Internal Communication Code of Practice
Version 1.0
Petroleum Development Oman L.L.C.
UNRESTRICTED
Document ID : CP-XXX
Internal Communication
Code of Practice
Signed :............................................................
Mohammed al Kharusi, HD
Human Resources Director
Keywords: Communications, Internal, Staff, Employee
This document is the property of Petroleum Development Oman, LLC. Neither the whole nor any part of
this document may be disclosed to others or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form by any means (electronic, mechanical, reprographic recording or otherwise) without prior written
consent of the owner.
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Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Business Case .................................................................................................................. 3
1.3 Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 3
1.4 Target Audience ............................................................................................................... 3
1.5 Structure of This Document ............................................................................................. 3
2. SCOPE & OBJECTIVES.................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Aims & Objectives ........................................................................................................... 4
2.3 Fundamentals for this Code of Practice ............................................................................ 4
2.4 Related Standards ............................................................................................................. 4
2.5 Review and Improvement................................................................................................. 5
3. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES ....................................................................................... 6
3.1 External Affair and Communications Manager (HXM) ................................................... 6
3.2 Internal Communications Adviser ................................................................................... 6
3.3 Heads of Departments, Functions and Task Forces ......................................................... 7
3.4 Department, Function and Project Team Focal Point ...................................................... 7
3.5 Department, Function and Task Force Web Editors ........................................................ 7
4. PRACTICES TO BE FOLLOWED ................................................................................... 8
4.1 Preparing Internal Communication Proposals .................................................................. 8
4.2 Appraising and Deciding on Internal Communication Proposals .................................... 8
4.3 Evaluation and Reporting of Activities Implemented ...................................................... 8
4.4 Best Practice Principles ................................................................................................... 8
5. APPLICATION & STEP-OUT APROVAL ...................................................................... 9
5.1 Application ....................................................................................................................... 9
5.2 Step-out Approval ............................................................................................................ 9
APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................... 8
A1
Glossary of Terms, Definitions and Abbreviations .................................................. 8
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1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
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PDO is committed to ensuring its staff, contractors and their employees are kept fully informed
about the company, its policies and activities and about any moves and issues which affect or may
affect the efficiency of its operations including and especially health, safety and environment
measures and staff satisfaction and motivation.
Departments, functions and project teams, such as the Transition Team and teams assigned to long
term initiatives such as the Shukran campaign, have therefore developed their own internal
communications activities. However, these activities have been implemented independently of
each other, often with minimal planning, targeting, quality control and budgeting. Initiatives and
campaigns are launched without regard for those of other departments, functions and project
teams, each competing with others for the attention of PDO staff, and, in most cases, without
follow-up to assess effectiveness. The amount of cross-department communication has grown to
such a level that staff throughout the company and at all levels have complained of “information
overload”.
The lack of policing of internal communications methods has downgraded the usefulness of almost
all of them, especially electronic methods – email and the PDO Intranet in particular.
1.2
Business Case
Effective internal communication:
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1.3
Motivates staff
Enhances productivity
Demonstrates that a company cares for – and listens to - its employees
Builds confidence in management
Helps create understanding and buy-in to company policies and actions
Sends positive messages about the company through the workforce to the communities in
which they live
Actively assists recruitment
Purpose
A Code of Practice is necessary to ensure a disciplined approach to internal communications so
that important messages are communicated fully effectively
1.4
Target Audience
This Code of Practice is intended for use by HXM (External Affairs and Communications
Manager), the Internal Communications Adviser (HXM/26), heads of departments, functions and
project teams and those within each department, function and project team who are responsible
for managing and implementing internal communications functions and activities.
1.5
Structure of This Document
This document follows the standard template within the EDMS system.
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2.
