CHCCOM003 Student Workbook Section One v4 PDF

1st Edition
CHCCOM003
Develop workplace
communication strategies
Student Workbook 1
CHCCOM003
Develop workplace communication strategies
©
TrainSmart Australia Version: 4 03/2017 Page 2 of 18
CHCCOM003 Develop workplace communication strategies
Student Workbook One
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................3
Objectives................................................................................................................................................. 4
1. Develop communication strategies ..................................................................................................5
1.1 – Identify internal and external information needs ........................................................................... 6
Information needs ............................................................................................................................... 6
1.2 – Identify competing or conflicting interests ..................................................................................... 9
Competing or conflicting interests....................................................................................................... 9
1.3 – Develop a range of communication strategies to meet organisation needs and goals ............... 10
Communication strategies ................................................................................................................. 10
1.4 – Develop a communication plan .................................................................................................... 13
Communication plan .......................................................................................................................... 13
Case Studies ....................................................................................................................................... 16
References ............................................................................................................................................. 18
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Objectives
 Discover how to develop communication strategies
 Know how to establish communication protocols
 Learn how to promote the use of communication strategies
 Understand how to review communication practices
 Gain skills and knowledge required for this unit
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1. Develop communication strategies
1.1. Identify internal and external information needs
1.2. Identify competing or conflicting interests
1.3. Develop a range of communication strategies to meet organisation needs and goals
1.4. Develop a communication plan
©
1.1 – Identify internal and external information needs
Information needs
Information often needs to be communicated to stakeholders both within inside and outside of
organisations. To ensure this happens consistently, organisations develop communication strategies.
This is the basic principles of what is communicated, how and why.
There are a wide range of reasons that information may need to be communicated. For example, to
improve the way the business works, inform employees and customers, market the organisation’s
services and improve public perception of it. The target audiences of these communications are known
as stakeholders.
The scale of the communications can also vary significantly. In some organisations, there will be whole
departments dedicated to communications while in others it will be a few people. This will vary the
types and volume of communication that is put out.
Information needs (or reasons for communicating) may be:

 Internal, such as:
o communicating business and strategic plans
o disseminating safety information
o striving for targets
o reporting outcomes (e.g. sales, results,

feedback)
 External, such as:
o improving public relations (e.g.

publicising charity work)
o dealing with crises
o communicating to stakeholders
o developing relationships with

communities
o advertising job vacancies.
The first thing to do when creating a strategy is to identify the information needs. They will determine
the methods and formats used. For example if the organisation’s goal was to communicate targets more
clearly to employees, internal email and displays would be able to reach them, whereas newspaper
adverts would be useless. Remember that information may include a range of specific goals with them
(e.g. to improve awareness of a new safety measure, to improve relations with the local community)
and may be either short or long term.
©
Information can be communicated through different means, including:
 Notice boards, signs or posters
 Internal or external emails
 Newsletters
 Employee meetings
 Reports
 Traditional media, such as:
o television
o radio
o newspapers
o magazines
 Digital media, such as:
o websites
o social media
o digital radio
o podcasts.
SWOT analysis
A SWOT analysis is a way of analysing your own or your organisation’s strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats, and can be used to determine the information needs. Strengths and
weakness are often internal, while opportunities and threats are external. A thorough analysis can help
to formulate a strategy or to inform decision making.
A SWOT analysis includes:

 Strengths
What does your company do better or more cheaply than your competitors? What are
you well known and respected for? What advantages do you have?
 Weaknesses
What unresolved problems have caused issues in the past? What resources, skills or
capabilities do you lack? What needs improvement?
 Opportunities
What changes in the market, social trends or economy may benefit your business?
What funding, events or other opportunities could you take advantages of?
 Threats
What issues inside or outside the company could harm its success? Are you able to
continue making your product? Is debt or cash flow a problem?
©
STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES
SWOT
analysis
WEAKNESSES THREATS
For example, a SWOT analysis for a company could be:
Helpful Harmful
Internal Strengths – Weakness –

