As a global technology company expanded through acquisitions and worldwide growth, it found that its far-flung workforce felt little connection to the parent company. This disassociation prevented the collaboration and teamwork required for the company to succeed in managing large, complex programs.
ACTION PLAN
As head of global internal communications, Brad Nixon led a team that launched a communications program to help unite employees worldwide. Spanning print and electronic channels, the integrated program included the launch of a new employee magazine — the first the company had produced in more than a decade. A quarterly email message from the CEO and a monthly email newsletter to employees provided two-way communication between company leadership and 90,000 employees worldwide. In every channel, the focus was on clear, consistent messaging that reflected the contributions made by the global workforce.
The messaging was reinforced in video programming seen by employees and external stakeholders to provide a compelling inspirational component, and reflected in the company’s annual report and the corporate website.
RESULTS
The company experienced an upward trend worldwide in responses to employee engagement surveys, expressions of worker satisfaction and employee retention, contributing to a consistent period of steady business results in the face of a global economic downturn.