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Managing Internal Communications-MICM TH

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sindhuja1988

The document discusses developing a communication plan for projects that support organizational initiatives. It covers defining the goal of communication, mapping stakeholder audiences, establishing project governance structures, and determining approaches for each audience. The communication plan process involves research, strategy, creating and deploying communication assets, and evaluating impact. Setting clear goals for what audiences should know, feel, and do helps guide the development of key messages and engagement tactics for the project.

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Managing Internal Communication Week 6 – The communication plan Marianna Trimarchi, PhD 22 December 2023
Our roadmap Introduction to internal communication Organization design Change management Leadership: the role of management Employee engagement The communication plan Implementation and measurement Tools and channels
Overview of today’s lesson Learning objectives: after this lesson you are expected to understand: • Projects and initiatives in internal communication • Key elements of a communication plan • Ambassadors and target audiences Readings: • (Chapter 7 of the textbook) Quirke, B. (2008). Making the connections: Using internal communication to turn strategy into action. Routledge. • Welch, M., Jackson, P.R. (2007) Rethinking internal communication: a stakeholder approach, Corporate Communications: an international Journal, 12 (2), pp. 177-198
Agenda and activities • Strategy and strategy implementation • Communication initiatives and projects • The governance: ambassadors, committees, sponsors • Understanding the target audience: stakeholder mapping and customer personas • The communication plan: part 1
The internal communication loop All employees have a communication role within organizations and contribute to sense-making (Yeomans, 2008) tailor actionable messages and content that resonate with everyone managing the right channels to inform, engage, listen and connect Leadership Internal Communication Strategy & business goals, Change Managers Employees Make sure that managers are ready to communicate and open to feedback
The key issue The disconnect between strategy formulation and implementation has resulted in failure rates of 60 – 90% (Kaplan and Norton 2005) 80 % of executives express satisfaction with their business strategy, but only 14 % are satisfied with the execution (Smith and Ward 2005) Why?
How to define the strategy For Michael Porter, the strategy is a choice a company makes after analysing competitive rivalry and all market forces: the power of suppliers, the power of buyers, potential entrants threatening the market, substitutes of the product/service offered Priorities = what should be done Ambition = where a company wants to head Strategy the competitive position established by choosing the activities delivering unique value
The killers of strategy implementation Poor coordination across functions and sectors Poor internal communication Top down laissez faire senior management style Inadequate down the line leadership skills and development Ineffective senior management Quality of implementation Quality of direction Beer and Eisenstate (2000)
Communication supports the strategy Horizontal communication Vertical communication exchange of knowledge, ideas and experiences - managerial, behavioral and disciplinary topics create alignment throughout the organization in support of a strategy Give direction and context to the business: 1. Top down, formal communication (inform and align) 2. Informal communication (engage, energize, motivate, refocus) Exchange knowledge, ideas and experiences - managerial, behavioral and disciplinary topics General information on the status quo Simple and easy to read Inform, influence, negotiate Cascading: create alignment throughout the organization in support of the strategy
IC roles and responsibilities Centers of Expertise set the communication strategy (for channels and target groups), define policies and guidelines, support implementation with communication plan, support executives and leadership communications (presentations, messaging) Business Partners (BP) bridge to the businesses, support functions with end-to-end communication services (identify needs, develop plans, provide consultancy and tactics, manage cannels), enable program and projects driving communications Events, media and engagement create content (manage channels) and events (consult, oversee, coordinate, plan and implement, manage external partners/agencies) related to projects and initiatives
Stakeholder groups in the organization Departments/Te ams Finance HR/People & Culture IT Legal & Compliance Operations Marketing&Sales Business Lines Day-to-day management Employees External communications (media relations) Digital Communications Brand & Events Executive levels strategic management Internal communications Raise awareness, inform and educate internal stakeholders, establish relationships of trust, accompany change, guide culture/behaviours for employee engagement Business partners develop, lead, manage and execute internal and external communications strategies and tactics for the respective area of responsibility. Trusted senior advisor and counsel to the business. Support: External creative agencies, UX/Design team, experts
How do companies implement the strategy? An initiative is a comprehensive plan for reaching strategic and long-term goals. Initiatives are transformative and typically liked to change. They can aim to create a better company culture, workplace, strategic plan, or community. A project is temporary and defined by a scope, constraints, budget, and delivery timeframe. Implementing a project typically addresses a specific need and contributes toward a larger initiative.
