Communication is a key factor in helping organisations to be resilient in tough times.

Delegates at March’s aspic communications café heard how two organisations have focused their communications to engage their people, and heard their top tips for success.

Virgin Atlantic’s Head of Internal Communication, Eleanor Tweddell, outlined how, with some 27 airlines going out of business, volatility in oil prices, huge capacity cuts, and service reductions leading to large redundancies, 2009 was dubbed the ‘perfect storm’ in the airline industry.

With the good times over – and the need to tell a different, more commercially-aware story- Virgin Atlantic’s internal comms team planned a tight proactive communication strategy based on three critical themes:

• Protect cash
• Protect brand
• Protect morale.

The aim was to align internal and external messages and to help people to understand the changed climate through the appropriate tone and delivery.

Their ‘back-to-basics’ approach has included:

• Increasing face-to-face comms
• a comms plan for the seven divisions
• rigorous planning and processes that challenge ‘what’s its purpose?’
• clear calls to action and making the most of good news opportunities
• more use of webinars and business briefings
• refreshed internal brand that puts people at its heart, maintaining confidence internally and externally.

Eleanor’s top tips included stay true to your brand; avoid temptations and distractions; listen to every noise but developing selective hearing; plan everything; choose your battles; and take every opportunity to say thank you to your people.

Meanwhile, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s Head of Change Communication, Justine Stevenson, spoke about the challenges and solutions in what they now refer to as ‘the business’.

Communication challenges include a 200-year-old culture, a diverse global audience from ambassadors to gardeners, and a very hierarchical organisation, so communication has to be endorsed and visibly supported by leadership.

‘More foreign, less office’ is the slogan for the change programme, which drives home the need for their people being out there abroad, where they make a difference, rather than back in the UK administrating. Engaging people behind the refreshed 21^st century vision of the FCO is key. Initiatives have included:

• Back to basics communication – it is common sense but not everyone finds that easy
• surveying staff, measuring effectiveness of comms rigorously and linking to country plans
• highly visible and high profile feedback programme ‘You said. We did’ to demonstrate that the FCO does deliver
• creating a network of volunteer change agents to spread the word
• instigating a 24-hour global online conversation – the FCO Jam – to allow people to have a say in the FCO’s future.

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