Misha Network

Q: How do I build a communication framework for a global organization? What activities stay local and what activities come under the global framework?
Currently, at my organization, unless the initiative affects the entire organization, the activity stays at the local level (country), which makes sense.
However, I think there's an opportunity for the global communications team to share best practices to drive stronger (more consistent) employee engagement.
Your thoughts and ideas would be very welcome.

A: The best communication structure is the one that takes into account the vision, mission, aspirations, goals and CSR aspects.
There isn't necessarily a universally endorsed benchmark model that we can share as best practice for how to ensure consistent communication, but perhaps this case study example below will provide you with insights into how to approach the issue of defining the activities of a global comms framework.

Case study example
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CP), a Fortune 500 multinational company, has a sales turnover of US$11.4 billion. It has come a long way from being just a starch, soap and candle business in New York City in 1806.
It has a lead communications department in its world headquarters in the US, but has subsidiaries in 200 countries with some of the overseas communications departments covering an adjacent country as well.
Global policy guidelines are set by the corporate communications team in CPs headquarters (HQ). The other countries are expected to follow HQ's guidelines in letter and spirit.
Local activities complementing global activities
There are 2 types of communications that need to be considered for structuring a global communications framework:

1. HQ-driven communication
Let's explore how CP's employee recognition program impacts the company’s global framework.
At the global level, the communication includes HQ corporate videos and newsletters (both electronic and printed) once every quarter. The Chairman, Reuben Mark’s You Can Make A Difference Program is run by the HQ comms team but is implemented by a subsidiary comms team. It's an elaborate, creative program where nominations are received from each of the subsidiary countries and then the overall winners are picked from the regions.
Any employee can nominate – usually a proposer and a seconder is preferred. Often the boss, the section or the department as a whole team or the manufacturing unit or plant nominates. The nomination is vetted by the department head before it goes to the selection stages.
The 12 global finalists are recognized in a grand gala event in the US, in the presence of the "top brass" of the company. The winners are given shares in the company, a dream holiday with their partners and they also appear in the internal media. Selected trade and external media sometimes carry the news and photographs of the winners. The winners feel very inspired and motivated and talk about the event for years to come.
The media unit of the communications team has the opportunity to make the winner known to the public – they make every effort to publicize the winner through the published media. It's good for the industry because it's a positive story for readers to appreciate against negative stories (such as the fluoride issue, or the animal fat issue for die-hard vegetarians that so often plagues the industry).
The exposure is beneficial for the company as it enhances its reputation of caring well for its employees – one of the reasons why the company has been included within various top 5 or 10 companies that employees prefer to work for.

2. Country subsidiary team – local communications
The local communication is left to the country subsidiaries. The country comms team implements this aspect of the employee recognition program through newsletters, intranets, audio and video tapes, event updates, town halls – whatever it takes to ensure employee engagement through the company’s structured recognition process.
Each subsidiary comms team is responsible for implementing the HQ-steered employee recognition program. Here's a brief snapshot of the program from Mark himself.
“Individual innovation and original thinking are the cornerstones of any successful company. And at CP, we believe every individual can make a difference. This program rewards Colgate people for their ingenuity, creativity and executional excellence. Many of the winning ideas have been replicated across Colgate subsidiaries around the world. It provides inspiration for every Colgate employee to constantly examine what they do, how they do it, and how they can do it better.”

External media promotion
Nominations for employee recognitions are received in the above areas (ingenuity, creativity and executional excellence) and winners are picked every quarter in each subsidiary country. The challenge for the internal comms team is to communicate to all employees the details of the program, the nomination process and the announcement of the winners. The team has to ensure that the program isn't over communicated and to keep the interest of the employees going year after year.
The team often creates innovative, colorful and catchy visuals on posters which are displayed prominently in the office and factory locations. The winners are interviewed by the comms team, and these interviews are published in the company newsletters, intranets and blogs.
The team has to ensure that the program isn't over communicated and to keep the interest of the employees going year after year.
Recording video footage of the event, sending appropriate soundbytes from the winners, comments from the local company’s key personnel and feeding additional relevant info into the worldwide corporate video is the responsibility of the subsidiary communications team.