Initiatives and projects Internal communication to sustain projects implementation What kind of projects can sustain the initiative? Increase LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion
Initiatives and projects Internal communication to sustain projects implementation Inclusive vocabulary Ambassadorship Inclusive benefits LGBTQ+ network Support events Inclusive recruitment guidelines Increase LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion
Developing a project communication plan Organizations expect to see results and communicators are exhorted to think about Outcomes (the beneficial impact they should be having) rather than Outputs (the content that they produce) (Yeomans, 2008) What do we want to achieve? How does this relate to the wider agenda (strategy and mission)? What are the implications/what is the impact? What process should be put in place? DEFINE THE GOAL
Setting the goal Communication is about change… What is the goal of our communication = what steps do we want people to take as a result of communication? Engage with the company mission and values Be advocates/brand ambassadors Follow procedures/work instructions Be more collaborative
Planning questions to reflect on the goal Adapted from Gregory 2014 Conative (doing) Affective (emotional) Cognitive (thinking/knowing) Drivers for human action What should people do as a result of the communication? How should people feel as a result of the communication? What should people know as a result of the communication? Are there specific behaviours that the organization wants to promote? (e.g. good customer service, safe working place…) What do people need to believe to prompt the desired behaviorus? (e.g. customer service is crucial for the company strategy, safety is a personal responsibility) What information do people need to shape their beliefs? (e.g. support with data on customer satisfaction, case studies about safety in the workplace)
Process to achieve the goal Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
The governance Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
Project governance and structure STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Agency Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption) Core team Experts
Communication approach STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador What should the internal communication team do with each stakeholder group? Agency Experts Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption)
Communication approach STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador What should the internal communication team do with each stakeholder group? Inform Align Influence Negotiate Agree and validate Onboard Engage Involve Coordinate Instruct Support Recruit Steer Involve Consult Develop closeness and trust Agency Experts Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption)
Communication channels STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador What channels should the internal communication team use with each stakeholder group? Agency Experts Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption)
Communication channels STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador What channels should the internal communication team use with each stakeholder group? Meetings (online/offline) Events Meetings (online/offline) Internal channels (Yammer, Slack, Teams, Sharepoint, Google Currents) Intranet page Trainings Events Meetings Online/ Offline Repositories Meetings Online/ Offline Events Agency Experts Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption)
Who is an ambassador …an employee who embodies the company culture and values with a strong sense of belonging and pride. They contribute positively to the word-of-mouth and the reputation of the company as spokesperson. In an initiative or project, they are selected for their level of influence and their personal network allowing to reach a wider audience.
We need people to change the people Few disruptive behaviours Visible actions by a group of influential people Reinforcement by management Imitation by critical mass CHANGE
Ambassadors to support the project Complex CM programs Wide scale deployment of resources Massive communication and training Traditional change Viral change Set of new critical behaviours Few highly influential people Social networking and storytelling L. Herrero, Meeting minds + = + + + = Change Change
Key steps for ambassadorship programs Recruitment - internal hiring process with a call-to-action for volunteers - Recommendation by strategic management - Selection based on skills, competences and potential - Knowledge about the key topic not mandatory - Representativeness of the company population/target group 1
Key steps for ambassadorship programs Enablement and voice - Consultation during the research phase through qualitative analysis (interviews, focus groups) - Training to acquire specific skills (toolkit, training sessions, in- person programs, design sessions, sprints) - Feedback loops, touchpoints and sharing sessions to monitor program, provide guidance and support in role progression 2 It is important during an initiative/project that ambassadors are acknowledged by the leadership team and trusted by the internal communication team with regular touchpoints
Key steps for ambassadorship programs Implementation and measurement - The ambassadors own the cascading of a project (at country- level, in a team, in a function/division) - Communication materials are shared in a repository for the dissemination plan - Continuous improvement and success factors are achieved through sharing and monitoring sessions 3
The target audience Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
Target audience and desired impact An organisation will want to identify those groups who need to be more deeply involved than others perhaps because of their skills, expertise or authority. Accordingly, different groups will need different approaches to communication. (Yeomans 2008) Communication need Impact Be aware Understand Support Be committed Be involved
How different audiences are impacted Interest/Concern Impact GOAL: Reassure Concerned Don’t need to be GOAL: Inform not concerned Don’t need to be GOAL: wake-up Not concerned Need to be GOAL: Engage Concerned Need to be Quirke, 2008
Example Interest/Concern Impact Reassure Concerned Don’t need to be Inform not concerned Don’t need to be wake-up Not concerned Need to be Engage Concerned Need to be Target group Ambassadorship program All employees Intranet general announcement Target group Project channel Target group’s stakeholders Invitation to event
