How To Build A Content Strategy That Values Your Staff & Stakeholders

7 May 2021

A Place And A Purpose

 It’s rare. To find that role in adult life that fulfils all your youthful aspirations; to achieve a sense of purpose and worth through work. So very few of us can honestly say we achieved this - in those early days when all we were doing was attempting to get on the career ladder, to climb a few rungs; to secure your financial independence.

Sometimes our aspirations feel by the wayside just in order to survive the melee of working life.

And, because this is true for too many people, an immense responsibility lies with employers, to ensure each and every one of their employees - and anyone else who has a stake in the success of their organisation - are provided with as optimum a working environment as possible.

 So, how does that translate?

A Clear Corporate Message

 Of course, everything within a well-defined working environment begins with a clear, authentic, and effective internal corporate message for employees and stakeholders.

 And it should also begin with valid expectations.

 Expectations from both employers and from employees:

An employment contract is not about the unquestioned control of hierarchy; more, it’s about collaboration between single staff members, teams and managers, to reach logical consensus based on set project propositions, which are implemented through respectful protocols.

Internal Culture

 The strength of any corporate message determines how well the gifted people within that organisation are then permitted to excel and add to the strength of the structure’s positioning within its sector.

 The importance of an all encompassing unified internal culture - versus micro-climate cultures developed by individual managers that may be toxic - can't be emphasised enough.

 And actually, when the manager isn’t necessarily the smartest person in the room, an employer knows they are doing something right for the future growth of their company, in terms of both innovation and insights.

 Using the skills of inspirational employees and stakeholders, as well as having well defined educational structures in place to bring on young employees or those with transferable skills, is key to achieving ROI on HR initiatives.

 “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to”

 Richard Branson 

The Action - Internal Engagement For Everyone

 How is this corporate approach utilised within an effective content strategy?

 Well, the 'Usual Suspects' certainly need to be in place: 

• A comprehensive intranet system that delivers news on new company initiatives and staff benefits, including potential for career growth.
• Importantly, an internal community & social hub that emphasises the inclusive element of that firm around notions of family, friends and colleagues.
• An educational hub that contains protocols around health & safety; conduct; appraisal and performance; access to further qualifications through internally developed (and therefore bespoke) modules and certifications - and there are so many additional elements that can be added to this multifaceted list.
• A user generated internal content platform, either in the form of real time forums or/and signed-off multimedia content, which should be open to submission from all members of staff, regardless of their role or seniority, i.e.: maintenance, admin; juniors, specialised team members, managers, C-Suite/directors.

 No organisation is just about the service or product it delivers, although obviously these are important.

A unified and inclusive working environment will ensure retention of the very best staff, and an internal, superior, content strategy is the foundation that can secure this. 

Ingrid Smith is a UK based senior content strategist, storyteller & mentor