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Global Communications Projects: Secrets for Success

April 20, 2023

Congratulations! You’ve been tapped to lead communications on a large global project. This offers a world of opportunity to prove your communications chops, flex some new muscles, and even advance your career.

These types of projects tend to be fast-paced with a constantly changing roadmap – but there are things you can do to set yourself up for success. O’Keefe Group associates have worked on numerous projects like these spanning everything from launching new enterprise benefits to mergers and acquisitions to corporate spin-offs to information technology. We’ve compiled our top tips below to help you knock your project out of the park.

Always think global
One of the great opportunities with global projects is to work with colleagues from different countries and cultures. So remember to Think Global in everything you do. This means avoiding US-centric references (e.g., referring to American “football” which is soccer in the rest of world) and idiomatic language that could be potentially confusing or offensive in other parts of the world. Even graphics need to be approached through a broader lens. An owl, for example, depicts wisdom in some cultures but symbolizes death, desolation, or bad luck in others.

Think, and act, like a project manager
As the comms lead, you’re likely to be an advisor and shaper of messaging as well as the project manager for communications. Having the right tools to manage all the moving pieces can make your job a lot easier. An Excel spreadsheet or project management software will help you build your schedule and stay on track. For example, if you’re going to send an email communication to all finance employees in Japan, you’ll need to allocate time for drafting, key stakeholder review, legal review, translation, translation quality control, formatting, proofing, and delivery.

Multiply this by dozens of other messages and you begin to understand the need for a good tracking system. Start with your deadline (e.g., All finance employees in Japan need to receive this email on October 1, 2023) and work backwards to capture every step in the process. Then fill in the dates for meeting the key milestones.

Understand roles and responsibilities
Sometimes lines of responsibility get blurred with groups that work closely – communications and change management, for example. It helps to sort this out with your colleagues early in the project to avoid turf wars and duplication of effort.

Also, as the lead communicator, you may need to identify the subject matter expert on a number of different topics to develop messaging. This is often a challenge with large global projects because roles rarely have a detailed job description. So expect to put on your detective hat to track down the people that can provide the information you need.

Be transparent
Transparency is collaboration’s best friend. Here’s an example: One of our global projects involved liaising with project team members in every geographic region, plus a laborious process for creating communications that included enterprise and legal review, translation, translation quality control, formatting, distribution list prep, and other tasks that added days or weeks to the timeline.

As we focused on getting the job done under tight deadlines, we realized that our non-communications colleagues were unaware of certain steps in the process that they weren’t directly involved with. One simple slide that detailed the end-to-end comms process solved the problem. We also shared our communications tracker with the larger team so that deadlines and accountabilities were crystal clear. As a result, other team members came to understand that the process was more time consuming than they imagined – and adjusted their ways of working to meet critical deadlines.

Don’t get lost in translation
On a recent project we supported, nearly 30 languages were involved, and we came away with some important lessons:

• Use Google Translate judiciously: It can be a great tool, but it has limitations and rarely captures the nuances you will need to communicate clearly and accurately in a corporate environment.

• Be sensitive to language variations: There is a difference between European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese, for example. If you want to get your audience on board with your message, provide it in the language they speak – not the one that closely resembles it.

• Build in native language review: If you don’t have someone on your comms team who is fluent in a language, a team member from the region should review the translation, because even the best translation services rarely provide flawless work. Regional project managers should identify and liaise with these native language reviewers. Make sure to give them a clear deadline and to build translation quality check into your timeline.

• Communications in other alphabets (Arabic, Chinese, etc.) should be carefully proofread by someone who knows them. It’s hard enough proofing content in another language, but it’s virtually impossible when you don’t recognize the characters.

Ask yourself: email or meeting?
Email is to a project as air is to breathing: You critically need it, but it’s important not to pollute your project with email overload. Ask yourself: Is email the right channel for this? As the communications lead on the team, you can provide a model for getting things done efficiently and effectively.

You’ve probably been on an email thread that goes back and forth without resolution or that is forwarded to multiple people in search of an answer. And online collaboration tools are great – but they’re no substitute for real-time meetings.

A half-hour virtual meeting with key team members from different functions is often the most efficient and effective way to resolve a thorny issue or develop an important message. We know it’s easier to send an email than to navigate the calendars of six busy people and come up with a suitable meeting time – but in our experience, it’s worth the effort!

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Do you have a large global project coming up? The O’Keefe Group has a wealth of experience providing strategic communications support and tactical solutions to Fortune 500 companies undergoing transformational changes and launching new initiatives. Our experience “in the trenches” has yielded valuable lessons learned and best practices that we can share with you. Contact us today.

4 Reasons AI Won’t Replace Communicators

March 30, 2023

By Margo Hackel, Senior Communication Consultant

Ai - artificial intelligenceArtificial Intelligence (AI)—specifically, the reigning AI darling ChatGPT—is everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. It’s been covered by major media and broadcast news. Many columns and explainers tell us how to use it and how creepy it can be. And then there are the gazillions of LinkedIn carousels highlighting ways to use it for work tasks and job hunts, and how best to prompt it.

Every single day, I see multiple mentions of this natural language learning machine from OpenAI. ChatGPT was even an answer on my favorite game show, “Jeopardy!,” and a recent topic on my favorite late night show, “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”

Of course, ChatGPT is not the only contender in the AI space. Everyone from Google and Microsoft to Salesforce and Meta have joined the race to capture attention and interest. For example, in addition to embedding OpenAI into its Bing search engine, Microsoft recently announced it will embed the technology into Word and Excel. They’re also rolling out AI-enabled Microsoft Designer, which some are saying can out-canva Canva!