Target audience and organizational cultures Although they may work for the same organization, a workforce may not perceive things in a uniform way and view the world differently. This is because different occupational groups will share their own norms and values. To tailor messages and reflect the needs of individual internal publics through the right channels and tools, internal communicators need to be aware of what motivates their colleagues. Zalando warehouse Zalando corporate office
Personas Role Professional statement: key motivation or concern related to the persona Background: education, years of experience, career experience… Helps to introduce the persona with a short narrative. Goals:idea of the future or desired result that the persona envisions Tasks:day-to-day. Describe the current tasks that are required from this role. (Think about writing a job description) Needs:What they need to achieve as a desired outcome (related to a Goal) Challenges: What prevents them to achieve a desired outcome touchpoints: main interactions in the persona ecosystem; can be humans, systems and tools (enablers to achieve a task) Personas to define: • Key concepts and messaging (style and tone of voice) • Most appropriate channels (online- offline media) • Communication need (data visualization, pictures and visuals, papers and documentation)
The research Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
Where do we get the information from? Secondary data - PEST analysis - SWOT analysis - Industry reports - Market analysis - Benchmarks Primary data - Interviews - Focus groups - Surveys - User journeys - Blueprints
Interview tips There’s no better way to understand the hopes, desires, and aspirations of those you are communicating to than by talking with them directly 1 Whenever possible, conduct the interview in the person’s space. The context speaks about a mindset, behavior, and lifestyle 2 Come prepared with a set of questions (semi structured interview protocol). Start by asking broad questions, then ask more specific questions that relate directly to your challenge 3 Make sure to write down exactly what the person says, not what you think they might mean. 4 Be an active listener: observe the person’s body language and surroundings and see what you can learn from the context in which you’re talking. Take pictures, if you get permission
How to ask the right questions Open ended questions: These questions leave room for conversations, stories, details. E.g. why did you…? How did you...? Can you tell me about…? Why do you think this is…? How do you handle this situation…? Specific and concrete questions: For a participant, it is more difficult to answer to an abstract and generalized topic rather than a specific one recalling a personal experience. Prioritize the experience. E.g. tell me about the last time you… can you think of a specific moment when… Non judgmental questions: Questions shouldn’t be leading the opinion of the participant. Instead of asking do you prefer X over Y, ask What is the reason for this choice? What do you prefer? How did you address this problem? Think aloud process: To help the participant express opinions and experiences, ask to talk about what they are thinking, or recalling episodes, stories or actions. This process makes it easier to understand their thoughts and helps to observe behaviours that might not be verbalized directly
Insights Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
The synthesis process: make sense of data to inform the strategy RAW DATA TRANSCRIBED DATA INFORMATION CLUSTERS INSIGHTS FRAMEWORKS OPPORTUNITIES Information and data collected from research in the form of notes, transcripts, photos. A transcription of most important and relevant data onto post-its, already undergoing a selection and consolidation process. A process of information clustering, done by grouping of findings based on their similar nature. The formation of clear, deep, and meaningful interpretations of data. A systemic way of presenting insights in frameworks, which enable and support decision making. Statements that inform the strategy NOTES PHOTOS INTERVIEWS CLUSTER 1 CLUSTER 2 CLUSTER 3 CLUSTER 1 CLUSTER 2 CLUSTER 3 PERSONAS, JOURNEYS OPPORTUNITIES SUMMARIZED INTO STATEMENTS Customer Journey Persona profile
The communication strategy Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
The communication strategy: key topics BU 1 BU 2 BU 3
Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events Lesson 7 Lesson 8
Exercise: ambassadors and target audiences Starting from next year, company X will introduce a new marketing tool that will automate marketing processes. The tool will substitute the existing platform and will be able to optimize efficiency by fully integrating with the sales tool currently in use. Company X is strongly committed that all marketeers transition smoothly, and for this reason has planned an ambassadorship program that will allow selected employees for an early adoption and onboarding in order to evangelize their colleagues. A. Who could be an ambassador for this project? Draft the key elements and characteristics of the potential candidate based on the persona profile template B. Who are the audiences that the project targets and how are they distributed? Use the target audience template to analyse the distribution according to impact and interest/concern
Our roadmap Introduction to internal communication Organization design Change management Leadership: the role of management Employee engagement The communication plan Implementation and measurement Tools and channels
Wrap up Key learnings: • Internal communication is a necessary vehicle to execute the strategy • Differences between projects and initiatives, and how they implement the strategy • The importance of ambassadors • The communication plan: from the target audience to the communication strategy
For next time Pre-reads: • (Chapter 8 of the textbook) Quirke, B. (2008). Making the connections: Using internal communication to turn strategy into action. Routledge. • Ewing, M., Men, L. R., & O’Neil, J. (2019). Using social media to engage employees: Insights from internal communication managers. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 13(2), 110-132. • Deloitte (2014) The digital Workplace: think, share, do. Transform your employee experience. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/be/Documents/technology/The_digital_workplace_Deloitte.pdf Preparation Students brainstorm individually and find examples of as many tools they can for internal comms use to discuss the following topics: • What are the affordances of each tool? • On what level do they connect to the audiences? • What kind of message would be adequate to them?
