Productivity tool or a procrastinator’s best friend?

By Tanya Batra, Melcrum

In February last year, Thierry Breton, CEO and chairman of Atos Origin, an international IT services company employing staff across 42 countries, announced his mission to ban internal email, with the intention of becoming a "zero email" company by 2014.

Unsurprisingly his declaration caused a media stir and also received some backlash, but Breton defended his decision, saying:

"I didn’t do this for external reasons…I did it to enhance the quality of working conditions for Atos’ 80,000 employees…my first intention was to deal with this data deluge and to work with the tools the young generation are using. We are addressing a real issue of our time…we are no longer using email the way it was intended to be used"

  
His decision was also made in light of the revelation that employees were receiving over 100 emails a day, of which only 15% were useful, and also upon consideration of the fact that for the 10,000 new employees hired every year, internal email tools such as Outlook were completely unfamiliar, with Breton stating, "We have to adapt ourselves to this new generation that will become our business colleagues tomorrow."

As radical as the idea may sound...
...it perhaps isn’t when you fully consider that it’s a positive step towards what we’re all trying to achieve -  i.e. transforming the internal comms model and becoming a social business. And whether you realise it or not, most of us have already taken these steps in our implementation of digital tools.
What we haven’t done however, is fully allowed the potential of these tools to take hold and deliver the collaboration-driven business benefits they’re capable of.

So while we have the tools in place which hold the potential to increase efficiencies, reduce reliance on email and ultimately drive productivity – our failure to educate employees as to how it can be used,  failure to generate the required culture shift that encourages more "fluid" communication and a failure to engage leaders to lead by example and influence – are all pivotal reasons why "business-benefitting collaboration" is simply not happening.

 

IBM – where it all began?
While Breton’s decision was the most highly publicised, IBM’s BlueIQ team* - namely one member of the core team, Luis Suarez, knowledge manager, community builder & social software evangelist - could be considered as leading the charge, having decided back in 2008 to start living in a world without email.

 
"As a remote employee, I wanted to prove to everyone that I could keep working for the company without using email, relying almost exclusively on social software tools to communicate daily with my team members."

And in January 2011, just three years on, Suarez reported an impressive 95% reduction in inbox traffic.

Why live without email?

"Around two and a half years ago in my role of software evangelism, one of the main hurdles we were hearing from people is … they perceive this software as another set of tools on top of what they were already using…they had this feeling that, you’re asking me to spend more time online with Twitter, Facebook and whatever the internal social software applications were."

As well as wanting to demonstrate to coworkers just how dependent they were on email (despite its loss of productivity as a channel), Suarez’ decision was also triggered in 2008 when IBM’s Blue IQ team were faced with the challenge of educating an overwhelmed and reluctant salesforce to use the social tools that were available to them to provide "answers" rather than "problems" (with the potential to benefit them in completing daily tasks and increase efficiencies). The initiative was a success and transformed IBM’s salesforce into fellow social software evangelists. Not only that, the Blue IQ team continues to expand with the ultimate aim of enterprise-wide social collaboration inside and outside of IBM that drives real business results.

Enabling crucial conversations
Suarez will be sharing his story at our first-ever Digital Communication Summit in London on 27-28 March, 2012, where we’ll be addressing the role of technology in enabling crucial conversations to build an engaged and collaborative workforce, and the fundamental role communicators play in leading the transformation across culture and leadership to create a truly social business that reaps the benefits of outcome-driven collaboration.  

Joining him will be thought leaders such as Paul Miller, CEO and founder of the Intranet Benchmarking Forum and Digital Workplace Forum and Laurie Hibbs, HR director at LexisNexis UK as well as business leaders from companies including BT Conferencing, Nokia, Bupa and the adidas Group who will be sharing their powerful case studies. 

Check out the full event programme online: http://bit.ly/yipJEj

*IBM’S BlueIQ Ambassador Programme - A worldwide community of social software evangelists with a mission to energize and enable every IBM employee to use social software, both internally and externally. The BlueIQ ambassadors support the BlueIQ program’s mission to transform IBM into a showcase for the business benefits of social software adoption.

