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Communicating change in your business
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How to effectively communicate change in your business How to effectively communicate change in your business
Contents
How to effectively communicate change in your business 4
Planning your communication 5
Timing 6
Process 6
Content 8
Town hall announcements 13
Manager cascade 14
Company intranet platforms 14
Delivering your message 10
Evaluating your internal communication channels 13
The aftermath: following up on change communication 16
About Interact 18
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How to effectively communicate change in your business How to effectively communicate change in your business
How to effectively communicate change in your business
Planning your communication
How you choose to engage with your
employees will vary according to
your business and its culture, the
size of your organization, and the
message you need to communicate.
Some changes can be managed far in
advance, and rolled out as part of a
structured plan; others may require
crisis management, forcing you to
think on your feet.
Regardless of whether you have a
long-standing business change in the
pipeline or you need to step up and
make an unexpected announcement,
there are some core, essential
ingredients for successful change
communication that can be planned
ahead. Even taking the time to create
a loose framework, or to establish
best practice, can help avoid potential
disasters.
We break this planning process into a
trinity of 3 key elements:
Timing
Process
Content
The only thing that is constant is change.
If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
Heraclitus
Benjamin FranklinC hange within a business is
inevitable. As organizations
evolve, grow, and adapt to
their ever-changing environment,
most will face a combination of
challenges and triumphs that will
not only impact on the way in which
the company operates, but will
have a significant impact upon its
stakeholders.
The way in which that change
is communicated can have a
tremendous influence on its
success. Well-planned and executed
communication will ensure
individuals feel positive and lessen
resistance. On the other hand, poorly
delivered communication can prove
hugely damaging – even fatal for those
businesses that get it wrong.
As one of the most influential
stakeholder groups in any business,
your employees are the most
critical audience for any internal
communication of change. However,
it is against human nature to respond
favorably to change: making the
process of delivering any potentially
sensitive piece of business news a
complex process that can quickly
escalate into an HR or internal
communications nightmare.
When it comes to communicating
change to your employees, how can
you be sure you’re getting it right?
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How to effectively communicate change in your business How to effectively communicate change in your business
#1: Timing
#2: Process
Timing is essential. The consensus in change management is that
delaying internal announcements can prove hugely detrimental to
morale and uptake; avoid accusations of sitting on information and
endeavor to act quickly (or risk the repercussions of holding onto that
ticking time bomb).
It is always better to advise employees that you will adopt a system of
instant communication and that some information, therefore, may
change at a later date, rather than holding off all communications
until you are certain of the granular details. Although this may cause
some frustrations in staff who want “all the facts”, it does promote an
inclusive culture; a sense of “we’re in this together”,
with management on par with their workforce.
However, knee-jerk announcements that aren’t effectively planned
can cause considerable issues further down the line, particularly
when an announcement has negative implications or consequences
for those it concerns. Where feasible, it requires thorough planning;
including preparation of those delivering the news, considerations
for the ‘next steps’ and a clear definition of the message itself. Failure
to address these is akin to management dropping a bomb and
running – which can prove disastrous. In many respects, it’s almost a
catch-22; when a situation arises, make it a priority…but take
your time.
Consider any challenges or barriers that could prevent your
employees from receiving information promptly. For example,
do you have global offices operating in a different time zone or
different languages? Or perhaps remote workers who may not have
access to your internal systems or would miss out on a ‘town hall’
announcement?
Finally, consider the follow-up to the delivery of your message. If
there are likely to be questions or staff requiring clarification and
further information, ensure processes are in place to conduct a
consultation period following the announcement. Any senior
members of staff associated with the message, for example, HR or
line managers, should be readily available and prepared to receive
questions; avoid leaving the weight of responsibility on junior staff
who will be unable to field enquiries, or worse still, may respond with
incorrect or incomplete information.
Communicate this clarified process to all of senior management. This
ensures consistency, avoids the ‘overlooking’ of any key steps, and
streamlines the process to make communicating change as smooth
and quick as possible.
A defined process, agreed by major stakeholders as a standard of best
practice, is key to success.
Map out a flow for your internal communications process, defining
what needs to happen and who needs to be involved. Next, map out
your ‘route to market’ for delivering your communication, ensuring
you are reaching everyone you need to as efficiently and effectively as
possible.
Next, determine who will hold responsibility for creating and
delivering the message, and put in place checkpoints to ensure
messages are read before they are distributed. Identify any
unnecessary red tape and ensure individuals required for sign-off
and approval purposes will be readily available – or have backup
options, just in case. By putting in place a linear process, you can
hopefully avoid the PR-nightmare of staff finding out vital business
news directly from the media or via Facebook and Twitter.
Communications process
Define theprocess
What needs to happen
and who should be
involved?
Map out your 'route to market'
How are you going to get
your message out
to employees?
Assignresponsibility
Who is best placed to
create and deliver
the message?
Follow up
How will you respond to
questions and feedback?