Evaluation • At least 80% presence to classes • Group presentations (30% of the final grade) • At-home individual assignment (70% of the final grade) – min 55% to pass Group presentations: • performed in group and individually assessed • Based on workshops • Output is a power point • Presentation time split equally within the group Individual assignment: • fake company, but content based on module’s topics • slide-deck (15-25/excl front, end, references) with text, images, tables, graphs, etc. • Sunday, February 4th 2024, by 11:00 pm. Missing the deadline will imply fail and need to resit • Resit: April 21st 2024 – not to improve grade
Individual assignment ECOS is a Dutch company selling eco-friendly cosmetics and toiletry. Its name is well known amongst consumers due to a high environmental commitment that bans animal testing and a mission statement that aims at creating products that are “good for the planet and mankind”. The company has an established history of 19 years. Since the early beginning as a laboratory in the outskirts of Amsterdam, to date, ECOS has grown to a medium-size company, counting on almost 400 employees in the Netherlands. Its facilities include the headquarters in Amsterdam Zuid, where the operating company sits, and the production site with the warehouse, near Schiphol. The enabling functions are located in the city. For the past 5 years, ECOS has been shortlisted as “best place to work” at national level, thanks to the high scores recorded in the annual employee engagement surveys and to a distinctive human- centred company culture built around the values of equality, respect for nature and fairness. With the 20th anniversary approaching, ECOS wants to take a step forward in its environmental commitment and promote ECOS-V a Health&Sustainability initiative on vegan culture amongst its employees. The events taking place over the course of 2024 include presentations and webinars with key opinion leaders, social events and workshops, along with the canteen in the production site and the café in the headquarter excluding animal derivatives from their food supply. The main highlight and most awaited event of the year is ECOS-raw, 4 evening cooking classes, one per quarter, on raw food preparation. Costs will be covered by the company, and participation will be voluntary upon subscription to a max of 50 people per night. For the whole initiative, ECOS has established a steering committee made up of the leadership team and created a project team lead by the IC manager. Six ambassadors have been recruited in the company to grant representativeness of all departments and help with dissemination and engagement activities. An external agency was recruited to produce creative assets. You are the project lead for the whole initiative and you are now crafting the ad hoc communication campaign for ECOS-raw. Given the premises above and some assumptions that you can make: 1. Develop a proposal for how you would approach this project and what solutions you would propose to the steering committee 2. Create a communications plan to show how you would launch the project with employees. You can assume you have access to a budget for the whole initiative and that part of it can be put on the project. You have access to typical employee communications channels (email, Slack, intranet, meetings, etc) 3. Draft at least 3 text-based communications which would be included in your communications plan. You should use your creativity, strategic thinking, project management skills and ideate compelling key messages.
See you next time THANK YOU!
