8:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast & Networking

8:30 a.m.
Chairperson's Opening of Day Two & Presentation
Leading And Communicating In An Age Of Context: Making Employees And Customers "Insiders" In A Time Of Distraction, Cynicism And Heightened Awareness

Thriving in a world of cross-influence, open advocacy, and co-creation, whether it be for policy-making or strategy, requires a new mindset and a new organizational architecture. This presentation will explore how this new reality is impacting organizational behavior both with internal as well as external stakeholders.
 
You will take the following key lessons back to your organization:

• Why context matters
• Understanding the mindset of today’s customer and employee Being an insider and its impact on organizational behavior
• A test for leaders and communicators
• Linking context and storytelling
• Designing a communications model that engages as well as informs
• Specific examples of success and failures

Gary Grates, President and Global Managing Director
EDELMAN CHANGE AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

9:30 a.m.

From The Ground To The Sky: Using Creative And Strategic Communications Methods To Spread Your Message Across A Large Organization

Communicating with a diverse workforce is a mighty challenge. Every day, Southwest Airlines struggles to effectively deliver messages to each and every one of their nearly 35,000 employees. With employees on planes, on the ramp, in maintenance hangars, at call centers, and every other place you can imagine, they have to be strategic and creative, and ensure that they are providing the communication tools their employees prefer to use.

In this session, you will not only learn about the tools Southwest uses and what's on the horizon for their employee communications, but how to apply the following proven strategies to your organization’s communications strategies, including, how to:

• Put your employees first
• Be transparent with your messaging
• Coordinate your internal and external messages
• Listen to your employees, your most valuable resource
• Provide the communication channels employees want
• Throw some fun in there, when appropriate
• Determine if your leaders have a voice

Todd Painter, Communications Manager
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

10:45 a.m.

Internal Innovations: Using New Communications Technologies To Engage Employees

In this presentation, you will hear how online surveys and web communication tools typically used for city-to-constituent communication were altered to instead engage the very city workers who produce the information.

In an attempt to negotiate one of the hardest budget seasons the City of Milwaukee has ever faced, elected leaders worked internally to solicit suggestions and information from city frontline workers in an unprecedented attempt to find innovative strategies for trimming the budget.

Some of the discussions included employees’ use of personal web spaces like Facebook and how it factors into communication policies and strategies that now turn what was once solely internal communication into a combination of information—all available to the public.

• New ways to use old models of internal communication
• New ways to view employee communication and the policies and
  issues that surround them
• An internal communications plan to raise morale
  

11:30 a.m.

How To Integrate Traditional And New Media Communication Plans To Drive Performance And Add Value

Intouch Solutions is a leader in digital integration for pharmaceutical marketing. They have the ability to bring awareness of the brand to consumers through websites, e-mail content streams, display media, search marketing, social media, mobile media and interactive applications. So it only makes sense that they use similar multimedia tools in place internally for their own associates.

Through thoughtful and deliberate communications plans, you can learn how to connect with your employees' professional needs, personal concerns, and career aspirations and appreciate the value that each person brings to your organization, by:

• Understanding the challenges and obstacles that lead to
  a breakdown in communication
• Learning what basic information is needed for your HR team to enhance communications across your organization
• Seeing the 5-step strategy that was created to introduce different roles,
  responsibilities and resources throughout the company and how you can apply this to your organization
• Viewing the additional tools in the works to continue to meet communication needs as the organization continues to grow and expand geographically

Laura Simcox SPHR, HR Director
INTOUCH SOLUTIONS

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.

1:45 p.m.

Group Exercise: Brainstorm Solutions And New Ideas You Can Use

You asked for it, you got it! Interact and discuss solutions to your internal communications 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 internal communications initiatives.

2:15 p.m.

How To Use Social Media And Traditional Communications To Foster Positive Employee Satisfaction And Improve Morale

Retaining a qualified and effective workforce can be challenging within the limitations of the public sector, especially during tough budget times. Employees who feel appreciated and know senior managers are listening to them are more content and productive, and internal communications plays a vital role in fostering employee satisfaction.

Both traditional and new media communication tools can enhance the interaction between employees and senior managers and help improve employee morale and cultivate a positive work environment.

• Keep employees engaged, connected and informed
• Help employees accept change and transition
• Recognize employee achievement
• Maintain high employee morale

Sarah Lane, MCDM, Internal Communications & Social Media Manager
WASHINGTON STATE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

3:00 p.m.

Afternoon Refreshment & Networking Break

3:15 p.m.

How To Demonstrate The Impact Of Internal Communications On Business Performance While Building Energized And Motivated Employees

Employee engagement is a longstanding "hot topic" in the public relations industry and gaining prominence in general business circles. Despite its heightened focus, however, many companies still struggle to answer fundamental questions: Why invest in employee engagement? Where should I invest for the greatest impact? What’s the tangible business value of internal PR?

To address these questions, companies frequently establish basic perception measures (e.g., awareness, understanding). But those measures often fall short, failing to demonstrate a causal link between PR programs and specific business metrics such as productivity, customer service, and market share.

This session will describe pioneering and award-winning work undertaken with Northwestern Mutual that addresses this very challenge. On the heels of the global financial crisis, during a time requiring elevated employee performance across the organization, the company embarked on the "Motivated Workforce Pilot." Using sound research and analytics, a set of leadership behaviors — "soft" performance measures — that predict productivity at Northwestern Mutual, were identified. This link was tested and proven through a controlled pilot experiment to make a case for the company’s future investment in employee engagement. Learn how this approach arms PR practitioners through a compelling example of how to demonstrate the impact of internal communications on business performance.

You will take away these proven and sought-after strategies so your organization can:

• Use a disciplined research/measurement approach to inform your internal PR/communications programs for the greatest impact
• Move internal communications beyond the corporate newsletter and into the area of influencing daily conversations between your employees and direct managers
• Clearly demonstrate a link between internal PR activity and measureable
  business outcomes

Finally, you will learn how to implement one of Northwestern Mutual’s strategic priorities into your organization: building energized and motivated employees, championed by your CEO and executive management team!

Kevin Olp, Director, Creative Solutions
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL

Morgan Marzec, Consultant
GAGEN MACDONALD

4:00 p.m.

Building Advocacy From The Inside Out: Using Social Media To Drive Customer Loyalty, Build Transparency And Trust In Your Organization

As one of America’s mort recognized brands, Sprint Nextel is one of the leading wireless solutions providers in the U.S. But after a difficult merger, leadership change and poor financial results, employee engagement and confidence were low.

To improve reputation from the inside out, Sprint Corporate Communications and other partners built the Sprint Social Media Ninjas Program. This program was designed to engage employees in the company’s brand and build support and recognition for these behaviors. These Ninjas advocate for the company, and are responsible for driving customer loyalty. Coupled with communications initiatives that drive transparency and trust, the Sprint Ninjas have taken the company – and its customers – by storm!

In this cutting-edge session, you will learn from Sprint’s lessons on how your organization can also:

• Build an employee advocate program
• Implement social media into your employee engagement program for ultimate success
• Achieve buy-in and support from executives

Sara Folkerts, Social Media Manager
SPRINT

4:45 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.

Gary Grates, President and Global Managing Director
EDELMAN CHANGE AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT