2024 internal comms unboxed: comms audits, listening leaders & the strategy shuffle
It’s the 22nd of January and we’ve missed the boat on IC predictions for 2024 (which is a bit like our Christmas do - we only just got around to doing it last week). Instead, we’re thinking about what we’re seeing lots of already this month; from client asks to great LI articles we’ve read - and we suppose that’s sort of the same thing?
Comms audits – still BIG. HUGE. Post-covid particularly, people are begging to turn down the noise, and businesses are turning to us to ask what they should do and how they should do it. Thankfully this is something we’re pretty proficient at. We genuinely love a comms audit. A chance to get a peek inside a business, warts and all, to find out what’s working and what’s not. We likened focus groups to therapy on a call this morning, and we think that’s true. What comes out of focus groups is really important for the audit, but it also gives us a good idea about the culture of the business.
Line managers (and the support they need) – we’ve seen posts about it, read articles about it, listened to clients talk about it – and the fact remains: managers/leaders – anyone in a position of power, they aren’t always natural leaders, or brilliant communicators. We need to give them the tools and support them in a way that suits them (and everyone is unique… so it needs some thought!) Line managers especially are one of your biggest assets when it comes to engagement and helping to build that amazing employee experience – they’re worth the investment.
Listening – this was the biggest takeaway from last year for us – and it’s very much a 2024 intention for a lot of people too (looking at LinkedIn). Listen to understand (and then solve) a problem. Listen to resolve conflict. Listen to make people feel empowered, validated and recognised. Listen to foster a positive work environment. But really – listen to improve communication skills. We think a lot of people (including ourselves) could do a lot better at simply listening. We’re eager to get our hands on a book that Howard Krais *and others have recently written called: Leading the Listening Organisation. It feels like a great place to start!
Wellbeing – and the struggle for organisations to overcome absenteeism remains a huge priority. This isn’t going to change. If you’ve yet to understand the link between work, health and wellbeing, and our role in approaching it, then it’s time to! Internal comms can help employees know where to go for help. IC can support leaders to share their stories, to show authenticity and that they too have their own challenges. IC can help employees take part in wellbeing activities...and so much more.
The CIPD has a great fact sheet which makes a good start when tackling this area: https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/factsheets/well-being-factsheet/
Strategy – a wonderful project landed at the end of last year with a brilliant new client who are so refreshing. Their central premise is “we will only be successful if our frontline our successful”. We love that. This work has kept us busy through December and into the new year. Kick off was due to be mid-Jan and has now been delayed to mid-Feb (phew!).
Strategy is a funny one - despite our roles in IC being central to helping deliver the strategy to people, year on year we have to find different and better ways to do it. People don’t want a strategy done TO them. It’s not as simple as that. People want to know why it’s important to me (in the office) and me (on the frontline) and how I can help. Unless you can share it in a compelling way, it’s not going to work!
There’s more, there’s authenticity in leaders and the way we profile colleagues (for another day), and culture and of course values, we could go on. And on. And on!
