2013/2014
INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS & EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT
STRATEGY
Presented by: Karen Alleyne
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CONTENTS
Executive Summary
Goals and objectives
Key messages and audience
Food service key messages
Ingredients Key messages
Retail key messages
Sales growth and Communications
Food service communications overview
Contract Catering communications
HORECA communications
Ingredients sales growth communications overview
Ingredients growth by brand
Retail sales communications
Communication Channels
Social media tactical plan
Communications matrix
Trade marketing support wholesale
Trade marketing support contract Catering
Trade marketing support HORECA
Trade marketing support Ingredients
Ingredients newsletter plan
Foodie calendar
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The aim of this strategy is to ensure that our internal and external communications
strategies are inline and Leathams employees have sufficient access to information.
Effective communication is key to creating an engaged workforce and when employees
feel valued within their roles this results in the deliverance of improved business
performance.
Therefore the aim of this report is to outline the methods and tools needed to foster a
strong communication culture within the business and ensure that there are mechanisms
in place to create two-way flows of information, so that messages from senior
management can be effectively filtered to all employees to provide them with a better
understanding of the purpose, goals, and directions of the business.
This strategy also addresses the needs to be implement a feedback process as fluid
communication in both directions is key to the success of this strategy.
The benefits of having joined up communications are:
• Creates a workplace where all employees are informed and working towards the same
goals.
• Helps the business gain competitive advantage and Increase profitability.
• Creates a common vision and reduces the capacity for workplace conflict through the
reduction of ambiguity around messages or ideas.
• Encourages the formation of a supportive and knowledge sharing work culture.
• Improves employee understanding of each other’s needs.
• Enables all employees to be able to articulate the business’ mission, values, and goals
and support those business objectives.
• Empowers employees to make better and more informed daily decisions that are
aligned with meeting long-term business objectives.
• Promotes a clear, shared understanding of any change processes
• Enables the review of business activity and provides the channels to measure future
success.
• Motivates better performance by linking individuals and team efforts with a systems3
thinking “big picture” approach that effectively breaks down personal or departmental
silos.
COMMUNICATION
CHANNELS
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CURRENT
COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS
This plan outlines the following communication internal communications currently used at
Leathams
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Email
Phone
Marketing Mondays newsletter
Companywide Quarterly newsletter
New moves news bulletin
Internal meetings
Email
Currently, Leathams has a dominant email culture. The majority of communication is conducted
in this manner, even when two people are having a conversation in the same room. The reliance
on this technology has resulted in a silo mentality being ingrained within the organisation, with
very few people taking the time to physically engage in face to face communications.
Phone
This is very rarely used as a form of internal communication, with email being the preferred
method.
Marketing Mondays
Over the last two months, the marketing department have been sending weekly updates to the
entire business. The initial response was extremely positive, however work now needs to be done
to measure it’s reach.
Company wide Newsletter
The first newsletter was sent out last month and initial response was positive. However the length of
the copy needs to be reassessed and a process of collecting the data needs to be established.
New moves Bulletin
The first edition of “new moves” which offers a company wide HR update, outlining new starters
and leavers was sent out to the business. By having one central source and a coordinated
practice, it adds a bit of a persona touch and should make employees feel more valued.
Internal Meetings
Currently there are quite a few meetings that happen at Leathams, however the information that
comes out, is not shared effectively. Therefore a system needs to be developed to capture and
share key learning's throughout the company.
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COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS
TO BE IMPLIMENTED
Whilst the business has a basic internal communication process, there is a distinct need to build
upon this. Therefore, if introduced the following methods would increase the flow of information
substantially.
Intranet/internal social networking site
An intranet allows staff to access and share a wide variety of information as and when they
need or want it. It is a fast, interactive and cost effective way of distributing information and
messages to a large number of people. The number of hits can also me monitored, allowing
evaluation of how popular individual sections of the site are. (See Appendix for information on
Yammer, free internal social networking platform, which we can trail for intranet purposes.)
Notice Boards
This is a simple, but effective, communication tool that can work both for staff and managers.
Utilising this space for positive news is a good engagement tool and can be used to increase staff
moral.
Staff Surveys
These are a good way of determining what people think about the structures that are already in
place and to find out what changes they would like to see in the future. If staff survey ratings show
no significant increase over the first year it would suggest communication methods need to be reassessed.
Screen Savers
A corporate , companywide screensaver is a great way to communicate with desk based
employees and is a powerful way to raise awareness. Messages can be changed on a monthly
basis and graphics can be designed in house. So no additional cost required.
Staff Suggestion scheme
A staff suggestion scheme, either electronic or manual, provides a portal for staff to bring
new ideas to the table as and when they arise. Staff often have the best ideas for efficiency,
innovation and cutting bureaucracy and this would provide them with a way to offer them. This is
something that can also be run through the intranet/social networking function.
Communication Ambassadors
There are several benefits of securing willing communications champions. Firstly, they are
out in the field and are able to bring forward ideas and issues they come across on a daily basis.
