EE Voice

Picture this: You work for a US-based Fortune 100 corporation with more employees than the population of Buffalo, N.Y. You’re responsible for communications to hundreds of thousands of employees across the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Your assignment (should you have any choice but to accept it): Complete a global internal communications audit in 60 days.

In this episode of EE Voice, Sharon Phillips and Sharon McIntosh reflect on how they not only survived a high-pressure global IC audit for PepsiCo (23 focus groups and in-person visits to six countries!) but walked away with valuable new insights into the very thing they were auditing – internal communications. Tune in to hear them relive the journey and the lessons they learned along the way.

They’ll review the what and why of the audit and the five key takeaways, including:

It’s a classic case study in planning and executing an IC audit for communications professionals at all levels. We hope you’ll listen in.

The post How to complete a global internal audit in 60 days appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this era of hyper-alertness about everything from data security to natural disasters, it’s no longer a question of whether you need to develop a crisis communication plan. It’s how to develop one that works. As an employee communication professional, you’re key to this process. So are employees, as is – no surprise here – social media.

The latest episode of EE Voice, Sharon Phillips explores these murky waters with internal comms consultant and author Paul Barton.

Tune in to hear why Paul advocates a proactive approach to crisis communications that includes employees, social media and something he calls “the five Ps.” Tune in to hear more.

About Paul:

Paul Barton, ABC, works with busy internal communications professionals who need fresh ideas, a coach in their corner or an extra pair of hands. After a successful 20-year career leading internal communications teams at six fast-growing and highly successful companies, Paul launched his own consulting firm and authored Maximizing Internal Communication: Strategies to Turn Heads, Win Hearts, Engage Employees and Get Results.

His current clients include global real estate, global mining and minerals, and global high-tech companies.

When not putting fires out for his clients, you can find Paul sipping a latte, playing guitar and spending time with his family in Phoenix, Arizona.

Website: PaulBartonABC.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/paulbartonabc

Twitter: @PaulBartonABC

The post Episode #28: Taking the Crisis out of Crisis Communications appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Change is a given in our global corporate marketplace. As internal communications leaders, it’s our job to keep employees informed and engaged amid a constant state of organizational change. But how do you do that when you’re up against outdated internal infrastructure and a loud, ticking deadline?

In the latest episode of our EE Voice podcast, Sharon Phillips and I spoke with Jim Smith, VP of Internal Communications and Engagement at Coty. In October 2016, Coty merged with Proctor & Gamble Specialty Beauty, forming the third largest beauty company in the world, with a combined workforce of 20,000 and two very different cultures. Jim joined Coty a week after the merger.

In this episode, we’ll learn how Jim developed an effective internal communications strategy and overhauled Coty’s internal infrastructure in less than a year. His journey offers lessons for all of us.

The post Episode #27: 9 Steps to Coty’s Effective Intranet Strategy: A Beautiful Thing appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Here’s a new topic that Sharon Phillips and I have been exploring: employee activists. In this podcast, we defined employee activists as those who vigorously advocate for their companies and leadership to support or oppose a cause or issue.

After learning that Google’s employees sent a petition to their CEO, I recently wrote a blog about employee activists on LinkedIn, which sparked a great conversation. Here are just a few topics we discussed:

And we expect the employee activist will only increase. Just imagine those Parkland students entering our workforce in a matter of years. Sharon and I believe this will greatly affect crisis and employee communications. Do you?

The post Episode #26: Are You Ready for the Employee Activist? appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

It’s spring, and the Sharons are finally on the same continent. Fresh from a month in Southeast Asia, my co-host Sharon Phillips was struck by the warmth and grace of the people she met in Thailand and Cambodia. Their ability to slow down and thoughtfully engage her in a conversation was a refreshing change of pace.

It’s also a good reminder of how often we Americans fall into the trap of “seat-of-the-pants” communication. Yes, we’re communicating, but are we also listening?

In this episode, we explore this topic, delving into:

And here’s another reason to pay attention to the role of internal communications in corporate America: 87% of IC directors expect budgets to increase this year. We share this and some other stats from the IC experts at Poppulo.

If you’ve set a goal to become a more strategic and more effective internal communicator, we hope you’ll listen in.

The post EPISODE #25: BRING ON THE STRATEGY appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.