Engaging Internal Comms Series 4

Sustainability is a topic that should not be approached solely from a compliance perspective. It's not just about ticking boxes or meeting the bare minimum requirements. Similar to health and safety, organisations should engage people on a human level when it comes to sustainability. In this episode, our guest emphasised the importance of connecting with people's values and aspirations when communicating sustainability. Many individuals genuinely care about the well-being of the planet, and tapping into this sentiment can create a more engaged and committed workforce.

Intrinsic motivation is the drive that comes from within. It's about doing something because it's personally rewarding, rather than for some external reward. In today's knowledge economy, intrinsic motivation is more powerful than extrinsic motivation when it comes to influencing behaviour and performance. This episode explores intrinsic motivation and its measurement, with the goal of helping individual managers and organisations better motivate their employees.

Psychological safety is a term that many organisations are familiar with, but few fully comprehend its depth and significance. It is more than just a buzzword; it is a crucial element that can make or break an organisation's culture. Our guest expert, with his extensive experience in the mergers and acquisitions industry, shed light on this concept, explaining how it plays a pivotal role in successful organisational integration.

In this episode, we explore the findings of recent IoIC Index 2023 research with its authors. The research explores the relationship between internal communications and employee engagement and reveals what employees think about IC. The interview covers the background, findings, and how listeners can use the report in their organisations. The discussion contains valuable evidence practical advice for improving internal communications.

In this episode, we focus on the misalignment between strategy, culture, and customer experience within organisations. We emphasise the importance of addressing this disconnect and highlight the challenges it can cause. We find out that aligning these issues can provide the ultimate competitive edge by reshaping your strategy, transforming your culture and prioritising your customers and clients.

Our guest is a Formula One industry expert who discusses the challenges of internal communication and employee engagement in high performance teams. We explore how Formula One teams, despite employing thousands of people, face routine communication challenges like any other organisation. However, what sets them apart is their relentless focus on performance and ensuring that everyone understands their role in driving success. The interview uncovers valuable lessons that can be applied to internal communication practices in other industries.

In this episode, we address the issue of burnout and its impact on turnover and recruitment. These are being driven by the challenges organisations face such as the aftermath of the pandemic, cost of living issues, energy shortages, and climate problems. We explore the importance of helping colleagues reconnect with their sense of identity, vocational calling, and finding joy and fulfilment in their work. Our guest, who has experience in a healthcare setting, shares insights that can be applied to any sector.

This is a bonus episode of the podcast recorded at the "Unite 23" Employee Experience Conference in London on 13th and 14th September 2023 and hosted by Unily. The episode includes my reflections on the conference, some clips from the keynotes delivered by Stephen Fry and Steven Bartlett, and some brief conversations with other delegates and the hosts at the conference.

With our guests, we discuss the challenges organisations face in implementing sustainability practices and the importance of engagement and communication in driving behaviour change. We emphasise the need for employees to be motivated by conviction rather than just compliance with legislation. The episode aims to provide insights and strategies for organisations to effectively address sustainability and engage employees in the process.

With our guest, we explore the concept of brand advocacy and its significance in marketing strategies. We emphasise the role of employees as brand advocates and how they can promote the brand through their social networks and interactions. The conversation raises the question of whether organisations should enable employees to talk about the brand in a coordinated manner without being manipulative. The interview aims to explore the relationship between employee engagement, brand advocacy, internal and external marketing, and internal communications in creating a group of employees who actively and positively promote the brand.