Purpose

Every communications plan ('comms plan') must have set goals and objectives that can be traced back to the overriding objectives for initiating the change. Setting the objectives of the comms plan defines the 'purpose' of your comms plan.

Activities

• Document the organisational goals for initiating the transformation change. You will typically find this in the Business Case document for that initiative.

• Identify and validate - with the Change Manager - the core purpose of the comms plan. Typically, the primary objectives of most comms plans are to create awareness for the change, facilitate the adoption of the change, and inform of the successes of the change.

Resources

Communications Plan template. Download Template

Purpose

This step aims to identify the group(s) you will communicate with before, during and after the change. This group is what you will identify as the 'impact group' of the change. Remember, in most large change programmes; there may be more than one impacted group. The main messages may differ depending on which group is receiving the messages.

Activities

• Identify the impacted groups of the change:  For an organisation-wide change initiative, identify how the change will impact different divisions, regions, and teams differently. Each group impacted differently could potentially be identified as a user group that needs to be informed of the change.

• Identify who will drive the change forward: when identifying who will drive the change forward, consider the executive sponsor, line managers and supervisors, change networks and champions, and early adopters. The purpose of this activity is to achieve two things:  (1) determine what and how you will communicate to these influential groups to gain their endorsement and support to be the ambassadors for change initiative; (2) determine what and how the drivers of change will have to communicate to the rest of the organisation.

• Identify other support systems and groups that will be enablers of the change. Besides the key enables of the change - like sponsors, line managers and supervisors - you should also consider what and how you will communicate to key support teams like the IT, Information Security, Data, Finance, HR, Learning & Development teams.

Resources

Communications Plan template. Download the template

Purpose

Main messages include critical messages that need to be communicated to create awareness of the need for change and articulate who will be impacted by the change and what is in for them.

Activities

• Tailor your main messages according to the groups you identified in step 2 as those who need to be informed - your target audience.

• Articulate the current situation and rationale for the change, including any business, customer, and operational drivers for change. Also, communicate the change's scope and what success will look like once the change has been implemented and adopted.

• Create main messages focusing on how the change impacts the organisation.

• Draft main messages and tailor the messages to those that need to be informed. Focus on the specifics that affect each group. For example, focus on the main the what is in it for me? (WIIFM) messages when drafting key messages for employees directly impacted by the change.

• Write core messages addressing the change initiative's stage or phase.  Pay particular attention to the tone of the message for the appropriateness of the timing.

Resources

Communications Plan template. Download the template.

Purpose

The bearer of the core messages significantly improves the effectiveness of the intended objectives of the messages. Choose the carriers of your change messages carefully. 

Activities

• For messages related to the change, such as how the change aligns with the organisation's strategy and the drivers of the change and the risk of not implementing or adopting the change, choose the Senior Business Sponsor to carry your core messages. 

• For messages related to individual change transitions, such as how the change impacts the specific individuals or groups of individuals who are primarily interested in understanding what's in it for them, choose Line-Managers/Supervisors as senders of the core messages.

Resources

Communications Plan template. Download the template.

Purpose

You must recognise that different people like to receive information differently. How you communicate during change must be no different.

Activity

• Investigate if people want to receive information via email or in person. Assess the individual(s) in question and determine the best way to communicate the information. 

• Run a pilot with early adopters trying out varying communication channels, including email, Microsoft Teams channels and groups, Yammer groups, and lunch and learn sessions.

• Use existing organisational comms channels like weekly all-company memos, weekly team meetings, etc.

Resources

Communications Plan template. Download the template

Purpose

Timing is everything [John Sculley].

Perhaps, the most crucial piece of this 8-point guide to a Communications Plan. 

Activities

We have identified five critical stages of every change initiative that you must consider as a critical stage of your comms execution:

• During the infancy of the change initiative, the case for change is still being formulated and when the business case has been drafted and approved. This is a perfect opportunity to take the business case on a 'road show' to communicate the benefits of the impending change to other senior leaders, managers, and supervisors. The roadshow could include design thinking workshops and lunch and learn sessions to gain initial feedback about the business case for the change initiative.

• Before deployment:  this is the period where you have completed change planning and are about to deploy the change. Start creating awareness that change is coming, and articulate what is in it for everyone, including front-line workers. Be sure to highlight the consequences for the organisation if the change is not adopted.

• During deployment, begin to aggressively communicate the critical drivers for that change initiative. Also, continue to point to early successes of the change initiative.

• After deployment: communicate to end users why continued usage is essential. Reinforce the core messages and quickly point out early successes. 

Resources

Communications Plan template. Download the template.

Purpose

This is where you begin to put the pieces together.  Complete the activities below to create your communications plan.

Activities

• Download the Communications Plan template and begin to fill in the blanks. 
• Make sure to make use of the Change Communications Toolkit.
• Check if your plan addresses the who, what, when, where and how question.
• Pilot the communications plan via your Early Adopter Program
• Gather feedback from early adopters and amend the communications plan as appropriate.
• Scale the rollout of the Communications Plan.

Resources

Communications Plan template. Download the template.

Purpose

How do you know if your communications plan has the desired outcomes and the expected impact on your change initiative?

Defining metrics is crucial.  Consider creating and tracking the following communications-related metrics.

Activities

• Intranet page views
• Number of Intranet page views
• Number of attendees at town halls, launch buzz sessions
• Define KPIs for intranet page visits and logins
• Number of responses to workplace social posts

Resources

Communications Plan template. Download the template.