111 ABCI 6 March 2009 Internal Communication at the European Commission

2 Who are we? Approx. 33,500 staff (+ 8,000 pensioners) 41 DGs and services 2 main sites: Brussels and Luxembourg Numerous other sites, including: Ispra, IT and 4 other Joint Research Centre institutes Grange, IRL Representations in all 27 Member States Over 120 Delegations around the world

3 What are our main challenges? Budget and resources: zero growth in resources Internal context: implementation of reform process External context: Need to communicate with citizens and stakeholders, to ‘go local’

4 What are the structural challenges? 41 DGs and services spread over different sites, with: differences in ‘local’ identity and culture hierarchical structures complex information flows

5 What are the policy challenges? For internal communication, trying to balance: information role communicating the administrative reform process role in broader process of organisational change management

6 What are the human challenges? Managing internal communications as a change process in a context of high staff diversity: cultures (national, professional, social) languages (27 official + minority langs) employment status educational profiles

7 What is our strategic approach? At Commission and DG levels: building a collaborative network of internal communication professionals through the Internal Communication Network (ICN) sharing and supporting best practices making necessary connections with our colleagues working in external communication and human resources management (virtuous triangle)

8 How has internal communication developed? – growing role in support of reform process external communication challenges provide springboard (2005 Communication Action Plan) for further focus on internal communication July Commission adopts an Internal Communication and Staff Engagement Strategy Now - using internal communication strategy and practices: to motivate and engage staff to support gains in efficiency and effectiveness to improve staff satisfaction

9 What does the Strategy cover? 5 main areas: A communicating management Linking internal and external communication Staff as ambassadors Improving flows of information Monitoring and evaluation

10 What are we doing? 1.A communicating management Priority focus on: raising awareness of management’s crucial role in promoting and tapping into staff engagement providing training and learning opportunities supporting implementation of internal communication best practices

11 What are we doing? 2.Linking internal and external communication Priority focus on: raising awareness of links between internal and external communication building practical cooperation at corporate level between DGs ADMIN and COMM; and with all DGs through ICN encouraging cooperation between IC, EC and human resources communities in DGs

12 What are we doing? 3.Staff as ambassadors Priority focus on: providing support and training to ‘ambassadors’ (website resources) targeting different audiences at corporate and DG levels (division of labour) raising awareness of role of all staff as ‘ambassadors’ or ‘advocates’ for the organisation

13 What are we doing? 4.Improving flows of information Priority focus on: developing tools to simplify access to targeted information and provide collaborative working tool (briefings, corporate portal project) fostering greater two-way communication developing the ICN ‘community of practice’

14 What are we doing? 5.Monitoring and evaluation Priority focus on: raising awareness and improving competences in monitoring and evaluation developing a common evaluation toolkit for communication activities (common set of metrics for IC)

15 What levers do we have? The IC and Staff Engagement Strategy itself is reinforced by: Internal Control Standard 12 revised training offer for managers and communication staff work of ICN, with annual seminars and workshops collaborative behind-the-scenes efforts

16 Conclusions? The Strategy: is an ambitious change management project but has limited resources This means : focusing on priority actions using strategic leverage and networking accepting change is gradual and incremental

17 European Commission Directorate-General for Personnel & Administration 17 Thank you! Merci ! Dank U wel !