What I’ve learned about organisational change as a…Communications Specialist
Steve Jobs once said “great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.”
At Clarion Insight, we know that people make the biggest difference, which is why our team is made up of a variety of roles, including Change Managers, Business Analysts, Communications Specialists, Graphic Designers and Project Managers. Together, we each play our part in helping public sector clients to shape, navigate, manage and sustain workplace changes successfully at the individual, team and organisational level.
With that diversity of expertise and support comes different perspectives, challenges and insights about organisational change. On our blog, we’ll be exploring each role and its impact on delivering change; in this first edition, we’re focusing on communication.
Name: Pippa
Job title: Communications Specialist
Organisational change is successful when…colleagues are informed, involved and inspired throughout the process. Good communication can achieve this by bringing people to the forefront; speaking directly to them to share what’s happening, why and when, getting their feedback and insight, and explaining about how it’ll benefit them.
It’s also important to deliver change communications with empathy to validate emotions, by recognising that the change may be hard, acknowledging it’s one of many initiatives taking place or helping people to understand how they’ll be impacted (or “what’s in it for me?”). This is where storytelling is invaluable to communications approaches, as it makes content more relatable and takes the audience on a journey.
My role as a Communications Specialist helps clients to…capture attention from their workforce and encourage action, while always keeping results in mind. At Clarion, we don’t see communications as a standalone output, but instead treat it as a driver for real behaviour change. We combine audience insight, data and creativity to make sure everything we produce is not only engaging and accessible, but also purposeful and measurable.
In a change context, the one thing people don’t realise about communications is…that it’snot just about sending out information; a one-size-fits-all email isn’t going to cut it. Good communications can make or break a change programme, as it offers clarity, practical advice, reassurance and alignment with strategic messaging to help colleagues understand how the change supports business priorities. It’s crucial to know where your audiences are and to meet them there, so we have the best chance of delivering genuine impact.
The biggest challenge I see in change programmes is…helping people to understand what the change means to them. I help overcome this by…using clear, honest and relevant messaging, which is targeted towards each audience. If people don’t know how the change will affect them or what the benefits are, they’ll be less likely to buy into it. Once colleagues understand the purpose and what they need to do, they’re more likely to accept the change, even if they find it challenging.
One piece of advice I’d give organisations going through change is…
To listen to and observe their colleagues. Peter Drucker, widely known as the father of modern management, believed: “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said” and I agree.
It’s not about simply reading through the annual employee engagement survey to see what people have said about the business; it’s much more than that. It’s observing those raised eyebrows during a Town Hall meeting, hearing an intake of breath as the impact of a new way of working is being explained or noticing positive reactions across the office as people read through the latest email update. Only when you stop to listen – and ask questions – can you really understand how people feel about a situation or learn what obstacles could be in the way. Then, you’re more informed to do something about it.
To learn more about our communications work, take a look at one of our case studies.