Improving internal communications

Tina Falkner, Associate RegistrarIngrid Nuttall, Communications Manager

Outline of presentation

• Defining the issues and problems to solve

• Framework for making things better• What has improved• What’s next

The players

The issues

• Staff want more information– Survey says! Communication needs improvement.

• Need to share consistent messages• Sense of inequality; “Only certain people get

to know what’s going on.”• Need to align under common mission, vision,

and values• Inconsistent leadership practices• Anxiety about change

  

How do you feel teamwork could be improved in your department or within ASR?

Top 6• Effective communication• Standards and expectations• Collaboration• Tools• Appreciation• Involvement

Framework(s) for making things better

• Create consistent, reliable method of sharing information

• Provide opportunities for two-way feedback

• Make time to get people together• Improve visibility and accessibility of

leadership• Evaluate

Written communication

– Internal staff newsletter• Regular schedule• Increased focus on staff/units• Fostered belief of its importance

– Director’s monthly wrap-up• Personal touch• What Sue is up to (what occupied her time)• Not a re-cap of the obvious

In-person communication

• All staff meetings– Reinforce dedication to m/v/v– Planned by cross-functional team

• Supervisors meetings– Focus on staff who are managing ‘talent’– Opportunity for training– Share expectations (and create them)

Focused conversations

• Brown bags– Succession planning– Budget– “If I were Sue for a day”– Communications

Takes the pressure of meetings as the method for sharing information (and targets staff who are truly interested)

Evaluation

• Annual staff surveys– Four short surveys

• Change in format to focus on specific units

– Overseen by cross-functional team– Data provides content for communication

channels

What’s next?

• Customer service event follow-up• Communications committee• Intranet improvements• Policies & Procedures website