In this preview for Series 3 of the Engaging Internal Comms Podcast, Craig Smith explains how the show will pan out in 2022. This upcoming series will feature a different structure to the episodes, as they will be framed around the role of communicators within organisations featuring several questions that all internal communicators and employee engagers should be striving to help their employees understand.
Focusing on a topic that has featured in a number of different episodes of the show so far, Series 3 will be heavily based around the role of communicators within organisations when it comes to transformational change. This is something which is a constant within any large organisation, with the pandemic demonstrating this.
The idea for these questions that communicators need to answer is one The Big Picture People use with our own clients. The Big Picture Connections Framework asks six different questions on change and gives an idea of what strategies can be used to improve an organisation’s communications. You can view the framework below:
These questions often open other areas for thought and discussion, but they are fundamental to any successful change effort.
To see how your organisation ranks against these metrics, try our free Pulse Check Diagnostic tool. This short 15-20 minute survey will ask a series of questions about your organisation’s communications and how it is helping motivate your employees. It will show you what your oraganisation is doing well while also offering some feedback on the areas you can improve.
To find out more and take The Big Picture People Pulse Check, click here.
1. Why are we changing in the first place?
This can seem an obvious one at first, but it is vital employees have an awareness and understanding of this. It is often an area that is neglected but is one which is crucial for getting employee onboarding.
2. What are we aiming for?
The question looks at the end goal of the organisational change which is something that needs explaining to employees. It looks at the vision and purpose as well as how we are hoping to serve our clients and employees differently.
3. How will we do it?
The actual strategy for change and how it is implemented is another facet that employees need a strong grasp of. They need to know how this change will pan out and the core principles behind this.
4. What is my role?
This is where employees will begin to gain more insight into the actual tasks they need to perform to help make this change possible, as well as what they can bring to it. The behaviours they implement here play a key role, which also links back to the values outlined previously.
5. How are we doing?
Change is often a continuous process so this part looks at how we can update employees on our progress. This will help them feel more engaged with this as well as being more motivated to get involved.
6. Are we serious?
Here, leaders need to demonstrate they can ‘walk the talk’. This is partly though our words but mainly though our actions. Commitments can really show employees the importance of any change effort.
As you can see from the graphic above, each question is broken down into both a rational and emotional half. You can engage with these questions and see how your organisation ranks from our free diagnostic tool which will be available soon.
There are 24 statements for you to assess and it should take around 15-20 minutes in total. After completing this, you will receive a PDF report which will give you a breakdown of how you scored and different approaches you can take to improve your change procedures.
We hope you enjoy Season 3 of the internal comms podcast, there’s lots more to come on the role of communicators within organisations when it comes to transformational change.