THE POWER OF A CLEAR MISSION
AND EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION
By Bernadine Cassell The power of a clear corporate mission, communicating during times of change, and using diverse methods
were among the themes of the marcus evans 3rd Annual Internal Communications & Situational Messaging
Conference in Boston on December 4.
Andrew Veach, Corporate Communication Manager at Molex Incorporated "kicked off" the event
with a look at business purpose and how it can help touch the minds and hearts of employees.
He suggested the book Start with Why by Simon Sinek and the importance of communicating "why" our
organizations are in business (noting that profit is an outcome of achieving that purpose).
David Hebert, Chief, Internal Communications, of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) noted that
people need to see their leaders, their organization's mission, and themselves in the mission.
USGS provides regular video messages to employees from the leadership, which are e-mailed and then
posted on the intranet. They also video-stream "town hall" meetings and provide other communications to
reach the many employees at remote locations. Overall, he noted, people need to see where an
organization is heading, be encouraged to share their views, and be recognized for their contributions.
Jenny Titus, Director, Employee Programs & Communications, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Las
Vegas discussed how using multiple forms of communication can maximize employee engagement.
Each day, a one-page daily newsletter to managers and supervisors forms the basis of pre-shift
communications to employees. Also, her team makes employee meetings memorable by creating a theme
and making them fun! In addition, they've initiated a texting program and encourage employees to sign up
for notices of events, discounts, "cool" offers, and more.
Sara Tatchio, Manager, Global Integrated Communications, at Ford Motor Company, focused on the
power of storytelling and effective communication during times of change.
When Ford needed a new direction, Ford's new CEO articulated a simple, clear strategy-the One Ford Planwith four points supporting "profitable growth for all." The high points fit on a small card-a One Ford Carddistributed to all salaried employees and new employees. Details of the strategy were communicated to
employees over six months through cascading meetings and multiple communications methods.
Makini Nyanteh, Senior Director, U.S. Corporate Affairs, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, discussed
communication during mergers and acquisitions.
She noted the importance of clearly communicating specifics of changes, providing regular, honest updates,
and recognizing places where people are embracing the new direction. She also mentioned that key
communication responsibilities include creating a platform for conversation (e.g., a dedicated e-mail box for
questions) and articulating a shared vision and clear purpose for the organization.
Brennan Terry, Director, Internal & Social Communications at Kodak Alaris noted the challenges of
transitioning a 125-year old company (Eastman Kodak) into a startup (Kodak Alaris).
He's helped management reach employees through "town hall" meetings, small-group sessions, blogs,
Internet news, videos, and more. Brennan noted that many Generation Ys learn through games; therefore,
activities like quizzes and game shows can support engagement and learning with this audience.
Lisa Hartenberger, Director, Corporate Communications at Navistar used communication to help her
company through a major turnaround and achieve its 2013 goals.
Building employee alignment was vital, so the "Drive to Deliver" communication campaign focused on
clearly articulating the company's goals, demonstrating management alignment around the new plan, and
staying in touch with employee attitudes.
The team arranged employee assemblies and open forums; daily articles on the company's intranet; and
digital signage in plants. They created a "Drive to Deliver" website that included success stories; a
screensaver "dashboard" on employee desktops to show daily progress towards goals; and a continuous
countdown clock on the company intranet.
She stressed the importance of celebrating successes (even small ones), setting achievable goals,
measuring communication impact, and understanding that in a turnaround situation, employee
communication is key!
Bernadine Cassell is Managing Editor of EDIT and a Corporate Communications Specialist at Watts Water
Technologies, Inc.