83–84,155, 157,164–65 NHS 1–2,91,104,112 Nilsson,PandHeilskov,T 145, 148 Nomura 13–14 non-Englishspeakers 110,111 NorthTees&HartlepoolNHS Trust 82,99–100 Norway 125–26 NorwichUnion 66–67,85,179–81 notforprofit 4,28,90–91,110, 116–17,158,163,225 observation 213 OHPpresentations 112,138–39, 140 one-to-one 80–81,224 opinionformers 42 organizationaldevelopment 50 O’Sullivan,Tetal 42 outsourcing(ICfunction) 58–64, 234 overload,communication 39,107
pagination 163–64 panEMEA 124 paper 160–66 patents 67–68 paypacketcommunications 83 narrative 136–38 Perren,LandGrant,P 10,15 Nathan,MandDoyle,J 104–05 personculture 34–35 NationalBloodTransplantService PHH 103 115,135,205 Phillips,D 46,192–93,195–96,203 271
Index
phone-in 85,87,115,169 photography 153–54,157,223–24, 229–30 photography,copyright 67,230 PiperAlpha,disaster 187 pitch 227–28 Pitmatical 105 plagiarism 68 Plan(charity) 81–82 plasmascreens 85,233 podcasting 94,204,206 porosity 46,203 powerculture 33–34 PowerPoint 138–39 preferredreadings 42 presentations 112,138–41 pricesensitivity 3 print 83–84,111–13,160–66 printruns 160–62 privacy 69,72,187 privatelanguage 105 processschool 37–39 progressmeetings, consultants 228–29 proofreading 161 Prudential 219 psychology 42–44 pubcrawl 88 PublicinterestDisclosureAct 71 publicrelations 51–52,54–55 publicsector 28–29,52,59,90,91, 95–96,225,250–52 publishing(logistics) 160–69 questionnaires 215 Quirke,B 98 quizzes 88 race 109,110–12,119–26 radiobroadcast 85 readabilityformulae 216 readers’letters 102 readershippanel 214,220 readershipsurveys 102,214 272
ReallySimpleSyndicationfeeds 204,207 receivingend 101–08 RedCross 116,117 redundancy 38,39 Reed,M 219 Regester,MandLarkinJ 182–83, 186–88 registereddesigns 67–68 religion 109,110–12,124 reorganization,casestudy 179–81 reportinglines 15 research 212–22 restrictedcode 42 RevenueandCustoms 95 RioTinto 50,71–72,120 riskmanagement 182–89 RNIB 258 RNID 258 roadshows 81–83,88–89,110,116, 140–41,175 roleculture 34 roleplay 81 rolesoffunction 19–21 Royal&SunAlliance 90 RoyalBankofScotland 153 RSS 204,207,220 Sainsburys 12 salaries 51 sale,casestudy 178–79 SalvationArmy 117 Samaritans 90 SaudiArabia 124 scales 215,216–17 ScandinavianAirlines Norway 125–26 Scope 258 SecondLife 87,204,207,209,234, 237 Seeboard 102,221 segmentation 25–31 semiotics 37,40 seniormanagers 27,173
Index
Sense 113,258 Serco 23,77,168,188–89,205,231 sex 73,109,113–14,234 sexualorientation 73,109,113–14, 234 ShannonandWeaver 37–38,41 sightissues 112–13,118 siloeffect 95 silversurfers 114 Sinickas,A 220 skillsmatrix 239–45 skinkers 204 slander 66–67 SmithandNephew 26 SMS 204 Smythe,J 107,177 socialmedia 87,190,202–11 socialpresence 46 socialtagging 204 spam 193 specialiststaff 29 specifications 225–26 spiralofsilence 41 stakeholders 107 StBenedict 10 StockExchange 3,75,80,87,186, 193,203,250 Stonewall 258 storytelling 137–38 streamingmedia 204 subcontractedworkers 28–29 SueRyderCare 99,195 supervisors 26–27,142–49 suppliers 69–70,223–30 surveillance 232 surveys 102,134,214–19,221–22 Sweden 124 symbol,mediaas 96,98–99 talkingheads 169 Tapscott,DandWilliams,A 205 taskculture 36–37 tealady 99 teambriefing 97–98
telephone 137 tenders 225–26,229 terminology 9–10 texting 26,87,104,115,126, 194–95,200–12 Thailand 122–23 theory 32–47 TIC,modelofcommunications 45 topdown 93–100 townhalls 88 trademark 68 transactionalanalysis 44 transitioncurve 175–77 translation 119 trustees 28 Twitters 203 twowaycommunication 15–16, 95 typefaces 111,112,162–63 typesetter 160–62,229 UKFederationofSmallerMental HealthAgencies 117 upwardcommunication 106 usesandgratifications 41 values 129–30 Varey,R 44 Vertex 28–29,54 video 13,82,84–85,86,94,102, 167–71,194,207 videoconferencing 85,86,121, 194,234 virtuouscircleof communication 96–97 VisitScotland 132–34 visualelements 153–54 visualissues 112–13,118 vodcasts 203,204,206 voicemail 121 VolunteerReadingHelp 158 volunteers 28,90–91,116–17 voluntarysector 4,28,90–91,110, 116–17,158,163,225 273
Index
watercooler 81,100,145,191 web2.0 204,209 web3.0 234 webcasting 168 website 113,186,188,196–99 webstreaming 168 Welsh,Tetal 65 WestleyandMacLean 41 WestminsterCityCouncil 28–29 whistleblowing 46,69,71–72, 99–100,192–93 Wikipedia 204 wikis 204,205,206 Williams,K 43 Wilson,Retal 125
274
Windahl,Setal 41 Winter,M 219 WorkFoundation 99,104–05, 257 WorkingTimeDirective 233 work-lifebalance 72–73 workscouncil 75–77 WorldBank 188 writing 132,150–59,197–98 writing,online 197–98 X-Factor,The 168 Yates,JandOrlikowski,W 94 Youth 109,114