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How to effectively communicate change in your business How to effectively communicate change in your business
Internal communications fail:
#3: Content A frequent casualty of large-scale internal communication is,
ironically, the message itself. In the rush to get information out or in
the fixation on ‘how’ to deliver, it can be easy to lose sight of what we
actually need to communicate. Begin by clearly defining the message
and its objectives:
Next, define your glossary of terms. By ensuring everyone involved
in communicating the message is briefed on the same terms, you
remove ambiguity or the danger of individuals Googling keywords or
phrases that could lead to different interpretations of the news. Is this
a “take-over”, or a “merger”? Is a member of management “leaving
the business” or “taking up a new opportunity”? The words we choose
have connotations of their own, and will directly impact on the
emotions and responses they inspire.
Try to speak the language of your employees. Too often, senior
management announcements aren’t checked for their ability to
translate across the business: risking the loss of your employees in
‘management speak’.
Avoid the trap of overwhelming individuals with irrelevant
information. In an eagerness to explain the reasons behind any given
decision, it is easy to get carried away and lose sight of what your staff
actually need to know. If you’re announcing potential redundancies,
is it really essential to provide a 25-slide presentation tracking all the
financial evidence that led to the decision?
If possible, strip back to the essential facts, dates, next steps and
any actions required, with directions to additional information for
those who need it. Ensure that all the information is centralized for
reference, with senior management accessing the same source: this
single version of truth removes the potential for ambiguity or the
‘Chinese whispers’ effect of incomplete information.
▪ What is the top-level message?
▪ What do your employees actually need to know?
▪ How will this impact their roles and the business as a whole?
▪ What questions are they most likely to ask?
▪ What actions or outcomes do you require from your employees?
In 2014, senior Microsoft manager Stephen Elop sent Nokia staff a 1,100-word
email, opening with the words “hello there” and including management
terminology such as "appropriate financial envelope", before devoting just
two sentences to the announcement of 12,500 job cuts two-thirds of the way
through. After that bomb, he jumped straight back to discussing "iconic"
tablets and "new interaction models". Unsurprisingly, his actions resulted
in a considerable backlash from staff, and proved disastrous for internal
engagement and morale.
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How to effectively communicate change in your business How to effectively communicate change in your business
We conducted a poll of customers on our Interact
Community posing the question:
How would you make a sensitive announcement in your business?
A town hall announcement/all company meeting15 votes 24.2%
Your intranet4 votes 6.6%
Cascaded via managers43 votes 69.4%
A majority response put a cascade
of information via managers as
the favoured channel of choice,
amounting to 69.4% of votes.
This was followed by a town hall
announcement at 24.2% and intranet
announcements, which received 6.6%
of the vote.
When mapping out a route
to communicate internally, it
is important to consider the
demographics of your employees, seek
feedback on their preferred channels
of communication, and adapt for the
different groups.
No single channel is the holy grail for
communicating change; nor will any
decision please everyone. Instead,
a multi-faceted, multi-channel
approach may be the best option
to ensure information is received
and interpreted by individuals as
consistently as possible.
Delivering your message
Modern-day technology has triggered
an abundance of avenues for getting
our messages out, whether that
be via email, text, tweet or instant
messenger; all of which arguably have
a place within business. The decision
on how to communicate change is
very much dependent on the culture
and structure of the organization in
question – alongside the nature of
the news to be delivered. The most
important consideration is how to
communicate change in a way that it
will be understood and engaged with
by your audience.
The two words 'information' and 'communication'
are often used interchangeably, but they signify
quite different things. Information is giving out;
communication is getting through.
Sydney J. Harris
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How to effectively communicate change in your business How to effectively communicate change in your business
Evaluating your internal communication channels
Town hall announcements
Town hall announcements remove the potential for rumors or
misinterpretation by ensuring each individual hears exactly the same
message at exactly the same time. For positive announcements, they will lend
atmosphere and embed a sense of belonging or engagement, with individuals
feeling part of the “bigger picture” alongside colleagues, team members, and
leadership.
However, they can prove daunting due to their size, deterring certain
individuals from speaking out. Their scale also makes for a more impersonal
approach, which can rouse discontent in an audience that already feels ill-
treated. In a crisis situation where emotions run high, they can actually pose
a threat to delivery: ‘protected’ by the crowd, some individuals may feel more
confident interrupting, shouting or causing disruption.
We always face the same challenge; you simply can’t
please everyone.
If you choose a town hall, people may feel overwhelmed
by the event. If you choose line manager cascades, the
message may get diluted and the rumor mill will start.
If you choose an intranet post, people may feel this is
impersonal and cold.
So the answer is, you need a tailored combination of
communication methods in order to try and best meet
the emotional and information needs of
your audience.
Shona Wright, Communications Manager Ultra Electronics
When determining your change
communications plan, we’ve shown
that there are a number of things to
consider. The channel, or channels,
that you select for delivering your
message can have a tremendous
impact on success, and what works
well for one company or situation
won’t necessarily work for another.
When figuring out the right route
to your employees, take the time to
evaluate the pros and cons of the
different options available, and weigh
up those benefits against your unique
culture and message. Here, we explore
the major considerations for town hall
announcements, a manager cascade,
and intranet platforms.