Sources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16055310

http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/01/luis-suarez/

http://mashable.com/2010/09/03/world-without-email/

http://www.elsua.net/2012/01/13/blueiq-at-ibm-finally-goes-external/

https://www-304.ibm.com/wikis/home/wiki/BlueIQ?lang=en_US

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/lotus/offer/adoptioncouncil/

 

Millenials and the social (net)workplace

By Elizabeth Burrell, Melcrum intern.

Social Media. It provides the main means of communication for many and in knowing this, one would think that employees would take advantage of this innovative form of contact. Unfortunately, recent research has shown that employers still see social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube as persistent distractions. Fourty-eight percent of UK businesses are enforcing a ban on such websites, according to the joint survey conducted by PR firm Lewis Communications and IT firm HCL Technologies.

I wonder If such deprivation may cause an office to play residence to some unhappy workers. Furrowed brows, cracking knuckles and tapping brogues will be in full supply as the withdrawal symptoms begin to kick in.

Being a member of Generation Y, I can feel the frustration of my fellow millenials in this state. Such a situation mirrors that of a young child who’s pacifier is taken away. Having been accustomed to the calming sensation that comes with sucking on a dummy, a child will express their feelings of displeasure in the only way they can when such a valuable instrument is taken away.

Although 18 to 24 year-old workers cannot scream at their desks and restlessly pound at keyboards, it's important to note that in a study done by IT services firm Telindus, 39 percent of working millenials “would consider leaving” if social networks were banned in the workplace and a further 21 percent would feel “annoyed” by such a ban. If employees do find it “annoying” when social networking sites are banned then their emotions are sure to affect their productivity which can decrease the quality of service in a company. Surely it's better to have happier workers?

Although I understand that the availability of facebook in the workplace could lead to a lack of productivity among employees, by simply banning the sites employers will only limit potential collaborations within the company. Employers should reach an agreement with employees that although social networking sites may be used, employees are still expected to meet deadlines and targets.

A scheme of trust ought to be built within an organisation so that both the employer and employee are comfortable with their social media guidelines and limitations to fully maximise the potential of the business.

Does social media belong in the workplace? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Has social media signalled the end for email?

by Kate Pledger

The recent decision to begin fazing out email in favour of social media by international software company Atos Origin has initiated strong debate. So much so, that it's prompted senior managers to question the relevance of email-based communications in their companies and contemplate the practicalities of a "zero email" initiative, according to Luke Dodd, Melcrum's features editor in his article “Is email dead?”

Boosting employee engagement and collaboration is increasingly on the agenda for many organizations, according to Melcrum's How to use social media to solve critical internal communication issues report. And with social media delivering on this, it could be said that the demise of email is imminent.

An increased involvement with social networks can improve a senior manager’s interaction with the rest of the workforce and establish a shared sense of identity among workers. In using social networking tools such as Yammer or Microsoft Office Communicator, employees can formulate new initiatives in a quick fire, rapid response environment.

Managers can also gauge the wider attitude and outlook of the staff as well as thoughts regarding new policies or changes in the workplace.The survey reveals a rise in employee feedback and an increase in the accessibility and visibility of business leaders as a result of using social media. A new report from digital research firm Comscore has also noted a significant drop in email usage, most notably in the millennial generation, or young people under thirty.

Significantly, the adaptation of the Atos Origin's communication system was fuelled by a team of under 30s, who determined that the old system of email would hinder the future growth of the company.

But don’t expect email communication to start waving the white flag of surrender just yet. Business consulting and technology services firm Concentra reported that 85 percent of senior managers said email was their communication method of choice. Additionally, some may claim that email usage dates back to the nineties and has remained a significant force in the work place, proving that email is a successful means of communication which most employees feel comfortable using.

These two communication channels also have a notable affect on the message content. What instant messaging is to informality and community, email is to professionalism and authority. 

Eighty percent of people questioned in the Melcrum report endorse social media as more than just a "fad", proving that it shouldn't be ignored by employees intent on using solely email. The face of internal communication is eternally adapting to suit changing generations and demographics. Companies must consider their needs and workplace culture and adjust their internal communications system accordingly.

So it seems email will remain rooted firmly in company infrastructure, standing in the way of total social media invasion...for now at least.

Has social media signalled the end of email? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Social Media @ Work – the film in full

by Luke Dodd, Features Editor, Melcrum

Able & How’s offices on New Cavendish Street, central London, played host to the premiere of the RedSkyVision-produced short film “Social Media @ Work” on 15 June.

