Page 17 - ENGAGE -- Issue #10 -- Fall 2017

Early on, the company’s CEO defended internal marketing efforts from the inevitable cynicism of the operations teams. That gave
the group time to learn and fail, without the pragmatic leaders in the organization pressuring them to fall into line with how things have always been done. To build and protect a place where smart culture thrives, Innisfree created an internal digital agency with a culture that respects and engages in Innisfree’s corporate culture but is also different.
“We integrated some corporate policies so that our culture appeals to creatives,” Thomas explains. “For example, we allow them to wear whatever they want to work. We are task driven, so as long as the work gets done, the creative team can flex their office hours as they wish. Most recently, we adopted kittens. We also have a separate physical space in a different building, with a creative aesthetic and spaces where we can sprawl and brainstorm.”
There was controversy internally around that decision, but Thomas believes the separation has enabled the team to recruit and maintain creative talent who would not thrive in a work environment designed for hotel operators. Thomas reports that the agency now stands on its merit, demonstrates a return on investment, and is winning the respect of “the beast.”
“Our internal marketing initiative helps our team members align with our corporate mission, vision, and goals,” she says. “Internal marketing supports a degree of transparency that provides our team with a degree of comfort about communicating without fear of reprisal. Working with team members
to empower them to play a role in external marketing is the next step.” n
It’s a Rocky Road, but Worth the Trip
Build an internal communication strategy that supports innovation. By Jill Thomas
Lesson 1: Don’t Wing It
A well-planned and robust internal communication strategy smooths the pathway for innovation. In fact, one cannot happen without the other. Without a shared understanding of what and why, resistance and acrimony will escalate. Once that happens, it is a long road back to harmony.
Lesson 2: It’s Going to Be Harder Than You Think
Building shared understanding is no easy task. For instance, email announcements (formerly the most common tactic in my arsenal) are appallingly inadequate. More often, they cause more confusion and anxiety than they resolve.
Lesson 3: They Will Not Come to You, So You Must Go to Them
Internal (much like public-facing) marketing strategies need to be executed seamlessly on multiple channels. Your team members (like consumers) are distracted, inundated with information, and multigenerational, and they have varying access to and comfort with technology.
Today, our in-house agency manages a robust internal communication strategy that employs a variety of tactics, such as company-wide email newsletters, instant messaging on Slack, a corporate blog, social media platforms, and in-person training sessions and workshops.
Most recently, we invested in a social intranet with cool features such as two-way searchable news feeds and discussion threads. We have ongoing one-on-one and small-group training sessions, engaging content, and incentives that drive daily engagement.
Lesson 4: The Marketing Team Must Lead
Even though it was never the plan, hindsight shows that it was a natural t for our in-house marketing to manage internal communications. For great internal communication (as for all marketing campaigns), content is king, and content production sits in the marketing department. Innisfree is likely the only hotel-management group in the United States with a Lead Storyteller, Photographer, and Videographer on the company payroll—and I believe these people are key to our success.
Lesson 5: It’s Not Cheap, But It’s Worth It
Growing our internal communication strategy and sustaining it with amazing content requires a signi cant investment, and we expect a return. How we measure this return is yet to be determined, but we can already see many business advantages.
Social and Mobile Marketing
are critical in helping employees become GREAT BRAND AMBASSADORS.
Check out our infographic for employee engagement stats.
Scan the QR code to view our infographic, or visit:
corporatecommunicationsgroup.com/engagedemployees
Fall 2017
15