Three Fresh Ideas: An Essential Guide to Internal Comms
Vol. 4, September 2022
Hello, readers!
Can we talk about internal communications? It’s one of the most important aspects of your business, because it speaks directly to the people who make your business exist — your team members. But if you miss the days when your most important communication was making sure everyone was aware of the upcoming employee picnic, you’re not alone.
In fact, one of our colleagues has a sign above her desk that says, “I miss precedented times.” Isn’t that the realest thing you’ve heard in a while?
Despite the challenges, our role as communicators is more important than ever. A 2021 Edelman report on The Future of Corporate Communications says out loud what we’re witnessing every day: Communicators are increasingly acting as change agents, enabling ongoing transformation.
There may not be any other team that feels this more than IC. No longer simply the senders of the company newsletter or keepers of the intranet, IC teams are now true drivers of action – sitting at the strategy table, leading initiatives and being held accountable for results.
Talk about an increase in job responsibilities.
And the work ain’t easy. McKinsey reports that only around 30% of organizations undergoing a transformation succeed. Whether it’s a focus on diversity and inclusion, a return to office life or adoption of a new technology, any major culture shift could rile up the masses.
If only there were a magic formula for communicating these things with perfection and getting 100% buy-in from Day One, we could change the world! (DM if you have it, we’re willing to talk price.)
A good starting point for all of us, though, is to meet employees where they are. Much like the personalization trend in marketing, there’s a big push in HR and employee experience to consider the whole person. To treat employees like people vs. an ID number.
Read on for Three Fresh Ideas on topics like communicating to your audiences on social media, getting your employees to adopt new tech and taking your brainstorming from idea to execution.
Getting your employees to adopt new technology, even if they kinda sorta really don’t want to
There’s a reason that you watch the same shows over and over again. Why you’ve bought the same brand of cereal for 12 years running. Why your pizza toppings never change and why “what the kids are listening to these days” sounds like noise.
There’s comfort in routine.
The majority of people like being able to wake up on Monday, snag their usual coffee order from the drive-thru that’s right by their house, sit down at their computer and know pretty much how things work.
This is why, when you suggest that employees swap out a well-worn process for something new, they will either:
Ignore you
Nod and smile, and then ignore you
Get upset, (and…)
We’ve heard a lot of different objections to change. And being writers, they’re all jotted down around here somewhere — along with strategies for overcoming each one.
The list is long, but we’ve focused in on the ways to get employees to adopt new technology. We know better than to mess with the pizza toppings.
Corporate comms are sliding into your DMs
Most of your coworkers may not fit the category of “quiet quitters.” Yet in any company culture, it’s hard work to keep employees engaged across every business initiative.
And it’s tough not to take it personally when your staff emails and newsletters seem to go ignored.
Keeping employees engaged, dedicated to their work and caring about how the company is doing — especially in periods of cost cutting and uncertainty — starts with making sure employees feel like the company is dedicated to them, and cares about how they’re doing, too.
That’s why it’s so vital to include social media as one of your internal communications tactics.
Sharing great stories about your employees publicly lets them know they’re valued and that your company believes they’re truly making a difference. Especially if your company leaders are also reading and reacting to their stories online.
Your corporate social media outlets can also help you reach manufacturing employees and others who don’t have a desk. Even if they don’t have a work email address, they’re probably out there scrolling.
If you are just getting started using social media for internal communications, we have some tips on how to identify content and help it spread.
Make it rain: moving from brainstorm to execution
What’s worse than a failed brainstorm? A phenomenal brainstorm that ends up forgotten until a year later when someone says, “Hey, didn’t we talk about doing this once?”
The skills needed to generate the big ideas live in a completely different brain hemisphere from the ones needed to execute them. And, let’s be real, there aren’t many of us who can claim true ambidexterity.
Last month, we shared some ways to get the most out of a brainstorm. This issue, we’re sharing ways to turn your great ideas into action items.
To make sure the eight ball ends up in the corner pocket, so to speak.
And we’ll give you a hint — there’s a pool shark on your team. Someone who knows exactly how to angle the cue stick, find the path of least resistance and, if necessary, knock other balls out of the way.
It’s your project manager.
Their brains are made for navigating the road between the first “Hey, what if…” and final delivery. They are seemingly made from glue and day planners. And when you get a good one, you bring them all the snackage it takes to make sure they’re well loved (and well fed).
Read on for some tips from our very own project managers on ways to make sure your brainstorm goes on to become a great marketing plan.
… and a viral video
Remember when needing your office keys used to not be a thing?
Three Fresh Ideas: An Essential Guide to Internal Comms
Vol. 4, September 2022
Hello, readers!
