Pride in What We Do
July 8th, 2008 by Brenda Boal
On June 26th together with our client NI Water, who are undertaking a massive and far-reaching programme of organisational change, we were honoured by the PRCA and Public Relations Institute of Ireland with a much coveted Award for Excellence in Internal Communications. In making the award, the judging panel commented: “The winning entry showed a strong commitment to the strategic management of the internal communications process. It demonstrated: clear and absolute identification of the objectives and the stakeholders; the involvement of a range of ‘top down’ and ‘bottom up’ actions; as well as on-going monitoring and adaptation of the process to ensure its success.”
One of the cornerstones of the winning programme was an internal poster campaign entitled “Pride in What We Do” which used highly visual storybuilding to recognise and highlight the dramatic and vital impact which employees have on all aspects of life in the community through the 24/7 services they provide on behalf of our client. (Campaign images are available in our case study section.)
Reviewing these programme materials again recently served as a clear reminder that in times of major cultural change, it’s important for leaders to focus with staff on the importance of the job they do and emphasise the value their people bring to the company. By actively promoting the behaviours of people who take pride in what they do – often the company’s “unsung heroes” – leaders can help create greater empathy, understanding and support of the need for change. And that can be an important first step on the transformation journey for companies and employees alike.
Tags: awards, employee communications, employee engagement, face-to-face communications, manager communications, manager communicators
July 9th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Having spent time with Peter Exley of Northern Ireland Water in Belfast, I learned firsthand of the power and value of this important internal branding program. While we often consider the role of internal branding in the private sector, NIW has shown the way in Northern Ireland for public sector organizations to adopt this important approach for connecting the corporate “brand” with the ideals and values of the employees.
I’m proud to see our colleague, Brenda Boal, and this program recognized in a big way by the PRCA and PRII, two great organizations in our field.