 We have a strong, loyal client base  Poor safety record
 Employees are invested in their  Employees are stressed by long
work hours
External Opportunities – Threats –

 Our product sector is growing in  Few people in the job market have
popularity the required skills to work here
 We have several innovative  We don’t market the features of
products in the works new products well
From this, you could analyse what your communication needs are, either externally or internally.
In the above example, communication needs would include:

 Communicating safety protocols more clearly
 Educating employees on the harm of long harms
 Targeting job seekers more specifically by their skills
 Marketing new products more clearly.
©
1.2 – Identify competing or conflicting interests
Competing or conflicting interests

A conflict of interests is when an organisation or people within it have multiple interests. Sometimes
interests can co-exist with each other; however other times they are in direct competition. This could
encourage people to act unethically or illegally for personal profit.
For example, in a press release, the Communications

Manager happens to mention how the software made
by Company X has been very useful in developing their
new product and he recommends it to anyone else.
However, unbeknownst to the company, he actually
owns shares of Company X. He is misusing his position
to increase their share price and profit. Furthermore,
this would be potentially detrimental to his role as
Communications Manager. This could have been
avoided if he had not mentioned Company X, or had
asked someone else without an investment to write it.
Conflicting interests may include:

 Investments or ownership of other companies
 Multiple contracts for conflicting companies (e.g. a healthy eating campaign and a
chocolate producer)
 Taking undisclosed commission to recommend customers to a company.
Conflicts of interests will vary according to the industry and sector of the organisation. Read their
policies to find out what is considered a relevant conflict of interest. If you are still unsure, speak to the
HR department or your supervisor as soon as possible; they will advise you how to mitigate the conflict.
The safest way to avoid conflicts of interest is to disclose them as soon as possible. This way, other
people can judge when a conflict is likely to occur and take steps to avoid it.
Mandatory reporting
Note that you may be required by legislation or organisational requirements to report conflicts of
interest in either yourself or others. You could be found negligent if you observe something or have
reasonable suspicion that it has occurred and not report it. For example, you should report conflicts of
interest relating to yourself or somebody else. Check your organisation’s handbook to see what you
should report.
You may be required to report conflicts of interest to:

 Your supervisor
 The Human Resources department
 A professional ethics body or law enforcement.
©
1.3 – Develop a range of communication strategies to meet organisation needs
and goals
Communication strategies
A communication strategy is a broad overview of how, when and why you will communicate. You will
need to employ different strategies to meet different needs. At this stage, you may need to break down
your strategies into a range of smaller targets and begin to workout how they will be implemented.
The communication strategy should convey how the need will be met and the channels used. For
example, if the purpose is to identify employees who need more training, the strategy could be to
regularly assess employees’ knowledge through interviews with their managers, provide workshops and
deliver training courses.
Targets
When determining your communication strategy, you should first identify your goals, which will be
driven by the organisation’s needs. For example, if the company needs to improve its safety record, its
communication targets could be related to educating employees or recruiting new safety officers.
In order to be effective, the goals should be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attractive, Reasonable and
Time-framed.
SPECIFIC – Detailed and easy to measure
MEASURABLE – Progress toward the goal can be tracked and tested
ATTRACTIVE – Positive and something the client wants to do
REALISTIC – Your goal is reasonable and attainable within defined schedules
TIME-FRAMED – Your goal is linked to explicit time measures
For example, a goal that isn’t SMART is “make employees more aware of what is happening in the
company.” This isn’t very detailed and doesn’t specify what they need to know about, which also
prevents it from being measurable. It doesn’t have a specific target; ‘employees’ is too vague to be used
as a measurement of progress. Does it mean every single employee or just a majority of the workforce?
Furthermore, it isn’t time-framed, meaning it doesn’t have a deadline. This can lead to goals dragging on
endlessly without concrete progress.
However, it is attractive to the client, although it is vague as to what the benefits would be. Without
knowing the company, it is difficult to determine whether it is a realistic goal or not. In small companies,
it seems to be achievable given a reasonable time schedule.
A SMARTer target would be “ensure that at least 90% of employees are aware of new safety initiatives
within two months of them being introduced.”
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Criteria Evaluation
Specific It is specific with regards to what the communication should achieve. However, it
could be clearer with what it wants them to know about the new initiative.
Measureable The target is easy to measure; within two months, the employees should be
tested to see whether they are aware of the new initiative. If 90% or more do,
then it has been communicated successfully.
Attractive It would increase awareness of safety measures in the company and therefore
make people safer in their work. This will decrease time lost, employee absence
and complaints.
Realistic This will vary on the specifics of the company, such as the size of the workforce
and any difficulties such as language barriers.
Time-framed The target should be achieved within two months.
The goals that are chosen should relate to the company’s overall strategic plan. They may be passed
top-down from the organisation’s management or be initiated by the communication department or
personnel.
The organisation may have ‘official’ communications which are owned entirely by it. These differ from
external communication channels, such as TV or newspapers, which are owned by other people and
utilised by the company. Official channels have the benefit of only portraying the company’s message.
Official communication channels may include:

