More Related Content Similar to The principles of effective internal communications (20) More from Kenton Larsen (15) The principles of effective internal communications2. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
The context in which
individuals and
organizations function.
Organizational climate/culture
2
4. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
4
5. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Organizational climate/culture
■ Environmental factors
■ Values (policies)
■ Behavior
■ Structure
■ Leadership (heroes, role models, mentors)
■ Employee perception
5
6. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Organizational climate/culture
■ Products/services
■ History
■ Core values
■ Competitors
■ People
■ Vision
6
7. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Employee communications
Part of the PR function devoted to:
■ Identifying
■ Maintaining
■ Establishing
mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and
its internal publics.
7
8. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Role of employee communications
■ Attract, select, indoctrinate employees.
■ Provide instruction, rules, news.
■ Publicize achievements.
■ Exchange information.
■ Increase employees’ effectiveness.
■ Solicit and encourage input.
■ Satisfy employees’ desire to be informed and involved.
8
9. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Communication tools
■ Posters, memos, newsletters, magazines, bulletins, etc.
■ Speeches, meetings, grapevine, guest speakers,
videoconferences, etc.
■ Displays, presentations, videos, etc.
■ Social media, email, intranet, YouTube, etc.
9
10. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
The IRP rule
■ Demonstrate an interest in employees.
■ Respond to employee concerns.
■ Provide opportunities for employee participation in
decision making.
10
Interest • Respond • Participation
11. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Guidelines
■ Candid, two-way flow of info.
■ Must be:
• A priority
• Planned, sustained
• Relevant, understandable to employees
■ And avoid:
• Propaganda
• Rigid tone
11
12. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Guidelines
▪ Don’t try to be all things to all people –
know your audience, service the needs
of your organization.
▪ Newsletter:
• 50 per cent organizational info
• 20 per cent employee info
• 20 per cent non-company info
• 10 per cent small talk
12
13. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Guidelines
■ Promote awareness and understanding of goals.
■ Interpret management policies.
■ Meet employees’ info needs.
■ Facilitate two-way communication.
■ Encourage productivity.
13
14. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Symptoms of poor employee communications
■ Absenteeism
■ Theft
■ Inefficiencies
■ Higher production costs
■ Low morale
■ Strikes
■ High turnover
■ Accidents
■ Rumors
14
15. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Barriers to effective employee communications
■ Failure to recognize importance of communications
■ Failure to communicate hard issues candidly
■ Failure to trust employees with information
■ Resistance to change
15
16. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Barriers to effective employee communications
■ Unclear corporate image.
■ Negative organizational climates.
■ Lack of mutual trust.
■ No employee communication
policy.
■ Employee communications flow
one way.
■ “Towing the company line” in
communications.
16
17. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
The ideal situation
■ Confidence and trust between employee/employer.
■ Candid information.
■ Satisfied sense of status and participation.
■ Low stress.
■ Healthy environment.
■ Success for the organization.
■ Optimism for the future.
17
18. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
Your Role:
▪ Establish relationship between
employees and organization.
▪ Build and transmit
organizational culture.
▪ Interpret management policies.
▪ Help build employee
awareness.
▪ Provide means for “upward”
communication.
18
19. © Kenton Larsen | Twitter: @Kentonlarsen | Blog: www.kentonlarsen.com | Podcast: Media Nerds
19
Editor's Notes Internal relations, employee relations, employee communications
What’s corporate culture?
“The Way We Do Things Around Here”
Collective psychological forces that make up the organizational climate Are McDonald’s employees really lovin’ it? Identify and explain basic elements of organizational climate/culture Core values – set of collected facts/opinions – what org. believes as an entity – job security vs. turnover
People function best when the organization answers the question, “what’s in this for me?”
Vision – identifies a future Public relations versus HR
Employees are any organization’s most important public To start
The work
The rewards
The termination Printed: Organizational publications
Supplemental pubs (brochures)
Letters, bulletins, memos
Inserts, enclosures
Speeches
Bulletin boards/posters
Spoken: grapevine, meetings, speakers bureau, videoconferencing
Visual – videos, displays, presentations
Electronic – e-mail, intranet Interest: surveys, informational meetings, suggestions, counselors, phone hotlines, employee pubs, open door policy; also: working conditions, job satisfaction, job security, supervision, performance standards, comm with associates, etc.
Response – procedure reviews, deeds, training programs, facilitating communication between levels.
Participation – Group discussions, regular meetings, top management mingles with all employees, employee ownership, profit-sharing face to face is best! Biggest problem: FEAR
Nothing you say can work better than what your company does. Focus groups?
New jobs, hires, visitors, sales, policies, CEO message, achievements, quality control, new equipment, etc. Resistance to change – that’s not the way we do things around here… Candid – should flow up and down