What’s the single thing communications professionals worry about the most? I’d hazard, impact – if the things they’re producing, sending and socialising are actually making any difference. And with it, measurement – how to quantify and prove that change is actually taking place.
Next question: what’s the single thing that receives the least attention and investment? I’d say, probably the same thing.
Active and deliberate effort to guarantee objectives are being set, reviewed and achieved is singularly the most worried about and neglected part of all culture change communication planning.
Why is that? Short answer, because it’s difficult. It’s one thing to set a broadly appropriate set of KPIs, quite another to implement and follow-up on genuinely SMART change objectives.
Which is a shame. Because while it’s difficult, it’s also incredibly rewarding.
Measuring the impact of communications on culture change
Any programme that’s been put together in the right way will have these things front and centre: why change is required; what is going to affect change; what are the indicators that change is taking place; what are the mechanisms we’ll use along the way to measure if it’s happening.
Done right, change objectives, tactics and KPIS will actually shape and influence communication, not the other way round. Our communication will be designed with change in mind, with consideration given to how communication might influence the desired objectives and shaped accordingly.
There’s no silver bullet. It will always be a process. But it’s not impenetrable, and it is, actually, quite good fun.
In our next BG Briefing we’ll look at this very issue with a panel of change communication experts in subjects ranging from DEI , conflict resolution, change and communication more broadly. We’ll ask them how they go about the challenge, and what they’ve learnt from experience about how best to measure and prove ROI. Before that you can also read some of our own change and transformation case studies.
To register your interest, fill in your details here, and we’ll send you a calendar invitation with all the information you need. We look forward to seeing you there!