I’ve spent some time experimenting with ChatGPT over the past several weeks, and despite some of the fear it will replace communications jobs, I’m completely fascinated by what it can do—and what it can’t. I personally don’t believe AI can realistically replace communicators and writers, despite some organizations experimenting with using it that way.

Here are four reasons AI won’t replace communications jobs—and why I believe we should embrace this technology.

1) AI can enhance but not replace human creativity
While AI can perform certain tasks more efficiently than humans, it is not capable of creativity and understanding context, which are essential elements of effective communication. Communicators can use AI’s data-driven insights and automation to develop new ways of conveying information and engaging audiences. However, communications also requires a high degree of creativity that AI currently can’t match. And when it comes to using AI for writing, it can’t create anything original–it simply repurposes content that already exists.

2) AI lacks emotional intelligence
Effective communication is not just about sharing information. It’s also about building relationships and connecting with people on an emotional level—ever hear or use the phrase “Winning hearts and minds?” While AI can simulate human-like interactions, it can’t replace the personal connections and rapport that human communicators can build with their audiences. AI also can’t comprehend sentiment, understand cultural nuances, or respond to non-verbal cues like we humans can.

3) AI can generate insights but not interpret them
While AI can certainly analyze vast amounts of data and generate insights, it can’t interpret those insights. Communication is not just about delivering a message—it’s also about understanding the audience and their needs. AI can help gather and analyze data about audiences, but communicators are needed to interpret and apply that data to develop effective communication strategies.

4) AI can’t replace human judgment
Communicators often need to make judgment calls based on their experience and understanding of their organization and audience. AI can provide data and insights to inform those decisions, but it can’t take the place of human judgment. It is not a replacement for the strategic thinking and decision-making skills experienced communicators bring to the table.

What AI can do: free up time for more strategic work
While there’s a lot that AI can’t do, it does excel at certain things such as automating tasks and processes. This frees up time for communicators to spend on more strategic work that requires their unique skills and expertise. For example, they can use AI to streamline routine tasks like scheduling social media posts or generating first drafts so they can focus on developing communication strategies or building relationships with stakeholders.

For these reasons I believe communicators should embrace AI rather than viewing it as a threat to their jobs. By combining the strengths and capabilities of AI with experience and expertise, communicators can be more efficient and effective at helping organizations and clients achieve better communication outcomes.

Full disclosure: This post was written with an assist from ChatGPT.

Getting the Most from Pulse Surveys: Tips from Expert Communicators

March 16, 2023

By Danielle Foley, Senior Communication Consultant

Pulse surveys are a great tool for gaining insight into employee satisfaction and the employee experience. Typically just 5 to 20 questions, they tend to focus on a near-term objective or change management initiative and, unlike larger engagement surveys, are distributed multiple times per year.

Pulse surveys have many benefits:

• Their brevity increases employee response rates.
• Results can be analyzed quickly so feedback can be swiftly acted upon.
• They can surface minor issues before they become bigger problems.
• It’s easy to see trends over time to determine if actions are having an impact.
• Regular pulse checks show employees you care about what they have to say.

During the pandemic, pulse surveys became indispensable for helping companies quickly capture employee sentiment on a rapidly changing workplace. We spoke with  several HR and communications experts to explore how they’re using pulse surveys now, and get tips and insights on how to get the most out of this valuable tool. Here are the highlights.

Angela Sinickas, CEO – Sinickas Communications, Inc.

Q: When is it best to use a pulse survey versus a larger survey?
Pulse surveys are a great way for employers to touch base in between larger engagement surveys that are usually conducted every other year. They’re also really helpful when you are rolling out a new initiative – like a return-to-office approach or a new communication channel – because you can get a baseline on how employee sentiment has changed by doing one before the change and another after implementation.

Q. What is your one tip for getting a good completion rate on a pulse survey?
A. I always caution my clients that it’s critical to not bury a pulse survey in an existing channel, for example, the intranet or a newsletter. Not only will it be harder for employees to find, but if you do this, you’ll essentially be over-surveying the heavy users of that particular channel. We have much better success rates – and more reliable results – when we send one-off emails with a direct link to the survey.

Q. Many employers have “non-desk” populations, for example, those in healthcare or manufacturing. What’s the best way to reach those populations with a pulse survey?
A. I find that print is a successful approach with this population. Most non-desk employees have a common meeting space like a breakroom where they can fill out a paper survey and place it in a sealed box. We’ve also made surveys accessible on work-provided mobile phones. QR codes that go directly to the survey are also great.

Q. If you don’t want to send out a formal pulse survey, what are some creative ways to get a quick pulse check?
A. Giving users the ability to click a thumbs up or down emoji after reading something is good. Also, I like putting bins near the door at in-person events like town halls. As people leave, I ask them to put a ping pong ball in one bin if they felt the event was useful, or in another if they felt it was a waste of time.

Another idea to gauge awareness or understanding at an event is to ask for a show of hands on a particular question both before and after the material is presented to show how it made an impact.

Andrea Herron, Head of People – WebMD Health Services

Q. How are you using pulse surveys at WebMD Health Services?
A. Before each employee town hall, I send out a quick pulse survey about a few relevant topics. The feedback I get helps me focus in on the issues that are most important to our people in a particular moment. This strategy was hugely helpful as we navigated through all the different phases of the pandemic. I personally find pulse surveys to be really useful and a lot more effective than larger cultural surveys.

