Transcript
[00:00:06.040] - Imogen
Hi and welcome back to Dear Comms, the coffee break podcast where we tackle your biggest corporate comms challenges.
[00:00:12.980] - Amanda
I'm Imogen and I'm Amanda. We're here to give you practical, no-nonsense advice so you can focus on the things that will really drive influence, engagement, and impact.
[00:00:24.550] - Imogen
Today's question comes from Katie. She's a head of comms, and like many companies out there, she is facing a significant restructure. She's asking, how can I effectively support the business and our people through this change?
[00:00:40.570] - Amanda
You know, restructures are probably one of the toughest things that we get to deal with when we're a communicator. Not only are you navigating a shift in structure and strategy, but you're also at the heart of helping employees emotionally process a big change.
[00:00:55.480] - Imogen
Yeah, often it's not the mechanics of the change which are actually unsettling, it's the way in which it's approached by leadership or the way in which it's perceived to be approached by leadership. I'm often heard to say, you know, people don't fear change, they fear sudden change.
[00:01:13.690] - Amanda
This is one where we really need to dial up our empathy when it comes to things like restructures. Genuinely, people will be thinking about their jobs, not the organisation's direction.
[00:01:25.820] - Imogen
And let's not forget that change fatigue is a thing. Employees are constantly being asked to flex, to be agile, to be change agents. Our role as communicators must be about managing information flow, answering the, the what's in it for me, and importantly, keeping morale high.
[00:01:47.390] - Amanda
Yeah, and that's an important part, isn't it? You know, culture and morale in an ever-changing workplace, which it does seem to be that way. I think first things first, clarifying the why behind the restructure. Before people buy into anything, they need to understand the purpose. You know, what is driving the change? Why is that change important? Does it reflect the marketplace? Is it pressure from stakeholders, legislation? Are there tech advancements happening? Or is it simple internal realignment?
[00:02:30.030] - Imogen
And what do those actually mean? As soon as you're aware of the restructure, which in an ideal world, we all hope, is right in the planning phase.
[00:02:39.750] - Amanda
Yeah, we hope.
[00:02:40.470] - Imogen
You need to get in front of your leadership team And you need to grill them on their rationale. What is the vision for this restructure? What are the benefits? What are the challenges? It's our job to ask these horrible, tough questions.
[00:02:54.830] - Amanda
And I love this role. Be the most cynical, hardened employee that you can be. Figure out what questions and the tough questions your colleagues will be asking and make sure you ask them. You know, you really have to push leadership to answer the real, what's in it for me? And step away from the rhetoric and spin, and be real, and be transparent.
[00:03:20.190] - Imogen
It's highly unlikely that an employee on the shop floor is going to care too much about the same things that the leaders care about.
[00:03:27.960] - Amanda
Oh, that's for sure. You know, when we say we need to be more agile and cost-effective, that's definitely gonna mean different things to different people. As leaders, they see it being able to respond faster to the market and improving the bottom line. You can absolutely bet employees take it to mean job losses or working more for less, or they may indeed have an uncertainty about what agility means in the day-to-day.
[00:03:57.870] - Imogen
As with so much of our role, it's about taking what we hear and translating it, making whatever's coming from the boardroom real and relatable for the rest of organization.
[00:04:10.150] - Amanda
Once you have the information, it's time to develop a clear messaging strategy and a communications plan. You know we love a plan. Consistency is key. Make sure all communications, town halls, emails, internet posts, all carry the same core messages. You absolutely have to prevent confusion and rumors.
[00:04:33.820] - Imogen
It's important your plan covers the whole process of the change, so from start to finish. You need to communicate that why and the what early. So, why is it happening? What's the vision? Employees need to know the purpose and where we're going from the very start.
[00:04:55.230] - Amanda
And it's going to be uncomfortable, but you probably aren't going to have all the answers right away. But it's important to let employees know when they can expect more information. I think it's when employees don't know what's happening, or when, that rumors and confusion thrive. They fill the gap around the water cooler.
