Work Happy by Silicon Reef

Work Happy is BACK for Series 2, with more visionary communicators from some of the largest brands across a variety of sectors sharing how their internal communications & Microsoft Technologies help shape culture and encourage their teams to Work Happy.

Kicking off our return is AXA Global Healthcare’s Head of Internal Communications, Joe Malone. With past experience in journalism before working on internal comms with AXA Health, Joe is well equipped to compose clear and compelling messaging - a vital skill regardless of your channel mix.

In the first episode of the new series, we discuss the ‘Smart Working’ approach that AXA has committed to providing, the vital role of data and feedback when refining your channels, and how we as internal communicators can shape culture and inspire creativity in new and novel ways.

This episode covers:

• Internal communicators’ varied skill sets, and how journalism has helped in Joe’s role
• How you can foster culture through digital channels
• Leveraging data and information to provide a the best channel mix
• The hybrid workplace under AXA’s ‘Smart Working’ initiative

Links and references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/

Over the course of a fascinating first season of the “Work Happy” podcast we’ve come to learn so much from some of the biggest national & international brands about how the internal communications landscape has shifted in recent times. 

Approaching the season finale, it seems only appropriate to review a selection of the most poignant points from the first 9 episodes, from IKEA’s bible and focus on togetherness, to BT’s incredible radio show and personal approach to flexible working.

If you find some of these insights fascinating and want to learn more, then why not listen back through the series, and subscribe to be the first to know about the next, highly anticipated season as soon as it drops!

This episode covers

• How Yammer has been used to share inspiring stories among global teams
• The personal approaches taken towards picking appropriate channels
• Maintaining culture and togetherness
• Different businesses’ implementation of flexible working
• What it means to Work Happy

Links and references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/

With a left brain and right brain, each to focus on more analytical information or on emotions, the way to truly capture someone’s attention is to combine vital info with engaging storytelling.

Having distilled down the secret sauce that separates information from true communication, Dana Poole is now leading comms change on a global scale with Shell. 

Dana joins Alex Graves as the final guest of this first series of Work Happy to discuss the rewarding nature of helping people with the tools and platforms rather than just implementing them, and how self-care, empathetic leadership and seamless communication technology coalesce to build a happier workplace.

This episode covers

• The crucial combination of data and storytelling in communications
• How Dana has seen a sharp uptake in Teams over Skype
• Emphasising a focus on helping people use new tech rather than just introducing it
• Shell’s approach to supporting employees
• Maintaining a collaborative culture over virtual platforms
• A recent desire for soft skills over technical skills in employment candidates

Links and references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/

Communication is a vital part of any business, but within the nation’s largest telecommunications provider it presents a whole host of challenges and opportunities. 

Our guest this week, BT’s Lauren Tiller, is a Communications and Engagement Manager in IT, and has been helping to lead a transformation in the tools used, liaising with comms teams and ‘Digital Champions’ to help implement them most effectively. 

Joining us on this week’s episode of the Work Happy podcast, she delves into the positive impact that video has brought to BT’s internal communications and training, how their Digital Champions have helped them to identify the ideal tech solutions through early access trials, and how BT stay ahead of the game in offering mental health and wellbeing support to staff.

This episode covers

• Encouraging a gradual shift from traditional platforms towards new comms solutions
• The rise of video, an information delivery format here to stay
• BT’s tech champions leading the team’s uptake of new platforms
• How BT tracks and uses data to engage more with their team as they change processes
• BT’s approach to home and flexible working, and how it may evolve in the future

Links and references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/

In times of great change like we’ve faced for the better part of 15 months now, transforming the foundations of an organisation’s internal comms strategy becomes a greater challenge, with increased importance placed on communicating culture through new and more accessible channels.

With experience shaping change at Aviva, RAC, Pal International and Dignity to name a few successful endeavours, Kate Goodman has really demonstrated an ability to nurture the titular element of her business, The Good Comms Company. 

Kate joins us on this week’s Work Happy to discuss her current transformation schemes, the unique considerations that come with varying employee demographics, and how differing attitudes to the future workplace can impact the morale of your workforce.

This episode covers

• Implementing internal comms in businesses without any prior channels
• Tailoring your approach to comms based on employee demographics
• How Kate is using real stories from Covid to offer advice in an upcoming book
• The role of trust and flexible working in a future workplace

Links and references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/

Communications strategy in a world-renowned educational institution is a tall order, and for UCL’s Head of Employee Experience Kate Faxen, keeping the best interests of its staff at heart is essential as we come back to the workplace.

