Internal Communications: The Forgotten Audience...Internal Communications: The Forgotten Audience...
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pearlandtx.gov Internal Communications: The Forgotten Audience Employee intranet tips and tricks Sparkle Anderson Director of Communications, City of Pearland, Texas
Internal Communications: The Forgotten Audience...Internal Communications: The Forgotten Audience Employee intranet tips and tricks Sparkle Anderson Director of Communications, City
Director of Communications, City of Pearland, Texas
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Hello, I am Sparkle Anderson, Director of Communications for the City of Pearland.
pearlandtx.gov
• Make a small investment• Develop a committee• Make the case for the need
Getting started
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Presentation Notes
Started with a minimal $3,000 investment, I’ve called it our 3,000 engine that could created a committee of volunteer staff to serve as ambassadors and this FY received supplemental funding to launch a new intranet Committee should be people that are excited and want to do…actual volunteers and not people who are voluntold By getting started, you show management and even staff that there is a need. We kept our initial intranet – a WordPress site for almost two years and then I made the case for an put in a supplemental request to make improvements Do your research – employee survey; ask employees what they want, what will help them do their job better
pearlandtx.gov
• Deciding on a vendor can take time• Select the vendor that’s right for you• Assess if you have the skillset to produce
a site internally
Getting started
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We considered locking down the pages on an external site This wasn’t the easiest or most cost-efficient option. Decided on a local vendor, had worked with a local agency that we worked closely with
pearlandtx.gov
Once you take the plunge…
• Promote it– Use contests to generate excitement (profile
update contest, online scavenger hunt, etc.)– Encourage buy in: let staff name it – Use established committees, events,
programs to promote it (employee groups, new hire meetings, etc.)
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Presentation Notes
The name of our site actually came from an employee – through a contest, we allowed our employees to name the intranet and the end result was Pearne
pearlandtx.gov
Once you take the plunge…• Make it exciting
– Use video– Develop a communications
plan for the roll out – Host launch events
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Use video – I’ll show you one of our examples shortly In order for this to be successful, we had to do more than just develop an intranet – it was not a matter of if you build it they will come We also recognized that many of our field employees were not on a computer regularly, so, that would be a challenge Hosted launch events, training sessions, tied the promotion of the intranet to other popular events, like our cook-off, even hosted a Christmas pizza party for staff….all to get staff excited.
pearlandtx.gov
Get them therePut the information employees want and need on your intranet
Templates Policies Directory Newsfeed
Thursday Packet
Business card ordering
First Mondays
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Templates – memo templates, PPT templates, logo files Business Card – online ordering system Manually updated directory – became tedious First Monday – City Manager shares what is going on All of these inclusions, increased site traffic…we know that…because we measured it.
pearlandtx.gov
Every Thursday, Pearland City Manager Clay Pearson distributes an informational packet for City Council. The packet provides critical updates on a variety of items affecting the City, insights into future City Council agenda items.
Thursday Packet
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Thursday Packet, sent out weekly to staff and City Council…became a way to ensure everyone is informed.
pearlandtx.gov
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Intranet – one arm of our internal communications program Weekly staff emailed called the Slice – we’re Pearland Has become a staff favorite Utilize it to reinforce what is on the intranet Each week, there are links to staff events, staff announcements, and all of those refer back to the intranet
pearlandtx.gov
Pearnet 2.0
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Once we began to develop a following, we were able to secure supplemental funding to launch Pearnet 2.0. I’ll play our launch video. Again, all along the lines of getting staff excited.
HR/Communications partnership Small office Have worked with HR to provide the content Limited on time for internal communications
pearlandtx.gov
What it looks like now…
Kudos section
Employee-centric videos
Employee-centric photos
Social engagement
Presenter
Presentation Notes
HR/Communications partnership Small office Have worked with HR to provide the content/regular updates Limited on time for internal communications
pearlandtx.gov
Measure your success
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Presentation Notes
Having a monthly activity report allows us to see our growth Which pages are most viewed What our staff is most interested in… All of those tools we use to make sure our external website is the best can also be used for our intranet for employees
