THE BOROUGH POOLS — There’s nothing quite as much fun as a good old fashioned disagreement.  And there’s one going on today on our LinkedIn Group (Change Management and Internal Communications).

Must be serious, right?

Yup.  It’s about whether company newsletters have had their day.

Often it’s the most out-dated and obtuse issues that get people’s dander up.

Had a good chat about HR Communications lately?

Don’t get angry.

We’re working for the HR department of a major US flag-carrier business.  And it’s great work.  It’s about “employee marketing”.  A subject that would cause immediate ex-communication from the more purist church of Internal Communication.  But it’s actually quite an interesting topic.  And one day I am sure you’ll read about the cool stuff they’re doing.

On the other end of the spectrum one of our bigger clients called off a brief to help with a big change programme today.  They’ve asked their HR consultants to do it.  And it’s one where I know we can do a better job, cheaper, clearer and faster.  But there you go.

HR itself is also under some scrutiny these days.  News of ”a marketing director” made Head of HR causes shock and mutterings amongst the payroll clerks.

It’s a phenomenon that Communications have been getting used to for years. Even finance directors have been made head of comms in recent times.  And it’s actually proved to be quite a good thing.

But as Human Resources are forced to face up to the skills shortage and the sudden and heavy transience of employee (lack of allegiance, they say, wrongly)… then HR Directors are going to have to swot up on marketing and communication skills.

A better performance review won’t fix it.  Having courage, curiosity and talking to new people will.

/df

JUMEIRAH BEACH HOTEL — It’s only 830 in the morning and just sitting outside, waiting for the car, I have got a sunburn and my clothes are almost soaked through. You don’t mess with the weather out here.

You never know what the day holds in Dubai. Yesterday was rain. And I didn’t think they did rain in this part of the world.

—

11 HOURS LATER — I am back now from a full day of conferencing. I think it’s one of the best I have been to. And it was all about marketing. Normally our line of business and marketeers don’t entirely see eye-to-eye. But that didn’t feel like the case today.

There were speakers from big brand firms, from to highest heights of corporate communications companies. There were CMOs and statisticians. A whole mix!

But a surprising number of them talked about employees.

There seems to be detente.

My speech was titled “Building brand value from the inside”. And it was great fun to deliver. I like to challenge people at their own game… And I seem to have survived.

I had three main points:
1. Brands are stronger if they are built from the inside out.
2. Employees can build brand value and they can destroy it. You can affect which they do.
3. Treating employees like other stakeholders, as trusted partners, will help you and your brand.

Except, I wasn’t really that concise.

/df