Internal Communication Policy Brochure

Group 1: Recommendation Report

Prepared for: Professor Sallie M Gowdy-Burke

English 402 Instructor
Washington State University
Prepared by: Lindsay Morphew, Dane Aldrich, Sean Herbert, and Yonnathan Yemane
Undergraduate Students
Washington State University
April 17th , 2016

Date:
To:
From:

April 17th, 2016

Professor Sallie M Gowdy-Burke
Lindsay Morphew

Subject:

Recommendation Report for Columbia State Bank Internal Communication

Policy

Attached please find a copy of the Group 1 final repurposing project in the form of an Internal
Communication Policy brochure for Columbia State Bank. We have completed the project tasks
as outlined and addressed in the teams justification statement and prepared this product as a tool
for all staff to utilize on a daily basis to increase the flow of communication throughout the bank.
We utilized research from employee interviews and surveys with staff from multiple departments
of the bank including: Executive Management, Branch Staff, Operations, Sales, and Information
Services. The results of these interviews and internal surveys confirmed that Columbia State
Bank employees would appreciate and welcome the implementation of a uniform
communication protocol. Staff members reported they encounter emails from a variety of
departments that have an unclear purpose where they need to seek out additional information to
perform a request or respond appropriately to an email.
We recommendation that Columbia State Bank utilize our brochure as a way to help employees
from all departments develop better communication and overall results. These communication
standards should be included in the Employee Handbook Policies and Procedures to ensure all
employees have access to this information and should be communicated during New Employee
Orientation (NEO) within the first few days of an employee being hired with Columbia Bank

Table of Contents

Executive Summary..............................................................................................................4
Introduction...4
Research Methods.................4
Results...................6
Conclusions...............6
Recommendations.................................................................................................................6
Appendix...........................................7

Executive Summary

Enclosed you will find the completed recommendation report for Group 1 in addition to the
repurposed product in the form of an Internal Communication Policy brochure for Columbia
State Bank which can be found in the appendix of this document. Our team utilized our
individual expertise in addition to secondary resources to ensure we developed a product that
would be beneficial for our audience.

Introduction
Currently Columbia State Bank has no formal policy or internal communication standards
between employees. A lack of clear standards within an organization leaves room for error and
misunderstanding between employees and can create a frustrating environment where employees
may need to complete additional steps to clarify communication. The absence of a
communication standard has led our team to build an Internal Communication Policy brochure
that can be utilized in future employee training courses or passed out by Human Resources. We
are also suggesting that the contents of the brochure be made available online to employees by
way of the employee handbook.
The goals we have set for our project are to obtain research and content on internal
communication policies, develop the physical brochure, create a usability test to ensure the
integrity of the brochure and finally to perform a final review of grammar, spelling and
formatting to ensure the brochure is ready for distribution to CSB.

Research Methods
The Internal Communication Policy brochure for Columbia State Bank was designed as a
comprehensive overview and guide for better communication practices companywide to be
utilized by Columbia State Bank. We used the following methods to research and develop our
product:
Task 1. Product Research and Content
We utilized the previous research done in the Recommendation Memo [Appendix B] to provide
our foundation and research for the internal communication brochure content. This included in
person interviews with Columbia State Bank staff and secondary research of other companies
who had previously implemented such a communication policy.
Task 2. Brochure Formatting
We decided that a brochure would be the best product to produce for Columbia State Bank for
ease of distribution using multiple channels. By creating a brochure this allows for Human
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Resources to easily distribute the communication policy individually, include the literature in the
employee handbook, or distribute electronically if desired.
Task 3. Usability Testing
Our method for testing our product included multiple factors by way of managing principals to
ensure the product would be sufficient for use by CSB. First, we drafted our content into a model
to make sure that the product identified the problem, then ensured that it offered solutions and
instructions that would be easily implemented by the bank. Once these factors were identified
and completed we moved onto final formatting.
Columbia State Bank Internal Communication Policy: Managing Principals
Efficiency
CSB will use modern communication technologies including email, phone calls, and voicemail
in a timely manner to efficiently convey its messages to its target groups or departments.
Cooperation among employees and departments will be sought after when it comes to using
different communication channels.
Transparency
As a prominent local financial institution, CSB will make every effort in its communication to be
as transparent and open as possible while taking into account bank secrecy and security. The
requirement of a transparent communication environment contributes to maintaining a high level
of accountability for individual employees and departments bank-wide.
Clarity
CSB will strive for clarity whenever possible, i.e., to send uniform and clear messages
interdepartmentally when applicable. Employees sending unnecessary and unprofessional
communication including personal emails or spam will be in violation of company policy.
Cultural and Social Awareness
As a prominent expanding local financial institution, CSB operates in a diverse multicultural and
social environment. While most of its communication material is outlined, it is important to
communicate effectively with diverse groups in an effective and respectful manner.
Technological expansion has increased dramatically
Task 4. Final Formatting and Product Completion
The product we developed was a brochure for distribution at Columbia State Bank. We made the
brochure versatile to be distributed physically or electronically depending on the banks needs.

