What is the most creative or successful employee communication program you've encountered?Germany Germany (jûr`mənē), Ger. Deutschland, officially Federal Republic of Germany, republic (2005 est. pop. 82,431,000), 137,699 sq mi (356,733 sq km). Publishing employees' profiles in organizational publications is one of the best ways to say "thank you!" to your colleagues and to acknowledge their work. When I worked at a small new-media research institute in southern Germany The term Southern Germany (German: Süddeutschland) is used to describe a region in the south of Germany. The exact area defined by the term is not constant, but it usually includes Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and the southern part of Hesse. some time ago, this was one of the first communication projects we did. We created a quarterly newsletter sent out to employees and interested parties via e-mail. Combining internal and external media into one, we profiled all the employees at the institute (about half a dozen) and the members of the institute's board, alongside information on ongoing projects. This way we tried to reveal the persona persona /per·so·na/ (per-so´nah) [L.] in jungian psychology, the personality mask or facade presented by a person to the outside world, as opposed to the anima, the inner being. per·so·na n. of the organization and put a face (even many faces) on the projects the institute was working on. This proved to be a cost-effective cost-effective, n the minimal expenditure of dollars, time, and other elements necessary to achieve the health care result deemed necessary and appropriate. way to recognize everybody's contribution and to make employees feel like part of a small family. Velin Velkov Communications consultant, SAP AG (company) SAP AG - (Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung - German for "Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing") A company from Germany that sells the leading suite of client-server business software. The US branch is called SAP America. Heidelberg, Germany Australia The most creative employee communication program I've encountered was Westpac Bank New Zealand's People Leaders Forum program for 2005. Previously, this vital, twice-a-year communication channel was a three-hour downloadable program of business updates from the CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. and the executive team; team leaders were then expected to communicate key messages to their teams. For 2005, the program was revised to be an inspiring learning experience. The forum was expanded to a whole day and included a clear theme and take-home messages, a team briefing guide, a storytelling Storytelling Aesop semi-legendary fabulist of ancient Greece. [Gk. Lit.: Harvey, 10] Münchäusen Baron traveler grossly embellishes his experiences. [Ger. Lit. session, a celebration of the bank's history and corporate responsibility deeds deed n. 1. Something that is carried out; an act or action. 2. A usually praiseworthy act; a feat or exploit. 3. Action or performance in general: Deeds, not words, matter most. , a customer discussion panel, soapbox stands and roundtable discussions so that people could learn more about other parts of the business, lively guest speakers on topics such as understanding different generations, and a session about how superior teams operate. The positive effect this program had on communication in general was one of the factors that helped lift the leader and employee commitment ratings in the annual staff survey to global best-practice levels. Simon Covill Head of communications, New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. , Westpac Banking Corp. Sydney, Australia United Kingdom Programs that get employees truly engaged in a business issue in a creative, compelling way are the ones that really stand out. We were recently involved in a global driving safety program that aimed to reduce accidents and save lives. The challenge was to change staff members' behaviors--to get people not to drive while using their mobile phones, to always wear their seat belts, to never drive when tired, etc. Because the message had to be delivered in a huge variety of different driving cultures, most of the materials used were about helping people work out the right thing to do for themselves. Behavior change Behavior change refers to any transformation or modification of human behavior. Such changes can occur intentionally, through behavior modification, without intention, or change rapidly in situations of mental illness. takes time, so keeping the issue top-of-mind was key. The activities and materials included interactive workshops, fun diagnostic questionnaires and simulating driving safety issues using remote-control cars. Each activity brought road safety to life in a meaningful and memorable way. The end result: far fewer accidents! Helen Coley-Smith and Jacqui Hitt JMHCS Consulting Wallingford, England |
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