For as long as I’ve been in comms, line managers have come in for a bit of stick. Lots of blame for poor communication is placed at the feet of these poor individuals who are expected to deliver against a staggering array of responsibilities – everything from performance targets to staff development, innovation to cost control – and in the middle of that we want them to ‘deliver communication’ as well. Line managers are often seen as a tricky middle layer where communication gets ‘stuck’, and which seems impermeable to frustrated comms teams and senior leadership. But is it fair to blame them, or should we be blaming the comms team, senior leaders….or someone else?
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The power of an interconnected EVP and Employer Brand informed by research, colleague involvement, and cultural indicators, and that when brilliantly conceptualised, connected, and executed, it can unleash strategic, cultural, and reputational opportunities.
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The room at today’s breakfast session was packed with IC pro’s – all keen to hear fresh ideas around the thorny topic of how best to support your leaders to deliver effective communication.
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Once regarded as a specialism, having the skills to support change initiatives is now arguably a pre-requisite for our everyday toolkit as communicators! With the help of a little Slido interaction, Phil and Lou really brought the conversation to life and it was great to hear so much discussion around the topic. Here are their top tips for making sure your change comms hit the mark:
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We were delighted to get together with some of our network last week for a breakfast session on the role of IC professionals in supporting ESG. Huge thanks to our client, Hyve for hosting us in their fabulous Paddington offices!
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As a business that’s worked a lot with partnerships and professional services, I took that there’s much learning not only within the sector to be shared but also with other organisations on how engagement and collaboration can make for better communication.
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It was a real treat today to be back face-to-face at one of our breakfast sessions after more than two years of running them virtually. It was a reminder to everyone just how important it is to meet ‘IRL’ (in real life) and was a living example of the benefits of face-to-face communication!
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Here at HK ‘Workshop Day’ always brings great excitement – and last week’s was no exception. We were particularly pleased to be able to share a joint case study with our client Susan Quain, Associate Director of Global Digital Channels at Fidelity International. During last year and despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, Susan and her boss joined forces with our Associate Director Chris Crofts and HK Partner James Harkness to deliver a bespoke training programme to build a world class communications team.
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Back at the start of 2020 flexible working was still a contentious debate and the word hybrid meant a new bike or car. Roll on 15 months and we all know it to mean something quite different and life changing. While we continue to find our way out of this pandemic, organisations are now grappling with evolving workplace models to support their people and performance longer term.
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We were delighted to meet with fellow communicators yesterday for another online networking session. This one was a bit different, welcoming a senior communicator and the leader of her business region to share perspectives on partnering to drive growth. Helen Baldwin is Head of Employee Communications, EMEA and Frederik Maris is VP, EMEA for Splunk, a fast growing US software company employing more than 6,000 people in 27 offices worldwide.
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As professional communicators dyslexia is something we should all be taking into consideration, especially as it affects at least 1 in 10 people. Dyslexia is a recognised disability, and can affect organisational skills, the ability to and speed of processing instructions, directionality (for example, clumsiness and mixing up lefts and rights), visual processing and visual stress as well as fluency of reading.
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We were privileged to be joined by Johanna Lavender, Head of Communications for functions at bp, and Richard Walden, Head of Communications at Heathrow, who shared with us their organisation’s ‘Covid Journey’ and what they have learnt from it.
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