Q. As a corporate well-being provider, how do pulse surveys help your clients get a read on what employees need when it comes to well-being?
A. Our clients often include pulse surveys on their well-being portals about a number of important topics like employee sentiment on flexible work arrangements, returning to the office, mental health, manager support, feelings of belonging and inclusion, and even how well people are sleeping! They’re a great way to zero in on a particular aspect of well-being you want to know more about in real time.

Oonagh Power – Director, Associate Communications, TIAA

Q. TIAA has an ingrained practice of seeking employee feedback. How is the company using pulse surveys this year to deepen understanding of how employees are feeling?
A. Pulse surveys have been a helpful tool for us, and we increased usage during the pandemic to get feedback on new ways of working and other company-wide changes. We’ve been lucky to get good responses rates on our surveys—around 80% to be exact. Our Associate Experience team is continuing this approach and supplementing it with an in-person listening tour and focus groups at regional offices.

Q. What do you find is the best mix of pulse and long-form engagement surveys?
Last year we sent three surveys – two pulse and one full engagement survey – which worked well. This year we’ll send a full survey in the first quarter and one additional pulse survey, but that could change depending on the needs of the business. That’s the great thing about pulse surveys – you can be more nimble and add them quickly since they’re just a few questions.

We also have surveys on our intranet home page that pop up once every three weeks. These are perfect for getting general employee experience or technology feedback.

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Our experts agree – pulse surveys remain a valuable, effective tool for gauging worker sentiment. In today’s tight labor market, it’s one you’ll want to keep in your toolbox. Need help crafting and executing an effective employee listening strategy? Contact us today.

Don’t Let Progress Blockers Block Your Progress

February 23, 2023

How to keep difficult colleagues from derailing your communication project

By Margo Hackel, Senior Communication Consultant

You’re working on a benefits enrollment guide, an annual report, a new program rollout – or any communications project that needs input from multiple stakeholders. How do you manage recalcitrant reviewers? Whether it’s Negative Nellie, Harry the Hippo, Literary Lucy, the Legal Eagles, or Polly Perfectionist, each has their own, uh, “special” way of sending the review process spiraling into yet another round. Who are these people, how do they impede progress, and – more importantly – what can you do about them?

Negative Nellie doesn’t like anything the team produces and pooh-poohs everything from initial concept to final copy. She rarely has a positive thing to say, and her naysaying ways are starting to disrupt the team’s momentum. Her hole-poking habits may be an attempt to show she’s smarter than everyone else – or maybe she’s just naturally argumentative and thrives on debate.

How do you deal with Nellie? Seek her input and try to gain her buy-in from the very beginning. Make sure you understand her objections and fairly evaluate whether they have merit. Don’t let Nellie’s reputation prevent you from accepting her constructive criticism. But if you feel some suggestions are gratuitous, you may need to engage other reviewers with more clout to overrule her.

Who is Harry the Hippo? He’s the guy in the room (or on Zoom) offering the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion. Often the most senior stakeholder, Harry feels it’s his job to influence outcomes and add value. Whether his questions and comments are genuinely useful or more ego-driven doesn’t matter. This one’s important, yet tricky, to manage.

How do you handle Harry? First, accept that he will have an opinion and it matters. And if he doesn’t know you well, or you’re not in his inner circle, he may be wary of your ideas. He needs to feel confident, though, so the key is to build a strong relationship, cultivating rapport and trust. As with Nellie, you should seek Harry’s buy-in well in advance of any formal decision-making session, to ensure he’s aligned with your plan. And if he’s questioning content in a document, be prepared to defend what it says and why.

Literary Lucy tends to overload documents with flowery language and convoluted turns of phrase. Maybe she aspires to be a best-selling novelist, but the team’s goal is a business deliverable, not a literary manuscript. Lucy’s copy may be eloquent, but it’s not effective in a business context.

How can you persuade Lucy to save the fancy prose for her novel-in-the-making? This can require a delicate touch. Gently remind her of the audience: They’re busy businesspeople who need clear, concise, actionable information. Encourage Lucy to self-edit so she has some agency in this effort. Remind her that in business, word salad should not be on the menu, and she should simplify her word choices. On the other hand, well-placed metaphors and images (her forte) can help readers better understand complex messages. And for communication that lends itself to storytelling – a highly engaging technique – Lucy may be your go-to person.

Who’s likely to eliminate creativity and lively copy in the name of protecting the company? Meet the Legal Eagles! With their vested interest in preventing lawsuits and avoiding bad looks, these folks have their red pens ready for markup. Whether they cut copy they consider risky, rewrite it to make it feel cold and choppy, or destroy readability with tedious legalese, their input can seem harsh. However, it’s feedback you just can’t ignore.

How can you manage the Legal Eagles’ input without sacrificing the upbeat tone you’ve worked hard to achieve? Try getting ahead of it by consulting with them early in the project. Ask questions. Get context. Understand and plan to address potential legal concerns before you start writing. When it’s time to send for review, frame theirs as purely legal: “Please let us know if you have any changes from a legal perspective – requirements, dealbreakers, or roadblocks.” If they offer more subjective suggestions or personal opinions, don’t feel compelled to incorporate them. Instead, stick to what’s strictly legal.

