How to improve communication by the use of workshops

A case study

UNECE Work Sessionon the Communication of Statistics

29-31 June 2011, GenevaTopic (v): Internal communication:

introducing and managing cultural change

Senior adviser Ulla Agerskov

Communication Centre

uag@dst.dk

The vision

• One of the visions of Statistics Denmark is being one of Europe’s most user-friendly and data supplier-friendly statistical institutions

• Communication Centre’s mission: to offer communication services to the organization and the subject matter units

• The subject matter units must contribute by professionalizing communication

The barriers

• A strong (conservative) culture – Subject Matter Units motivated by keeping status quo, high quality of statistics and long time series

• Communication Centre is motivated by getting the statistical data out to the press and society, understandable and easy to use

• Challenge: Different goals, cultures and perception of success criteria

Case: News from Statistics Denmark

www.dst.dk/nytudg/14719

Case: News from Statistics Denmark

How we develop News from Statistics Denmark?

• Day-to-day: cooperation between communication centre and subject matter units on specific News from Statistics Denmark

• Weekly status meetings in Communication Centre

• Ad hoc meetings with subject matter units with focus on long term development: Workshop

Change

Workshop – former set up Workshop – new set up

Unit A Unit B

Workshop in a new set up

Possible outcome of workshop

• Improved competences in the field of communication

• A better understanding of the guidelines

• Higher quality of News from Statistics Danmark

• A more user friendly dissemination of data

• Reduced knowledge gap

• Improved competences in the field of communication

• A better understanding of the guidelines

• Higher quality of News from Statistics Denmark

• A more user friendly dissemination of data

• Reduced knowledge gap

Workshop former set-up Workshop new set-up

Knowledge based management

From• Making units more valuable for the organization –

by motivation and education

To• Making the organization more valuable to the

units through networking

Motivation of knowledge workers!

Possible outcome of workshop - sideeffects

• Risk of conflict between Communication Centre and subject matter units

• Worst case: reduced social capital

• Breaking down the silos

• New partners

• Increased network

• Increased ownership

• Increased social capital

Workshop former set-up Workshop new set-up

Building relationships

Outcome of workshops

– Increase in communication competences

– Increase in knowledge of communication guidelines

– Increase in use of Communication Centre

– Increased networking

Example of SMART-targets

– Increase in the use of guidelines by 20 per cent

– 20 per cent increase in projects in Communication Centre

– Increased social capital. Measured through interviews of workshop participants.

Communication Centre does not measure long term effects at present……

Discussion and questions

?