Insidedge: In The Know

Ten years ago, our company was a concept for a new specialty unit of GolinHarris. Today, we’ve turned concept to reality as the leading consultancy in employee communications — packaging decades of experience and capabilities among our world-class team under the brand you know today as Insidedge. During the past decade, we’ve innovated leading-edge offerings for internal communications and served hundreds of clients throughout the Interpublic Group of Companies and beyond. Knowing what we’ve accomplished over this time, I’m incredibly proud of our people, our organization and our clients. I realize, however, that our legacy is not the past; our legacy will be the future to be shaped over the next 10 years.

And what will the future bring for employee communications? Our teams in Chicago, New York, Dallas and London came together in anticipation of this important Insidedge milestone and began contemplating the major trends that we believe will influence the growth and prominence of our discipline. We invite you to review our “10 Insights,” and then let us know what you think. Have we captured the trends you believe will be prominent? Are other trends emerging that we should include? Please weigh in with us. We’ll cut a piece of “virtual” birthday cake for you!

1.	Authenticity is the new green. Sustainability and green-friendly practices are still in, but they are no longer it. Today’s employees are looking for total values alignment with their employer, and environmental stewardship alone is no longer sufficient. Authenticity—which calls for demonstrating integrity, telling employees the truth even if the news is bad, being consistent in what is said and done internally and externally and acting in an honest, trustworthy way—is the new standard.

2.	ROI = SOP. The time has come for communicators to deliver more than just messages. Measurement is a business imperative, not just something to justify budgets. Go beyond acknowledging you need to measure: Define, deliver and demonstrate the value of employee communications to the business with tangible outcomes that show success or the need for adjustment. Use the many tools available to justify your program’s impact on the bottom line.

3.	Corporate speak is dead (or it should be). The Internet and social media have changed the way we write, speak and receive information. A long, stuffy memo from the CEO will be forgotten or ignored. These days, employees expect fast, direct and informal communication. The workplace is shifting from experienced, reliable baby boomers to savvy, demanding Gen X and Gen Y employees. If you want to keep their attention, communicate in a way that’s relevant to them. Whether you’re blogging or not, communicate like a blogger: Tell it like it is with personality and purpose.

4.	Don’t control conversations–join them. In an era of Facebook, Twitter and blogs, what was once a one-time whisper in the break room is now heard around the world. As much as you might want to, you can’t govern the kinds of viral conversations that take place on the web. Learn to love this loss of control and embrace it to your advantage. Get your CEO blogging directly with employees. Develop grassroots networks and eschew one-way, top-down communication.

5.	Listen up. Before you e-mail, blog, script or print, ask yourself, “Is this something that matters to my employees?” Information overload and de-sensitization creates less-engaged employees. There’s no magic formula to determine what kind of information your employees want or how they want to get it. Take the time to listen and understand your unique workplace culture, the issues your employees are concerned about and the channels through which they prefer to receive information. Then communicate about the things that matter to them in the way they want to hear it.

6.	Your company is made of stories–share them. Since the dawn of time, people have used stories to make information memorable. Why, then, has the corporate world seemingly become an ever-escalating competition over who can prepare the most elaborate presentations? If you want to capture your employees’ hearts and minds, go back to the basics and tell a good story. Facts are merely information, but storytelling brings information to life. Storytelling is the anti-PowerPoint. Employees want to feel like they’re part of something, and a good story forges that essential emotional connection.

7.	It’s time for the young to teach the old(er). Gone are the days when the senior executive mentors the fresh-faced youngster just starting out in her career. Now, the young are removing the mystery of technology and social networking for their bosses and their bosses’ bosses – teaching them how to set up Facebook pages, send tweets and use wikis. Workforce dynamics have changed and communications has a role to play in easing the transition and removing the awkwardness of reverse networking.

8.	The world is your backyard. All companies are global. Don’t think you’re a global firm? Take a look at the Google Analytics for your website—you will be stunned to see where you have followers. Employers must look at every issue from a global perspective, not just from the viewpoint of the home office. Language, cultural differences and geography should all play a role in your communications planning.

9.	Managers are corporate communicators’ best friend. Employees trust their immediate supervisors more than anyone else to deliver important information. Developing the communications skills of managers is critical. But don’t just train your managers; give them tools they can use. A PowerPoint presentation or web video is of little use to a factory manager—something like a simple set of pocket-sized note cards with important information has far more value.

10.	Get outside by going inside. Companies can invest time, talent and resources into nurturing their reputation, but a brand is only as good as the people who deliver it. While external image is important, what’s inside is vital. If companies don’t enlist their employees as brand advocates, arming them with the information they need to live the brand and spread the good word, consider your marketing budget wasted. Engaged employees are at the core of every extraordinary brand.