The following document represented the Communications Strategy for a

company-wide Human Resources systems implementation. There were a total

of 88 changes affecting employees (HR policies, benefits and pay
administration) and numerous changes to internal processes.

5 COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

5.1 Introduction

The objective of the Communication Strategy is to effect information sharing. The formal
communications Plan will allow<company>to maintain the effectiveness of its workforce
through transition and influence stakeholders to participate through the avenues and forums
provided.

The Communication Plan contains the following elements:

• Communications Purpose & Objectives

• Communication Principles

• Audience Identification and Analysis

• Communication Activities (by audience, message, media, timing)

• Evaluation Plan

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6 COMMUNICATION PURPOSE & OBJECTIVES

6.1 Purpose

The purpose of the Communication Plan is to contribute to the successful implementation of

<project> with the right communication delivered to the right audiences at the right time.

6.2 Objectives

Enable Leadership Advocacy: Provide information to enable leaders to be advocates of the

project.

Build Synergy of <project> Team: Provide communication that helps build the team’s
effectiveness.

Prepare Management and Staff: Create awareness and understanding of <project> impacts and
implications - on staff jobs, employee benefits, work processes, HR policies, etc.

Enroll Staff: Generate interest and buy-in to <project>. Tell them about project developments
so that they feel involved, have an opportunity to give feedback, and are acknowledged for their
contributions.

Manage Expectations : Reinforce the scope of the project realistically (under promise / over
deliver) to manage perceptions/expectations and to ensure staff understand that there will be
(temporary) takeaways prior to long term gains being realized.

Improve Human Resources’ image: Demonstrate how <project> supports HR’s mission of
delivering people capability to<company>business units enabling them to meet their business
objectives.

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7 COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES

The following guidelines outline the preferred way that communication is developed and
delivered. They are assumptions that govern how communication activities take place.

• Tailor communications to discreet audiences according to needs analysis.

• Design communication using fact-based information and deliver openly, regularly and in a
straight forward manner.

• Ensure communications contain consistent core messages.

• Deliver face-to-face / one-on-one where messages contain job sensitive information (i.e.: an
individual job will change).

• Continually reinforce the business reasons for change.

• Consistently ask for feedback and involvement, and acknowledge same.

• Evaluate at pre-determined points to ensure message is understood.

• Pursue communication opportunities at involvement activities (focus groups, BPT

workshops, training sessions, etc).

• Consult with Corporate Communications through various phases of the project to ensure
communications related decisions meet with corporate approval and fit within company
protocol and standards.

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8 KEY DELIVERABLES OF THE COMMUNICATION PLAN

The Plan contains these key deliverables:

• Regularly scheduled meetings with the following groups:

Steering Committee
MAT (Project Management Team)
Project Team (whole group, and separate functional, technical and quality assurance
team)

• Bi-monthly project newsletter circulated to the HR Community including the above teams

• Team events and celebrations at project milestones

• Covering communications for training and other implementation activities

• Communications (various media) integrated with existing<company>vehicles (regular

publication, ongoing “Plan”)

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9 MECHANISMS

Communication mechanisms will be selected from the following available sources according to
the objectives and audience of each communication piece.

• Workshops

• Focus Group Sessions

• Project Newsletter

• Corporate Newsletter
• E-mail memos

• Presentations at pre-scheduled meetings (HR Conference, Senior Manager’s Meetings, HR

staff meetings, etc.)

• Information Sessions with PeopleSoft Prototype Demonstrations

Other mechanisms linked more to implementation but which can be considered communications
pieces:

• E-mail conference board

• HR Help Centre

• Designated Support Leaders throughout company

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10 AUDIENCE IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS

Audience identification is the process of determining groups of people who have similar
roles/responsibilities regarding <project> and therefore similar needs for information and
communication.

Audience Characteristics Communication Needs Preferred

Media
EMG (Executive Responsible for divisional Input to vision, high-level Presentation at
Management business and overall corporate awareness of <project> scheduled
Group); HRPC; financial results impacts on work units, meetings /
SMG (Senior understanding of <project> Print
Management potential for increasing
Group) business effectiveness

Steering Responsible for overall project Input to global vision, input to Regular
Committee direction <project> business decisions, Monthly
ongoing project status reports Meeting

HRC (HR Council Responsible for effectiveness Need regular progress status Regular
– HR Executive of HR function / sensitive to reports, and input to significant Monthly
and Consultants) differing needs of individual decisions. Meeting
divisions

HR Product Responsible for HR policy Need regular progress status Information

Managers reports, input to significant Session, print
decisions

HR Line Managers Undergoing paradigm shift Need to understand HR Information

(retail and non- from HR strategy overall, <project> session, print
retail) managers/administrators to impacts, how changes affect
HR strategists/advisors them and their client areas

Project Team Integration of technical and Need project status updates <project> all-
functional team challenging including sharing plans, team meetings,
milestones, issues, problems; e-mail, group
need understanding of other meetings
teams, and feedback on team
progress

HR Community Act as resources Need rounded <project> Workshop,

for<company>line managers – information to carry out print
face of HR functions and support line
staff, need awareness of
project progress

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Audience Characteristics Communication Needs Preferred
Media

Line Managers People management a new Need to know how <project> Self-study,
(People Managers) major accountability – new will help them manage people, print,
focus on this area of need information to inform workshop
management – facing delegates who assist with
recruiting challenges, time and people management and Retail only:
expense challenges administration Retail People
Plan
Employee Time crunched, prevalent Toll-free help
Population feeling of information line, face-to-
overload (communication face from
survey), incomplete manager, print
understanding of HR
practices, policies, etc./

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