Results

Our final repurposed product is a completed Internal Communication Policy [Appendix A]

brochure for Columbia State Bank. The brochure was developed as a tool for problem solving for
all employees and identifies a clear set of professional communication standards and
expectations.
Conclusions
Reviews the all contents and provides an overall review of the repurposing project.
Our repurposing project primarily focused on helping Columbia State Bank develop a set of
communication standards for internal use by its employees. The recommendation memo in
Appendix B identifies that two out of every three employees believes that the flow of
communication within their organization is poor and that the lack of interdepartmental
communication results in decreased quality of both products and services provided by an
organization. In a growing and increasingly interconnected world we felt that this issue was
important to tackle and improve for CSB. We identified the main issues company wide, created a
plan for a product and then developed that product for use and distribution by CSB.
Recommendations
It is our recommendation that Columbia State Bank begins implementing the Internal
Communication Policy with their employees as soon as possible. Multiple departments have
reported a lack of standards that has increasingly created issues between employees and also
impacted the productivity and moral of employees. The Internal Communication Policy clearly
outlines the purpose of the policy, the goals, a set of Managing Principals, and details a clear set
of standards for employees to review. The brochure takes the guess work out of key questions
that can arise from timelines for email responses and how to write a purposeful email. The CSB
Internal Communication Brochure is a great tool that can be used and appreciated by new and
tenured employees and for the best results on improvement of employee communication should
be distributed bank-wide.

Appendix
A: CSB Communication Brochure
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B: Recommendation Memo

Columbia State Bank

1301 A Street
Tacoma, WA 98402
Date:
To:
From:
Subject:

March 6, 2016
Melanie J. Dressel
Chief Executive Officer
Columbia State Bank
Lindsay Morphew, Executive Assistant
Columbia State Bank
Recommendation Memo: Standardized Internal Communication Policy
Purpose

The purpose of this proposal is to report the findings from my previous communication by
investigating whether a standardized internal communication policy would increase
understanding and productivity among internal employees and departments within Columbia
State Bank.
Summary
This memo includes a background on the deterioration of communication between employees
within corporate America. Many larger institutions have adopted a communication protocol to
help address these issues which have been thought to have arisen as technological advancements
are made and as time constraints in the workplace increase year to year. I have broken down my
research into a timeline which includes interviews conducted with Columbia State Bank
employees in addition to secondary research from a variety of online resources. As an employee
of Columbia State Bank I work with internal employees from all departments on a daily basis
from top level executives to branch staff and am responsible for interpreting and distributing
internal communication. I have broken down my research steps into four tasks which took place
over a period of a week on a budget of $2,870.00 USD.
Introduction
In an increasingly interconnected world, effective communication standards have become a
necessary skill set to have in the workplace. Cultural and generational differences, the everincreasing dependency on electronic communication, and a fast paced technological world are all
contributing factors as to why communication issues occur in a workplace setting. When dealing
9