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How to effectively communicate change in your business How to effectively communicate change in your business
Internal communications fail:
In a bid to address internal communication and engage their employees, Sports
brand Adidas distributed an employee survey containing the question “Do we
listen?”. The response was that management was hearing, but not listening. In
response, the Adidas comms team developed a program of director visits, team
briefs, personalized letters, conferences and email bulletins – however, the
initiative failed, due to a lack of research into how their employees wanted to be
engaged. 94% of their workforce was Gen Y and requested a mobile app which
could be regularly updated with content – calling for a review of their approach
to make communication effective.
Manager cascade, which was the front runner for our poll with 69.4% of the
vote, arguably has the strongest case when communicating change.
Employees are likely to have a working relationship with their direct line
manager, making the delivery more tailored and personable. Managers
will also understand the priorities for their team members and can adapt
delivery accordingly. They can be selective, taking the most relevant points of
information from the top-end message and translating these into a dialogue
the individual understands. This approach also engages the individual more,
allowing for questions and two-way dialogue.
However, by allowing managers to adapt the delivery of information, we
can quickly lose or dilute the message. If a manager is insufficiently briefed,
trained, or prepared, and unable to respond to questions or outline next
steps, this will lead to frustration. A manager also can’t deliver one-to-
one cascaded information to all individuals simultaneously; if individuals
receive inconsistent and staggered information, this can lead to rumors or
speculation and rapidly escalate into disgruntlement, ill-feeling and long-
term issues for the business.
On company intranet platforms, information is presented in a written or
recorded format which allows preparation, review, and amendments if
necessary. This approach ensures consistency and the correct language, tone
and information during delivery. Communications can be staggered to allow
for time differences or provide priority to different groups, departments or
individuals. Alternatively, it can be set up for an en-masse company-wide
communication to provide the information to all individuals simultaneously,
supporting a culture of transparency and equality amongst employees.
In an increasingly globalized and digital workplace, they are also invaluable
in reaching and connecting remote or telecommuting employees, who might
otherwise miss out on important company announcements due to a lack of
physical presence in the office.
However, if engagement with the intranet is limited, the decision to fall on
this mode may be perceived as ‘hiding’ behind the platform, coming across as
impersonal, cold or even cowardly. While some personalization can be made
for particular groups or demographics, perhaps by using personas, it is difficult
to tailor to individuals, making for a blanket approach that can be ill-received.
Some individuals will receive too much information, overwhelming or isolating
them; others may not receive enough, causing panic or misunderstanding. In a
crisis situation or environment that is already toxic, electing for the intranet as
the primary or sole tool may only make matters worse.
Manager cascade
Company intranet platforms
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How to effectively communicate change in your business How to effectively communicate change in your business
The aftermath: following up on change communication
Internal communication should
always be a two-way process. Ensure
that employees have a dedicated
period and multiple channels to ask
questions, request clarification and
provide input.
This is a time when company intranet
platforms come into their own.
Collaboration and communication
functionality such as forums or
discussion boards provide a place for
questions and views, while mandatory
read documents ensure all staff have
acknowledged vital information.
Provision of ‘FAQ’ areas will address
common concerns and polls can
be used to obtain feedback from
employees. With all information
stored and accessed from a central
point, communication managers
and HR can ensure consistency
of information, while remaining
transparent throughout the process.
Alongside this, managers need to be
freely available and should receive
support and training to ensure they
can respond to questions, provide
reassurance, and offer guidance on
the next steps. Follow-up meetings
and communications are essential
to ensure the message has been
embedded and understood. This can
also provide managers with feedback
on the process and provide insight on
openness to the proposed change.
Failure to provide channels for the
follow-up process to any change
announcement may push employees
to communicate externally; leading
to a PR nightmare if those individuals
choose to vent frustrations or leak
information on social media.
Ultimately, there may be no ‘perfect’
way to communicate change.
However, by taking the time to
prepare and consider the impact, it
may be possible to reduce negative
responses or limit resistance to
change. Successful communication
is achieved when it is carefully
considered, planned and executed.
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How to effectively communicate change in your business How to effectively communicate change in your business
WHY do I need social in the workplace?
HOW to get the boss to say 'yes'
WHICH social collaboration tool is right for my business?
Making the case for social and collaborative technology
Securing stakeholder buy-in for your project
Understanding social technology, and choosing a platform to
meet your needs
About Interact
Interact is a global enterprise software company that serves intranet software
to over one million users across more than 850 organizations. We specialize in
solving internal communication and collaboration challenges by combining
our sophisticated intranet software with outstanding professional services,
focusing on developing long-term strategic partnerships with our customers.
Interact has offices in Manchester and New York, and operates across the whole of the US and Canada, EMEA, and Australia.
Contact us today: New York: +1 (646) 564 5775
Manchester: +44 (0)161 927 322
www.interact-intranet.com
Enjoyed this eBook? Why not explore our internal communications series on
social collaboration technology? As part of this free 4-book series, we explore:
01
02
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Intranets are they still relevant?
Exploring the role of the intranet in today's digital workplace04
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