Strong internal communication is good business. Yet how do you get (and keep) your team connected? Our Flint Group team launched a new program this year, and it’s helped fuel our overall success, too.
Flint + education
We call it Flintucation, literally a combination of all Flint Group team members and education.
Hatched by our young professionals (YP) committee, it’s a monthly meeting of all associates where we simply have selected team members share an aspect of what’s up at Flint.
Let’s learn
As one of my colleagues, Kira Sornsin, also a YP committee member, explains: “Our main goal was to learn from each other. We realize there is a ton of talent here, and there is a lot we can learn from each other. It’s easy to get caught up in our day-to-day responsibilities, so this is a chance to step away from those duties and see what others are doing in hopes everyone can walk away and be able to take one thing they learned and apply it to a project or client.”
What works for an internal communications program
As for me, I’m a professional, but not “young” anymore. Like other more seasoned employees at all companies, I’ve been through many employee development and agency culture programs with similar intentions. Those were OK; Flintucation is really resonating. Why? I’d say because it’s a unique blend of:
- Timely topics
- Smart planning to fit our current employee group
- Analyzing each session with surveys to guide future sessions
How to build or redesign your own program
If you’re looking to begin or amp up your internal communications program, here is some guidance:
Especially in a company like ours, time is money. Yet accurate, frequent company communications can give organizations a major strategic advantage in these changing times, including:
- Recruiting
- Engaged, motivated employees
- More efficient work flow, cooperation and empathy for fellow employees
- Teamwork to reach deadlines within set budgets
- Growth in the right directions
- New business development
Go in with a broad goal, have a couple months of topics and presenters lined up, survey participants after each session and use those results to plan future sessions.
This year, Flintucation topics have included:
- Updates on how we generate and use unique tracking links, bit.lys, redirects and vanity URLs
- Case studies of client work, including successes and opportunities
- Overview and progress of our own new business strategies and tactics
- Recaps of department retreats, professional development conferences we’ve attended and IT info such as malware updates
- Highlights of our own employee stock ownership program and other benefits
Timing and tips
Our Flintucation sessions are each one hour, scheduled for a mid-week morning, and we set up online sharing so anyone can join from anywhere. Our president typically does a very brief (two- to three-minute) introduction, then we move through one to three presenters, 15 to 20 minutes each. We distribute a short online survey to all participants immediately after each Flintucation session, which includes an invitation to present at a future session. It’s becoming a coveted spot to present!
Our young professionals are passionate about cooking and breakfast, so they’ve organized and served up some gourmet offerings, which of course helps attract attendees, yet also shows how our colleagues think Flintucation is worth their extra TLC and preparations.
Let us know if you need help crafting your own internal communications program, or tell us what works in your organization so we can keep cooking up better Flintucation sessions.