The film featured a host of big names from both the worlds of social media and internal communication. These included Richard Dennison, BT; Madeleine Kavanagh, Deutsche Bank; David Ferrabee, Able and How; Stefan Stern, Edelman London; and Melcrum's very own Rebecca Richmond.

Robin Block, director of RedSkyVision, and the film itself, said: "My aim was to create some thought leadership that would aid the business case when considering utilizing social media channels internally within a business. I'd like internal communicators to use this film as an educational tool to help inform their teams and leadership."

Social Media @ Work provided an overview of social media's place within internal communications and raised some interesting points regarding its future. How will the function develop? What are the challenges? Where will it lead?

For expert opinions on these questions and more, watch the film in full below and tell us what you think....Enjoy!

Luke

Social Media @ Work from Red Sky Vision on Vimeo.

 

BBC internal comms team delivers bad news well

By James Bennett, Head of Content, Melcrum

UK newspaper, The Guardian, has managed to get hold of an email sent out by the BBC's internal communication team to its staff notifying them of it plans to close its final-salary pension scheme to new joiners, and restrict its benefits, in order to stem a £2 billion ($3bn) deficit.

There's never an easy way to announce to your staff that there's a whopping great hole in your company pension fund and that from April 1st 2011 future salary increases for calculating pension benefits will be limited to 1% per year.

They even go on to explain: "In other words, after this date pensionable salary will grow at a maximum of 1% per year, no matter what actual salary increases an employee receives." Brutal but honest and equally inevitable considering many assets within many other pension schemes around the world have also performed poorly due to the global economic downturn. If any of these grand schemes of old are to be successfully phased out and new "sustainable" versions take their place, as appears the case within most large organizations, then this is potentially the only way to go.

Give the BBC internal comms team some credit though, they deliver the news (that many expected) in a very clear and precise way allowing employees to give their feedback via a hotline, email address, and a series of staff seminars hosted by its pensions team from 5th July who will explain the proposed changes in greater detail and give staff the chance to ask questions face-to-face. All existing scheme members will also receive an email from Jeremy Peat, chairman of the BBC Pension Scheme Trustees, with further details of the 2009 interim valuation of the scheme.

So who's next and are you having to deal with a similar change? Let us know.

