CMA Internal Communications Needs Assessment

Sandy Clawson-FreeoPublic Affairs SpecialistCMA Public Affairs

CMA IPTApril 2006

CMA Internal Communications: Background

•Increase internal audience understanding and coordination of the CMA program, its objectives, key messages and activities, remaining inclusive of all missions.

CMA Internal Communications: Methods

•Two-pronged approach

–Interview CMA leadership

–Survey CMA work force

CMA Internal Communications: Leadership Interviews

•Purpose of interviews

–Priorities and vision for workplace communications

–Preferences for CMA Intranet

CMA Internal Communications: Leadership Interviews

•Methodology–In-person and phone interviews–21 of 23 identified members of CMA leadership were interviewed

–Interviews took place March 3 – April 15, 2005

CMA Leadership Interviews: Results

• Internal communications effectiveness

CMA leadership rankings of effectivenessof internal communications

N = 21

57%29%

14%

2

3

4

Ratings

CMA Leadership Interviews: Results

• Barriers to effective internal communications

– Undefined vision, mission, goal, communications strategy and staff roles

– Information not getting to the right people

– Infrequent communications (top-down)

– Not remembering the internal audience

CMA Leadership Interviews: Results

• Barriers to effective internal communications (con’t.)– Not responding to questions nor consulting with

those whom policy changes affect before announcing them to the whole organization

– Structural disparity/lack of corresponding positions between HQ and the sites

– Clash of cultures between:• PMCD and SBCCOM and• Army and civilian work forces

CMA Leadership Interviews: Results

Leadership familiarity with CMA Strategic PlanN = 21

29%

35%

6%12%

18%

1 = Not at all familiar2345+ Completely familiar

Ratings

All leaders said they were committed to implementation of the strategic plan, including the communications components.

CMA Leadership Interviews: Results• Most valuable information resources

– Command information sessions

– Departmental meetings

– CMA Headlines Mailer

• Attributes of valuable information resources

– Concise summary of the most important information

– Option of drilling down

– Timely and consistent

– Face-to-face

CMA Leadership Interviews: Results

• Important CMA Intranet features– CMA organizational information– Information resources– Human resources information

• Suggested features for CMA Intranet– Lessons learned to coordinate information

across sites– Information libraries for policies & reports– Real-time monitoring of site metrics– Orientation booklet– E-mail notifications when Intranet is updated

CMA Leadership Interviews: Results

• General concerns– Provide more effective

communication of CMA vision, mission and values

– Increase sensitivity to worker’s concerns about downsizing & closure

– Increase collaboration across sites– Plan for future issues

CMA Employee Survey

• Purpose

- Internal communications needs

- CMA mission, values and key messages

- CMA employee preferences

CMA Employee Survey

CMA leadership rankings of effectivenessof internal communications

N = 21

57%29%

14%

234

CMA employee rating of importance of internal communications

Extremely important

56.0%Very important

28.9%

Important9.8%

Not importantat all0.4%

Somewhat important

2.3%No opinion

2.6%

Agreement on CMA mission, goals and objectives communicated to work force

80%

67%

84%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Mission Goals Program objectives

Topic communicated

Perc

ent a

gree

men

t

Agreement with CMA values65% 64% 63%

58%

46%

66%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Opencommunications

Empowerment Support Loyalty Team Seamless

Perc

ent a

gree

men

t

Value

CMA Employee Survey: Reasons for Disagreement with Value Statements

• CMA provides methods for open communications within the agency– Not aware that mechanisms for open

communications exist

• CMA employees are empowered to do their jobs– Micro-management

• CMA employees support one another– Support is compartmentalized within various groups

• CMA leadership demonstrates loyalty to agency employees– Communication with lower-level management and

employees is infrequent• CMA employees work together as one CMA team

– Teamwork is compartmentalized in small groups; at other levels there seem to be divisions

• CMA stockpile & disposal mission areas are one seamless organization– Us vs. them mentality– Separate funding sources

CMA Employee Survey: Reasons for Disagreement with Value Statements

CMA Internal Communications: Path Forward

•Support implementation of the CMA Internal Communications Plan

•Conduct annual survey

CMA Internal Communications

• Accomplishments– CMA Intranet roll out

• One-stop portal for CMA government employees to obtain information

– Logistics– Travel– Training– Human resources– Organizational information– Site metrics

https://cma.apgea.army.mil

CMA Internal Communications

Questions?