The HR Division with about 600 staff including about 60 managers has never actually done a centrally coordinated planning exercise for its communication activities. Therefore it was a new idea and the HR leadership and senior managers needed a lot of hand holding to share information and to do a joint planning exercise. This planning task took about 3 months to complete with workshops, meetings, one-to-one meetings, back and forth and also with back-end support from my interns.
Step 1: HR Division Circle. I presented a convincing argument to the Senior VP for HR and his immediate circle for the need for a coordinated communication planning activity and offered a simple and easy planning template.
Step 2: HR Department Circles. I brought the argument to the next level, to each of the 6 HR Departments, to the heads and their immediate circle of senior managers and sought their understanding and feedback and fed it into the planning.
Step 3: Communication Planning Workshop. I then organised a communication planning workshop for all the department heads and their senior managers, presided by the Senior VP for HR. The workshop produced the first draft of a coordinated communication plan for the HR Division for the first time.
Step 4: Planning and Change Management Support. After the workshop, I followed up with each of the 6 HR Departments to fill in the gaps and to make the plan more accurate with more details. I also highlighted possible areas for collaboration or conflict between the HR Departments and supported to streamline their communication activities. This step was by far took the longest time to organise and was the most exhausting. More than a planning exercise, this step incorporated change management initiatives as well to help managers and staff shift their mindsets.
Step 5: Conclusion. I brought the completed final HR Division communication plan back to the HR Division management circle for a final view and discussion and completed the planning exercise for 2017.
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