Internal Communications
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Informasjon og Samfunnskontakt Employee/Internal Relations Community Relations Government Relations Peggy Simcic Brønn 1 Internal Communications “Employee morale is affected by how much we know about the company’s plans.” 98 percent of employees agree. Peggy Simcic Brønn 2 Four Eras of Employee Communication Era of entertaining employees - 1940s Era of informing employees - 1950s Era of persuasion - 1960s Era of 2-way symmetric communication - 1990s Peggy Simcic Brønn 3 Trends of Internal Communications Few companies develop a strategy for announcing change Failure in over 80 percent of cases involving announced change Biggest symptom of failure - lots of inaccurate, negative rumors Second symptom - learning about change from press Peggy Simcic Brønn 4 Trends of Internal Communications Employees are insulted when a less ‘rich’ channel is used Management does not adapt message to different groups Employees react negatively to use of buzzwords Great differences between literal meaning, intention and effect of overly positive messages Peggy Simcic Brønn 5 Time Spent by PR Department on: Media 10% Employees 35% Government 25% 30% Investors Peggy Simcic Brønn 6 Companies not doing Enough Employees don’t believe what management says. Are not sufficiently informed. Change not communicated well. Management does a bad job of explaining reasons behind decisions. Communication is not timely. Peggy Simcic Brønn 7 Major Barriers Employees do not ‘buy in’ to change No senior management champion Lack of adequate skills or experience to implement Turf battles Lack of congruent reward system Inability or unwillingness Peggy Simcic Brønn 8 Employees Want Top Management to: Inform them ahead of time Care about how they really feel Give their supervisors enough authority to get job done Make a strong commitment to serve the customer Peggy Simcic Brønn 9 Employees Want Top Management to: Have the ability to solve major organization problems Run a socially responsible organization Provide new products and services to meet competition Place more emphasis on quality than quantity Peggy Simcic Brønn 10 Communications Strategy Nature of Change Organizational Dynamics Strategy Time L. R. Smeltzer, An Analysis for Announcing Organization-Wide Change, Group & Organizational Studies, Vol. 16, No. 1 March 1991. Peggy Simcic Brønn 11 Organizational Dynamics Employee Differences Organizational Culture Organizational Climate Peggy Simcic Brønn 12 Communications Strategy Message Style Coverage Source Channel Time Peggy Simcic Brønn 13 Media Capacity & Communication Characteristics Media Characteristics Media Richness Capacity Medium Feedback Cues/Channels Intimacy Language High Face-to-face Immediate Multiple Personal Natural visual, audio Telephone Fast Audio Personal Natural Written, addressed (letter, memo) Slow Limited visual Personal Natural/ Numeric Written, unaddressed Very slow Limited visual Impersonal Natural/ Numeric Low From R. Daft and G. Huber, How Organizations Learn: A communications framework, Research in the Sociology of Organizations, Vol.. 5, 1987. Focus What is size and nature of work force? What does the work force think of organization? How satisfied are employees? What employee communications exist? How effective are communications tools? Are there special employee relationship programs? Peggy Simcic Brønn 15 Internal Audiences Management Upper level, mid level, lower level administrators Nonmanagement (staff) Specialists, clerical, secretarial Uniformed personnel Equipment operators, drivers, security Union representatives Other nonmanagement personnel Peggy Simcic Brønn 16 Communication Objectives Increase employees’ knowledge Enhance favorable attitudes toward employer Get more adoption by employees of behavior desired by management Make employees spokespersons for organization in community Receive more employee feedback Peggy Simcic Brønn 17 How Recognize employee accomplishments and contributions Prepare and distribute employee communications Schedule interpersonal communication Peggy Simcic Brønn 18 Theme and Messages Depends on reason for conducting campaign Action or special events training seminars special programs on safety or new technology open house for employees and families parties, receptions, and other social affairs other employee special events related to organization Peggy Simcic Brønn 19 Media Bulletin boards Displays and exhibits Telephone hotlines or news lines Inserts in paychecks Internal television Speakers bureaus employees to community groups Films Video cassettes Meetings Teleconferences Audio-visual presentations Booklets, pamphlets, brochures Peggy Simcic Brønn 20 Prescriptions for Managers Face-to-face: non-routine and