When organisations plan or deliver a big external facing project, the project management team tends to focus on engaging and communicating with external stakeholders and audiences. Often, only a select group of staff and decision makers are involved in or aware of the project. Meanwhile, the broader internal staff ‘community’ can be missed or an afterthought.
Not only can this approach make projects more difficult to implement down the track, it can get internal stakeholders ‘off-side’ in the process.
Many of the engagement processes MosaicLab delivers are built around big, complex or strategic issues or decisions. These processes can result in outcomes that affect large cohorts of staff across an organisation. Therefore, at the very least, staff need to be aware of what’s happening. Not only will some of these staff be required to implement that decision, but involving and informing them from the start will contribute to the overall success of your project.
We wanted to delve deeper into this topic, so we sat down with two internal communication and change specialists with backgrounds in the public sector …
Emma Wilkins
Director Strategic Communications
National Disability Insurance Agency
Caroline Hughes
Strategic Communications Advisor, Projects
Metro Trains.
Caroline and Emma generously shared a whole host of easy-to-implement internal communications tips and ideas that you could apply to any big project, engagement process or organisational change campaign.
“If your workforce isn’t singing from the same song sheet then you will struggle to present a consistent message or experience for your stakeholders/audiences.”
THE LOWDOWN
Why do you do what you do?
Emma:
“With Internal communications I feel I’m making a difference and feel I am also contributing to the Agency’s external communications. For example, if your workforce isn’t singing from the same song sheet then you will struggle to present a consistent message or experience for your stakeholders/audiences.“
Caroline:
“I love internal comms because the audience is defined and it’s easy to measure your effectiveness. I also love that I can build relationships with my audience, get to know them, and then adjust my work accordingly.
Increasingly, employees expect to play a role in decisions that affect them, or at least understand how and why key decisions are made. As internal communicators we can play a key role in bringing the voice of employees to the Executive team, and vice versa.”
“Employees expect to play a role in decisions that affect them, or at least understand how and why key decisions are made. As internal communicators we can play a key role in bringing the voice of employees to the Executive team, and vice versa.”
THE RISKS
What happens if internal communication isn’t effective (or doesn’t occur at all)?
Caroline:
“Best practice change management approaches move people through each phase of the change process (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement). Targeted and timely communications will support awareness and reinforcement. If we don’t get awareness right, we risk having a lot more resistance later. Equally, if we don’t do reinforcement well, we risk the change not being fully implemented (e.g. no one knows that the new system they must use is ‘live’).
Crucially, if communication is seen as the only means by which to manage change, then the change will almost always fail – there is a lot more to a change project than communications, but communications is crucial, and one of the first parts of the puzzle.”
Emma:
“You risk missing potential opportunities, including:
creating advocates for change – people who embrace the change because they feel they are part of the activity/process taking place
engaging with your key stakeholders and helping them understand what the change/project means for them
delivering on your business objectives – it is difficult to succeed if you have failed to engage your target audience.”
“If we don’t get the awareness piece right, we run the risk of having a lot more resistance to manage later. Equally, if we don’t do the reinforcement well, then we run the risk of the change not being fully implemented (e.g. no one knows that the new system that they have to use is actually ‘live’).”
THE REWARDS
What are the benefits of effective internal communications and change management?
Caroline:
“People will think, feel, and do, what you want them to do. A project will realise its true benefits and people will become informal advocates for your project if they understand it and feel supported and heard throughout the process.”
Emma:
“I agree with Caroline, and this reflects my response to the question about risks. While you could introduce change champions or ambassadors for your project, informal advocates tend to be more effective, as they instil trust with those they are engaging with.”
“While you could introduce change champions or ambassadors for your project, informal advocates tend to offer more success as they instil trust with those they are engaging with.”
TOP INTERNAL COMMS TIPS
What is your top internal communications tip for someone managing or leading a big project or change?
Emma:
“Understand your target audiences. Personalise the message and clearly articulate ‘what’s in it for them’. Some audiences aren’t directly impacted by the change/project so it’s more about raising awareness. However, other audiences might need to change a practice or behaviour, so they need information and support to help them implement the change. “
Caroline:
“Understand your audiences and what they need to know (or might appreciate knowing) every step of the way.
Go to your internal communications team with a desired outcome rather than a specific tactic in mind – for example, ‘I want to achieve X’ rather than ‘I need a video by COB.
Don’t forget people managers – they are an important target audience. Often the best way to get information to people is via their manager.”
“Understand your target audiences. Personalise the message and clearly articulate ‘what’s in it for them’.”
MISTAKES TO AVOID
What’s the most common internal communications mistake people make when managing a change or project?
Emma:
“Unfortunately, internal communications can often be an afterthought. In my experience people understand and realise its importance however, this doesn’t tend to translate to tangible action.
I recommend engaging your communication specialist early, frequently and openly. Trust your communications specialist with information about your project and bring them ‘into the tent’. They will then be better equipped to support you and help you achieve your objectives.”
Caroline:
“I have a top three:
1. People often think internal communications is change management, when really, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. An important one! But not the only one.
2. People often expect their audience to come to them – for example, visiting a page on the intranet – rather than meeting them where they’re at.
3. Beware of spin. ‘Selling’ a message or benefits to employees too overtly can be a mistake – employees can see spin from a mile away and it can lead to distrust. Internal comms should focus on facts, link to the organisation’s strategic direction and clearly communicate what people have to do (if anything). “
“Beware of spin. ‘Selling’ a message or benefits to employees too overtly can be a mistake – employees can see spin from a mile away and it can lead to distrust.”
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR RESOURCES
If someone has access to an internal comms team, what’s the number one thing they can do to get value from that resource?
Caroline:
Start by building a relationship and understanding each other’s remits and priorities. Ask how they like to work, and how they like to work with project teams. Be really clear about the work that you have coming up and where you may need support – openness and transparency is key! Also understand that they will likely have a bird’s eye view of the organisation and the other projects that are going on – this may help you with your planning.
Emma:
I agree with all of Caroline’s points, and would also add that internal comms people will challenge your thinking – that is our job. We will stretch and reshape all of our minds around a project to make it meet multiple needs.
“I recommend engaging your communication specialist early, frequently and openly. Trust your communications specialist with information about your project and bring them ‘into the tent’. They will then be better equipped to support you and help you achieve your objectives.”
HOW TO GO IT ALONE
What if there’s no internal communications team (or limited resources)? What’s the first step someone could take?
Emma:
“In addition to using Google (which I think is a good idea) I also think keeping it simple is key. Also, use the networks and resources around you – they don’t need to be communications specialists – and build an understanding of who you need to communicate with, and what you need to tell them to achieve your business objectives.”
Caroline:
“It may sound simple, but Google ‘simple internal communications plan’ and have a crack! There is a great blog called ‘All Things IC’ by Rachel Miller which has good, free, simple resources.
People without an internal communications resource shouldn’t be put off because they can still do a lot themselves, and I guarantee the employees on the other end will appreciate the effort. “
“Internal comms’ can be as simple and effective as picking up the phone and offering to present at a team meeting – it doesn’t need to be big, and in fact it’s probably more effective if it’s simple.”
Thank you to Caroline and Emma for generously donating their time to help others. We are always seeking to provide people with actionable resources that help to enhance engagement processes and projects, and we are very grateful to them for their honest and useful insights.
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