From ideas around communicating hybrid working patters to thought leadership in change management, The Big Picture People provide a range of content to help organisations reach their potential last year.
Our blog posts have been a vital recourse for any company looking to improve their communications, better engage with employees and implement innovative methods to win their hearts and minds.
Below are our top picks for our most informative and insightful articles of 2021.
Visible Felt Leadership and why it matters
Having a clear set of values can only take an organisation and its employees so far. It is vital these people see that this is a company-wide approach and applies to every individual. This is where the idea of Visual Felt Leadership comes into play.
This blog from May explores why an organisation’s hierarchy should look to actively live out these values and what impact that will have on their employees. Everyone within an organisation should look to live out a set of values because it is the right thing to do and seeing their leaders set this example plays a crucial part.
From removing the ‘us and them’ divide to increasing engagement, this blog explores the benefits Visible Felt Leadership can bring to an organisation, while providing some tips on how to put this into practice.
“The idea of Visible Felt Leadership may sound obvious, but you would be surprised at how many leaders think they can simply do a quick walkabout on the shop floor and that’s the job done.”
The Impact of Information Overload
Digital technologies play a more influential role on our working lives than ever before, which can bring an extraordinary amount of information to employees. For example, the average office worker now receives around 121 emails per day. This can create what is called ‘Information Overload’.
With the amount of data within reach for employees it can be difficult for communicators to fight their way to the front to be heard and seen. This blog from January looks at the impact Information Overload can have on a workforce, with some surprising statistics showing just how big an issue it can be.
It is a post which will be particularly interesting for those in internal comms who are looking to get their messages to the front of employee’s minds, while it also features an informative guide to solving this.
“Our communications strategy has to overcome an increasing resistance to anything seen as corporate, uninteresting, unreliable or too pushy.”
Hybrid working is the future. How to make it work
The idea of working from home was something many organisations were against two years ago, mainly brought on by a lack of trust between employers and employees. Fast-forward to now and many workers do not want to give up their current working arrangement, which prompts the question how can this work for both parties?
In this post from August, The Big Picture People look at the why hybrid working has not been common in the past and how organisations can go about making it a success for them. It investigates how and why it has worked off the back of the pandemic and where communicators can play their role in displaying this newly found trust.
It is a must-read for any organisations that are looking to continue with or implement a hybrid working model, with examples from some well-known companies and ideas on how to communicate this hybrid picture.
“Any organisation committed to hybrid working needs to refine, stabilise and formalise its strategy.”
Change management – rational vs emotional thinking
A topic recently covered in the Engaging Internal Comms Podcast was that of communicating change within large organisations. This is something which can be a constant for any forward-thinking company, but it needs to be carried out correctly.
Whether it be a process of continuous improvement or change brought on by circumstance, this blog article from August looks at the fundamental questions that need to be answered when it comes to managing this.
Specifically targeted at leaders and communicators, it provides details on what roles they must play to help deliver change. It also looks at some specific models many of the world’s most successful organisations use for change management, as well as some common mistakes that often occur.
“Whatever the reason, and however big or small the changes, the success of your Change Management Programme depends on the buy-in of your workforce.”
Does gamification work for everyone?
Using games in corporate training is often seen as an unconventional approach but it’s one that usually delivers the best outcomes. Its success when used for things like information retention or team building are clear to see in other aspects of life.
Many people in internal comms may be hesitant to introduce gamification into their strategies because they feel it may not be serious enough. This article looks at how to overcome this amongst your peers and how gamification can be used to get employees on board with organisational messages and values.
The simple answer to the question ‘does gamification work for everyone?’ is yes and this blog explains all the reasons why.
“From frontline staff to C-Suite executives, training games provide a level playing field where everyone can participate as equals and become an integral part of whatever change you are wanting to communicate and embed.”
Want to find out more about how our expertise and thought leadership can help you achieve your communication goals? Head to our products page to see how we can help improve your organisation’s internal comms.
Alternatively, you can try our FREE Pulse Check Diagnostic tool. This short survey gives you an idea of how well you are communicating change to your employees, with actionable feedback you can use to improve employee engagement.