Managing Internal Communications-MICM TH

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Managing Internal Communications-MICM TH

  • 1. Managing Internal Communication Week 6 – The communication plan Marianna Trimarchi, PhD 22 December 2023
  • 2. Our roadmap Introduction to internal communication Organization design Change management Leadership: the role of management Employee engagement The communication plan Implementation and measurement Tools and channels
  • 3. Overview of today’s lesson Learning objectives: after this lesson you are expected to understand: • Projects and initiatives in internal communication • Key elements of a communication plan • Ambassadors and target audiences Readings: • (Chapter 7 of the textbook) Quirke, B. (2008). Making the connections: Using internal communication to turn strategy into action. Routledge. • Welch, M., Jackson, P.R. (2007) Rethinking internal communication: a stakeholder approach, Corporate Communications: an international Journal, 12 (2), pp. 177-198
  • 4. Agenda and activities • Strategy and strategy implementation • Communication initiatives and projects • The governance: ambassadors, committees, sponsors • Understanding the target audience: stakeholder mapping and customer personas • The communication plan: part 1
  • 5. The internal communication loop All employees have a communication role within organizations and contribute to sense-making (Yeomans, 2008) tailor actionable messages and content that resonate with everyone managing the right channels to inform, engage, listen and connect Leadership Internal Communication Strategy & business goals, Change Managers Employees Make sure that managers are ready to communicate and open to feedback
  • 6. The key issue The disconnect between strategy formulation and implementation has resulted in failure rates of 60 – 90% (Kaplan and Norton 2005) 80 % of executives express satisfaction with their business strategy, but only 14 % are satisfied with the execution (Smith and Ward 2005) Why?
  • 7. How to define the strategy For Michael Porter, the strategy is a choice a company makes after analysing competitive rivalry and all market forces: the power of suppliers, the power of buyers, potential entrants threatening the market, substitutes of the product/service offered Priorities = what should be done Ambition = where a company wants to head Strategy the competitive position established by choosing the activities delivering unique value
  • 8. The killers of strategy implementation Poor coordination across functions and sectors Poor internal communication Top down laissez faire senior management style Inadequate down the line leadership skills and development Ineffective senior management Quality of implementation Quality of direction Beer and Eisenstate (2000)
  • 9. Communication supports the strategy Horizontal communication Vertical communication exchange of knowledge, ideas and experiences - managerial, behavioral and disciplinary topics create alignment throughout the organization in support of a strategy Give direction and context to the business: 1. Top down, formal communication (inform and align) 2. Informal communication (engage, energize, motivate, refocus) Exchange knowledge, ideas and experiences - managerial, behavioral and disciplinary topics General information on the status quo Simple and easy to read Inform, influence, negotiate Cascading: create alignment throughout the organization in support of the strategy
  • 10. IC roles and responsibilities Centers of Expertise set the communication strategy (for channels and target groups), define policies and guidelines, support implementation with communication plan, support executives and leadership communications (presentations, messaging) Business Partners (BP) bridge to the businesses, support functions with end-to-end communication services (identify needs, develop plans, provide consultancy and tactics, manage cannels), enable program and projects driving communications Events, media and engagement create content (manage channels) and events (consult, oversee, coordinate, plan and implement, manage external partners/agencies) related to projects and initiatives
  • 11. Stakeholder groups in the organization Departments/Te ams Finance HR/People & Culture IT Legal & Compliance Operations Marketing&Sales Business Lines Day-to-day management Employees External communications (media relations) Digital Communications Brand & Events Executive levels strategic management Internal communications Raise awareness, inform and educate internal stakeholders, establish relationships of trust, accompany change, guide culture/behaviours for employee engagement Business partners develop, lead, manage and execute internal and external communications strategies and tactics for the respective area of responsibility. Trusted senior advisor and counsel to the business. Support: External creative agencies, UX/Design team, experts
  • 12. How do companies implement the strategy? An initiative is a comprehensive plan for reaching strategic and long-term goals. Initiatives are transformative and typically liked to change. They can aim to create a better company culture, workplace, strategic plan, or community. A project is temporary and defined by a scope, constraints, budget, and delivery timeframe. Implementing a project typically addresses a specific need and contributes toward a larger initiative.
