The economy may be in the tanker but that doesn’t mean project communications have to follow suite. In fact, now more than ever, people want to be in the know. These days especially, silence has a negative translation and communication can quickly become one of the most powerful reassurance tools there is. And the best part, it’s virtually free.
Whether you’re working on a change management project or a full ERP implementation, communication is key. Below are some effective, efficient and low cost ways to foster greater communication and keep people at ease:
- Open Houses– Offer an informal environment to get people excited about the project and communicate high-level information. Providing snacks will draw a crowd and offering free loot will promote your project brand company wide.
- Newsletters– Provide a great way to target employees with announcements, milestones and timeline updates. They even allow you to communicate setbacks with a well thought-out and positive spin.
- Bullet Boards– Create a powerful visual and offer an alternative way to pass along information to a broad audience base. Adding something creative like a “Rumor Mill” will help keep the project on track by eliminating lingering rumors.
- Brown Bag Sessions– Provide a laid back environment for employees to bring their own lunch and learn about a current topic of interest and relevance. Providing a recap of the brown bag and sending it out electronically (or posting it on the bullet board) provides a nice little follow-up for people who missed the session.
- Intranet Page– A dedicated internal web page on the company website is a great place to post all project information and even keep a calendar of happenings and trainings. While not everyone will be interested in such detail, some people prefer to have any and all information at their fingertips. It also provides a place to electronically house communications such as the project newsletter.
Communication is one of the most critical (and often overlooked) elements of a change management project. It allows you to be creative and reach out to your fellow employees without breaking the budget. Most importantly, people appreciate being in the loop and will more likely be on board if you keep them informed.
Since organizational change management is one of Panorama’s three main ERP consulting competencies, we can help your company effectively launch and manage your next change management project. Get us in the loop and let us help drive change and foster greater communication within your organization.
Blog entry written by Jacqueline Gardner, a Senior ERP Consultant at Panorama Consulting Group.
