Question 1
Th problem or issue identified in the case study involved the Gulfstream organization striving to improve participation in its online surveys. Gulfstream captures employee feedback through engagement surveys. The company did a survey in 2014, and it had a low participation rate of 66%. Such a population was a small representation of the large population of the company’s employees. The communication used throughout the survey did not convey the company’s brand. The communications plan also relied on the use of emails, long articles, and digital signage that were not quite innovative. There was a need to improve the communications to make it more approachable, have a friendlier tone, and ensure that it has a more digestible presentation. Gulfstream decided to change the vendor for the survey and design an engagement survey that would have better feedback.
Question 2
The case study was undertaken by Gulfstream Aerospace and submitted through the Public Relations Society of America Inc. (PRSA). Gulfstream Aerospace is an organization that seeks to create and deliver the best aviation experience by focusing on various factors such as customers, performances, products and services, and culture. Gulfstream undertook an employee engagement survey in the years 2014 and 2017. The 2017 survey was an improvement from the 2014 one, and the case study revealed the differences between the two surveys and various improvements that had been made.
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Question 3
The communication objectives for the case study were increasing awareness, projecting a brand image, imparting knowledge, changing attitudes, and improving participation. The communication strived to increase awareness about the employment survey so that it could reach every employee. Print signage was placed on bathroom doors, cafes, and restroom mirrors to increase awareness. The other communication objective was projecting a brand image, and it involved using videos, creative signage, and campaign images. The creation of Frank, a communications expert, made use of imagery in the engagement survey. The communications plan also imparted knowledge and changed attitudes regarding the importance of the surveys. The message regarding how the feedback would be important for the organization in unlocking its potential and helping the organization shine imparted knowledge and changed the attitudes of most employees towards engagement surveys. The final objective of the communications plan was to improve participation by ensuring that the overall participation rate would be 72%, including the manufacturing and service sectors.
Question 4
The three key messages that the planners wished to communicate to the audience were the importance of using imagery in communications, using different communication channels and platforms, and peer influence as a strategy to improve participation. The creation of Frank was an innovative way to use imagery. The planners communicated the importance of creating imagery that would symbolize everyone in the target audience. The planners also showed the importance of using different communication channels like print media, photos, and videos. A Frank video commercial was used in the communications plan. Print media was used by having posters being placed on different locations like main doors in cafes and bathrooms. The final thank you note made use of photos in a gallery. Peer influence was used as a strategy to improve communication by showing that other employees had participated in the surveys, and it motivated other employees to engage in the survey.
Question 5
The strategies used for the internal communications were identifying the audience, organization alignment, optimizing content distribution, and identifying communication ambassadors. The audience identified for the communication plan were employees. However, the employees in the manufacturing and service industry were identified as the key target audience as they had previously experienced the lowest participation rates. The communication also aligned with the needs and structure of the organization. It was identified that most employees did not sit in front of a computer, and print signage was used on different doors. The content distribution was optimized by using different internal communication platforms like commercial and print signage on different doors. The communication ambassadors were identified as leaders and managers that would promote the survey and encourage honest feedback.
Question 6
The internal communication channels used involve the use of video commercials, creative print signage, and peer influence. The tactic used in the video commercial focused on internal communication by creating the profile of Frank that symbolized every employee and thus were several outfits depending on the location and department. Creative print signage was an internal communication technique as it was placed on the company’s main doors, cafeteria tables, and restroom mirrors. The other internal communication strategy involved peer influence. Halfway through the period, the digital signage used portraits of employees that had taken the survey, letting people see their colleagues in the ads, and it made them want to share their opinion too. Such a peer influence was an effective internal communication strategy as it created a fear of missing out (FOMO) perception among the employees that had not undertaken the survey.
Question 7
The program effectiveness was measured by participation rates in the survey and the total reach in the advertisements based on the number of views. The main target for the survey was a 72% participation rate, and the overall result was that the participation rate was 79%. The measure also focused on previous areas that had the lowest participation rates, i.e., manufacturing that had 79% and service that had 74%. The total reach in the advertisements was also used to measure the effectiveness of the communication. The campaign commercial received 51,500 views, the president’s video had 6,100 views, and the campaign article views were 6,200. The views showed the effectiveness of the communications plan in reaching a large number of employees.