Secondly, they are directly involved with communication which will give them a better
understanding of its importance, keeping them better equipped to ‘spread the word’.
Bringing together communications champions from different departments could help to
process through and develop their ideas.
Staff forums
These are a good way of encouraging interaction between staff, whether about
work-related or non-work-related subjects. They are also a good place to pick up ideas for stories
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for internal publications and this is something that can be run online also.
EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT AND
COMMUNICATION
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OVERVIEW
This section of the strategy will seek to shape the way employee engagement is
considered within Leathams, so as to influence the way employees approach their jobs,
career and the customers that they come into contact with.
It is anticipated that this strategy will help to take leathams forward in terms of raising
levels of awareness about the importance of employee engagement as well as offering
practical recommendations around enhancing existing levels of employee
engagement.
Employee Engagement in Context
This document has been written so that it can be accessed and shared by senior
members of the Leathams team. It has been produced to establish a common
understanding of what engagement means and how engagement can be enhanced.
There are four target areas that have been identified that will enable and improve levels
of employee engagement.
Whilst there is no one agreed definition of employee engagement the following points
often act as the linchpin of driving growth in productive businesses.
Two way communications
Open, honest, free-flowing information
Engaged staff are involved and aware in all aspects of their working life
Recognition and feeling valued
Engaged staff are willing to put in extra effort without being asked to do so
Engaged staff are willing and flexible
Engaged staff offer ideas and suggestions
Engaged staff are willing to think differently and come out of their comfort zone
Engaged staff look at the bigger picture. They understand what each person does and
can contribute to the organisations goals and visions.
• Engaged staff feel enabled to influence the direction of the organisation on a day to
day level. They feel they are able to get involved
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Note: Engagement is not the same as communication: There is an important distinction.
Communication can be used to support engagement but the two concepts are
different, even though they are closely interlinked.
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HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT?
For employees to feel engaged within Leathams, four targets areas have been identified to
achieve this goal.
Communication
and Feedback
Positive
Working
Relationships
Employee
Engagement
Reward and
Recognition
Career
Development
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TARGETS
Target 1: Communication, Information and Feedback
As it stands, there is a lot of information available to staff in a variety of forms, but more mediums of
communication and new technologies could be utilised to make it easier to find and more userfriendly. Messages should be short, concise, open, honest and easily accessible and where possible
live or originate from one source.
Objectives:
• To provide honest, open and genuine information to all staff on a regular basis.
• To improve access to information that is consistently available to all staff in an easy to use and
easy to find format.
• To involve staff in key decisions and utilise their ideas and provide feedback.
• To provide staff with more understanding and awareness of the roles of other staff within the
organisation.
Target 2: Reward and Recognition
It is important that each member of staff feels valued by the organisation and often, what is
important to many staff is being personally recognised for particular achievements.
Objectives:
• To ensure that staff who are performing consistently and well are identified and recognised
• To ensure that mangers know how to show staff that their work is appreciated
• To identify and support staff who are not performing to the required standards
• To identity and improve any existing award/reward schemes
Target 3: Career Development
It is important to provide opportunities for staff to grow and develop based on their aspirations and
capabilities. Currently as an organisation, we are quite good and identifying and growing talent
however in some instances clearer career paths should be communicated.
Objectives
• To provide development opportunities to all members of staff
• To provide internal case studies of promoted staff to emphasise career paths and structures
• To ensure that staff feel appreciated and valued through investing in their personal development
• To provide work shadowing / mentorships opportunities for staff where appropriate
• Target 4: Relationships
• Due to busy nature of the business there is limited time in the average day for staff to engage with
each other. As a result more opportunities for staff to interact with each other, particularly
between the warehouse operatives and the staff upstairs is needed.
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Objectives
To provide staff with more opportunities to engage with other staff members
To encourage informal as well as formal opportunities for staff interaction
To use internal communication tools as a way to bridge the gap
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MEASUREMENT
Measuring engagement effectively is more than asking a few questions in an annual survey and
the approach must be carefully planned . This will make sure that any measurement methods
employed do not undermine or damage moral or productivity levels. Therefore the following
indication factors need to be use to measure the success of this strategy.
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Staff surveys
Over all levels of moral
Staff, ideas, suggestion and questions
Uptake in education, training etc
KPI’s
Day to day relationships
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENTDATIONS
Creating an engaged workforce ultimately relies on constant communication with employees and
the availability of effective resources within the organisation. Therefore in order to achieve this goal
a solid and achievable internal communications tool needs to be employed and supported by the
board and senior management.
There is no quick answer that will deliver higher levels of employee engagement, It will take time,
effort and commitment. It will requires staff at all levels to be involved in improving the experience
of working life.
Recommendations
• Implement a social media type intranet system that allows more communication between
employees and also enables the share of information to be more effective _ ( see Appendix for
an introduction to using Yammer for leatams.)
• Implement the internal communication plans and find communications ambassadors to help
promote internal messages. This does not have the take the shape of a physical meeting and
can be done virtually.
• Place recognition and rewards as a priority for the company going forward
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