Member Exclusive: A closer look at CLC’s merger and acquisition toolkit
In a time when our organizations are constantly evolving, it seems like every week presents a fresh need for timely and tactful change communications. That’s why the Communications Leadership Council has compiled Ragan’s Merger and Acquisition Toolkit, collecting resources ranging from quarterly reports and research to templates, frameworks and videos.
Let’s take a closer look at some highlights from the kit.
Ragan’s 2022 Q4 Report: Crafting a Change Communications Continuum
Our final report of 2022, exclusive to council members, focuses on five internal communications leaders who tapped into people-first programs and fortified frameworks to ensure they delivered news about any changes relevant to the organization with consideration for each intended audience, even amid unprecedented uncertainty.
A section on telling the story of change focuses on how Citi’s alumni network reframed the narrative around talent and boomerang hires, along with cable company Southwire’s strategy for training chosen internal messengers to communicate on behalf during times of change. The report also delves into Thermo Fisher Scientific’s cascade strategy for manager comms with consideration for timing and cadence, Humana’s post-acquisition strategy for refining the timing of its comms to meet its newly acquired audience, Comcast’s strategy for keeping messages consistent for different audiences and much more.
M&T Bank’s decision-making framework for managing risk
Last year, M&T Bank Head of Internal Communications Kevin Berchou explained how this decision-making framework helps the comms team navigate difficult choices during times of change. “We wanted to find areas that both reflect the views of internal stakeholders and provide a significant potential benefit to M&T and its communities from an external perspective,” Berchou explained. “We evaluated the issues through a business & society lens – one that considers both internal and external dynamics and demonstrates financial value alongside social value.”
After identifying the areas of opportunity, the next step was to map and rationalize existing efforts by the bank, while further listening to internal and external audiences to confirm their stakeholder priorities were aligned.
When mapping those existing efforts, along with impending new ones, Berchou’s framework came in handy.
A panel conversation on timely and tactful change comms
During last summer’s Employee Communications Conference, Berchou also had a wonderful conversation with Entergy Director of Corporate Communications Michelle Delery about finding the balance between change comms and regular announcements, delivering messages with empathy, reaching low-tech or unplugged employees, scenario trainings and more. It’s worth a watch for anyone who plays an actionable role in your change comms plan.
CAP’s integrated communications framework
CAP’s template for composing an internal communications plan remains an effective exercise for anyone struggling to map their change comms strategy ahead of an incoming announcement. It first asks you to define the campaign’s objectives, followed by specific goals, target audience, timeline value prop, tactics, budget and more. This is a framework we return to often because it asks the right specific questions, framing action items around the needs of the brand and the designated internal owners, including spokespeople, who will be its messengers.
A panel conversation on writing about sensitive subjects
During last fall’s writing workshop for internal communications, I had the pleasure of chatting with two members of our Ragan Advisory Board about how they practice compassionate comms when writing about tragedies and sensitive topics, be they in the news or close to home. We delved into the right words and phrases to communicate around mergers, acquisitions, layoffs and more, along with specific strategies for crisis comms that demonstrate empathy and let employees know you have their back.
Again, these are just some of the resources we’ve compiled in your Merger and Acquisition Toolkit, with more on the way throughout the year. Check it out, keep letting us know what you’re looking for, and if you’ve got a tried and true strategy for communicating change during M&As, layoffs or any other reorg, please reach out!