difficult communications Memos: routine, simple communications Discussion & Meetings: make presence felt Rich media: implementing strategy Multiple media: critical issues and need to get message heard Evaluate appropriate technology Peggy Simcic Brønn 21 Effective Internal Communications Two-way communication Audience participation Peggy Simcic Brønn 22 Evaluation Communication, Retention, Acceptance of Messages Coorientational Evaluations Human Relations Audits Communication Satisfaction International Communications Association Audit - extensive use of network analysis and interviews Peggy Simcic Brønn 23 Evaluation Network analysis - tracing employee communications through the organization Duty study - employees recording daily communications Observational studies - observers recording employees communications Cross-sectional interviews - asking employees about communications activities ‘Small World’ technique Diffusion method Peggy Simcic Brønn 24 Hints Fully understand situation Involve communications experts at beginning Coach people to understand change Know and study company culture Peggy Simcic Brønn 25 Hints Make sure there is a feedback system Be consistent in what you say and do Do not micromanage - let people be comfortable Don’t be afraid to make changes Peggy Simcic Brønn 26 Community Relations Home of office and operations Supplier of work force Provides setting, services, etc. Peggy Simcic Brønn 27 Community relations programs are specialized public relations programs to facilitate communication between an organization and publics in its geographic locality. Grunig and Hunt Peggy Simcic Brønn 28 Community Activities Expressive -- activities to promote themselves & to show good will to community Instrumental -- activities to improve the community or change it to make it easier to work there Peggy Simcic Brønn 29 Check List What is level of credibility? Have there been complaints? What are present and past community relations practices? What are major strengths & weaknesses? What opportunities exist? Peggy Simcic Brønn 30 Community Publics Community media - diffused linkage Local employees & customers functional linkage Community leaders - enabling linkage Community organizations - normative linkage Activists publics -- diffused linkage Peggy Simcic Brønn 31 Makeup of Community Opinion Miniature of national government Power structure Opinion leaders Networking Prime movers Independents Dissidents Peggy Simcic Brønn 32 Pyramid of Power Major employers, land owners, top officials, wealthy ‘first’ families 1. 2. 3. 4. Corporate, commercial executives, lawyers, etc. Local officials, editors, lesser city officials, association executives Business, teachers, factory managers, workers Peggy Simcic Brønn 33 Effective Communication Targeting of opinion leaders or community leaders Two-way symmetric relations Communication objective Cultivation of organizations, their leaders and membership Reach out with sponsorship of activities Peggy Simcic Brønn 34 Evaluation Number of government officials reporting contact with organization. Number of members of local publics reporting contact. Number of community leaders discussing controversial or policy issues. Number of managers reporting they have made changes as result of information from community about service or problems. Number of negative behaviors reported by community leaders. Peggy Simcic Brønn 35 Government Relations (often called Public Affairs) Government at all levels Political action Community involvement/corporate responsibility Issues management International Strategic planning Peggy Simcic Brønn 36 Government Publics Highest level in country - Storting Next level - fylke Decreasing level - kommune, city, etc. Peggy Simcic Brønn 37 Check List What is the makeup of the organization? What are past and present relations with government? What are strengths and weaknesses? How vulnerable is organization to legislation? Which of our activities could result in government involvement? Peggy Simcic Brønn 38 PR’s Function To establish long-term, two-way and open relations between organization and politicians and officials. Peggy Simcic Brønn 39 Success Factors Subject knowledge Multi-dimensional activities Flexibility Ability to focus Peggy Simcic Brønn 40 Possible Objectives Increase knowledge of organization among politicians Create or enhance favorable attitudes toward organization Influence favorable vote on a bill Peggy Simcic Brønn 41 Possible Activities Fact finding Coalition building Direct lobbying Grass-roots lobbying Political support activities Political action committees (PACs) Political education activities Communications on political issues Peggy Simcic Brønn 42 Effective Communications Law Makers Regulation Makers Private Sector Peggy Simcic Brønn 43