Can we talk about internal communications? It’s one of the most important aspects of your business, because it speaks directly to the people who make your business exist — your team members. But if you miss the days when your most important communication was making sure everyone was aware of the upcoming employee picnic, you’re not alone.
In fact, one of our colleagues has a sign above her desk that says, “I miss precedented times.” Isn’t that the realest thing you’ve heard in a while?
Despite the challenges, our role as communicators is more important than ever. A 2021 Edelman report on The Future of Corporate Communications says out loud what we’re witnessing every day: Communicators are increasingly acting as change agents, enabling ongoing transformation.
There may not be any other team that feels this more than IC. No longer simply the senders of the company newsletter or keepers of the intranet, IC teams are now true drivers of action – sitting at the strategy table, leading initiatives and being held accountable for results.
Talk about an increase in job responsibilities.
And the work ain’t easy. McKinsey reports that only around 30% of organizations undergoing a transformation succeed. Whether it’s a focus on diversity and inclusion, a return to office life or adoption of a new technology, any major culture shift could rile up the masses.
If only there were a magic formula for communicating these things with perfection and getting 100% buy-in from Day One, we could change the world! (DM if you have it, we’re willing to talk price.)
A good starting point for all of us, though, is to meet employees where they are. Much like the personalization trend in marketing, there’s a big push in HR and employee experience to consider the whole person. To treat employees like people vs. an ID number.
Read on for Three Fresh Ideas on topics like communicating to your audiences on social media, getting your employees to adopt new tech and taking your brainstorming from idea to execution.
Getting your employees to adopt new technology, even if they kinda sorta really don’t want to
There’s a reason that you watch the same shows over and over again. Why you’ve bought the same brand of cereal for 12 years running. Why your pizza toppings never change and why “what the kids are listening to these days” sounds like noise.
There’s comfort in routine.
The majority of people like being able to wake up on Monday, snag their usual coffee order from the drive-thru that’s right by their house, sit down at their computer and know pretty much how things work.
This is why, when you suggest that employees swap out a well-worn process for something new, they will either:
Ignore you
Nod and smile, and then ignore you
Get upset, (and…)
We’ve heard a lot of different objections to change. And being writers, they’re all jotted down around here somewhere — along with strategies for overcoming each one.
The list is long, but we’ve focused in on the ways to get employees to adopt new technology. We know better than to mess with the pizza toppings.
Corporate comms are sliding into your DMs
Most of your coworkers may not fit the category of “quiet quitters.” Yet in any company culture, it’s hard work to keep employees engaged across every business initiative.
And it’s tough not to take it personally when your staff emails and newsletters seem to go ignored.
Keeping employees engaged, dedicated to their work and caring about how the company is doing — especially in periods of cost cutting and uncertainty — starts with making sure employees feel like the company is dedicated to them, and cares about how they’re doing, too.
That’s why it’s so vital to include social media as one of your internal communications tactics.
Sharing great stories about your employees publicly lets them know they’re valued and that your company believes they’re truly making a difference. Especially if your company leaders are also reading and reacting to their stories online.
Your corporate social media outlets can also help you reach manufacturing employees and others who don’t have a desk. Even if they don’t have a work email address, they’re probably out there scrolling.
If you are just getting started using social media for internal communications, we have some tips on how to identify content and help it spread.
Make it rain: moving from brainstorm to execution
What’s worse than a failed brainstorm? A phenomenal brainstorm that ends up forgotten until a year later when someone says, “Hey, didn’t we talk about doing this once?”
The skills needed to generate the big ideas live in a completely different brain hemisphere from the ones needed to execute them. And, let’s be real, there aren’t many of us who can claim true ambidexterity.
Last month, we shared some ways to get the most out of a brainstorm. This issue, we’re sharing ways to turn your great ideas into action items.
To make sure the eight ball ends up in the corner pocket, so to speak.
And we’ll give you a hint — there’s a pool shark on your team. Someone who knows exactly how to angle the cue stick, find the path of least resistance and, if necessary, knock other balls out of the way.
It’s your project manager.
Their brains are made for navigating the road between the first “Hey, what if…” and final delivery. They are seemingly made from glue and day planners. And when you get a good one, you bring them all the snackage it takes to make sure they’re well loved (and well fed).
Read on for some tips from our very own project managers on ways to make sure your brainstorm goes on to become a great marketing plan.
… and a viral video
Remember when needing your office keys used to not be a thing?
SUBSCRIBE TO
Three fresh ideas (and a meme)
Our monthly take on today’s marketing and communications topics… and a little fun, too.