Finally, let’s consider Polly Perfectionist. She’s a compulsive editor and proofreader who can’t help but spot every error, no matter how small or insignificant (Full disclosure: This is totally me!) She tends to focus on the minutiae and lose sight of the bigger picture – sometimes slowing progress to a crawl as she points out every misplaced modifier and pesky punctuation problem.

How can you prod Polly along? Remind her that while perfection is certainly something to strive for, it can also be the “enemy of good.” With her eagle eye, she may be the only one who notices the fine details that will escape most stakeholders, and audience members won’t give them a second thought. High profile content, print communications, or anything with a long shelf life may merit Polly’s approach. In these cases, show your appreciation for her perfectionism – as long as her edits don’t slow down the production schedule.

Every project has it challenges – tight deadlines, changing priorities, limited resources. When the challenges come from fellow team members, it pays to be patient, flexible, open-minded, and diplomatic. Make sure your colleagues don’t think of you as Difficult Dan.

The Evolution of DE&I: An Insider’s Look

February 9, 2023

Meet veteran DE&I leader and disability advocate Jim Sinocchi

By now, the business case for workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is clear, and DE&I is increasingly critical for recruiting and retaining workers.

  • A 2020 McKinsey study shows that companies ranking highest in workforce diversity were 36% more profitable in 2019 than those with the least diverse workforces.
  • Seventy-six percent of millennials responding to the 2022 EY US Generation Survey said they’d leave an employer who did not offer DE&I initiatives.

But what does DE&I look like from the inside?

We asked Jim Sinocchi, who has spent more than 40 years communicating about and advocating for DE&I, with a particular focus on the disability community.

How have DE&I issues changed over the years? What’s remained constant?

In many ways, DE&I is still trying to find itself. The world is more aware of DE&I issues and benefits, and people are becoming more inclusive in their thinking, but we continue to face challenges, which differ depending on the constituency. Blacks, Women, Hispanics, and Veterans – the traditional DE&I constituencies – have made major steps forward. But we have more work to do for other groups, including the disability and LGBTQ communities.

Leaders also think about what DE&I means from their personal perspectives – how to engage in discussions, the appropriate vocabulary, the right protocols – as well as trying to define what equity and inclusion mean today.

So, the picture is blurry. DE&I isn’t just one thing – it never has been – and it’s not as easy a journey as we sometimes think it is. There’s a lot going on, and we’re not at a steady state just yet.

You’ve worked for two major corporations – IBM and JPMorgan Chase. In your experience, how do senior leaders think about DE&I?

Senior leaders have been very good at embracing DE&I issues and challenges, but not all of them are comfortable with the journey that still needs to be taken. That’s where advocates and education will always be needed – to help leaders better understand what their employees need to perform at their very best, on a level playing field with their peers.

How you recruit, define business outcomes, and meet regulatory compliance needs – all of these contribute to hiring the best candidates for a job, regardless of race, color, orientation, gender, or disability.

I’m part of the disability community, and I can tell you that while we are acknowledged as part of DE&I, we are trailing when it comes to hiring, leadership, and access to capital. When we set out to change that at IBM and JPMorgan Chase, we made it clear – with a superior communications and media plan, and leadership at the top of the business – that we were looking for talent, including talent from the disability community.

We shared our strategy with anyone who asked. We wanted to help change the marketplace for people who are perceived as different. We focused on four areas:

  • Attitude – Embracing a variety of people who are different – across the organization.
  • Accommodations – Ensuring that people with different disabilities have the tools they need to perform their jobs – for example, captioning, screen readers, and ramps.
  • Accessibility – Providing access to both physical and technology infrastructures, including real estate modifications.
  • Assimilation – Fostering a culture of inclusion in an organization where people share values, in pursuit of a common goal.

During my tenure at JPMC, we saw increased interest in job applications from people with disabilities – and we hired many of them based on their qualifications. Of course, our affirmative action policies were already in play, but the firm promoted its new Office of Disability Inclusion and its interest in hiring qualified people with disabilities. And guess what, it worked!

So, progress and success are possible, but it takes resources, talent, leadership support, and collaboration across an organization – including communications, technology, real estate, and legal – to embrace inclusion and put it into practice. I’m optimistic, but I also know that some people remain biased or uncomfortable about working with people who are different. That bias may never go away, but that doesn’t mean we stop trying.

What advice do you have for those of us who communicate about DE&I issues?

Begin with fundamental communication principles: Know your audience. Communicate in a way that engages them. Encourage dialog – without preaching or forcing ideas on people. If you are representing a particular group, say, “Let me tell you a story about this community.”

If you’re communicating one-on-one with a person from a marginalized group, start by being cordial – say, “Hello, how are you?” Ask about their work, their interests, and their point of view. When I talk about disability inclusion, I try to make it clear that the people in this community aren’t just disabled – they’re parents, wives, husbands, and children. Yes, there are things they can’t do, but they also have something to contribute; their lives and values didn’t stop when they became disabled.

And it’s important to recognize where people are in their DE&I journey. We’re living in a time of increased controversy, evolving values, new gender identity dynamics, and hyper-charged social media. Some people don’t understand what’s changing because things are moving quickly. So, we need to listen and try to meet people where they are. Communicate in an authentic, thoughtful, balanced way. All of us are learning, and progress takes time.

What can communicators do to be more effective DE&I partners and advocates?

Understand the issues. Educate ourselves.

