Corporate communication has a unique opportunity to build rapport with employees and earn their trust by addressing real world issues in a real way. Rather than exclusively disseminating information about company-focused, inward-directed topics, Best Practices companies are bringing the outside world into the workplace. Company leadership doesn't need to "take a stand" on a controversial topic. Simply by presenting the various sides of an issue, showing how events could affect the company and suggesting how employees' actions could make a difference, issue-centered communication can demystify the news and exponentially increase the credibility of corporate leadership. The vehicles for presenting real world communication about competitors, technology or health and safety issues are nearly endless -- from a simple letter from the Chairman distributed desk-to-desk, transmitted by e-mail or posted on the company Intranet, to dynamic, single-topic newsletters, videos, interactive CD-ROMs or video-transmitted town hall meetings. The method chosen should reflect the immediacy of the topic as well as the corporate culture. What's really important is creating a communication strategy that will build a bridge between employees and employers. Want to learn more? Berry Associates has over 25 years of experience in partnering with companies to create programs for improving communication among internal and external audiences, so give us a call and start building that bridge today.
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