Employee Communications at CDC

and CDC Connects

CDC’s Online Newspaper and Intranet Portal

Employee Communications at CDC

and CDC Connects

CDC’s Online Newspaper and Intranet Portal

Kathleen Nellis

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

Kathleen Nellis

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

About CDC…About CDC…

• Mission: to protect health – through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness

• Federal public health agency

• HQ = Atlanta, + 10 US locations & 54 countries

• 15,000 staff in 170 occupations; about 1/3 in-house contractors

Communicators wear many hats

Communicators wear many hats

Employee Communication Goals

Employee Communication Goals

1. Create a recognized and valued system of employee communication that helps improve communication between CDC leadership and employees and across employee groups. (channels and content.)

2. Create a well informed employee public that understands CDC’s health protection goals, other public health initiatives, and business and employee services.

3. Enhance trust and community between and among CDC leadership and employees.

4. Prepare and encourage employees to serve as ambassadors for CDC among external audiences.

We’ll talk aboutWe’ll talk about

• How our 2.0 technologies are impacting our agency’s culture.

• What some of the barriers to adoption have been and how we overcame them.

• What we’ve learned in building and enhancing our intranet.

Award Winning Team

Award Winning Team

Faye Smith, Kathy Nellis, Theresa Roebuck & Amy Elkavich with three top 2010 Ragan Awards: Best Intranet, Best Blog, and Best Social Networking Strategy; & 2010 NAGC Best Feature Writing Award.

SuccessesSuccesses“The amount and frequency of content cranked out

by CDC’s small staff is extremely impressive.”

“Blogs are kept fresh, and features change regularly, making CDC Connects a destination for employees. Bravo!”

“CDC Connects keeps employees informed of company news and does a good job of promoting health advice.”

SuccessesSuccesses“The multimedia site provides employees with

need-to-have tools as well as informative tips and articles.”

“Web headlines must compel users to click and CDC Connects does that well. Busy employees don’t have time to guess what a story is about. Strong headlines, well-written articles with good use of white space and subheads make the writing dynamic and engaging.”

SuccessesSuccesses “We like that CDC Connects allows employees

to comment–even anonymously—on all of its stories. Doing so increases employee engagement… If you are going to employ social media internally, you must embrace two-way communication. CDC employees also rate articles and submit their own stories and photos, a great way to engage them on the site.”

SuccessesSuccesses “The homepage is well laid out and good use

of graphics, text and video. We especially like the options for users to change the text size and the shaded My Links box. It is not easy to include a lot of copy in a manageable design. Well done!”

“The intranet mirrors the CDC’s mission. It certainly practices what it preaches.”

New Employee Communication Features Launched Each Year

New Employee Communication Features Launched Each Year

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009/

2010Launch CDC Connects

Photo Contest This Week in CDC History*

Blog TV Clips Classifieds

Inside Story – new story 4 days each week

Fun Facts Quiz* Kudos Corner CDC Calendar Opinions & Editorials

Science Corner

Enlargeable photos Revised Spotlights Letters to the Editor A-Z Keyboard Retirement tributes

In a Snapshot- mini story- new four days each week

Communication Plan My Links Top navigation Memorial tributes

Notices or breaking news alerts

Print edition Revised Spotlights Revised Director’s Corner

Star rating

MOYM OD Announcements Sizable type

Branding Policy Most popular articles

Oral history archive

Brown Bags Photo exhibition Show and tell/films

Emergency exercises

Audio clips Breakfasts

CD archive

Get Your Products ReadGet Your Products Read

Online Newspaper Online Newspaper

Inside Story- four new each week • Fresh content • Interesting photos (employees not clip art)• Feature stories on the people and programs of CDC

Story Categories

• Awards/Kudos• Business Services• CDC Green & Healthy• CDC History• CDC Now/Futures• Farewells• Facilities/Scenes• Happenings and Highlights• Job Profiles• Leadership Profiles• Letters to the Editor• Matters on Your Mind• Public Health in Action

Top Half of Front Page Top Half of Front Page

Follow up to All Hands Follow up to All Hands

Engage readers:

• 4 new stories each week keep content fresh • Multiple photos draw readers in • Two way: feedback buttons, story ideas

Build community:

• Provides “face time” for other locations• “Introduces” employees. Remember those 15,000

workers around the globe? Share success stories• and public health work

Inside Stories impact cultureInside Stories impact culture

Improve Communication and Prepare Ambassadors:

• Increase knowledge across the agency

• Provide facts and explain the scientific work

• Enable discussions

• Occasional talking points

Builds trust

• Example, Matters on Your Mind

:

Don’t Exclude Touchy TopicsDon’t Exclude Touchy Topics

Challenges… Challenges…

• Amount of content, generating new ideas• Creative photos• Deadlines• Keeping it conversational and not too long• Hodge podge of systems and software---

barriers remain

and Rewards… “I wanted to let you know that I was very touched by your story

about Dr. Cooper. I had no idea that this wonderful man worked for CDC, I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting him. This was an excellent article. Thank you for not making it shorter than it is. This gentleman is an inspiration to anyone.”

“I’m constantly amazed at the amount of copy you guys churn out. And so much of it is useful, particularly for doing presentations and constantly having to keep up with what is going on at CDC.

Recognize Success: Employees “King/Queen” for

a Day

Recognize Success: Employees “King/Queen” for

a Day

Snapshots often KudosSnapshots often Kudos

Popular SnapshotsHot Zone cartoons

Popular SnapshotsHot Zone cartoons

In a snapshot – 4 new each week In a snapshot – 4 new each week

In a SnapshotIn a Snapshot

Enlargeable photos

for snapshots and stories

But it wasn’t always so

A barrier overcome!

Engage readers:

• 4 new mini stories each week = fresh content

• One strong photo draws readers in

• Feedback and story idea buttons = two way

Build community:

• Often kudos for employees – gives them recognition across agency

• Puts a name with a face they might only email

In a Snapshot Impacts Culture

Im

In a Snapshot Impacts Culture

Im

Improves communication and prepares ambassadors

• Shorter nuggets of information, still with feedback and story idea buttons to make more interactive

• Easy to change out because of short format so can make very timely

In a SnapshotIn a Snapshot

Give them a place to flockGive them a place to flock

Why an Internal Blog?Why an Internal Blog?• Conversations are happening anyway

• Blog allows respectful, open conversations

• Safe forum for tackling controversial issues or bad news quickly and openly

• Blog can lead to problem-solving across the agency

• Great employers demonstrate trust in employees (Fortune magazine’s 2006 100 best companies)

Connecting Conversations Connecting Conversations

Some Examples of Connecting Conversations Blogs

Some Examples of Connecting Conversations Blogs

• What not to wear to work (169 comments)

• Grammar pet peeves (470 comments)

• Working as a contractor: Heaven, hell or purgatory (96 comments)

Connecting Conversations Blog Impacts Culture

Connecting Conversations Blog Impacts Culture

Engages readers and improves communication• A new blog weekly keeps conversation fresh • Earlier blogs archived so conversations can

continue • Interactive: coworkers talk across the

agency and around the globe • Two way: star rating system for voting

• “

Connecting Conversations Blog Connecting Conversations Blog

Builds trust and community:• Don’t shy away from topics• May comment anonymously or by name• Alert leaders as needed to the topic so they

can respond• Comfortable, safe way to express opinions,

share stories • Director has used for feedback and ideas

Challenges… Challenges…

• Getting it okayed in the first place: barriers included resistance and security

• Generating new ideas• Getting people to use their names• Wandering off topic• Attacks and whining

and Rewards… and Rewards… “Love the rating system and today’s blog

topic.”

“The blog is a central hall through which people and ideas pass on the way to fulfilling our mission.”

and Rewards… and Rewards… Example: Topic All Types of Typos (122 comments)

One time I sent an email to my boss to ask if she was busy. It accidentally said busty.

And what about pubic health. We’ve all see that in high profile reports.

“This has been one of the best topics to date. I laughed so hard I ended up with tears streaming down my face. Thanks and keep ‘em coming.”