  • 13. Initiatives and projects Internal communication to sustain projects implementation What kind of projects can sustain the initiative? Increase LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion
  • 14. Initiatives and projects Internal communication to sustain projects implementation Inclusive vocabulary Ambassadorship Inclusive benefits LGBTQ+ network Support events Inclusive recruitment guidelines Increase LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion
  • 15. Developing a project communication plan Organizations expect to see results and communicators are exhorted to think about Outcomes (the beneficial impact they should be having) rather than Outputs (the content that they produce) (Yeomans, 2008) What do we want to achieve? How does this relate to the wider agenda (strategy and mission)? What are the implications/what is the impact? What process should be put in place? DEFINE THE GOAL
  • 16. Setting the goal Communication is about change… What is the goal of our communication = what steps do we want people to take as a result of communication? Engage with the company mission and values Be advocates/brand ambassadors Follow procedures/work instructions Be more collaborative
  • 17. Planning questions to reflect on the goal Adapted from Gregory 2014 Conative (doing) Affective (emotional) Cognitive (thinking/knowing) Drivers for human action What should people do as a result of the communication? How should people feel as a result of the communication? What should people know as a result of the communication? Are there specific behaviours that the organization wants to promote? (e.g. good customer service, safe working place…) What do people need to believe to prompt the desired behaviorus? (e.g. customer service is crucial for the company strategy, safety is a personal responsibility) What information do people need to shape their beliefs? (e.g. support with data on customer satisfaction, case studies about safety in the workplace)
  • 18. Process to achieve the goal Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
  • 19. The governance Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
  • 20. Project governance and structure STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Agency Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption) Core team Experts
  • 21. Communication approach STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador What should the internal communication team do with each stakeholder group? Agency Experts Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption)
  • 22. Communication approach STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador What should the internal communication team do with each stakeholder group? Inform Align Influence Negotiate Agree and validate Onboard Engage Involve Coordinate Instruct Support Recruit Steer Involve Consult Develop closeness and trust Agency Experts Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption)
  • 23. Communication channels STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador What channels should the internal communication team use with each stakeholder group? Agency Experts Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption)
  • 24. Communication channels STEERING COMMITTEE (SPONSOR) Takes strategic decisions on direction, budget… PROJECT LEAD (INTERNAL COMMS TEAM) Defines workstream roles & responsibilities, timelines, allocates budget, leads core team & extended team, ... – reports to steering committee Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador What channels should the internal communication team use with each stakeholder group? Meetings (online/offline) Events Meetings (online/offline) Internal channels (Yammer, Slack, Teams, Sharepoint, Google Currents) Intranet page Trainings Events Meetings Online/ Offline Repositories Meetings Online/ Offline Events Agency Experts Create a stronger connection with target audience (understand the need, disseminate message, foster adoption)
  • 25. Who is an ambassador …an employee who embodies the company culture and values with a strong sense of belonging and pride. They contribute positively to the word-of-mouth and the reputation of the company as spokesperson. In an initiative or project, they are selected for their level of influence and their personal network allowing to reach a wider audience.
  • 26. We need people to change the people Few disruptive behaviours Visible actions by a group of influential people Reinforcement by management Imitation by critical mass CHANGE
  • 27. Ambassadors to support the project Complex CM programs Wide scale deployment of resources Massive communication and training Traditional change Viral change Set of new critical behaviours Few highly influential people Social networking and storytelling L. Herrero, Meeting minds + = + + + = Change Change
  • 28. Key steps for ambassadorship programs Recruitment - internal hiring process with a call-to-action for volunteers - Recommendation by strategic management - Selection based on skills, competences and potential - Knowledge about the key topic not mandatory - Representativeness of the company population/target group 1
  • 29. Key steps for ambassadorship programs Enablement and voice - Consultation during the research phase through qualitative analysis (interviews, focus groups) - Training to acquire specific skills (toolkit, training sessions, in- person programs, design sessions, sprints) - Feedback loops, touchpoints and sharing sessions to monitor program, provide guidance and support in role progression 2 It is important during an initiative/project that ambassadors are acknowledged by the leadership team and trusted by the internal communication team with regular touchpoints
  • 30. Key steps for ambassadorship programs Implementation and measurement - The ambassadors own the cascading of a project (at country- level, in a team, in a function/division) - Communication materials are shared in a repository for the dissemination plan - Continuous improvement and success factors are achieved through sharing and monitoring sessions 3
