Internal communications is a term I think everyone is familiar with! It seems every public relations (pr) unit I have done lecturers and tutors stress how important it is.
Johnston and Zawawi (2004, 289) define organisation as “a system of coordinated activities of a group of people working cooperatively toward a common goal under authority and leadership”. These different functions are critical as they create culture within an organisation. Without a solid distinct culture there will be no organisation identity and operations may not run as smoothly as anticipated.
Internal communication plays a huge role in building organisational culture and therefore an organisations identity!
Working in the Corporate Communications area at Curtin has really opened my eyes to why the term is stressed so much throughout uni! I personally believe Corporate Communications at Curtin are doing a fantastic job with internal communications. There aren’t many things that happen among the Curtin employee network that isn’t shared across the departments.
Some of the ways they maintain internal communication is through:
• The Vice chancellors blog
(http://blogs.curtin.edu.au/vice-chancellor/note-to-staff/2011/25-may-2011/)
• Regular emails with staff activities
• Monthly or bi-monthly Portfolio Meeting.
• Your Voice Survey
The Second Portfolio meeting I went to I had to stand up and was introduced to the entire Corporate Communications team. Yes, very embarrassing at the time but it’s really good to feel like you’re a part of the team!
The Alumni Relations team also have great internal communication! We’re constantly shooting each other emails with tips and hints on our projects or light funny material to perk up everyone’s mood in the office.
Is anyone having trouble with their internal communication? Or is it pretty good like I’m discovering?
Kelly 14288492
2 comments:
Hi Kelly
I wrote a blog entry last week about internal communications, as it's so much of what I'm doing here at the PTA.
I know we've talked about it in class, but I don't feel like it's stressed enough about how important and how much of PR internal communications is (we must have been in different classes!).
With organisations that have a large employee base spread throughout WA, like Curtin and the PTA, internal communicatoins are vitally important to creating a group organisation identity and ensuring everyone is well informed. Grunig says "internal communication is so entwined with the process of organizing and with organizational structure, environment, power and culture that many theorists of organizational communication argue that organizations could not exist without internal communication" (1992, 534).
Do you find at Curtin that some people complain about internal communications, when really there is no excuse for them not being informed through one of the multiple channels offered to them? I know at the PTA some staff members complain about not being informed of internal happenings, however the PTA communicate internally through:
- Transnet (intranet)
- Transnews (monthly newsletter)
- All staff emails as required
- Transvision (a 20 minute news reel on repeat, shown on TV monitors at all stations, depots and offices
I think there is some difficulty trying to get others to accept that they too have a responsibility to read/watch these publications and that they won't all receive individual phone calls with the latest news.
Hope you're enjoying your placement!
Tori
Bentley (Public Transport Authority)
Hi Tori,
I too didn't realise just how much of PR is made up of internal communications. I seem to spend at least an hour a day on large and small tasks relating to internal communications.
I agree with your Grunig quote! Internal communications is a part of everything we do as PR professionals. I have really noticed its effect on organisation culture and identity. Curtin has staff members all over the Bentley campus and in Singapore, Malaysia and other off shore campuses. Even though we are so spread out, the same values and attitudes are shared and communcated throughout the entire Curtin network. I think it's really great!
You're lucky you have an intranet. That is something still being discussed at Curtin. Although I think the Vice Chancellors blog is still a great tool for communicating across many Curtin campuses.
I think staff at Curtin are similar to PTA. We have the internal communication resources but it is really up to each individual to read the newsletters, blogs and to attend group meetings. This way everyone will be kept in the loop and feel more like a part of such a large organisation.
I hope you're enjoying you placement too :)
Kelly 14288492
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