8:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast & Networking

8:30 a.m.
Chairperson's Opening Of Day Two

David Jackson, Worldwide Partner
MERCER

8:40 a.m.
Understanding The Unique Challenges Of Public Sector Change And Using A Tailored Change Process For Your Organization

• Change management requires cascading communications from the top.
• You need to build a change network.
• Managers at all levels need to openly embrace and sponsor the transition to a brand new way of doing business.
• The organization needs to reward and recognize the risk-takers as they charge into a new operating environment.

Are the above principles as true for government agencies as they are for private sector organizations? In this session, we will discuss how the unique nature of the public sector requires tailoring of the traditional "commercial" communications and change management approaches.

• Manage change even when your leadership is constantly evolving
• Motivate the employees whose jobs are often considered "secure" and there are no competitive pressures
• Encourage risk-taking in an inherently risk-averse environment
• Reward and recognize employees in a civil service framework

Grant McLaughlin, Principal
BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON

9:30 a.m.

How To Actively Engage A Geographically Dispersed Audience Using The Latest Collaborative, Social Media And Communication Tools With Dramatic Results

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a critical mission – protecting U.S. borders at and between the official crossing points into this country, while at the same time keeping legitimate travelers and cargo incoming freely. To accomplish this mission it is important that their 52,000 person, geographically dispersed workforce be actively engaged—a momentary lapse by even one person can lead to untold disaster.

In addition to training and human resources efforts to keep employees focused, CBP’s Office of Public Affairs, with the Office of the Commissioner, has deployed numerous strategic internal communications tools to boost employee engagement and further support the mission. These include a transition management office, commissioner messages and webcasts, a five-year anniversary celebration, mission appreciation events, a history program, "Ask the Commissioner," online human interest stories, a new magazine, employee ownership of the intranet, a new collaborative information system, participation in a leadership blog, "Hall of Fame/Hall of Shame," and a Web redesign.

1. Leadership paves the way: Internal communications is most effective when it is supported by senior leadership. The Commissioner himself is actively engaged in internal communications efforts, the Office of the Commissioner has fully backed the Office of Public Affairs in its efforts to reach employees on key issues, and the head of the entire Department of Homeland Security has participated in key employee communications.
2. Web-based tools and email are the #1 vehicle: In a fast-changing environment where employees need to be reached quickly, and where budgets do not support mass printing costs for every employee communication initiative, the intranet, internet, and email, are key ways to reach employees effectively.
3. Multiple channels are helpful: There is no one best way to reach employees. Rather, a variety of methods should be employed, preferably with some being interactive.
4. Respect and honor differences and history: CBP, established in 2003, is made up of various legacy agencies, each with its own unique culture and in some cases hundreds of years of history. Our internal communications program honors that, drawing employees in with respect for the years of experience they bring to the agency.
5. Let strategy evolve: Today's communication needs are not yesterday's communication needs. CBP continually evaluates internal communication efforts and functions to be sure that they are appropriate for what employees are looking for right now.
6. Collaboration plays a role: At CBP, no one office or function "owns" internal communications. Rather, this is a shared function with the Office of Public Affairs, the Office of the Commissioner, the Office of Human Resources, the Office of Training and Development, and each line office (e.g. the Border Patrol, the Office of Field Operations, and so on.) Within this layered approach, some messages are delivered independently of other offices, while others are collaborated on. This ensures that CBP is always balancing those communications for an optimal mix of centralized and decentralized information.
7. Innovation: CBP has always been in the forefront of new technologies, and actively employs them to reach employees, with videocasting, a dedicated internal television channel, web-based collaboration tools, and so on. The agency recognizes that it is operating in a 21st century environment and that its communication tools must keep pace with the way people live today.
8. Feedback is key: CBP recognizes that it does not operate in a communication vacuum, and that employee input at every level is critical to ensuring that internal communications are on target. The presentation will discuss how to implement feedback mechanisms such as surveys and suggestion mailboxes in such a way as to help deliver concrete plans for success.

Dannielle Blumenthal, Senior Public Affairs Specialist
U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

10:20 a.m.

Morning Refreshment & Networking Break

10:50 a.m.

Communicating And Measuring Your Employment Value Proposition To Engage Your Workforce And Achieve Your Goals

Like all large public and private sector employers, Bechtel needs to be sure that all employees are productively engaged in their work at a time when there is intense competition for engineers and workers at all levels. Three years ago, senior leadership determined to clarify and effectively communicate the value proposition that Bechtel offers all employees, from management to new hires.

• Researched attitudes towards Bechtel as an employer
• Crafted and tested a set of umbrella messages about the advantages of having a career at Bechtel

• Understanding of the wide range of internal communication tactics -- from traditional to leading edge that have been deployed to increase retention and employee engagement and how to apply them into your organization
• Measurement techniques that built into the whole process from its beginning

Susan Grisso, Senior Human Resources Manager
BECHTEL CORPORATION

Joan James, Vice President of Human Resources, Government Sector
BECHTEL CORPORATION

David Jackson, Worldwide Partner
MERCER

Join a group of your colleagues for lunch with an informal discussion facilitated by one of our expert speakers. Take this opportunity to join others in a small, interactive group setting to network and brainstorm solutions to your most pressing internal communications concerns.

1:10 p.m.

Group Exercise: Brainstorm Solutions And New Ideas You Can Use

You asked for it, you got it! Interact and discover solutions to your employee engagement challenges with your fellow attendees and our experienced speakers. You will leave with new tools and hands-on experience and ideas for more successfully applying best practices to your own employee engagement initiatives.

2:00 p.m.

Preparing For A Changing World: How To Implement A Successful Succession Management Plan In Your Organization

As the knowledge economy grows, intellectual capital becomes the key differentiating factor for organizations. To assure success, organizations must find ways of identifying, quantifying, measuring, assessing, and enhancing their intellectual capital assets. One way of accomplishing this oftentimes difficult task, is through competency-based management.

This session will share with you, the concept of competencies as defined by leading scholars; present examples of competency-based management as practiced in important organizations, and show the benefits of competency management - in particular, in engaging the modern workforce.

• Knowledge-loss in organizations, especially in the context of the retirement of the baby boomer generation, carries severe risks to employee engagement
• Competency management demonstrates a competency-based approach to succession management, and how it can enhance employee engagement, while ensuring continuity and viability of organizational performance
• Competency management, when used as an approach to succession management, can enable an organization to ensure business continuity, improve performance, and effectively meet employee engagement challenges
• Several models that were developed for use in government, address competency-based succession planning - that is, the need to identify and develop successors for key positions and core competencies
• Competency-based management in organizations use effective succession planning

Michael J. Novak, Senior Business Operations Specialist, Office of Procurement
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE

3:10 p.m.

Using The Right Tools To Create Your Strategic Message That Will Result In Effective Communications And Engaged Employees

Communicating has four main elements that are all critical. In this session, you will learn what these are and why one of them is paramount.

You will also be shown the five steps to create a strategic message so you can make the most of your communications efforts, whether it's a speech, letter, brochure, digital tool, email or intranet effort. This session will also touch on using wiki's and social networks among colleagues and why they can work for your organization.

• Why using narratives helps your communications
• How emotions can move people into action
• How persuading people can be easier done than thought
• What branding is really about and how you can take utilize it
• The difference between a feature and a benefit and why this matters

Scott Talan, Director of Communications
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
AND ADMINISTRATION

4:00 p.m.
Chairperson's Recap:
Key Takeaways And What To Do When You Get Back To The Office

We'll recap the highlights of the past two days and ask you to share key insights and next steps with the group.

David Jackson, Worldwide Partner
MERCER