Methods of communication

Using multiple communication means will help understanding of the overall message. Common media types include:

• Large workshops – to deliver a clear and consistent message to the target audience on the overall Service Transition approach; this will generally be at the start of any communication strategy in order to build understanding, ownership and even excitement across the teams
• Organization newsletter – to reinforce any messages already delivered; however, care needs to be taken that this approach is used as reinforcement rather than as the first time that employees may have seen the communication cascade
• Training sessions – as part of the Service Transition, roles or processes will be likely to change; this requires targeted training, which should be planned giving sufficient time for employees to get to grips with any new ways of working
• Team meetings – giving support to team leaders from the Service Transition team, who will ensure at their own weekly meetings that they can reinforce any messages; it is at this lower level meeting that the questions that employees have may be better understood, as people will feel within their own comfort zone as they are used to this method of communication with colleagues they work with daily
• Face to face – key stakeholders to make time to visit staff in their work environment (floor walks), to set a positive example of the support by senior management, and allow employees to ask questions pertinent to themselves
• Q&A feedback postings – boards or mail boxes where employees can raise anonymous questions and receive feedback on any concerns they may have
• Corporate intranet
• Reinforcement memos – consistent memos from the senior stakeholder reinforcing key information, or giving an update on the implementation activities, will keep the Service Transition alive for those people not perhaps actually involved at all stages
• Posters/roadmaps – good-quality colourful communications at the end of office floors showing implementation activities, progress or general updates; these are a positive way of keeping communications alive and delivering a consistent message
• Pay advice notes – key communication attached to payslips to ensure a practical 100% communication update
• ‘Z-cards’/encapsulated reference cards – small credit-card-sized documents holding key information and expected to be carried by staff in their wallets or purses.

Example: The service desk

It is important to understand the dynamics of the service desk operation. Generally this group of staff will be doing shift working, with hours covering early mornings, evenings and weekends. They also tend to be one of the largest groups within the support operation, so it is particularly important that they get a consistent message during communication about the change. Some of the communication means that would be appropriate for this audience could be as follows.

Taking selected key people from the service desk such as the shift leaders and team leaders to hear the large workshop brief. This will ensure that a large enough group have heard the full brief, and they will then be in a position to debrief their smaller teams. Members of the Service Transition team could then attend the individual team meetings to support the team leader as they conduct the debrief, and answer any questions. Using reinforcement memos, this ensures that the service desk staff feel that they are being communicated to by the senior stakeholder rather than being left out. It will also help at the point that they are about to take over any support from the Service Transition changes. This is also a cost-effective means of keeping a large group of people up to date and engaged in the process.

Model s help to communicate what people should expect for each service or each type of change. Figure 5.3 is an example of a change model used to transition services from an organization to a commercial service provider. This is an example of a total organizational change where there will be changes in management, processes and staffing, although many staff may transfer into the new service provider organization. Having access to a set of service, change and transition models in a form that is easy to communicate will help to set expectations during the Service Transition.

Figure 5.3 Example of Service Transition steps for outsourcing

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29