[OR] [P3] [S2] Develop Communication Strategy in Operational Resilience?

What is a Communication Strategy?

A communication strategy is a guide or a plan that helps an organisation share information and achieve its communication and business objectives.  In this case, the operational resilience initiative.

Ensuring effective and timely communication of the internal and external communication plans is essential to help the organisation keep customers and other stakeholders informed.

Internal and External Communication

External Communication: Delivering the correct message to the public about the firm’s services helps protect the organisation’s reputation.

Internal Communication: delivering appropriate communication throughout the organisation will help staff members understand what they need to do within their teams and across teams, and how communications and messages are managed when corresponding with customers and service providers.

Designated Communication Lead for Operational Resilience

Perhaps it is easier to explain the communication strategies when they are framed as the roles and responsibilities of an appointed OR communication specialist. 

Here are some of the roles and responsibilities of the appointed professional responsible for communication.  These roles include:

• Develop and execute communications strategies to support the organisation's operational resilience initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and deliver effective communication plans that ensure clear and consistent messaging to internal and external stakeholders.
• Create compelling content for various communication channels, including email, Intranet, social media, and presentations.
• Develop and deliver training sessions to ensure all staff members understand the importance of operational resilience and their role in maintaining it.
• Stay up to date with emerging communication technologies and trends to ensure the organisation's communication strategies remain innovative and effective.
• Measure and report on the success of communication strategies and make recommendations for improvement.
  

During a Disruption or Crisis

• Manage the organisation's crisis communications strategy, including developing and implementing incident response plans.
• Provides guidance and support to business units on effective communication practices during business disruptions and crises.

How to Develop a Communication Strategy?

An effective communication strategy is vital for sustaining an operational resilience program.

It ensures stakeholders are informed, engaged, and aligned with the program's objectives. The following steps are involved in developing a communication strategy:

Identify Stakeholders

• Identify the key stakeholders who need to be informed about operational resilience, including employees, senior management, board members, customers, and external partners.

Craft Clear and Consistent Messaging

• Develop clear, concise messages that convey the importance of operational resilience, its benefits, and stakeholders' roles in achieving resilience objectives.
• Ensure consistency in messaging across different communication channels.

Choose Appropriate Communication Channels

• Select the most suitable communication channels to effectively reach different stakeholder groups.
• This may include newsletters, intranet portals, emails, town hall meetings, and dedicated communication platforms.

Establish Regular Communication Mechanisms

• Set up regular communication channels to provide program progress updates, share best practices, and address stakeholders' concerns or questions.
• These mechanisms foster transparency and maintain engagement.

Seek Feedback and Encourage Dialogue

• Create opportunities for stakeholders to provide feedback, ask questions, and share their experiences related to operational resilience.
• Encourage two-way communication to ensure their perspectives are considered and addressed.

Additional Explanatory Note 

	Definition	Explanation	Definition
	Communication Strategy	is an all-encompassing roadmap for organisational communications.
	External Communication	Is the organisation delivering the correct message to the public about the organisation’s services used to protect the organisation’s reputation?
	Internal Communication	The delivery of appropriate communication throughout the organisation will help staff members understand what they must do in their teams and across teams, and how communications and messages are managed when corresponding with customers and service providers.
	Crisis Communication Plan	is a clearly defined, documented plan of action for implementing and managing the Crisis Communication process.

"Sustain" Phase of the OR Planning Roadmap

Introduce Culture Change	Develop Communication Strategy	Implement Training and Awareness	Provide Self-assessment	Conduct Independent Quality Review

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the OR-3 Blended Learning OR-300 Operational Resilience Implementer course and the OR-5 Blended Learning OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course.

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