  • Talk with DE&I leaders within companies, find out what’s working and not working.
  • Go to communications seminars and events that feature DE&I topics.
  • Seek out experts – reporters, researchers, and educators who study and cover DE&I issues. Where are they getting their information? How do they get a good story?
  • Speak to professionals in each constituency, understand their common goals and unique challenges.
  • Read widely and with a critical eye. In today’s media environment, it’s important to recognize when a reporter or publication – even an academic researcher – has an agenda or a bias. If you’re only looking at one media outlet or talking to one expert, you may not be getting the full story.

As communicators, it’s our job to get the facts, be accurate and be ready to accept a new perspective or paradigm. We can also draw distinctions and make connections. I’ve done this with my DE&I colleagues, challenging them to recognize the disabled people in their own constituencies. In every DE&I group – Blacks, Women, LGBTQ, Asians, you name it – somewhere around 20 percent are disabled, something most of my colleagues didn’t realize. So, communicators can help get people out of their comfort zone and learn to think more broadly.

Any final thoughts?

I’m extremely grateful to have been able to do the work I’ve done. My DE&I strategy came from lived experience, as an able-bodied person who became totally paralyzed early in my IBM career. I was fortunate to work for two major companies that were committed to diversity and inclusion. I knew people were watching what we did, and I had the opportunity to make a difference.

Over the years, I’ve come to think of myself as a champion for humanity. Getting diverse groups of people hired and promoted into leadership positions is important, but it’s bigger than that. It’s about lifting a “global disability community” that’s been disenfranchised for many years and making the world a better place for everyone.

Communications Crystal Ball: 3 Trends to Watch in 2023

January 27, 2023

By Margo Hackel, Senior Communication Consultant

‘Tis the season for forecasting workplace trends, so we thought we’d weigh in. These three trends, in particular, could have a big impact for communicators as they manage employee attraction and retention in the coming year:

  1. The “paper ceiling” is getting torn down

There’s a perfect storm of factors coming together around dismantling college degree requirements for employment, and it bodes well for those who are taking alternate paths:

First, despite major layoffs in recent days, it’s still a tight labor market, so companies need to get creative in who they hire, and why.

Second, the business world is simply moving faster than ever before, and nearly everything (everywhere, all at once) is shifting. As role descriptions and career paths become more fluid and technical upskilling becomes a regular requirement, companies are placing less emphasis on formal education and instead are looking at softer skills to predict potential. For example, creativity, communication, and a growth mindset are being touted as some of the most important skills for today’s workers.

Third, employers have a mandate to get real about diversity and inclusion. People without a college degree don’t have alumni networks and can run up against biased algorithms, stereotypes, and misconceptions. Companies screening only for candidates with college degrees are disproportionately excluding Black, Hispanic, rural and veteran workers. This approach doesn’t help anyone get ahead.

Finally, the cost of college tuition is soaring, setting more employees on less traditional paths.

What this means for communicators: Communicators will have to work closely with their DEI and HR teams to position the organization as a truly inclusive employer – one who values the whole individual, not just the piece of paper they walk in with. They will also have to help HR folks create a marketing strategy that seeks out nontraditional talent to fill open roles.

  1. Shhhhh… people and employers are going “quiet”

In 2022, we heard an endless dialogue in the media about the state of “quiet quitting.” This is when employees do their jobs but don’t regularly put in the effort to go the extra mile. They aren’t leaving their organizations, but they aren’t centering their lives around work, either. This trend continues into 2023 as employees seek better boundaries and balance between their work and personal lives.

A new buzz phrase describes another form of passive-aggression in the workplace: “quiet firing.” This involves managers pushing employees out by withholding coaching, support, and opportunities for growth and career development. Signs of quiet firing include shifting key tasks to others, preventing participation in special projects, denying promotions or raises, or establishing unreasonable performance goals.

As if this weren’t enough, there’s also a new trend of “quiet hiring” (or at least there’s a newly coined phrase for a longstanding practice that occurs during economic downturns). Quiet hiring has employers downsizing their workforce, then turning to freelancers and contract workers. This way employers can gain new capabilities without gaining new FTEs. A recent ResumeBuilder.com survey revealed:

  • 6 in 10 companies will likely lay off employees in 2023;
  • 7 in 10 companies are likely to implement a hiring freeze in 2023;
  • 1 in 4 of companies have reduced current employees’ salaries.

Nearly 40% of the companies that had recent layoffs said they plan to hire contract workers to replace departing talent and more than half have asked some full-time employees to transition to contract work.

What this means for communicators: To maintain employee engagement and culture, communicators will have to work extra hard to reach all their stakeholders, including current employees, potential employees, and even their contract workers, whose social media voices could go a long way toward making or breaking employer reputation.

  1. Pay is getting clearer, but not everywhere – yet

Across the United States, we’re seeing pay transparency laws proliferate as workers and lawmakers push for greater workplace equality. Some places (i.e., Colorado, Washington, and New York City) mandate salary ranges in published job postings. Others (Rhode Island, Maryland, Nevada and more) require employers to disclose salary ranges to applicants at a specified point in the hiring process, or to employees upon request or when changing jobs. And some states, such as New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont have pay equity laws, which say employers can’t pay employees of different genders differently for similar work.

Pay transparency could be good for everyone – including job seekers, current employees, and even employers, as Kathryn Vasel writes in CNN Business. But it could also backfire, as current employees find out just how much they are underpaid, or potential employees get frustrated at the breadth of the salary bands posted.