More rewardsMore rewards

• Increasing numbers of comments → Increasing participation

• Management seeking input through blog• Management actions as a result of blog

discussions

What We’ve Learned What We’ve Learned

• Most active discussions: on topics that affect daily work life

• Least active discussions: on scientific or programmatic topics

• Many comments are anonymous• Discussions easily wander off topic• Appreciated by bloggers

Spread the news Spread the news

TV and News Clips TV and News Clips

• Provide TV clips of CDC subject matter experts

• Provide radio clips of CDC subject matter experts

• Add our own original audio and video to stories

• Building oral history archive

TV Clips TV Clips

TV and News Clips Section Impacts Culture

TV and News Clips Section Impacts Culture

Improve communication and prepare ambassadors

• See coworkers on TV or in paper– have information to pass on to neighbors, learn what other centers are doing

• Convenient, watch anytime

Builds trust and community• Don’t shy away from negative stories

Challenges and Rewards… Challenges and Rewards…

• Firewall. Technology problems.

• Changing vendors, transitions…

• Employees keep wanting to use in non-okayed venues.

• 508 compliance and transcripts.

• “I love that I can keep up with all the CDC news, without having to be in front of my TV.”

Celebrate… or Share GriefCelebrate… or Share Grief

Tributes and MemorialsTributes and Memorials

• Provide a section on employees who are retiring

• Provide a section on employees who have died

Tributes and Memorials Impact Culture

Tributes and Memorials Impact Culture

Builds community and improves communication:

• Coworkers share news of retirements, or deaths.

• Learn details about services or retirement parties.

• Have a chance to add comments or goodbyes for a friend or co-worker: interact

Challenges and rewards… Challenges and rewards…

• Amount of content• Posts must be signed, so no constant

moderation- self policing• “Thanks for allowing us a place to share our

condolences.”• “I was truly touched by the tribute to all

those who passed away this year. I hope you will do such a tribute every year.”

Go FishGo Fish

Breakfast with Director Breakfast with Director • Held monthly• Small, personal setting- 9 employees around

a table• Bagels and fruit• One hour• They come with questions- not turned in

ahead of time• Spontaneous conversation

Engage staff:

• Elbow to elbow conversation with top leader, also meet other employees from around agency

• Lively, open conversation/ relaxed atmosphere

Builds trust and community: • Chance to get to know Director, others; “face time”• “Introduces” employees. Remember those 15,000 workers around the globe? • Share success stories and public health work •

•

BreakfastsBreakfasts

Breakfast with Director Impacts Culture

Improves Communication and Prepares Ambassadors:

• Increase knowledge across the agency

• Provide facts and explain the scientific work

• Enable discussions, chance for Q and A

:

Challenges and rewards… Challenges and rewards…

• Busy schedule of director sometimes changes

• More work for us- follow up surveys• Enthusiastic response

Breakfast feedback Breakfast feedback • “Dr. Frieden took such a personal interest in

all of us and showed us a personal side of himself. He is a very good listener and his commitment to public health is evident. I was surprised how informal it was, a lot of laughter and fun. He demonstrated a breadth of understanding to all the program areas and thoughtfulness and sincerity in his responses to our wide-ranging questions…”

Breakfast feedback… Breakfast feedback… • “I learned a lot about what is important to

him and left after an hour having tremendous respect for him and feeling like I know him. It was a pretty amazing experience. It was a unique opportunity and I encourage all CDC employees to sign up!”

BreakfastBreakfast

Communication: High tech and high touch

Communication: High tech and high touch

• Annual photo contest• Photo exhibition – on permanent display• Photo calendar• Special print edition• Film: reflections on H1N1• CD archives• Brown bags

Comments on photo contestComments on photo contest

• “Wow, this makes working at CDC a blessing. We can’t all be on the front line but knowing you are working on the same goals and helping others be there is a great feeling.”

To Sum It UpTo Sum It Up• We have seen great positive impact on our

culture: improves communication, builds trust and community, prepares employees to serve as ambassadors for CDC

• Have worked with IT and security and management to overcome some barriers

• But more to do!• Key learnings--- employees are appreciative

and value our services and products.

From Recent SurveyFrom Recent Survey

“I've been here since 1982 and I've never seen a communication vehicle that was as effective or informative as CDC Connects. I pride myself on always (or at least usually) knowing what is happening, but with the fast-paced developments of the last two or three years, it's becoming much harder to keep up. CDC Connects has really closed that gap …”

• Kathleen Nellis• kgn0@cdc.gov• knellis@cdc.gov• 404-639-0225

• But first turn over the technology hat to IT Specialist Dianna Knight

Q and A laterQ and A later

Q and AQ and A