CHANGE COMMUNICATION. GETTING YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS INTERNALLY

1. The customer: EDF Luminus Belgium
2. The programme: Butterfly
3. The challenge: Strengthen the IT team, improve the business-IT relationship
4. The situation: After a series of reorganisations, there was a certain degree of demoralization amongst the IT-team at EDF Luminus while the relationship between the business and IT was at a low point. To counter this, the CIO wanted to instil a sense of pride inside IT and set up a co-creation process with business.
5. The approach: set up a comprehensive communication programme that involved all IT team members and use both internal and external communication.
   
   To explain the intent of the Butterfly change programme, we developed a number of communication channels to engage everyone. We invited not only the IT management team to begin communicating via the internal social media tool Yammer, we also encouraged (and taught) other members of the IT team to start blogging and post messages. At the same time, we began publishing articles on IT successes both on the company intranet and in the personnel magazine. Other channels included posters, ‘brown bag’ sessions, IT Town Hall events,…
   
   External communication was used to reinforce the messages, by posting blogs on the CIO’s LinkedIn profile, and supporting the company in its nomination for ‘ICT Project of the Year’ at Data News.
   
   During the course of our assignment at EDF Luminus, we worked with communication volunteers within the IT department. After transferring our knowledge to them, they formed a Communication Steerco who took over the communication tasks from us.
6. The result: the Net Promotor Score of the IT department increased dramatically after just one year of communication, while winning the ‘ICT Project of the Year’-award provided a real boost for IT throughout the company.

The change communication goal: strengthen the IT team, improve the business-IT relationship
The change communication assets thus developed: a comprehensive communication programme consisting of internal social media, articles on the intranet and in a personnel magazine, a series of information sessions, LinkedIn blogs and participation in an awards programme.

Like to know more? Contact Caroline Hillaert.

We’re always very open and willing to discuss your change communication challenge over a cup of tea or coffee.

1. The customer: Siemens Belgium
2. The programme: Awaken your force
3. The challenge: get IT closer to the business again
4. The situation: like so many companies, Siemens has outsourced many of its IT services. But doing so comes with some risk: it distances IT from the rest of the business. So how can we change the perception of a distant IT team and make clear to the business that IT is always around and at their service…
5. The approach: create an event and invite the business to come and meet IT to get instant feedback and advise.
   
   We created an IT fair under the umbrella of ‘Awaken your force’. At head office, we booked the large hall. Each IT service had its own stand with IT experts explaining what they do while also giving advice on the fly. End-users could pass by throughout the afternoon. Filled with Star Wars animation and lots of healthy and tasty snacks and drinks (a real barista!), we created an experience that enticed not just the business, but also created a great drive amongst the IT team members.
   
   The concept (‘awaken your IT force and become a real business Jedi’) was used throughout the campaign running up to the event. The communication plan included, amongst other things, posters, messages on the in-company video screens, and even Darth Vader in person visiting the different buildings and inviting people to come to the event.
6. The result: close on 200 business colleagues attended the IT fair. Many business users gained a clearer idea about what IT does. Lots of issues and problems flagged by end-users were solved on the spot.

The change communication goal: improve the image of IT amongst (business) end-users.
The change communication assets thus developed: an internal IT fair (including 9 IT stands, animation, snacks and drinks); email and intranet messages; promotional video messages; a poster; some internal guerrilla marketing activities; internal social updates.

Care to know more? Contact Caroline Hillaert.
We’re always very open and willing to discuss your change communication challenge over a cup of tea or coffee.