What this means for communicators: To attract the level of talent they want, HR communicators will have to step up their storytelling skills. It starts with the job boards, but it doesn’t end there: How can the job description itself be compelling enough to encourage applicants to act? How can the interview process become a storytelling opportunity? And how else can organizations amplify messages about their culture and reputation so potential employees can view pay as an important, but not the only, driving factor when considering taking – or keeping – a position?

These three trends are all going to keep communicators busy in the days ahead. But one thing’s for sure – there will be plenty to write about! For help sorting through the impact of these and other comms trends in 2023, contact us.

New Year, New Opportunities to Highlight Your Benefits

January 10, 2023

By Jessica Cogan, Senior Communication Consultant

The beginning of the year is a great time to make some meaningful resolutions about your benefits communications. To get started, cast your mind back at the year in the rearview mirror: Did you have regular touchpoints with employees about their benefits, or did they hear from you only during annual enrollment? Revisit your tactics: Were your employees partial to one communication type over another? Infographics over brochures? Texts over emails? Decide what needs changing. Now’s your chance to make a good start.

You probably already know it’s not ideal to talk about benefits with your employees only at enrollment time. Regular communication helps employees take full advantage of their benefits by offering them timely resources, and it helps you build trust with employees. The right cadence depends on your company’s culture and what’s happening within the organization – some teams like monthly benefits newsletters, where others find quarterly campaigns sufficient. Creating a year-long communications plan – one that considers competing communication priorities – is something you can do right now and reap the rewards of all year long.

Filling out your year-round communications strategy

Here are some ideas for promoting benefits throughout the year.

  • Start with listening. When was the last time you asked your employees what they want and need from benefits communications? If it’s feasible, take a quick pulse survey to find out what information employees need, what they might be confused about, how often they want to receive communications, and in what format. This can help you build a more effective communication plan for the year.
  • Focus on action. At the start of the year, when benefits change or new benefits become available, consider sending employees a quick checklist of information they need to know or actions they need to take. For instance, employees may need to be on the lookout for new ID cards or need information about how the plan they selected a few months back will actually play out for them when they need to seek care in the year ahead.
  • Prioritize wellness. Have a wellness program? Increase engagement by spotlighting it while New Year commitments to self-improvement are still top of mind – and keep communicating about wellness later in the year as a resolution reminder.
  • Align your communications with moments of national awareness or appreciation. February is National Heart Month, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. These are great opportunities to promote your health and wellness benefits. But there’s also Home Office Safety and Security Week, International Women’s Day, and Financial Literacy Month in April. Get creative about opportunities to promote programs that might not get the attention they deserve.
  • Target employee groups that need extra support year-round. Consider outreach to employee groups that could benefit from resources created just for them – for example, people with diabetes, new parents, or caretakers of elderly parents. Create resource guides or toolkits that feature the programs, policies, and benefits that can support them – all in one place. When employees are struggling or facing new challenges, they’ll appreciate the benefits team that provides holistic support.

With a little forethought and planning, your annual benefits communication plan can have a big impact. Ongoing communication increases plan participation rates and helps employees understand their benefits, so they can get the support they need, when they need it. And by building trust and awareness with your people, thoughtful benefits communication can help you position your organization as an employer of choice.

Need help creating your annual strategy? Give us a call.

 

A time to celebrate, unwind and read

December 19, 2022

 

Some favorite books from your friends at the O’Keefe Group

Everyone appreciates the gift of downtime. Our holiday wish for you is that you get some time off this December to enjoy family, friends, and a good book or two. So, rather than our usual business insights, this week we’re sharing some of the books we’ve loved during 2022.

 

FICTION

If you finally have time for one of the most highly praised novels of recent years…

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr brings together a memorable collection of characters from three different times and places: 1453 in Constantinople, 2020 in an Idaho library, and sometime in the future on the interstellar ship Argos. “Bound together by a single ancient text, the tales form a rich tapestry of solace and resilience and a celebration of storytelling itself.” (Goodreads)

If you’re a fan of historical fiction and beautifully crafted writing…

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell paints a luminous portrait of Agnes, a free spirit and healer born in Warwickshire, England in the 1580s. Agnes settles with her husband in Stratford and has three children, Susanna, Judith and Hamnet. Her husband, a playwright, later writes Hamlet, in honor of their son.

O’Keefe Group Senior Communicator Cathy Donnelly had this to say: “O’Farrell’s imaginative, compelling, lyrical tale transports us to a time that seems at once distant and contemporary. It’s the deeply layered story of an oddly gifted woman, an unconventional marriage, and the devastating and ultimately transformative power of grief.”

If you loved Little Fires Everywhere….

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng is told through the lens of 12-year-old Bird Gardner. Bird lives with his father in a society governed by laws designed to preserve “American culture.” After receiving a mysterious letter, Bird embarks on a quest to find the truth about his mother, a Chinese-American poet who left the family when Bird was nine, and whose works have been removed from the libraries.

O’Keefe Group Senior Communicator Tammy Kleinman says “Ng’s novel shows us the very real perils of censorship, isolation and fear, but it is also a love letter to storytelling, which has the power to help us heal.”

If you think YOUR family is dysfunctional….

The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz is the story of an affluent New York couple and their triplets, who share few interests and little affection for each other. Most of the book takes place after they leave for college, when their mother’s loneliness leads to a surprising decision. The skillfully woven storylines and plot twists meander from Brooklyn to Cornell University to the world of modern art, and the author’s razor-sharp satire of contemporary culture is hilarious. Fans of Austen and Dickens will see their influence in this otherwise very modern novel.

