Business Change Manager Video Series: Communications - What does that mean?
Firstly, it is fundamental in any significant relationship you have, either in marriage, with friends or at work. People communicate daily, constantly in all sorts of ways but what does it mean and what is its relevance to business change management?
To communicate is to pass a message from one person to another, so they understand what you say and its relevance to them.
Given that definition, it is clear that good communications are crucial to any successful business change management plan as with no communication, no message will be passed on, and no action will be taken by the recipients.
It’s important to remember that communication IS NOT just email. Email, while an indispensable tool for most businesses is just one channel of many which you can use to communicate with your audience.
Did you know that:
Given those statistics, it’s important to recognise different ways of communicating and to consider that people are individuals who digest emails and communications in different ways.
Related Blog: Be sure to watch my Inverted Triangle Communication Vlog, which will be appearing in the next few months.
So, what are other ways to communicate?
At Simplify Change we assess an organisation and its culture first, and then once we’re familiar with its communication channels we take advantage of them, to harness message delivery and ensure that our message gets across to our audience.
Repeating it up to 7 times, in different forums and channels, so people are sure to receive the message.
Some that we are using currently are:
Presentations at Global Town Halls
Distributing tailored presentations to functional teams
1-2-1’s with key stakeholders (We use organisational network analysis to identify these)
Champion Networks (More on this in other blogs, it’s crucial)
Online Groups
Digital Signage (including banners, logos)
By understanding a company’s culture and the demographics of our audience we can tailor the delivery from paper leaflets, to hosted videos, all of which make a huge difference to reception and understanding of what we’re saying.
On that note, we believe in video content as a key message delivery system.
Think about it, most of your time is spent watching YouTube and other video channels these days.
Why is that?
Because it matches how you live your life, is easy to digest, and passes on a lot of information in a mobile, easy to access manner.
Video content in change management is a particularly powerful tool that allows you and your team to:
View and review lessons, demonstrations, and tutorials as often as necessary
Access knowledge from the office or any remote location
Learn anytime and on any device
Decide autonomously over learning pace and focus areas
Discover and draw connections for a deeper learning experience
Transfer knowledge to new team members quickly
Why should communications in your project be any different?
Use the forum and channels that are best suited for you, measure your results and adjust accordingly to guarantee the adoption of your change.
For small projects, that have a limited budget start by compiling:
Relevant online courses from software providers
Pre-recorded video content from software providers and communities of users
Self-recording screen videos for critical functionalities on mobile and desktop
These simple options of managing organisational change through video can be highly cost-effective, time-efficient and transferable between projects as similar challenges arise.
In a bigger context, where entire corporations rely on change management, video content and successful communication can gain much more importance and touch the professional lives of whole workforces.
For larger programs of change, or ones with larger budgets or more enhanced budgets, next steps can then be to:
Creating distinct identities for particular programs of change
Consulting content and video production experts to produce branded materials that consider and communicate company values throughout the change
Interviewing and spreading the message of senior management relevant to the change programs
Collaborating with software providers directly to produce change management video content for the whole company as well as individual departments
Consult change management experts who understand not only the technological side of change management and video production but also provide people with guidance through change processes
Last, but not least, creating detailed case studies and use case solutions communicated in targeted digital communications, coaching and training material
At Simplify Change, we repeatedly receive feedback that when the appropriate method of learning is used employees’ uptake of new technologies can improve substantially, thus improving the chance that change is successfully bought into and collaboratively achieved.
Learning and message reception is an individual process, which when understood can help you deliver change successfully through multiple relevant communication channels.
We highly recommend understanding your organisation's culture, key stakeholders and communication channels to maximize your project’s success and deliver successful change.
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