Success factor corporate publishing in internal change
Change processes often lead to uncertainty among employees. A clear and transparent information policy is therefore essential. But what does this look like in practice?
Only if employees are convinced of the sense and purpose of a change and see it as an opportunity will they support the process and thus enable the success of the project. Unfortunately, for many employees, change initially triggers more uncertainty than a spirit of optimism. While management is convinced of something and often displays a pronounced forward momentum, employees often display defensive reflexes and fear of the future. This discrepancy is one of the major challenges of internal communication work in the change process. Change communication must therefore take account of employees' increased need for information and their desire for transparency.
Employees want to have access to tangible and binding information, especially when it comes to changes. Corporate publishing plays a central role in this context. The example of Abraxas Informatik AG shows how successful change communication is possible thanks to innovative measures tailored to the needs of the company and the inclusion of corporate publishing
Clear communication strategy as a starting signal
Last year, Abraxas Informatik AG was faced with the challenge of providing information about a planned change project within a short space of time. At the same time as developing an integrated communication strategy, in which each medium of the internal communication mix was assigned a specific function, the first corporate publishing measures had to be implemented.
Despite the high time pressure, the aim was to achieve the best possible coordination of the content and timing of the measures and to ensure that the initial information provided to employees was appropriate for the target group and comprehensive. This was achieved by supplementing Abraxas' existing communication mix with innovative, flexible corporate publishing tools that could be implemented quickly. The communication mix included the following measures:
- Squad presentation
- Management presentation
- Electronic newsletter
- Employee event
-Information package
Electronic newsletter for initial communication
Senior management employees were initially informed personally about the project in order to win them over to the chosen path. In order to ensure consistent communication with employees during the information cascade, a management presentation was prepared in which the wording of the key messages, the objectives and the next steps were defined.
The starting signal for informing all employees was then given with the announcement of the project by the CEO in the form of the internal electronic newsletter. This is now an integral part of regular internal communication at Abraxas. During the change process, "abraxas.update" guaranteed that employees received quick and comprehensive first-hand information thanks to its thematically concise texts and reader-friendly design. It also served as an invitation to the upcoming information events at two locations.
Information package provides security
A basic information package was produced for employees following the information events. The most important information about the change was summarized on eight pages in condensed form. In addition to information on the objectives and the next steps, employees found answers to the most pressing questions in the detailed Q&A. Thanks to the clever modularity of the package - individual inner pages could be omitted or supplemented with new pages at short notice - maximum flexibility could be achieved. It was a central concern that employees could take the information home with them and read it again if necessary. The information package thus made a significant contribution to anchoring the core messages in the company and preventing rumors and ambiguities at an early stage. Thanks to the information on contact persons and further resources, employees also knew who they could turn to if they had any questions.
Integrated communication pays off
This example shows how the integrated use and optimization of existing communication channels and targeted supplementation with corporate publishing measures can enable comprehensive and coordinated communication during change processes in companies. Specialized service providers can make a significant contribution here by supporting companies throughout the entire project: from the development of the communication strategy to the implementation of specific, innovative corporate publishing tools.
Philipp Bircher
Employees want to have access to tangible and binding information, especially when it comes to changes. Corporate publishing plays a central role in this context. The example of Abraxas Informatik AG shows how successful change communication is possible thanks to innovative measures tailored to the needs of the company and the inclusion of corporate publishing
Clear communication strategy as a starting signal
Last year, Abraxas Informatik AG was faced with the challenge of providing information about a planned change project within a short space of time. At the same time as developing an integrated communication strategy, in which each medium of the internal communication mix was assigned a specific function, the first corporate publishing measures had to be implemented.
Despite the high time pressure, the aim was to achieve the best possible coordination of the content and timing of the measures and to ensure that the initial information provided to employees was appropriate for the target group and comprehensive. This was achieved by supplementing Abraxas' existing communication mix with innovative, flexible corporate publishing tools that could be implemented quickly. The communication mix included the following measures:
- Squad presentation
- Management presentation
- Electronic newsletter
- Employee event
-Information package
Electronic newsletter for initial communication
Senior management employees were initially informed personally about the project in order to win them over to the chosen path. In order to ensure consistent communication with employees during the information cascade, a management presentation was prepared in which the wording of the key messages, the objectives and the next steps were defined.
The starting signal for informing all employees was then given with the announcement of the project by the CEO in the form of the internal electronic newsletter. This is now an integral part of regular internal communication at Abraxas. During the change process, "abraxas.update" guaranteed that employees received quick and comprehensive first-hand information thanks to its thematically concise texts and reader-friendly design. It also served as an invitation to the upcoming information events at two locations.
Information package provides security
A basic information package was produced for employees following the information events. The most important information about the change was summarized on eight pages in condensed form. In addition to information on the objectives and the next steps, employees found answers to the most pressing questions in the detailed Q&A. Thanks to the clever modularity of the package - individual inner pages could be omitted or supplemented with new pages at short notice - maximum flexibility could be achieved. It was a central concern that employees could take the information home with them and read it again if necessary. The information package thus made a significant contribution to anchoring the core messages in the company and preventing rumors and ambiguities at an early stage. Thanks to the information on contact persons and further resources, employees also knew who they could turn to if they had any questions.
Integrated communication pays off
This example shows how the integrated use and optimization of existing communication channels and targeted supplementation with corporate publishing measures can enable comprehensive and coordinated communication during change processes in companies. Specialized service providers can make a significant contribution here by supporting companies throughout the entire project: from the development of the communication strategy to the implementation of specific, innovative corporate publishing tools.
Philipp Bircher
