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News Release from: Summersault Communications | Subject: Talking Points staff magazine
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 04 October 2007
The routes of good communication
Tackling difficult issues head on is the way to an effective internal communications strategy; Summersault editor Claire Metherell reveals how one train company keeps on track.
People are at the heart of every business, so it stands to reason that they should also be the focus of a successful internal communications strategy One company that fully understands the benefits of speaking directly to its staff is Midlands railway franchise company, Central Trains
This article was originally published on Marketingservicestalk on 30 Oct 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Rachel Webster, Head of Communications, is tasked with communicating effectively to 3,000 predominantly front-line staff who work from various remote locations.
Knowing what makes them tick is the only way to be sure to engage them.
This is particularly important given the current situation - the Central Trains franchise is coming to an end in November this year - as all the franchises in the area are being remapped into three new franchises.
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The National Express Group, which owns the Central Trains franchise, is currently submitting bids for two of the new franchises.
With this in mind, the company's main internal focus for 2007 is on transferring with pride, as every post in the current Central Trains franchise will be transfer to the new businesses.
Central wants staff to feel motivated and to get the message across that the company is committed to investing in its staff and facilities until the end of the franchise.
Central Trains' other objectives for 2007 are to increase opportunities for senior managers to meet local staff, to hold regular management conferences, to complete the launch of its new intranet, to find out if results from the annual Employee Survey have improved on last year, and to continue to promote the staff suggestion scheme, Central Thinking.
Staff magazine Talking Points is an essential tool for Central Trains in meeting these objectives.
The monthly magazine is the main regular delivery of company news from Central Trains to staff, supported with ad hoc letters from managing director Steve Banaghan and regular team briefings.
The magazine is direct-mailed to staff's homes, and the tabloid-style of writing is effective in delivering company messages in a way that staff will absorb them.
Although front-line staff know their jobs are relatively secure, as their jobs will simply move to whichever franchise their route moves to, it doesn't halt the fear of change.
In this situation, the obvious and most effective communication strategy is to keep staff as informed as possible, to ensure they feel included and cared about.
This is a difficult issue for Central Trains, however, as the franchising process, managed by the Department for Transport, is a very long process.
Talking Points provides the solution by covering the franchise change through staff views, both positive and negative, and by getting honest views from the directors leading the franchise bids.
This type of journalism engenders trust in the magazine and its content, and gives staff a forum to express their views.
Staff have an average age of 40 and research shows their favourite reading material is tabloids.
They want straight-talking communication that doesn't feel like company propaganda and a trusted mouthpiece for their views about sensitive industry issues: above all they want to feel their views are listened to.
My own experience as editor of Talking Points has shown that tackling a difficult subject head-on is the best way to gain employees' trust.
The first edition of 2007 featured the coverline: 'STOP PRESS.
Don't believe the rumour mill that management at Central have given up.
Find out more inside'.
And in the magazine, staff found a double-page spread offering proof that Central hasn't given up - featuring staff focuses for the year, including highlighting training opportunities, staff rewards and recognition, and improvements to staff facilities.
The whole January issue was dedicated to facing staff concerns about the franchise head-on.
In 2006, the magazine encouraged much more reader interaction than in previous years, by asking staff to send in their comments on topical issues.
There is a Freepost tear-off form at the back of Talking Points, which not only allows staff to enter the competitions in the magazine for free, but also appeals to staff to get in touch with any questions they may have for a director, or a story they want to be featured.
The response rate is usually around 10 per cent, which is particularly high for internal communications.
Around a third of the forms sent back usually have comments on, other than the competition entries, showing staff feel value in expressing their views in Talking Points and that they trust the magazine and its aims.
The tone of Talking Points has also developed with the company over the years into a very open and honest forum for staff.
Along with the latest business information and topical staff views, Talking Points also contains features promoting local attractions, competitions and staff-interest stories.
The editorial content is sourced by both Rachel Webster and Claire Metherell, to ensure as much reader involvement as possible.
Comments from staff in 2006 included 'Talking Points is a good, trusted source of information,' and 'I always really enjoy reading Talking Points and like finding out about other parts of the business'.
Talking Points also received praise from management, who liked the stronger business focus as they found it a more useful communication tool.
We encouraged managers to use Talking Points as a briefing tool each month, by emailing them a short synopsis of business areas covered in each edition.
Talking Points also won the national CIB award in 2006 for best newsletter.
Webster said: "We feel Talking Points delivers all the information staff need about any issues affecting them at work, in a way they'll enjoy reading.
"We've built up strong buy-in to the magazine from both managers and front-line staff and we intend to use this trust throughout 2007 to keep staff motivated as the franchise comes to an end.'.
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