COMMUNICATIONS TRANSFORMATION & STRATEGIC PLANNING

ABC Company

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Sarah Scott

PROJECT BACKGROUND & SITUATION ANALYSIS ■ Leaders are not speaking in unison and do not have a

good way to communicate. A consistent internal and external communications plan for leaders needs to be made.

■ Employees are experiencing burn-out and leaving the company due to inconsistency. They need to feel like the are part of a company that cares and has a plan.

■ The media relations team is handling issues reactively instead of proactively. Employees are often hearing of company changes from external sources first. The media relations team needs a way to communicate with internal sources before external sources consistently and before turmoil occurs.

■ The CEO needs to feel involved in the new process and that (s)he is a part of the team. Additionally, the overall plan needs to be impactful and sustainable.

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AUDIENCES: Cascade Phases

MEDIA

MEDIA RELATIONS

EMPLOYEES

HUMAN RESOURCES

LEADERS

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PRIMARY

SECONDARY

Key Messages■ For Leaders

– We have the opportunity to rebuild transparent communications and trust with our employees.

– We empower managers to lead and give them the skills and tools to do so. – We encourage communications in a 360-Degree platform so leaders can reach everyone in

an efficient and promising manner.

■ For Employees

– We are creating a new community experience with work-life balance and flexibility at its core.

– We are empowering associates to communicate with leaders regularly.– We are uplifting the voices of associates to impact the way ABC Company is run.

■ For the Media

– We are opening lines of communication and transparency for the media and affected publics.

– We are including media in our business plan rather than just accepting it.– We are creating a positive environment for external stakeholders to ask questions and

explore ABC Company beyond superficial aspects.

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The heart of ABC Company is to build positive relationships first and then focus on the task-at-hand [widgets]. The organization

is focused on increasing trust and transparency with leaders, employees and

the media by centralizing proactive communications and forward-thinking

involvement strategies. ABC Company will accomplish this through positive

engagement with key stakeholders through a multi-faceted strategic planning and

communication process debuting in 2017. ###

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Strategy

Objectives ■ Leverage positive engagement between all stakeholders

from employees to leaders to media.

■ Expand the program to heighten campaign awareness via positive engagement and leveraging ABC Company’s Personal Story.

■ Educate internal and external audiences on the new and improved ABC Company in a way that will “stick” for the lifetime of the organization.

■ Drive employees and leaders to become proud advocates of ABC Company.

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Goals & Measurement ■ Increase ABC Company’s voice among key stakeholders

through social media to create an increase in support to acquire a ten percent increase in social media following within 12 months.

MEASUREMENT: After the Wrap-Up Gala compare number of followers to number one year ago.

■ Maintain employee retention and increase engagement with ABC Company by allowing a more inclusive and positive work environment through which employees feel they are cared-for.

MEASUREMENT: After the Wrap-Up Gala compare retention rates to one year ago. Use START-FINISH surveys to measure inclusivity.

■ Increase leader interaction and transparency with each other and employees by way of opened communications systems and clear goals and strategies.

MEASUREMENT: Use START-FINISH surveys and leader forum to measure interaction and transparency.

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Tactics

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What? Why? How? For Whom?

START-FINISH SURVEYSGain perspective of internal thoughts on ABC Company.

Email Blast Employees and Leaders

MEETING-IN-A-BOXInternal review and

communication in a 360°manner.

Go-To meetingEmployees and Leaders

MEDIA KITPut the ball in your court for what

media talks about.Through ABC Company website. Media

ABC UNIVERSITY Engage employees and leaders in

friendly competition. Internal Portal Employees and Leaders

FACEBOOK/TWITTER PANEL DISCUSSION

#WHYABC

Encourage media to interact with leaders in semi- controlled

environment. Facebook & Twitter Media and Leaders

LEADER FORUMAllow leaders to communicate

effectively.Internal Portal Leaders

VACATION INCENTIVESWork-life balance. Increased

productivity.

Give 3 weeks paid vacation and $1000.00 to each employee

each year.Leaders, Employees, Media

PRESS CONFERENCE Proactive communications. At Headquarters/ CEO Speaks Media

STORYTELLING To personify leadersVideo campaigns (2x per week)

CEO Gets two weeks.Leaders, employees, media

IN-HOUSE MEDIA TOURS Transparency Offer tours of working facilities. Media

WRAP-UP GALAClose out plan with positive

ending.Event Planner 500 Employees, Media, Leaders

Best Practice: Meeting-in-a-Box

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WHY IT WORKS:The meeting-in-a-box sets a go-to platform and centralized message for leaders to emphasize and focus on. The box will focus on improving company-wide communications and positive media relations for 2017. Each year a new meeting-in-a-box will be released to refocus and re-engage leaders and employees on the goals and objectives of ABC Company.

Best Practices: Wrap-Up Gala

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WHY IT WORKS:

The goal of the ABC Company Wrap-Up Gala is to drive leaders and employees to maintain positive and productive energy throughout the implementation of the company transformation. Ending on a positive and spirited note will assist in employee engagement and leader commitment throughout the initiation year. Additionally, this will allow the media to have an inside look at the positive aspects of ABC Company.

Best Practices: Vacation Incentives

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WHY IT WORKS:

Offering a competitive vacation incentive to employees will not only improve the public reputation of ABC Company, it will encourage employee retention and prevent burn-out. This vacation incentive will be inclusive to all ABC Company employees and leaders so there is an encouraging and positive relationship on all levels of management.

Budget

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Tactic Cost

START-FINISH SURVEYS $0.00 (email)

MEETING-IN-A-BOX $7500.00 ($75x100)

MEDIA KIT $2000.00 (Marketing Team $50 per hour for 40 hours)

ABC UNIVERSITY $6000.00 (web designer)

FACEBOOK/TWITTER PANEL DISCUSSION#WHYABC

$0.00

LEADER FORUM $0.00 (Through existing online portal/ ABC University)

IMPROVED BENEFITS PACKAGE 5 Million

PRESS CONFERENCE $0.00 (Sponsors)

STORYTELLING $2000.00 (Camera)

IN-HOUSE MEDIA TOUR $0.00

WRAP-UP GALA $200,000.00

TOTAL $5,285,000.00

Timeline

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Jan Feb March April May June START-FINISH

SURVEYFACEBOOK/TWITTERPANEL DISCUSSION

PRESS CONFERENCE

JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

START-FINISH SURVEY

FACEBOOK/TWITTERPANEL DISCUSSION

START-FINISH SURVEY

WRAP UP GALA

PLAN WRAP-UP*

MONTHLY DURING PROJECT§ In-house Media Tours§ Storytelling

CONTINUOUS § ABC University§ Leader Forum§ Vacation Incentives§ Meeting-In-A-Box§ Media Kit

Plan Wrap-Up and Results ■ Offer monthly consultation with Director of Communications to focus on

what works and what does not throughout the program. After the meeting offer minutes to be distributed to all leaders to communicate with Meeting-In-A-Box plan at monthly meeting.

■ Prior to the wrap-up gala host a lunch and learn with top 100 leaders to discuss successes of plan and how to improve in the future.

■ At the end of the program, there will be a wrap-up gala hosted to inform key stakeholders of the successes of the plan and why the changes were essential to the engagement and overall success of the organization as a whole.

■ Send photos and minutes from gala to all employees and leaders. ■ Mail hand-written thank you letters to CEO and Director of

Communications. Mail typed thank you letters to other leaders. Email blast general thank you to employees for engaging and participating in the project; include FINISH survey.

■ Send final notes and wrap-up kit to CEO, Communications Director and leaders.

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