[00:05:15.090] - Imogen
Yeah, becomes a little bit of guesswork. I heard this, someone went to a meeting here, this is happening. A good way of tackling those gaps is pulling together an actual timeline for the change. And break down your messaging by theme. So, this is what we know now. These are the next steps. These are what the changes are, what they aren't, and when they're going to take place. It's also important to highlight the wins, even the little ones, as they happen. It's about giving employees a sense of progress, especially when it comes to a long timeline.
[00:05:59.910] - Amanda
The other thing you need to do is adjust your messaging depending on your audience. Senior leaders will want high-level strategic updates. Low-level staff, they're probably gonna want more personal reassurance about the day-to-day.
[00:06:15.990] - Imogen
And you're gonna have to rely on our poor, overworked, underpaid middle managers. They really are the bridge between leadership and our employee base. They should be able to help you translate the vague leadership direction into the day-to-day for our employees. So, give them FAQs, give them talking points, and give them what they need to help them walk their teams through the change.
[00:06:46.590] - Amanda
They may not feel comfortable themselves with that or may not have had to communicate in this way before. So, the other thing you can think about is training for those middle managers to, to up their comfort levels.
[00:07:02.940] - Imogen
With previous clients, we've done training for middle managers on helping them understand different reactions to change, or how to handle difficult conversations. They are going to be key in acting as a reassurance for your team, so you need to equip them with everything that they need in order to get the job done.
[00:07:26.430] - Amanda
Another key thing for me is to make sure you're consistently communicating the vision for the future, that north star that links to your purpose or the why of the change. It also probably needs to touch on the what's in it for me.
[00:07:41.950] - Imogen
You could think about, instead of just focusing on the change or things that are being taken away, why not flip the script a little bit and actually focus on the positives, think about what's what's new or what's being created. If you can work out what the benefits of the change are for all the different segments of the company, answering that what's in it for me question is going to be much easier.
[00:08:09.640] - Amanda
Yes. And, you know, throughout the process, and it is a process and a journey, you must make sure your teams feel involved. So, it's really important to create channels for two-way communication. You know, can you encourage feedback through surveys, Q&A sessions, or something as simple as a suggestion box? This is particularly when you've got un-wired employees or factory floors. It's not only going to provide insight, but it's also going to make sure employees feel heard.
[00:08:43.380] - Imogen
Yeah, it'll help you keep an eye on overall sentiment and morale. If you are asking the question and listening to the answers, you will be able to flag issues early and therefore adjust your strategy to deal with it. If you see disengagement, resentment, you will be able to figure out what you need to do to answer the questions being asked.
[00:09:08.480] - Amanda
[Speaker:KATIE_KIRKBRIDE] Sometimes culturally, teams can not be as confident to raise issues. You know, they may be shy in front of leaders, or they may not want to raise their head, if you like. So think about feedback loops that can be anonymous, but do address the issues publicly. And be transparent about what you've heard, good or bad. And importantly, let employees know what you plan to do to address the feedback.
[00:09:45.260] - Imogen
Yeah, there's nothing worse than people who ask for feedback and want your questions, and then you never hear anything about it ever again. To sum up, the key to supporting your business and teams through change boils down to 3 things for me. Firstly, a clear and holistic communications plan, unsurprisingly. Secondly, it's about transparency and empathy. Change is hard and can take an emotional toll, so we need to be very conscious of that. And thirdly, we want simple, clear messages that focus on the why and the what's in it for me.
[00:10:25.050] - Amanda
I'm gonna add 3 things as well. Have a consistent cadence in messaging, even if nothing's new, and let people know when they can expect the next milestone. Absolutely keep your middle managers on side and updated. To translate that strategic gobbledygook into tangibles. I'm not sure many leaders would like me calling it strategic gobbledygook, but there you are. And finally, don't be afraid to listen and to respond to feedback, good and bad.
[00:10:53.740] - Imogen
Ultimately, taking an organization through change is about building trust and making sure that that change is more of an evolution, not a revolution.
[00:11:04.360] - Amanda
So, if you're facing a similar challenge, or have questions about anything change related, reach out. We love a knotty problem.
[00:11:12.210] - Imogen
Similarly, if you have a question on anything that you'd like us to answer, I mean, within reason, do let us know. We're here to help. Until next time.
[00:11:22.540] - Amanda
See ya.
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