EMPLOYEE RELATIONS BUILDING BRIDGES, KEEPING MORALE HIGH AND FURTHERING THE BRAND. An introduction. Professor Rebecca L.

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1 EMPLOYEE RELATIONS BUILDING BRIDGES, KEEPING MORALE HIGH AND FURTHERING THE BRAND An introduction Professor Rebecca L. Cooney, MSC

2 CREATING SYNERGY Internal communicators are discovering that employee engagement needs a business outcome beyond mere engagement, and they re using research to better understand the connection between engagement and metrics outside human resources to that end. They re acting as gatherers of business intelligence, fostering knowledge processes, and delivering value well beyond simple message delivery. Sean Williams, PRSA contributing writer Questions they answer 1. How well do employees understand our business strategy and their role in it? 2. How connected to our organization are they? 3. What is their level of enthusiasm for us as a place to work? To what extent do they identify with us apart from their paycheck? 4. What actions do they take in support of us? Whom do they influence at and away from work?

3 CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS Corporate communications departments play a key role in how investors, employees and the general public perceive a company. They often report directly to a company s chief executive officer and serve as advisers in managing a company s reputation. They help leaders prepare for media interviews, develop messages to deliver to investors and employees and suggest new initiatives to keep companies on the cutting edge of communication with their stakeholders. What Are the Functions of a Corporate Communication Department? by Ann Frederick, Demand Media at smallbusiness.chron.com

4 ROLE OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS SPECIALISTS Establish organizational communication policy Design and implement organizational change programs Monitor social media, comments, reviews Provide link between open communication & job satisfaction Storytellers with an emphasis on people In addition to conveying a company s messages to external audiences, corporate communicators may also be called on to function as employee communications managers, which includes designing printed publications and writing s to announce company news, benefits information and training opportunities. Corporate communicators may facilitate focus groups to learn what issues matter most to front-line employees. They advise senior leaders on how to improve relationships with their staff and gain support for their initiatives. The corporate communications staff may also manage a company s Intranet and internal blogs. Ann Frederick, Demand Media

5 ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE What is it? Created, in part, through employee relations Sets tone & attitude Alters emotion and loyalties Creates synergy Why does it fail? Message is forced Foundation of culture is not receptive Lack of trust or respect Message comes across as sales or selfserving to leadership Organizations that manage change effectively and that have effective communications are 2.5 times as likely to outperform their peers in financial performance, according to the Towers Watson Change and Communication ROI study. Sean Williams, PRSA contributing writer

6 AUTHORITATIVE VS. PARTICIPATIVE Authoritative Focus on CEO and managers Multiple agendas Rewards for following orders Workers not people Close-minded Participative Focus on teamwork Single focus and purpose Rewards for innovation People, not just workers Open to new ideas

7 POLICIES & PROCEDURES Employee relations specialists keep current on labor and employment laws, as well as legislation that can potentially affect the work environment. by Ruth Mayhew, Demand Media Keep employees informed of goals, objectives & activities Encourages feedback Level with employees on negative issues Inspire creativity Encourage manager/subordinate interaction

8 REPUTATION MANAGEMENT Reputation management is the act of shaping public perception of an organization by influencing audience perception through messages and incident management. It is an ongoing process that is constantly monitored, managed and adjusted. The [most] important role social media plays is extinguisher. We can use social media effectively before, during, and after crisis to mitigate the damage, and in some cases actually eliminate the crisis. Gerald Baron Crisis blogger, innovator, thought leader

9 SOCIAL MEDIA IN CRISIS 1. Identify your influencers as they are most likely to impact the conversation 2. Actively monitor your reputation and the activities of your fans and haters 3. Avoid the information vacuum release news in real time 4. Develop a clear, effective and platformappropriate message. Be where your crisis is happening. 5. Own your brand in social media before someone else does 6. Know that a majority of journalists use Twitter for sources Handling a social media crisis 14 tips for building your social media crisis plan by Crystal DeGoede at burrellesluce.com on Dec 18, Make sure to include people not logos on your social media 8. Integration with crisis communication plan is key 9. Know what you are talking about 10.When you blow it, own up to it quickly 11.When all else fails, don t forget humor 12.Integrate paid and earned media 13.Have clear employee rules and training for social media engagement 14.Don t forget your secret weapon your employee

10 PRACTITIONER TOOLS Employee opinion surveys Training aids presentations, workshops, online quizzes, training sessions Videos training, features, new initiatives Stories via features, web stories, videos, social media highlights all about employees, stakeholders, business partners and investors White papers and prospectus or position papers Annual reports Internal campaigns Reports and proposals Policies and procedures Events focused on employees, leadership, partners and investors enewsletters and printed newsletters

11 PRACTITIONER TOOLS CONT Building trust among employees in a small business typically involves providing opportunities for them to get to know each other better. Corporate communication games offer a perfect chance to exchange information, develop new skills, try out new techniques and have some fun. Tara Duggan, Demand Media Posters, flyers and other materials in print or digital and visible to employees Social media campaigns designed for internal audience Employee initiatives and campaigns around health, time management, professional development, conflict resolution, effective management techniques, technology Talking points One sheets about company, product, initiative or position

12 COMMUNITY RELATIONS

13 COMMUNITY RELATIONS Community Relations defined Firm's interactions with the people constituting the environment it operates in and draws resources from, to foster mutual understanding, trust, and support. -Business Dictionary Activities Networking Marketing Sponsorships Belonging Engaging

14 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Value of community relations Name recognition Displays company engagement Employee pride Customer sustainability Investor value Protects organizational investments Increases sales Improves employee morale Good PR Mutually beneficial

15 COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEFENSIVE VS. COLLABORATIVE Fragmented Old Defensive Approach Focus on managing relationships Emphasis on buffering the org. Linked to short-term goals Implementation dependent on personal agenda of manager New Collaborative Approach Integrated Focus on building relationships Emphasis on opportunities Linked to long-term goals Cohesive implementation at all employee levels

16 COMMUNITY RELATIONS TOOLS Sponsorships We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community Our ambitions must be broad enough to inclue the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own. -Cesar Chavez Donations Matching programs Public relations Membership/presence on boards and committees Presence at local events or functions Public support of key community members