 Internal forms, such as notice boards, newsletters
 Company magazines
 Company website
 Social media.
When using these, you should consider whether there are any existing communication hierarchies. For
example, communications may have to be signed off by a particular member of organisation.
©
Communication barriers
The organisation is likely to meet various barriers and challenges that will make it more difficult to
complete their goals. They should take these into account when planning.
Communication barriers may include:

 Language barriers
 Lack of access to traditional media
 Lack of budget or time devoted to communicating
 Geographically diverse workplaces
 Organisational requirements.
Not all employees will speak the same language in an organisation. This will require translating
information into multiple languages or using pictures to communicate the meaning. Care should be
taken in translating. Use people who speak both languages fluently, and don’t rely on Internet services.
Employees may also have special communication needs that you will have to take into consideration. If
they have sensory disabilities, such as blindness or deafness, you should provide information in
alternate forms such as written, audio or brail.
Large organisations may experience barriers when communicating to different branches or

departments. There are likely to be required formats or templates for communication to ensure it is
consistent. There may also be issues communicating with branches that are located in different regions
or countries, especially with language barriers.
There may also be limited resources to communicate information, particularly in small companies or
ones that put a low priority on it. This can be lack of manpower, time, equipment, skills or knowledge
which will prevent them from effectively achieving their goals. Similarly, it is more difficult for small
companies to get their voices heard in the traditional media. Newspapers, TV and radio tend to favour
established companies which are already well known, making it difficult for small companies to use
these improve their public relations. This effect is even more prominent at the national level, where
organisations that get coverage locally are unable to do so. (Note that social media has a democratising
effect, in that any organisation can access and use it.)
©
1.4 – Develop a communication plan
Communication plan
Developing a communication plan will require identifying your needs and the best way to satisfy these.
You should create a communication schedule to put your plan into action.
Most of your communication needs will be directed towards stakeholders. In an organisation, a

stakeholder is someone who has an interest in a business. They could be individuals, groups or other
organisations, and may be either internal (inside the organisation) or external (outside of it). All
stakeholders want an organisation to be successful, however they may have different interpretations of
this and ideas of how it should be achieved.
Stakeholders may include:

 Owners
 Managers
 Employees
 Customers
 Suppliers
 Creditors
 Shareholders
 The surrounding community.
People working for the company want it to be successful so that they can increase their salary and have
job security. Customers want the business to continue to provide the same products, which should be
good quality and reasonable cost. If the business suffers, either of these may change.
Other organisations who rely on it for business (such as suppliers) are invested in the company because
they make money from it, creditors because they want to be repaid and the community because they
get jobs from it. They may also be affected by the organisation’s practices and reputation.
You should identify the best communication channels to reach your stakeholders. You could divide them
into further categories (e.g. employees by department, customers by their average spend.)
Communication hierarchy
When communicating to internal stakeholders, you should be aware of the communication hierarchy.
Each organisation has a structure or hierarchy which determines how much power and influence
someone has. It may be rigid and formal or looser and informal, but is always present in an organisation
to some degree. Information may flow up, down or across the hierarchy using various communication
channels. You should take the hierarchy into account when creating your plan.
©
Downwards flow occurs when managers or organisation leaders give directions, guidance or instructions
to the people below them. This should provide leadership and strategy to the employees, as well as
possibly changing company policies, procedures or practices. It may occur at various levels, such as CEO
to department manager, department manager to team leader or team leader to team member.
Downwards flow happens through various channels, including:

 Team meetings
 Memos
 Briefings
 Verbal instructions
 Emails
 Assessments or appraisals.
Upwards flow is the communication of information from subordinate to manager. This is less
acknowledged but just as important. It provides frontline information about how the organisation’s
basic functions are performing (e.g. sales, customer satisfaction, feedback) which are then used to make
informed decisions by management. Providing information upwards is often a requirement of a role; for
example, once a telemarketer has completed a sale, they are required to record it and inform their
manager. It could also provide feedback and suggestions for how the organisation could improve based
on their experiences.
Upwards flow can happen through:

 Reports
 Sales documents
 Verbal communication
 Meetings with managers.
Information can also flow horizontally through organisations between people at the same level (also
known as lateral flow.) These types of channels are most varied; they may be formal or informal,
frequent or infrequent. It may occur only when the need arises, such as two departments needing to
coordinate together, or an employee requesting help from their peer. Department managers may
regularly exchange information to understand trends or events that affect their department. Lateral
flow should be encouraged whenever possible as it enables the movement of information and
cooperation.
Budgeting
You should ensure that your communication plan is possible within the financial limitations of the
organisation. To start with, you should find out what budget has been allocated for the plan, and how
many resources you have available. If in doubt, you should include too much detail regarding the
budgeting rather than too little.
©
Resources may include:
 Employees and their skills, knowledge, experience and contacts
 Equipment such as computers and printers
 Templates or previous examples of communication
 Information
 Organisational systems.
Consider not just how much something will cost but how long it will take. Some forms of media, such as
social media, are free and only require time to be put into them. Others, such as websites, will vary
depending on whether the company has the skills and knowledge to do them in-house or needs to
outsource the job. To make this clearer, you could allocate a certain budget to each aspect of the plan.
Platform Time allocated Money allocated
Social media 10 hours $50
Website updates 8 hours $150
Leaflets and brochures 20 hours $240
Briefings 5 hours $0
It is prudent to add contingency money or time into a plan. Unexpected events can occur that will
require significant resources; planning for these eventualities will allow you to cater to them while still
providing normal communication.
You should also work out what return on investment (ROI) you want. This is a common unit of
measurement to determine efficiency but can refer to a wide range of things. The formula for monetary
ROI is profits from investment divided by cost of investment, then multiplied by 100. So if you gained
$200 from an advert that cost $50, the return on investment would be (200/50) x 100, which is 400%.
However, you could also measure new customers gained, customer satisfaction, accidents prevented or
any other outcome. You can use this to determine whether your spending is helping you to reach your
goals and determine what action needs to be taken.
©
Case Studies
Tasty Food Corp have built a manufacturing plant near a small village. They need to integrate
themselves into the local community, build up good relationships and fill all of their vacancies before the
plant opens in January. This gives them a few months to develop and carry out a communication plan.
An external communication plan has been drawn up to address these needs.
Stakeholders Information Communication Date Budget

channel
All residents Information on the company Leaflets September $300

with two miles and when the plant will open
of the plant
Local job Employment opportunities in Workshop and October $150

seekers the plant (job roles, career printed material
opportunities, ect.)
Local Communicate changes, listen Town hall November $0

community to concerns, build meeting
relationships with local
leaders
Job seekers Job advertisement Local newspaper November $30
Magazine Interview with the CEO Local magazine December $100

readers talking about benefits for
community
Potential Advertising the company’s Social media September – $0