Happy 40th IABC! 40 things I learned at World Congress 2010

By James Bennett, Head of Content, Melcrum

1. The breakdown of trust in leaders is at its lowest ever point and will deteriorate further. But now’s the time to swap dancing partners. Research has shown that middle and line managers are the most trusted people within organizations and it up to us to get on their side and work with them as effectively as possible to leverage that trust.
2. Social media was discussed in almost every conversation and session I had and attended. But talking simply isn’t enough. The feeling from the profession is that communicators are using the tools, but they don’t seem to be using them to reach a constructive end goal and with the overall company strategy in mind.
3. Employee volunteering works. Fact. It improves communication, morale and motivation, personal fulfillment and those companies that actively engage in volunteering are more profitable, experience reduced absenteeism and are winning the war for talent. Two-thirds of Gen Y employees at Deloitte, for example, said they would rather work for a company that encourages volunteering.
4. In the post-recession age we live and work in, always plan for the unthinkable.
5. Communication is a company’s most powerful ally in a crisis… just ask BP.
6. Empower your employees by allowing them to become product ambassadors. Let them get their hands dirty.
7. Accept the risks of allowing employees to express themselves freely and instead focus on the end goal and the rewards.
8. Have courage part one – don’t be afraid to get fired.
9. Have courage part two – don’t be afraid to tell the CEO he’s a terrible presenter and he “lip smacks” when on video.
10. Leaders are like tofu: clearly part of the meal, perhaps even the main source of nutrition, but the spice is provided by everyone around them.
11. Make it a habit – make engagement part of employees' everyday routines for it to pay dividends.
12. Follow the example of the Me to We philosophy and movement and create a culture of empathy, community, meaning and legacy.
13. Memorise and use this quote: “We can do no great things; only small things with great love.”
    Mother Theresa
14. Content in context is king and data is his queen.
15. Successful leaders should always lead with their ace and play the communication card.
16. Every leader has his blind spot – and it’s up to you to spot them.
17. All communicators are sales people.
18. Information is useless – your audience wants knowledge.
19. Get stuck in traffic – find opportunities to do nothing and when you do, do nothing but think.
20. Read your writing aloud – strive to thrill yourself with what you write.
21. Writing is like a window – it should allow your readers to see what would otherwise be invisible.
22. Make your writing transparent – help your readers see your ideas, not your words.
23. Outsource the gaps in your skill set.
24. Communication can release the best potent asset, the human asset.
25. Communication is the path to survival, recovery and growth and a company’s constant companion.
26. Communication is a leader’s lifeline to results.
27. Communicate the future – write a fake news article showing your employees what the future looks like and how you can all work together to achieve greatness.
28. Only 19% of global employees are looking to leave their current roles, but the engagement gap is widening – Towers Watson 2010 Workforce Study.
29. Employees don’t know where to turn in 2010. In a global study when Towers Watson asked people whether they would like a job for life with one company, follow their opportunities as they come along or only work for two or three employers during their careers, the data was split exactly three ways.
30. Employees are reliant on their managers and leaders but not confident in what they are doing for them.
31. Embrace uncertainty.
32. The recession has ended the “deal” between employer and employee.
33. The “new deal” is about knowing and enabling your workforce, customising their experience and planning for the future.
34. The “new deal” will take courage, innovation and discipline – leaders will play a vital role.
35. The Art of Innovation – Polarize people over issues they care about.
36. Never stop learning and continuously seek knowledge.
37. Act like an agency – make your "clients", a.k.a your employees, the stars.
38. Always seek to add value.
39. As a conference organizer always provide a reliable Wi-Fi connection… although IABC never fear, even Steve Jobs had issues at the launch of the iPhone 4.
40. Canadians say “eh”. Rather a lot.

Time we got back to basics?

By Nishwa Ashraf, Editorial Assistant, Melcrum

Facebook, instant messenger, intranets, mobile alerts, Twitter, MySpace and FaceSpace - these are just some of the channels businesses are using to reach employees. Okay, the last one  doesn’t exist.

With such a wide array of technology at our fingertips, you’d think communicating with employees and delivering key messages couldn’t be easier. But is it any surprise it can actually make things more complicated?

Don’t get me wrong, technology has many fantastic benefits: For disparate colleagues web meetings can bridge the geographical gap, internal microblog applications such as Yammer are useful for announcing low priority messages and keeping colleagues informed on day-to-day work-related issues, training videos and campaigns can reach a global workforce through the intranet, and let’s not forget that for Gen Y entering the workforce technology is second nature. 

But let’s be honest, is it really improving communications in your company or are you just jumping onto the latest bandwagon? 

You may be a social media maestro, but how skilled are you at delivering face-to face messages to frontline employees, without the safety of your computer screen shielding you?  In the same vein, you may be a seasoned face-to-face communicator but are you savvy enough to deal with the technology demands of a new generation of employees?

To be an effective communicator, lies in the title itself. Finding the right way to communicate is the most important thing, whether it’s through social media channels or town hall meetings, because you can roll out a marching band to drum through your message, but if it doesn’t produce results, then it doesn’t mean a thing. 

In some instances, using the best channels to achieve your aim and to suit the message does not always require a song and dance. For example, if your company wants to reduce waste by encouraging employees to switch off power points before they leave the office, then a roadshow is not required. Why not take a leaf out of Aggregate Industries “Green Dot project” and apply a green sticker on light switches as a reminder. Simple, cheap, and more importantly, more effective.

If any of this sounds familiar, then perhaps it’s time to equip yourself with the skills and core competencies needed to produce and deliver exceptional communications. With more than 1,000 graduates in its alumni, the Black Belt Programme builds on extensive research to equip communicators with the key skills and knowledge they need to excel in their roles and impact organizational performance. 

So, are you a technophobe or tech-junkie? And do you need to be a master of one or a jack of all trades to survive and succeed in today's cut throat business world? Let me know your thoughts.

It's back! Diary of an Internal Communicator: Jenni Wheller - Week 2

By Jenni Wheller, Internal Communications Manager, SSP UK 

Back by popular demand, over the next four weeks the Melcrum Blog will feature another series of diary entries by an internal communicator. Previously Rachel Allen gave us all a fascinating insight into her new role as head of communication at London Overground Rail Operations.  Read it here if you missed it.

