Download here - Berenschot

A benchmark of the communication function
in 13 organisations
Robert Wester
Angela Liebregts
Alexandra Schippers
April 2016
1
Research approach
Data collection and analysis
A questionnaire has been prepared for benchmark participants. This questionnaire
comprised a quantitative and qualitative component. This questionnaire addresses,
among other things, the following subjects:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scale of the formation and the hiring of temporary staff
Basic principles of press and media policy
Proportion of central-decentralised
Management
Communications policy
Characterisation of the communications department
External/internal communication
Communication during crisis situations
Trends and developments
The questionnaires were completed by the participants after which an interview took
place to validate and explore in-depth. The data was subsequently analysed.
2
2
Conclusions and recommendations
•
•
Conclusions
Recommendations
3
Conclusions (1)
Size and proportion of the communication formation
• On average, the size of the communication function is about 1.7% of the total
organisation (excluding temporary staff). The greater part of this is dedicated to
external communication.
• The majority of organisations have no clear picture of the scale of temporary staff
in the communication function. People often suspect that quite some hiring of
temporary staff – mainly decentralised – takes place.
• The majority of the organisations do not know the amount of the total
communication budget. It does not appear to be a priority.
• The time of major reorganisations is over. The communication function will
become slightly smaller in the coming years.
• In addition to the (small) shrinkage of the communication function, we see shifts
in emphasis: more focus on social media and internal communication and a
greater need for advisers at the strategic level.
4
Conclusions (2)
Management
• Currently we see in the majority of organisations that the communication formation is
mostly decentralised (approximately 60% is decentralised).
• It is expected, however, that in the coming year the balance will turn towards central
management, because at least three large organisations are on the verge of centralisation.
At the same time, these centralised FTEs under the direction of the central communications
department are being deployed (decentralised) in the primary process.
• The press office, with the exception of Rijkswaterstaat (Directorate-General for Public
Works and Water Management), is commonly managed centrally, with or without strict
frameworks.
• The central communications department is becoming the expert, strategic adviser and
director. The department determines the frameworks concerning communication.
Characterisation of the communications department
• The communications department is beginning to play more and more the role of ‘coach of
the communicating organisation’. There is, therefore, a need for strong, strategic
communication advisers with a feeling for both the primary process and the politicaladministrative context.
5
Conclusions (3)
Internal, external and crisis communication
• There is notable renewed attention (revival) for internal communication.
• External communication is noticing a decline in the media landscape. The quality of
the content of media reports is negatively influenced by this. That is partly why the
focus on online media is increasing.
• Monitoring is considered important (both monitoring of communication policy and
daily news and/or during a crisis). It is remarkable that very little capacity is
dedicated to it.
Trends and innovations
• The role of the traditional press office is limited: growth to a broader role, whereby
the outside world is brought inside.
• More Social Newsroom activities and the creation of your own content.
• Communicating with the individual in society.
• Focus on the ‘communicating organisation’.
• Communication takes responsibility for broader stakeholder management.
6
Recommendations (1)
•
•
•
•
Increase the insight into the hiring of temporary staff with regard to the
communication function. In addition, increase the insight into the scale, criteria
and spending of communication funds, mainly in the decentralised
communication function, or in projects. This will improve the overview and the
management and justify the deployment of communication capacity.
Invest in the quality of the communication advisers – particularly expertise,
advice skills, firmness, strategic insight and political governance sensitivity.
Become the director of the self communicating organisation and invest in the
internal communications department as coach for the organisation. The first step
towards that aim is to develop a corporate story.
Invest extensively in broader stakeholder management. This is in line with the
new role of communication: give signals from the outside world a place within
your own organisation. This is also important when forming alliances.
7
Recommendations (2)
•
•
•
•
Invest in the development of a Social Newsroom.
Invest in tools for your own content creation.
Deploy more capacity in monitoring social media.
Next, make good analyses of that and apply this to the communication plans.
8
Explanation of communicating organisation
In a ‘communicating organisation’ the sender of a message is no longer the
communications department and the press officer, but the entire organisation.
This requires the creation of certain conditions within the organisation:
• It is necessary to create your own content.
• Internal communication in the role of coach.
• External communication and a social newsroom.
• Internal and external communication must strengthen each other. No ‘Chinese
Wall’.
9
2
Appendices:
• The communicating organisation
• The social newsroom
• The future of the press office
10
The communicating organisation
11
The communication function is changing
According to the benchmark participants, the following key words apply to the
future communication function:
Focus on own content
Social media
Share content
Fast
Environmental awareness
Credibility
Trust
Authentic
Own story
Sincere
Credibility
Co-creation
Anticipate trends
Organisation in order
Everyone communicates
Environmentally aware
Coach
Contact
Digital
Interactive
Use own channels
Reliable
Reliability
Connection
Signal
Interactive
Earn trust
Communicating organisation
Integration
Flexible
Open
Issue management
Communication
function directs
Interaction
Part of network
Reputation
Bring the
outside
world
inside
Coach (internal)
Transparency
Creative
Respond faster
Tell stories
Newsroom
Proactive
Credibility guardian
Environment central (external)
12
What is a ‘social newsroom’?
• A social newsroom defines itself as: ‘A (social) media listening centre’.
• A social newsroom is a central place on the website where all news items and
information are concisely and attractively presented (with possible social media
share functions).
• A social newsroom covers monitoring and also the production and dissemination
of news.
• A social newsroom no longer announces static key messages, but provides
information in an attractive and interactive way. Moreover it is ‘real time’.
• The advantages of a social newsroom: one clear location with 24/7 news,
possibility to measure the effect of communication, possibility to expand social
presence and improve findability.
13
The press office in 2020
What will the press office look like in 2020?
• 24/7 service provision is increasing: media experience pressure to publish quickly
and score with news. That requires a fast and brief response!
• The media landscape is in decline. Fewer journalists are becoming less informed
and that can lead to superficial reporting.
• For complete and accurate reporting it is necessary to tell your own story – take
over the role of traditional media.
• Result: the press officer of old is a dying breed – the role is now that of an ‘all
rounder’ who gives information ‘on demand’, makes contacts in the outside world
and brings in signals from the outside world.
14