  • 31. The target audience Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
  • 32. Target audience and desired impact An organisation will want to identify those groups who need to be more deeply involved than others perhaps because of their skills, expertise or authority. Accordingly, different groups will need different approaches to communication. (Yeomans 2008) Communication need Impact Be aware Understand Support Be committed Be involved
  • 33. How different audiences are impacted Interest/Concern Impact GOAL: Reassure Concerned Don’t need to be GOAL: Inform not concerned Don’t need to be GOAL: wake-up Not concerned Need to be GOAL: Engage Concerned Need to be Quirke, 2008
  • 34. Example Interest/Concern Impact Reassure Concerned Don’t need to be Inform not concerned Don’t need to be wake-up Not concerned Need to be Engage Concerned Need to be Target group Ambassadorship program All employees Intranet general announcement Target group Project channel Target group’s stakeholders Invitation to event
  • 35. Target audience and organizational cultures Although they may work for the same organization, a workforce may not perceive things in a uniform way and view the world differently. This is because different occupational groups will share their own norms and values. To tailor messages and reflect the needs of individual internal publics through the right channels and tools, internal communicators need to be aware of what motivates their colleagues. Zalando warehouse Zalando corporate office
  • 36. Personas Role Professional statement: key motivation or concern related to the persona Background: education, years of experience, career experience… Helps to introduce the persona with a short narrative. Goals:idea of the future or desired result that the persona envisions Tasks:day-to-day. Describe the current tasks that are required from this role. (Think about writing a job description) Needs:What they need to achieve as a desired outcome (related to a Goal) Challenges: What prevents them to achieve a desired outcome touchpoints: main interactions in the persona ecosystem; can be humans, systems and tools (enablers to achieve a task) Personas to define: • Key concepts and messaging (style and tone of voice) • Most appropriate channels (online- offline media) • Communication need (data visualization, pictures and visuals, papers and documentation)
  • 37. The research Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
  • 38. Where do we get the information from? Secondary data - PEST analysis - SWOT analysis - Industry reports - Market analysis - Benchmarks Primary data - Interviews - Focus groups - Surveys - User journeys - Blueprints
  • 39. Interview tips There’s no better way to understand the hopes, desires, and aspirations of those you are communicating to than by talking with them directly 1 Whenever possible, conduct the interview in the person’s space. The context speaks about a mindset, behavior, and lifestyle 2 Come prepared with a set of questions (semi structured interview protocol). Start by asking broad questions, then ask more specific questions that relate directly to your challenge 3 Make sure to write down exactly what the person says, not what you think they might mean. 4 Be an active listener: observe the person’s body language and surroundings and see what you can learn from the context in which you’re talking. Take pictures, if you get permission
  • 40. How to ask the right questions Open ended questions: These questions leave room for conversations, stories, details. E.g. why did you…? How did you...? Can you tell me about…? Why do you think this is…? How do you handle this situation…? Specific and concrete questions: For a participant, it is more difficult to answer to an abstract and generalized topic rather than a specific one recalling a personal experience. Prioritize the experience. E.g. tell me about the last time you… can you think of a specific moment when… Non judgmental questions: Questions shouldn’t be leading the opinion of the participant. Instead of asking do you prefer X over Y, ask What is the reason for this choice? What do you prefer? How did you address this problem? Think aloud process: To help the participant express opinions and experiences, ask to talk about what they are thinking, or recalling episodes, stories or actions. This process makes it easier to understand their thoughts and helps to observe behaviours that might not be verbalized directly
  • 41. Insights Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
  • 42. The synthesis process: make sense of data to inform the strategy RAW DATA TRANSCRIBED DATA INFORMATION CLUSTERS INSIGHTS FRAMEWORKS OPPORTUNITIES Information and data collected from research in the form of notes, transcripts, photos. A transcription of most important and relevant data onto post-its, already undergoing a selection and consolidation process. A process of information clustering, done by grouping of findings based on their similar nature. The formation of clear, deep, and meaningful interpretations of data. A systemic way of presenting insights in frameworks, which enable and support decision making. Statements that inform the strategy NOTES PHOTOS INTERVIEWS CLUSTER 1 CLUSTER 2 CLUSTER 3 CLUSTER 1 CLUSTER 2 CLUSTER 3 PERSONAS, JOURNEYS OPPORTUNITIES SUMMARIZED INTO STATEMENTS Customer Journey Persona profile
  • 43. The communication strategy Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events
  • 44. The communication strategy: key topics BU 1 BU 2 BU 3
  • 45. Communication value chain governance research Comm strategy insights message audience production assets deployment evaluation Definition Examples Interested groups Data collection Data interpretat ion Strategic planning Creative concepts Communica tion collaterals Creation of the assets and budgeting Roll-out, distribution, publishing, maintenance Monitoring, measurement, analysis All employees, leadership team, management Qualitative analysis, market analysis, benchmark User behaviour, target groups, analytics Content strategy, social media strategy Themes, key messages Speeches, articles, artwork, press release Creative agency, formats, translation, print/digital Channel management , community management Tracking, social listening, media monitoring channels Formal and informal vehicles Townhall, newsletter, conversatio ns, events Lesson 7 Lesson 8