NONFICTION

If you’re looking for something laugh-out-loud funny (but also poignant)….

The Best of Me by David Sedaris finds the humorist older and wiser but still riotously funny. There’s a lot about Sedaris’s partner, Hugh, even more about the oddball Sedaris family, and hilarious snapshots of a recent book tour. He also shops for rare taxidermy, hitchhikes with a lady quadriplegic, spits a lozenge into a fellow traveler’s lap, and hand-feeds a carnivorous bird.

For O’Keefe Group Founder Teryl Taglieri, “the humor and wit of Sedaris is my remedy for a bad day, and The Best of Me is the best of him.”

If you’ve seen it on all the lists and wondered why….

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is a remarkably wise memoir by the 30- something founder of the band Japanese Lunch. Zauner explores her identity as an Asian-American and the bonds that food can create. This includes frequent visits to H Mart, an Asian market in her hometown of Eugene, Oregon.

O’Keefe Group Senior Communicator Danielle Foley calls this “a beautiful memoir of a daughter caring for her mother during the last stage of a terminal illness. Crying in H Mart will have you, yes crying, but also craving the amazingly delicious Korean food that is cooked and meticulously described throughout the book.”

If you miss Trevor Noah already….

 

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah is another memoir by a young, talented offspring of mixed parentage. Noah grew up in Apartheid-era South Africa, the son of a black mother and white father at a time when inter-racial marriage was illegal. He recounts his upbringing in Soweto, where his light skin made him a curiosity, with his trademark mixture of humor and righteous indignation. After a childhood spent in poverty, Noah sold pirated CDs and later started a DJ business, launching his astonishingly successful career in entertainment.

If you want a glimpse into a fascinating sub-culture….

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker is a funny and enlightening memoir from a former tech journalist who “stumbled upon an alternate university in which people could, after a single sip of wine, identify the grape it was made from, in what year, and where it was produced within acres” (Goodreads). Her decision to become a certified sommelier takes us inside elite tasting groups, exclusive New York restaurants, a California winery, and a neuroscientist’s fMRI machine.

O’Keefe Group Senior Communicators Jessica Cogan and Laura Singer think this is one of the best non-fiction books you’ve probably never heard of.

And that was just our short list! Also highly recommended:

  • The Henna Artist by Aika Joshi
  • Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout
  • The Light We Carry by Michele Obama
  • All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
  • The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason
  • Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
  • A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
  • The Maisie Dobbs novels by Jacqueline Winspear
  • The Jackson Brodie stories by Kate Atkinson
  • Wine Girl by Victoria James

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading from the O’Keefe Group!

  • Teryl Taglieri
  • Tom Taglieri
  • Jessica Cogan
  • Cathy Donnelly
  • Danielle Foley
  • Margo Hackel
  • Diane Karsch
  • Cathy Morris
  • Tammy Kleinman
  • Lauren LaFronz
  • Laura Singer
  • JoAnne Stauss

Hiring a Contractor? Read This First.

November 29, 2022

An interview with Communications expert Lauren LaFronz

Choosing the right contractor to help with communications planning, writing, project management, and other initiatives isn’t easy. Your project’s success, and often your reputation, hinges on the contractor’s ability to consistently deliver their best work, on time and within budget.

We spoke with Lauren LaFronz, a 20+ year marketing and communications veteran who went from managing contractors to becoming one herself. Here, Lauren shares best practices on selecting and engaging contractors, and a few lessons she’s learned the hard way.

Q: Tell us about yourself and how you got where you are today.

A: I’ve always had roles with a heavy focus on content creation. I’d been thinking about starting my own freelance writing business for a long time, and recently decided to pull the trigger.

I knew I had something unique to offer since I have a lot of firsthand experience not just in writing, but also in demand generation, SEO, branding, and many other areas of marketing and communications. Since I understand how all these things work and complement each other, I’m able to create content that achieves specific business objectives and integrates seamlessly with other marketing tactics and strategies.

This, along with the strong network I’d built during my career, gave me the confidence I needed to finally make the jump to freelance.

Q. When you were on the hiring company’s side of the table, what constituted a successful engagement with a contractor?

A: When I managed contractors, a truly successful engagement wasn’t just when the contractor delivered high-quality work on time and within budget. It was also when the contractor provided me with a great overall experience by being flexible, responsive, and generally easy to work with.

For example, at one of my prior jobs, I managed multiple freelance writers. One writer in particular had less subject-matter expertise than some of the others, so he took a little more time to turn around drafts. However, he had a positive attitude, handled unexpected strategy changes in stride, and never took feedback personally. I appreciated that he just rolled with the punches and did what was asked of him.

On the other end of the spectrum, there were some freelancers who had more subject matter expertise but were lacking in other areas. For example, one freelancer pushed back repeatedly on requested changes to various content assets. And another didn’t understand basic etiquette. During a video call, he took a call on his cell phone—unmuted—while I was explaining something. Needless to say, that was the last time I hired him to work for me.

Q: What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned on the inside, as someone who has hired contractors?