The way forward: related information
You may wish to consider specific training in global communications. The University of Phoenix in the US has an online course on Global Business Culture and Organization. This course examines the cultural and organizational framework within which global business is conducted. Topics include socio-cultural forces, cultural analysis, communication strategies, HR investment and utilization and managing across borders.
In addition, The IABC Research Foundation has a study on Generational Communication Differences Around the Globe. This study identifies trends in the way businesses communicate with diverse age groups in industrialized countries and emerging economies around the world. Research addresses how Gen Y and Baby Boomers differ in their preferences for employer communication and engagement methods and their expectations of and satisfaction with employer communication in a range of specific areas. The report also addresses what changes Gen Y professionals feel are needed to improve engagement and teamwork.
You might also be interested in Melcrum's report How to Communicate with a Global Workforce for further expert advice, case studies and tips.
Bish Mukherjee, ABC, is President of Misha Network and Misha Network PR in Australia and India.

There are many bouquets for the BangaloreInternationalAirport from the passengers. At the same time there are many who have pointed out the problems they faced while using the new airport. While some are happy with the newly laid connecting road, many have suggested that signage to guide the users are missing. Public telephone booths are missing and buses have to stick on its schedule, the users have suggested...The drive to BIA from Sahakarinagar at 4:15 AM took only 23 minutes. The drive was good though it was a bit lonely and dark in some sections. The roads have been constructed very well though at many places the local side roads may not be used for some time in future as there is no habitation or buildings at present. If that space had been taken to create a third lane for mainline traffic it would have helped in better flow of vehicles to the airport. The lights closer to Devanahalli looked pretty at night.

The signage could have been larger and more frequent as some cars were stopping on the side to make sure they were on the right track enroute to the new airport. Signage could also include Domestic Airport to avoid confusion amongst newcomers to the city and first-timers to the BIA. At present the signage is for International Airport only but global practice suggests that Domestic Airport needs to be mentioned on sign posts as well.

There was confusion at the entrance of the BIA as traffic management personnel were not sure which vehicle goes in which lane. Though my driver said that he was to drop me off and needs no parking he was told clearly and forced to go towards the boom gate for parking! The airport looked stunningly beautiful from outside and made me feel proud. Once inside I found the décor and ambience of the highest order. The air-conditioning was just perfect. I was looking for the Deccan Airways dedicated counter for tele-checked-in and no-baggage handbags-only passengers but found none. So I had to wait 43rd in the shorter queue for baggage check-in. It took 25 minutes of waiting in this queue to get my boarding card although I had no hand baggage and had tele checked in and got my seat no as well the previous day!

When I went near my boarding Gate 8 following the signs to the toilet, I found the Gents and Ladies toilets closed. Well, BIAL needs to block the signs leading thousands of passengers to the 2 closed toilets.

Boarding was quick and easy. But no aerobridges, Mr Brunner, for domestic carriers – in a modern era in a brand new airport trying to set global standards? We were taken to the aircraft by a beautiful air-conditioned and very comfortable bus instead. The flight was ready to go but Capt Simran announced that the aircraft door can’t be closed yet because BIAL is still fuelling the aircraft and so there will be a delay due to no fault of the airlines So indeed the flight was delayed. I returned to Bangalore the same day in the afternoon. The flight arrived without any undue wait over Bangalore airport. After coming out of the airport in the arrival area it was quite confusing to locate where cars are parked. The signs should be clear and larger and at more places. Who parks in P1, who in P2 and who in P3? After a lot of walking up and down I figured out that metered taxis were in one parking lot and private taxis in another. The beautiful Volvo buses looked very impressive but few knew where they were going to, at which points they would stop and what the fares were.

If I compare BIA with some of the world’s best airports I feel that it is a laudable attempt and a great achievement for Bangalore, though it perhaps needed at least double the space for the 350 plus flights and thousands of passengers being handled on a daily basis. Time for expansion already?”

Bish Mukherjee

Media Recognition