This time our guest blogger is Jenni Wheller (pictured, right) who has recently taken on a new in-house role at SSP UK. Jenni was previously business development manager at internal communications agency theblueballroom, and prior to that, internal communication officer at Thomson Local. We look forward to hearing how she tackles the many challenges she will undoubtedly face in the coming weeks at SSP UK... here's her second week.

What a week! While the volcanic ash has left hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded outside the UK for days (and many are still there) it has also had a significant impact on our business.

The week really started on April 18th as communications went out to our employees who work in units at airports. With the mass closures we had to explain to staff what they were entitled to do in terms of holiday, unpaid leave, and so on. On Monday this was followed by communication to the entire business advising everyone what to do with employees who were stranded outside the UK and unable to attend work.

The cost to our business has been significant and when you’re fighting for budget to make a conference more engaging it couldn’t have come at a worse time – the budget has to stay the same as last year. So, flip cameras at the ready, we’re doing vox pops on the fly. The engaging workshop I had hoped for is still under negotiation and after some great meetings with a few agencies to get ideas, I’m going to do my best to get it on the agenda for the day.

This week also saw my first taste of getting behind the scenes of the operational business. I spent the day with our national retail director who looks after M&S Simply Food and Whistlestop outlets in railway stations, airports and now hospitals. From Farnborough to Birmingham New Street – stopping at Oxford and Reading on the way home I got the chance to see the environment our unit managers are working in and what pressures they face.

So what did they say:

• Some felt isolated from the business.
• Their priority is running the unit, not being on the computer.
• Things are over complicated – three email addresses are not necessary.
• Notice boards are the main communication with team members but not they’re sure how much they’re used.
• There is a split in the business between the divisions.
• They would like to bring the team together, regardless of divisions and meet other unit managers at their station.
• The Employee Forum and recognition in place in the retail division works very well.
• They do use our intranet but only to get HR information or relevant form – they bypass the latest news on the home page.

This was all great feedback and confirmed to me that online communications was not the way forward with our operational employees.

I have also spent some time in our group offices this week, working with the global communication team to understand their audience, communication goals as well as working on a project for a new corporate video for SSP to be used in job fairs, inductions and careers sites.

So what’s next? Doing a shift in a unit. Not just M&S this time, but also Burger King, Upper Crust and Millies Cookies – speaking to the managers has been great but I really want to hear what our team members think about the business.

Having set up a Survey Monkey account I can hopefully get the main survey out to the business next month. This has slipped slightly but in the interim I’m just getting out in the business where I can.

This week has been one of the busiest but it’s been great to see that the communication issues within the units are the same as head office told me they would be – they all know what’s wrong, they just haven’t been able to do anything about it.

Has email passed its sell-by date?

By Nishwa Ashraf, Editorial Assistant, Melcrum

It’s personal and can reach a wide audience, both geographically and numerically.

For the best part of 40 years since its invention, email has provided a productive solution for communication.

But if you’re often finding yourself wasting time foraying through the junk and spam clogging up your inbox, rather then dealing with business that matters, you’re one of many employees seemingly shying away from using social media as a means of communication.

Employees are spending an average of six hours or more a week reading and sending internal emails, according to research from business consulting and technology services firm Concentra.

It’s the equivalent of 41 working days, or just over eight weeks, every year.

The study, which was completed by British employees in a range of industries including healthcare and the financial services, revealed that 33 percent of employees questioned admitted they spent six hours or more drafting and reading emails, every week. A further 28 percent said they take between three and five hours a week to keep on top of internal mail.

And for 85 percent of senior managers and 88 percent of HR teams, email is still the communication channel of choice, despite the growing number of social media channels available for business use over recent years.

Conversely, 50 percent of respondents believed that less than half of the internal emails they receive are useful.

And with the abundance of communication channels available today such as social media tools linked to intranets and portals, it begs the question: Why aren’t more communicators embracing social media tools when email has so many inherent flaws?

Plenty of business communication and workflow is centered around email, but for the time-conscious, the results are hard to ignore. It’s ridiculous to think that so much time (and money) is spent tunneling through a mountain of email, that’s mostly filled with junk.