  • 46. Exercise: ambassadors and target audiences Starting from next year, company X will introduce a new marketing tool that will automate marketing processes. The tool will substitute the existing platform and will be able to optimize efficiency by fully integrating with the sales tool currently in use. Company X is strongly committed that all marketeers transition smoothly, and for this reason has planned an ambassadorship program that will allow selected employees for an early adoption and onboarding in order to evangelize their colleagues. A. Who could be an ambassador for this project? Draft the key elements and characteristics of the potential candidate based on the persona profile template B. Who are the audiences that the project targets and how are they distributed? Use the target audience template to analyse the distribution according to impact and interest/concern
  • 47. Our roadmap Introduction to internal communication Organization design Change management Leadership: the role of management Employee engagement The communication plan Implementation and measurement Tools and channels
  • 48. Wrap up Key learnings: • Internal communication is a necessary vehicle to execute the strategy • Differences between projects and initiatives, and how they implement the strategy • The importance of ambassadors • The communication plan: from the target audience to the communication strategy
  • 49. For next time Pre-reads: • (Chapter 8 of the textbook) Quirke, B. (2008). Making the connections: Using internal communication to turn strategy into action. Routledge. • Ewing, M., Men, L. R., & O’Neil, J. (2019). Using social media to engage employees: Insights from internal communication managers. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 13(2), 110-132. • Deloitte (2014) The digital Workplace: think, share, do. Transform your employee experience. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/be/Documents/technology/The_digital_workplace_Deloitte.pdf Preparation Students brainstorm individually and find examples of as many tools they can for internal comms use to discuss the following topics: • What are the affordances of each tool? • On what level do they connect to the audiences? • What kind of message would be adequate to them?
  • 50. Evaluation • At least 80% presence to classes • Group presentations (30% of the final grade) • At-home individual assignment (70% of the final grade) – min 55% to pass Group presentations: • performed in group and individually assessed • Based on workshops • Output is a power point • Presentation time split equally within the group Individual assignment: • fake company, but content based on module’s topics • slide-deck (15-25/excl front, end, references) with text, images, tables, graphs, etc. • Sunday, February 4th 2024, by 11:00 pm. Missing the deadline will imply fail and need to resit • Resit: April 21st 2024 – not to improve grade
  • 51. Individual assignment ECOS is a Dutch company selling eco-friendly cosmetics and toiletry. Its name is well known amongst consumers due to a high environmental commitment that bans animal testing and a mission statement that aims at creating products that are “good for the planet and mankind”. The company has an established history of 19 years. Since the early beginning as a laboratory in the outskirts of Amsterdam, to date, ECOS has grown to a medium-size company, counting on almost 400 employees in the Netherlands. Its facilities include the headquarters in Amsterdam Zuid, where the operating company sits, and the production site with the warehouse, near Schiphol. The enabling functions are located in the city. For the past 5 years, ECOS has been shortlisted as “best place to work” at national level, thanks to the high scores recorded in the annual employee engagement surveys and to a distinctive human- centred company culture built around the values of equality, respect for nature and fairness. With the 20th anniversary approaching, ECOS wants to take a step forward in its environmental commitment and promote ECOS-V a Health&Sustainability initiative on vegan culture amongst its employees. The events taking place over the course of 2024 include presentations and webinars with key opinion leaders, social events and workshops, along with the canteen in the production site and the café in the headquarter excluding animal derivatives from their food supply. The main highlight and most awaited event of the year is ECOS-raw, 4 evening cooking classes, one per quarter, on raw food preparation. Costs will be covered by the company, and participation will be voluntary upon subscription to a max of 50 people per night. For the whole initiative, ECOS has established a steering committee made up of the leadership team and created a project team lead by the IC manager. Six ambassadors have been recruited in the company to grant representativeness of all departments and help with dissemination and engagement activities. An external agency was recruited to produce creative assets. You are the project lead for the whole initiative and you are now crafting the ad hoc communication campaign for ECOS-raw. Given the premises above and some assumptions that you can make: 1. Develop a proposal for how you would approach this project and what solutions you would propose to the steering committee 2. Create a communications plan to show how you would launch the project with employees. You can assume you have access to a budget for the whole initiative and that part of it can be put on the project. You have access to typical employee communications channels (email, Slack, intranet, meetings, etc) 3. Draft at least 3 text-based communications which would be included in your communications plan. You should use your creativity, strategic thinking, project management skills and ideate compelling key messages.
  • 52. See you next time THANK YOU!