University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
Successful Employee Communications
Book

Successful Employee Communications

A Practitioner's Guide to Tools, Models and Best Practice for Internal Communication

Liam FitzPatrick and Sue Dewhurst
Kogan Page, 2022
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Well Structured
  • Concrete Examples

Recommendation

Lots of communication experts have great ideas, yet many fail to convince organizations to embrace their ideas. Learn how to build your influence and position yourself as a problem-solver as you support leaders in pursuing their vision and employees in navigating change. Seasoned communicators Sue Dewhurst and Liam FitzPatrick make a case for clarity, purpose and the employee voice, while offering strategies for communicators to help leaders build meaning and engagement amid uncertainty. Dewhurst and FitzPatrick feature illuminating case studies from organizations like Cisco, HSBC and Novo Nordisk.

Summary

Communicators share meaning and build a sense of purpose.

Good communication provides a foundation for a purposeful culture and employee engagement. Communication happens when meaning transfers from one individual to another. Communicators guide leaders in building mutual understanding with those they lead by facilitating two-way dialogue. Employee communication has four components:

  1. Effective systems: Communicators’ jobs include creating channels that reach everyone at the organization, systematizing ways of listening, and building infrastructure and processes. 
  2. Driving outcomes: By sharing knowledge and triggering positive attitudes and behaviors, communicators help deliver outcomes.
  3. Supporting others: Communicators help leaders earn respect by leveraging communications to gain buy-in, support business needs and serve audiences.
  4. Growing intangible assets: Good communications underpin the organization’s intangible assets, including a healthy culture, positive brand associations and employee engagement.

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About the Authors

Sue Dewhurst spent 20 years working as a senior internal communicator before pivoting to coach and train global leaders in communications. Liam FitzPatrick is a partner at Donhead Consultants in London and the author of Internal Communications: A Manual for Practitioners. Dewhurst and FitzPatrick created Melcrum Black Belt, a leading professional development program for internal communicators.

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