Whether it’s web- or server-based, email for communicating and managing workflow has its limitations:

• Junk/Spam: Our mailboxes are brimming with junk mail that’s ever growing. Even the most intelligent email filters can’t prevent all spam sneaking through.

• Security: Business documents sent over email are not confidential.

• Viruses: There is no certification mechanism for email senders, which is why computer viruses are most commonly delivered through email.

• Delivery: There is no guarantee your email may reach the intended person; your filter may mark important documents as spam.

• Real-time: Delays in replying prevent immediacy in conversation.

• Ubiquitous access: For businesses that use server-based emails, it can be problematic for remote users to access their emails, hence the popularity of web-based email.

• File sharing: Both parties may not see identical file and directory structures, depending on the users email platform.

• Application framework: Email is primarily a message-orientated service.

Of course, I’m not dismissing email entirely – it has its place within a business environment. Many internal communicators maintain that email is the most effective channel for companywide corporate messages, but on a micro scale where messages are orientated toward smaller teams of employees, using internal email for communicating is akin to snail mail. Line managers, for example, would be better off using an instant messenger application or internal microblogging platform like Yammer to communicate with his or her team of employees. By simply embracing and encouraging the use of social media tools, communicators can quickly prevent delays and reduce the amount of junk email sent and received throughout the organization, saving both time and money.

Could social media channels be the long-term solution for communication and workflow processes?

What are your thoughts?

To hear more about how communicators are using social media in a way that makes a real difference to their business, look out for Melcrum's forthcoming Social Media for Internal Communications conference, in Belgium. See Melcrum.com for more details.

Melcrum's SharePoint course is a sell-out!

By Nishwa Ashraf, Editorial Assistant, Melcrum

It’s just under a month before Melcrum’s SharePoint for Communicators course makes its debut in London, and it seems to have captured the intrigue of many - it’s already sold out!

Around 40% of corporate intranets are now SharePoint based. And if your company is using other Microsoft technologies, then it’s likely your IT department is keen to migrate to it as a communications platform (and has probably installed it as a “trial” already). It’s no wonder SharePoint has quickly become a hot topic for Internal Communicators.

Often seen as an enabler, It can be used to host intranet sites that access shared workspace, information stores and documents, as well as host-defined applications such as wikis and blogs. Simply put, SharePoint is actually two things that Microsoft group under a single product name - a collaboration tool and a portal platform.

It all sounds very good, but SharePoint can also be a potential block for internal communicators who may not always be well versed on how it works.

Sam Marshall, Melcrum’s SharePoint course trainer and director of ClearBox Consulting, said: “Whilst there are many courses and books available on SharePoint, they have a strong bias towards people in a technology or administrator role. A successful SharePoint deployment depends on internal communicators taking a clear lead for the site strategy and content, as well as knowing what governance to have in place.

“What I mostly hear from communicators using the portal platform as the basis for their corporate intranet is that it’s ‘good enough’ for most things but doesn’t excel in any area. Certainly if you just want to publish news it’s less straightforward than a typical web content management system. In organizations where the collaboration side of SharePoint has taken off, this can create headaches for internal communications, if the right governance is not in place you can end up with hundreds of poorly made sites competing with the corporate intranet.”

This prompted Melcrum to hold four one-day courses: SharePoint for Internal Communicators (London, UK) and Intranets with Impact (Orlando, US), aimed at mid- to senior-level communicators, focusing on how SharePoint can support communication strategy for organizations, and in turn their goals.

Taking a business-led rather than technology-led approach, the course aims to cover various topics, including:

• Key components and case studies
• How to build an effective relationship with IT
• Blending corporate communications with user generated content
• The role of internal communications in governing, shaping and promoting use.

Robin Crumby, managing director of Melcrum, said: “The decision to buy SharePoint is often taken by the IT department. So internal comms teams find themselves in at the deep end tasked with populating SharePoint with news and encouraging collaboration and a sense of community without a thorough understanding of how SharePoint works. This new course will address this gap and make sure that internal communicators are equipped with the knowledge and skills to get the best out of SharePoint first time.”

We’ve still got a few places left for the 9th June 2010 course, so if you’re interested get booking.

In the meantime, what’s your stance on SharePoint?