Dealing with red tape
Writing internal communications publications may seem pretty simple to the person looking in; unfortunately it isn’t.
I used to think writing for an internal audience was easy because all you’re doing is promoting the company and the subject isn’t forced to answer any real hard-hitting questions. What I’ve learned though is that it’s not the interview itself that’s the hard part; it’s the getting of the interview. No one gets back to me when I need them to.
It’s worse right now in summer time when everyone, it seems, is on vacation. I call and get the machine; I e-mail and get no responses. It’s impossible to do my work when I have nobody to talk to.
Another major issue I’ve had to deal with of late is the union. When there is a volatile relationship between the managerial side and the unionized side, everyone seems to watch what they’re saying when everyone can read it or hear it. A simple newsletter article on healthy eating for employees has to be thought out a little differently, because if you have an expert recommending the employee has balanced meals throughout the day, you should be prepared to hear the union asking for more breaks on each shift.
It’s petty and it’s unfair to the employees in the end. When the work I have to create becomes so bastardized that it turns into some sort of propaganda piece, no one is benefiting from that.
One thing I definitely plan to bring up when I get into school is how to effectively manage labour relation issues when they arise. The issue comes up every few years and it should be implemented in every corporate communications course because it’s a tough curve ball to handle when you don’t have the glove to handle it.
posted by Sean @ 1:05 PM
Comments: 0