SCOPE & OBJECTIVES
2.1
Scope
This document provides appropriate business processes that will ensure that the flow of
information across departments, functions and is properly managed. This Code of Practice does
not apply to:
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HSE alerts and accident reports
Corporate announcements, endorsed by the MDC
Communications between staff and management within the same department, function or
project team
Day-to-day business communications and personal communications between staff members of
different departments, functions and project teams.
HR “housekeeping” announcements e.g. communications concerning employee terms and
conditions and staff-appraisal communications
External communications – information targeted at and for audiences outside PDO including,
for example, government, local authorities, media, suppliers, business partners, academics,
diplomatic community and the general public.
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2.2
Aims & Objectives
The purpose of this Code of Practice is to lay down a systematic approach to the creation and
implementation of internal communication campaigns and initiatives by all departments, functions
and project teams. Without proper practices:
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internal communications will mushroom out of control, resulting in information overload
messages will often be unclear and open to misunderstanding or misinterpretation
important messages will be ignored
the quality and content of print, posters and other means of communication will suffer
access to electronically stored information for research and other business purposes will
become increasingly difficult.
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2.3
Fundamentals for this Code of Practice
This Code of Practice is based on the requirement that communication across departments,
functions and project teams :
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2.4
is properly planned, prioritized and scheduled;
carries messages that consistently support the business objectives of PDO;
is executed to a consistently high standard; and
is effective, producing the required results
Related Business Control Documents
The following documents relate to this Code of Practice
Policy
Code of Practice
Procedure
Guideline
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Employee Communication
Internal Communications
Internal Communications
Internal Communications
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2.5
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Review and Improvement
This Code of Practice will be reviewed and updated one year after initial implementation and
thereafter every two years, if necessary, by HXM. However, interim reviews can be undertaken at
any time.
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3.
3.1
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
External Affairs and Communications Manager (HXM)
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3.2
Internal Communication Code of Practice
Authorise all Codes of Practice, Policies, Procedures and Guidelines related to internal
communications.
Require departments, functions and project teams to submit half-yearly internal
communications plans.
Assess and consider proposals submitted by departments, functions and project teams for
internal communications campaigns and initiatives.
Require originators to amend proposals to conform to the criteria.
Approve, prioritise and schedule internal communications campaigns and initiatives.
Specifies the content and design of the PDO intranet and computer-network messages
(including Al Barza, screen savers, home page news postings and pop-ups).
Delegate responsibility for tasks related to internal communications to HXM staff.
Require each department, function and project team that has developed or is planning to
develop its own Intranet pages to appoint a web editor.
Internal Communications Adviser (HXM/26)
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Counsel department/function/task force internal communications focal points as needed
including advising on:
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Formulation of internal communications plans
Implementation of initiatives
Selection of designers for posters, print etc and on managing production.
Vet drafts of internal communications plans produced by each department/function/ project
team.
Produce a monthly overall internal communications report for HXM
Prepare for HXM an annual report and assessment and a proposal for the following 12
months covering corporate internal communications activities that fall outside the
responsibility of departments, functions and task groups.
Counsel department/function/ project team heads on the appointment of internal
communications ‘ambassadors’ and thereafter:
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Implement and manage the annual qualitative survey of staff including the production of the
survey report and its distribution to department/function/project team heads.
Draft, and revise as necessary, E-mail usage guidelines.
Vet and approve applications for posting screen savers.
Manage the audit of content and style of the PDO Intranet and thereafter:
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Arrange and manage their training
Co-ordinate their reports on internal communications initiatives and report the
results to department /function/ project team heads
Monitor and report on their performance to department/function/ project team heads
Arrange and manage the development and implementation of a corporate style and
design for the PDO Intranet
Arrange and manage the training of departmental/function/project team web editors
Monitor content and style of PDO Intranet pages to ensure that they conform to the
corporate style and design.
Draft and produce the MD’s letter to staff.
Manage the MD’s webpage
Monitor content and quality of PDO Home Page messages.
Deal with complaints about Pop-Ups.