customers and products, giving information, December
local residents communicating with
potential customers/local
residents
©
One year later, the company has successfully opened; however, there are a worryingly high number of
accidents at the plant. The CEO has asked for an internal communication plan to educate workers and
make the factory safer. The stakeholders are all employees, from managers to new starters.
Stakeholders Information Communication Date

channel
All employees Reminders of basic safety rules (e.g. Safety signs in all October
don’t run, wear a helmet) areas
Managers Explanation of how to maximise Team meetings October

safety in their areas
Managers Coming up with ideas on how to Brain storming November

make the factory safer session
Line managers Managers explain to line managers Workshops November

how to implement new safety
procedures
All employees Asking how safety could be improved Questionnaire November
Managers Line managers report new safety Report December

results
There is a two-way feedback process in this communication plan. First, the information on safety
protocols is being conveyed downwards from the CEO through the various levels to all employees. It is
being communicated in different ways to suit different needs. Once that is complete, the lowest
employees are providing feedback and outcome results which travel back up the hierarchy to the CEO.
He or she can then use that information to evaluate the previous strategy and inform the next measures.
There is also some lateral movement as information is exchanged between departments, moving it to
where it is most relevant.
©
References
These suggested references are for further reading and do not necessarily represent the contents of
this Learner Guide.
Crisis communication: http://www.niu.edu/newsplace/crisis.html
Privacy principles: https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy-law/privacy-archive/privacy-resources-

archive/privacy-fact-sheet-1-information-privacy-principles-under-the-privacy-act-1988
Discrimination legislation: https://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/C2004A04426
All references accessed on and correct as of 18th December 2015, unless other otherwise stated.
©

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1st Edition

 Know how to establish communication protocols

 Learn how to promote the use of communication strategies

 Understand how to review communication practices

 Gain skills and knowledge required for this unit

1.2. Identify competing or conflicting interests

1.4. Develop a communication plan

Information needs (or reasons for communicating) may be:

o communicating business and strategic plans

o disseminating safety information

o striving for targets

o reporting outcomes (e.g. sales, results,

 External, such as:

o improving public relations (e.g.

o dealing with crises

o developing relationships with

o advertising job vacancies.

A SWOT analysis includes:

For example, a SWOT analysis for a company could be:

Internal Strengths – Weakness –

External Opportunities – Threats –

In the above example, communication needs would include:

 Educating employees on the harm of long harms

 Targeting job seekers more specifically by their skills

 Marketing new products more clearly.

Competing or conflicting interests

For example, in a press release, the Communications

Conflicting interests may include:

 Taking undisclosed commission to recommend customers to a company.

You may be required to report conflicts of interest to:

 The Human Resources department

 A professional ethics body or law enforcement.

SPECIFIC – Detailed and easy to measure

MEASURABLE – Progress toward the goal can be tracked and tested

ATTRACTIVE – Positive and something the client wants to do

REALISTIC – Your goal is reasonable and attainable within defined schedules

TIME-FRAMED – Your goal is linked to explicit time measures

Time-framed The target should be achieved within two months.

Official communication channels may include:

Communication barriers may include:

 Lack of access to traditional media

 Lack of budget or time devoted to communicating

 Geographically diverse workplaces

Large organisations may experience barriers when communicating to different branches or

Most of your communication needs will be directed towards stakeholders. In an organisation, a

Stakeholders may include:

 The surrounding community.

Downwards flow happens through various channels, including:

Upwards flow can happen through:

 Meetings with managers.

 Equipment such as computers and printers

 Templates or previous examples of communication

Platform Time allocated Money allocated

Social media 10 hours $50

Website updates 8 hours $150

Leaflets and brochures 20 hours $240

Stakeholders Information Communication Date Budget

All residents Information on the company Leaflets September $300

Local job Employment opportunities in Workshop and October $150

Local Communicate changes, listen Town hall November $0

Job seekers Job advertisement Local newspaper November $30

Magazine Interview with the CEO Local magazine December $100

Potential Advertising the company’s Social media September – $0