Giving Alex a look at how the “Belong” programme and data from regular staff feedback is guiding the decisions that UCL are making, Kate joins us for episode 6 of ‘Work Happy’ to break down their evolving mix of channels, how senior staff sponsorship can usher in cultural shifts, and the inspiring values that are regularly reminded to UCL by an unusual source - a centuries-old philosopher’s dead body...!

This episode covers

• How UCL are helping their staff come back to work safely and confidently
• The overlap between communication strategies and cultural change
• Using data to really connect with the issues affecting colleagues
• Tweaking the channels used to maximise reach and engagement

Connect with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamalexgraves/
Links & references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/

As challenging as 2020 was for all of us, worldwide travel bans proved to be an incomparable hurdle in the travel industry. Now as the dust settles and the allure of abroad seems stronger than ever before, TUI are taking notes on the lessons from lockdown and implementing them throughout their global team.

TUI’s Dawn Robinson and Samantha Dye join us on ‘Work Happy’ to detail the degree of flexibility that’s expected from a future workplace, consider how they’ve shifted channels to invite more interaction among staff, and what makes a truly engaging virtual experience.

This episode covers

• Shifting content and channels to suit more virtual work
• Allowing people to keep a better life balance, not just work-life balance
• TUI’s ‘Flexible As You Like’ approach to remote work
• Trying new approaches to delivering team-building content
• Connecting colleagues across the globe

Connect with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamalexgraves/
Links & references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/

There are few endeavours more noble than saving lives on our coastlines, so looking after your staff and nurturing the family spirit is a key contributor to the success of a lifesaving charity such as the RNLI. 

For an organisation which has historically relied on working in person, the task of strengthening their internal communications required bold, fun initiatives from Internal Communications Manager Jessica Noble, and Internal Comms Officer Hayley Johnston.

Find out how RNLI’s weekly film update, wellbeing campaign, increased use of Yammer, and jovial content has brought the RNLI family together like never before.

This episode covers

• How RNLI’s internal comms directed the business through uncertainty
• Positive reception for the charity’s weekly film update
• RNLI’s 3 most important principles, and their One Crew pledge
• Keeping internal communications fun in the face of adversity
• Connecting people with RNLI’s culture through their new intranet
• Launching a new wellbeing campaign

Connect with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamalexgraves/
Links & references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/

Connecting with employees in a business environment can be approached in much the same way you would a customer, where authentic content with the audience at the heart of the conversation is paramount. Such is the approach taken at Virgin Media by their Internal Communications Director, Jess Lonsdale.

On episode 3 of ‘Work Happy’ Jess joins us to talk about the values at Virgin’s businesses that have kept her with the company for nearly 15 years, the evolution of their collaborative work through Office 365, and how the formula for a winning team requires attention to both “me” and “we”.

This episode covers

• Overhauling Virgin Media’s approach to their intranet
• Using MS Teams to vary Virgin’s communications channels
• Importance of authenticity in content
• Putting employees at the heart of comms like they would a customer
• The “me” and “we” of having an effective team
• Incorporating ‘welldoing’ into Jess’ outlook on Work Happy

Connect with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamalexgraves/
Links & references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/

With over half a decade of experience at Co-op, Rebecca Sykes has been taking strides to overhaul their approach to communications among their 70,000 colleagues. While this is no small task, the rewarding nature of celebrating their team’s stories has driven the creation of such campaigns as ‘Safer Stores, Safer Colleagues’, and their contributions to diversity and inclusion.

In this second episode of ‘Work Happy’ Rebecca goes in depth on the introduction and implementation of Office 365 and how it’s already led to tangible benefits, as well as her approach to the difficult task of benchmarking the success of internal communications campaigns.

This episode covers

• Modernising Co-op’s comms protocols with Office 365
• The benefits of spreading messaging across different channels
• Benchmarking and measuring the success of comms campaigns 
• Co-op’s dedicated support for colleagues’ mental health
• What to expect from “the next normal”
• Shifts in the job market and locations of their colleagues

Connect with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamalexgraves/
Links & references at: https://siliconreef.co.uk/work-happy-podcast/