  1. Don’t ignore red flags. It’s like that saying, “If someone shows you who they are, believe them.” For example, you might find a contractor that has the right experience and skills for the job. However, when it comes time to screen them, it’s clear they didn’t prepare, because they have no idea what your company does. Or they show up ten minutes late. Don’t assume these things are one-off incidents. First impressions can be telling, and if you hire that person, the odds are you’ll be dealing with the same issues on the regular.
  2. Watch for budget creep. If you’re expecting a contractor or agency that bills hourly to stay within a specific budget, don’t assume they will let you know when they’re close to exceeding that budget because they won’t always remember to do this. Require that they submit weekly reports on hours/spend accrued to date, or at least make sure you’re regularly checking in for an update.
  3. There’s no such thing as too much information. Providing as much information as possible will allow your contractors to deliver their best work. It’s important to do a comprehensive debrief with contractors–not just on the project itself, but also on your expectations, deadlines, the review process, and any specific guidelines the work should follow (for example, branding guidelines). It’s also important to provide access to resources like subject matter experts and background documentation, so the contractor can quickly get up to speed.

Q: What are some key questions to ask potential contractors during the screening process?

A: Here are a few important ones:

  1. How many clients do you typically work with at the same time? The answer will give you a general idea of how much time they’ll have to spend on your project.
  2. What do you know about our business? Going back to my prior point about red flags, if the answer is way off base, you’ll know the contractor didn’t take the time to properly prepare themselves for your call, and that you should hire another candidate.
  3. Can you provide samples of your work? Even if someone comes highly recommended, it’s always best to ask for work samples, so you can verify their domain expertise and see firsthand the caliber of work you can expect.

Q: Now let’s switch gears and talk about the contractor experience. What’s one lesson you learned the hard way as a contractor, and what would you do differently next time?  

A: One lesson I’ve learned in my short time as a contractor is that if a project isn’t right for me—or the client—it’s best to just walk away. It’s hard to say “no,” but sometimes it’s the right thing to do.

I was recently approached about creating a content marketing program for a very small startup. They wanted a comprehensive program on a shoestring budget. During the conversation, I realized it was highly unlikely that I could provide anything close to what they wanted at an acceptable cost. Instead of having an upfront conversation with them about this, I spent several hours creating a proposal. And as I expected, it was a no-go. Now I know to be more direct when it comes to budget discussions, and to turn projects down if it’s clear there’s not going to be a fit on either end.

Q: As a contractor yourself, what’s the one thing you wish more employers knew about the best way to engage a contract worker?

A: It’s important to build relationships with your contractors and treat them as an integral part of your team, rather than just another set of hands for hire. Even though contractors aren’t salaried, full-time employees, they want to feel like they’re making a difference and contributing to your success.

It also works the other way around–inviting contractors to team meetings, events, and even for an occasional cup of coffee allows them to better understand you, your business, and your expectations.

All of this leads to stronger, more productive relationships that enable contractors to become fully invested in your success and deliver their best work.

Whether you’re looking for a full team of consultants for a long-term initiative or an individual contributor for a quick project, the O’Keefe Group can help ensure your next freelancer engagement is successful. Contact us to learn more.

 

 

Getting from “Someday” to “Today” — Encouraging Younger Employees to Save for Retirement

November 15, 2022

Jessica Cogan, Senior Communication Consultant

Long-term goal setting is tough for anyone but that’s especially true for the youngest employees in our organizations. Reports vary on average savings rates for young employees – from 7% to 14% depending on your source – but the bigger picture is clear: by and large, Americans aren’t on track to have sufficient savings when it’s time to retire. Those who are best positioned to right their ships are our youngest employees – since they can benefit most from good old compound interest.

So what can we do to encourage more of our young workers to participate in their 401(k)s? There are some key elements of the plan design – company match, speedy vesting, automatic enrollment, and enrollment incentives – that can help. But it is equally important to create a company culture that is focused on financial wellness. And communications play a large role in that.

Creating a culture focused on financial health requires a holistic approach. Make sure you’re doing these three things to support it:

  1. Empowering the individual.

One of the great things about the younger workforce is that, by and large, they’re a tech-savvy bunch. They’ll be comfortable accessing online tools and resources made available to them. Your plan administrator can provide videos and calculators. Lean on those but consider creating your own tools that reflect your unique brand. And communicate about them often.

But don’t stop there. Use targeted messaging, so your communications are more likely to land. Are there folks not participating in the 401(k) at all? Talk to them about any barriers and give them some options for getting started. Are some employees not contributing up to the company match? Show them how much faster their accounts could grow with higher contributions. Regular personalized statements are also a great idea.

Think about the timing of your communications too. We can’t pretend that what’s happening in the world at large doesn’t impact how employees feel about their retirement plans. If markets are volatile, talk about it. This is a perfect opportunity to build trust with your people.

2. Engaging younger employees.

Too often our retirement communications feature smiling silver foxes well on their way to a happy retirement. But if we want younger employees to participate, it’s important that they see and hear from people like themselves. Testimonials from younger employees about how and why they are planning for retirement could be featured in videos, live meetings, and more.

Millennials and Gen Zers are socially motivated. Are there ways to add social components to your outreach strategy? How about holding information sessions over lunch or happy hour? A celebration for National 401(k) Day? (Yes. That is a thing. Mark your calendar for September 8, 2023.)

3. Getting leadership involved.

Get managers and execs talking about the importance of saving for retirement. Meetings and town halls are a great opportunity for this, as are one-on-one meetings. Ask mentors to share their own experiences. If you want to truly create a culture that cares about retirement savings as an aspect of financial well-being, leadership needs to be involved.

Getting your younger workers on board with your 401(k) requires cultivating a culture that supports and encourages their participation. If you need help developing an engagement strategy for your 401(k) plan, contact us at The O’Keefe Group.

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