This blog post briefly summarizes chapter five of the book Engaging Employees Through Strategic Communication by Mark Dollins and Jon Stemmle. Visit engage-employees.com to grab your copy today.

We’ve all heard the story about one set of seeds put in fertile ground and another set put in the sand. Those in the soil, watered and drenched with sun, thrive and grow. Those put into the sand wither and die. It’s the environment and the care and feeding of the seeds that makes the difference.

And that’s pretty much how it goes for employee communications. The environment in which the function operates, how it is structured, where it reports and how it is resourced in any organization can determine its potential for growth, likelihood for success and clear definition of its priorities.

We’ll explore the resources, along with the organizational and cultural influences related to employee communications — where it lives, what it focuses on, and what limitations and opportunities come with it. No single structure, placement, cultural attribute or budget influences how employee communications are run in any organization. Think of all these influences as an ecosystem surrounding the practice of communicating with employees.

Integrated or not. That is the question.

Perhaps the first and most important influence on employee communications is the question of whether or not internal and external communications are “housed” together in the same function, and whether or not they are integrated in day-to-day operations, and in strategic planning.

More evolved communication functions tend to look at a 360-degree set of stakeholders, recognizing the lines between internal and external communication often are blurred or even non-existent. They look concurrently at all issues and opportunities for communications through the lens of both internal and external stakeholders. Even in the best of organizations, the odds of consistent effectiveness when internal and external communications teams are separated are much less likely, and efforts tend to be short-term and project based, versus longer term and strategic.

Given that, you may wonder if employee and external communications professionals still work effectively if they report through different functional leaders, like Human Resources (HR), Marketing or Legal? 

The answer is yes, but they would need to be closely “wired” through regular meetings and established protocols for advising each other about what’s happening, and for reviewing communications planned for both sides of the house.

Where should employee communications report?

There can be arguments made for employee communications reporting to any function or any business leader within an organization. The correct answer tends to reflect the perceived value that the function brings for senior executives.

Let’s start with the biggest decision maker of all: the chief executive officer or president. This individual begins to set the agenda for where employee communications reports by deciding where the broader communications function (both internal and external) sits.

A senior executive who values communication and uses it often likely will want a communications leader reporting directly to them. This can reflect the executive’s experience with communicators who have provided strong, valuable counsel and service. As executive communications is a function often located within the communications department — and often paired with employee communications — many senior executives have a strong preference for direct and immediate access to their communications teams, versus having them report through other staff functions like HR, Legal or Marketing. In many organizations where the communications has a proverbial “seat at the executive table,” the function may be a part of what’s called Corporate Affairs, Public Affairs or Corporate Communications. Regardless of what it’s called, the closer the function reports to the top decision maker, the greater its potential for influence is, along with its ability to secure resources.

On the flip side, executives who don’t value communications, or have not had a strong, positive experience with an influential communications professional, may choose to have the communications function report to another senior business executive, like a COO, or to another staff function leader. 

Chapter 4 goes into further detail about the influence of functions like marketing,  legal, finance or Human Resource functions on employee communication. The bottom line with any of these placements is that – when separated from external communications –  employee communications professionals can easily fall into siloed ways of working, which can, and does, create gaps in communication strategy and results. Even if by unintentional omission, a lack of transparent communications between internal and external teams is fostered when they report through different parts of an enterprise.

Industry type and culture

The type of industry an employee communicator works in can have a significant influence on how internal communications are done. Regulated industries, such as energy, financial services and healthcare, have particularly stringent guide rails to work within.

Think about internal digital and social platforms that communicators increasingly use to reach dispersed and growing mobile workforces. Companies in those regulated industries have been the targets of well-publicized data breaches, where customer data was compromised. With the advent of more mobile technologies, the temptation for employees to use texting platforms, for example, increases. The particular challenge with  texting is that data is not encrypted, something that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) in the United States requires for personal medical information.

The attitude of the CEO or most senior leaders and their senior teams toward employee communications also can color everything from tone and frequency to detail and transparency of communications to employees. Each and every influence on culture — from industry to stated company values — influences strategies created to inform, inspire and engage workers. Does a culture that doesn’t foster transparency with employee communications mean employee communications efforts are doomed?  Not necessarily. Savvy communications professionals increasingly are diving into traditional organizational cultural norms  — “the way we’ve always done things” — and challenging them with data that tie the impact of that culture and communications on business metrics like talent recruiting, retention, corporate image and reputation. Those metrics can drive business performance. 

Are you interested in learning about the additional influences on employee communications?

Get Your Copy Of The Engaging Employees Through Strategic Communication Book Or Contact North Star Communications Today

The diagram above shows the different topics covered in the book. Take advantage of the opportunity to enhance your organizational communication strategy and engage your employees effectively by getting your hands on the highly recommended book, Engaging Employees Through Strategic Communication by Mark Dollins and Jon Stemmle. Piqued your curiosity? Want to know why change communications, Block Chain, Artificial Intelligence and employee activism will shape our near-term future? Visit engage-employees.com to grab your copy today.

If you’re looking for expert guidance in implementing change communications, talent development, and coaching in your organization, look no further than North Star Communications Consulting. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and take the first step toward transforming your organizational communication approach.