Internal Communication

As the world continues to rock and reel through concurrent stressors, companies need to reset and reevaluate their employee experience. In the wake of change and uncertainty, employee engagement programs are failing to meet employee needs.

The PR industry might need to come up with a new term for Internal communication now that so many staffers are working from home. For HPE CCO Jennifer Temple the issue seems permanent. In a wide-ranging interview she tells us nearly half her company’s 62,000 global staff probably will not return to the office on a regular basis after the pandemic. Temple tells us how her team plans to engage a segmented employee base.

As quarantine stretched on, virtual happy hours and video-call dinners with family and friends tended to become less exciting. Similarly, as work-from-home continues, the push is on for internal communicators to keep things fresh at the virtual office. Here are tips for a fresh approach to internal communication months into the pandemic.

For PR it’s the best of times and the worst, according to a new survey about organization from PRNEWS and the Institute of PR (IPR). More than 300 respondents tell us communication is in demand across the company, yet budgets and headcounts are stuck.

A majority of communicators is unlikely to return to the office soon. Still, PR leaders are considering how to transition staff back to the office, either now or post-pandemic. James Wright, global CEO of Red Havas and global chairman, Havas PR Global Collective, shares ideas he’s considering for the transition back to the office.

A leader of a company or organization can serve as the quarterback when it comes to delivering a positive reputation to the public. While leaders do not always handle the day-to-day details of running a brand, they serve as a face for employees, customers, shareholders and more. We asked communication professionals about how to proceed when leadership falls ill.

Last Thursday, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg said the company this week will unveil changes to policy regulating how its employees communicate with each other. Is he trying to shield employees who don’t wish to engage in social-political discussions at work or reduce the chance staff will openly criticize Facebook? Maybe it’s both. It should be interesting.

Walmart has announced it will be closing on Thanksgiving this year, breaking an annual tradition that draws large crowds of shoppers for holiday sales. Bringing together thousands of customers indoors is not advisable in a pandemic—or even legal, in many states, as things currently stand—but the move still comes as somewhat of a surprise given the massive financial losses suffered by retailers as a result of quarantine orders and store closures.

Weber Shandwick did a very good thing last week. It released diversity data for its senior levels. The data were dismal and the agency said as much. It also made the correct point that benchmarks are needed before you can make improvements. Though the agency needs to offer detail about how it will improve, Weber has taken a bold first step.

Here’s a column that you should make time to read. What? You’re too busy? Seriously, PR pro Jamie McLaughlin had the same problem. That’s before he resolved to become less busy. His story offers hope to harried PR pros everywhere. And smile. This is a very quick read.