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3.3
Heads of Departments, Functions and Task Forces
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3.4
Responsible overall for the creation, implementation and effectiveness of internal
communications originated by the department/function/project team.
Appoint internal communications focal point for the department/function/project team.
Appoint web editor for the department/function/project team.
Department, Function and Project Team Focal Points
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3.5
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Draft the department/function/project team’s internal communications plans.
Implement the department/function/project team internal communications plans and initiatives
as approved by the head of the department/function/project team and by HXM.
Prepare monthly progress reports to the Internal Communications Adviser (HXM/26).
Manage and police relevant posters and notice boards.
Edit the department/function/project team’s site on the PDO Intranet and ensure the site
conforms to the corporate style and design.
Department, Function and Task Force Web Editors
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Ensure that the information on the relevant Intranet homepage is accurate and updated.
Archive out of date information.
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4.
4.1
Internal Communication Code of Practice
PRACTICES TO BE FOLLOWED
Preparing Internal Communications Proposals
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Each department, function or project team which wishes to communicate with staff outside its
own employees shall present HXM a detailed programme and plan for its internal
communications initiatives covering a six month period.
The programme for each department, function and project team shall cover the same period.
Costs for the creation, development and implementation of each programme will be the
responsibility of each submitting department, function or project team.
These costs will include, for example, fees for external designers and copywriters and costs of
their materials, printing costs, photography, construction of triads, purchase and installation
of plasma screens etc.
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NOTE: Appendices 1 and 2 of the Internal Communications Procedures document detail the
process for developing internal communications programmes and plans and provide a template for
evaluation of initiatives.
4.2
Appraising and Deciding on Internal Communications Proposals
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4.3
Evaluation and Reporting of Activities Implemented
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4.4
HXM will appraise all proposals and may consult with heads of the departments, functions
and project teams concerned.
HXM will decide on which proposals – or parts of proposals – will be implemented and will
draw up an overall timetable for implementation of approved activities.
Departments, functions and project teams will measure and evaluate the effectiveness of each
activity they implement against targets contained in their proposals and report results to
HXM.
HXM will circulate all evaluation reports to heads of all departments, functions and project
teams involved in internal communications.
Effectiveness of activities will be taken into account by departments, functions and project
teams in their next six-monthly proposals.
HXM shall prepare a report annually on PDO’s internal communications activities.
Best Practice Principles
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All communications covered by this Code of Practice shall be quality controlled by HXM/26
to ensure PDO’s reputation for quality is maintained
A clearly visible production date shall be printed on all newsletters and brochures
A clearly visible expiry date shall be printed on all posters, flyers and triads and shall be
shown on all screen savers and plasma screen notices
Staff are empowered to remove all material which has passed its expiry date or, in cases such
as triads, plasma screen announcements and screen savers, to notify HXM/26 who will take
the necessary action
Information shall be distributed ONLY to those specific internal audiences to whom the
information is relevant
Methods for distributing information to segmented audiences shall be selected according to
the Internal Communications Guidelines (Paragraph 2.2.2)
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5.
APPLICATION & STEP-OUT APROVAL
5.1
Application
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This Code of Practice is applicable to all PDO departments that issue leaflets, pamphlets,
newsletters, posters, screensavers, webpages and presentations to staff in other departments.
5.2
Step-out and Approval
Any proposals to deviate from this Code of Practice for whatever reason shall be submitted to
HXM for formal appraisal and approval.
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APPENDICES
A1
Glossary of Terms, Definitions and Abbreviations
Internal Communication
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Refers to the leaflets, pamphlets, newsletters, posters,
screensavers, webpages and presentations within the company
that reinforce key coporate “themes”, transmit “housekeeping”
announcements and convey announcements from one department,
function or special project team or the MD to staff in other
departments and functions. It DOES NOT involve the usual emails, notes, reports, meetings, workshops and presentations that
staff within the company use to transact day-to-day business
matters.
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