with different departments organizationally, employees, external clients and vendors can feel the
dysfunction of the office creating tension and an unstable feeling in the minds of all parties
involved.
Two out of three employees believes that the flow of communication between departments
within their organization is poor.1 Inevitably, this results in a reduction in the quality of the
products and services provided by the organization. While there are many issues that can lead to
poor communication, the origin of the problem lies with an initial breakdown in the quality and
quantity of communication across silos. For example, if several departments are involved with
getting a new version of a software product for public release it would include the sales, product,
technology, finance and corporate marketing departments.2 Each department has an opinion on
the features the new product should contain but typically has their specific interests in mind with
little consideration to the others. If the respective departments decide on new software
individually without communicating with each other there is a large probability that departments
will choose different software, creating issues for the entire company.
Currently Columbia State Bank has no formal policy or internal communication standards
between employees. A lack of clear standards within an organization leaves room for error and
misunderstanding between employees and can create a frustrating environment where employees
may need to complete additional steps to clarify communication. A communication protocol will
benefit employees company-wide by providing clear written guidelines and expectations for all
individuals. When each employee has guidelines to help educate them regarding conflict and also
provides assistance on how to approach those issues, it will promote a healthier communication
environment. If the standards are broken or ignored by a department or department member, they
will be easily identifiable and corrective action will be executed promptly. In addition to a more
harmonious work environment created by less confusion, external clients will benefit from more
productive employees.
Research and Results
Since there have been breakdowns in communication and there is no current communication
protocol at Columbia State Bank, I began my research by interviewing staff at Columbia State
Bank in addition to researching companies that have identified gaps in communication in
addition to solutions they have set in place to see what works for them and to see if it makes
sense for Columbia State Bank to implement a similar protocol. My analysis included the
following research tasks:

1 Katcher, Bruce L., Ph. D. "Improving The Workplace." Improving The Workplace. Discovery Surveys Inc., 2012. Web. 02 Oct.
2012.

<http://www.discoverysurveys.com/articles/itw-017.html>.

2 Diamond, Arlyne, Ph.D. "Inter-Departmental Communication." Inter-Departmental Communication. Tech Week, Nov. 2000.
Web. 06 Oct. 2012.

<http://www.diamondassociates.net/articles/content/InterdepartmentalCommunication.html>.

10

Task 1. Identify and complete in-person interviews

I scheduled interviews and implemented employee surveys with staff from multiple departments
of the bank including: Executive Management, Branch Staff, Operations, Sales, and Information
Services. The results of my interviews and internal surveys confirmed that Columbia State Bank
employees would appreciate and welcome the implementation of a uniform communication
protocol. Staff members reported they encounter emails from a variety of departments that have
an unclear purpose where they need to seek out additional information to perform a request or
respond appropriately to an email.
Task 2: Perform secondary research
I looked at current organizations and statistics from employee opinion surveys to identify a
pattern of concern regarding communication within multiple institutions shown below in the
form of an annotated bibliography.
Annotated Bibliography
Katcher, Bruce L., Ph. D. "Improving The Workplace." Improving The Workplace. Discovery
Surveys Inc., 2012. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://www.discoverysurveys.com/articles/itw017.html>.
Katcher discusses that two out of every three employees believes that the flow of communication
within their organization is poor. A lack of interdepartmental communication results in decreased
quality of both products and services provided by an organization. Interdepartmental
communication is poor due to a variety of factors including: personal conflict between managers,
communication can be time consuming, communication is not part of standard operating
procedures, physical separation and finger pointing. Approaches to improving communication
include identifying clear information of what is needed, conducting team building, and
encouraging employees to commit to provide this information on a regular basis.
Hoover, Larry. "Education Developing Departmental Communication Protocols." Conflict
Management in Higher. University of California - Davis, 1 Oct. 2003. Web. 6 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.campus-adr.org/CMHER/print/hoover4_1.pdf>.
Hoover discusses that a Communication Protocol is a set of guidelines for day-to-day
communication that can aid in problem solving and in a mediation context involving a group of
coworkers. By developing a protocol US Davis achieved a rate of 90% agreement between
departments and were able to problem solve and avoid direct confrontation between individuals
and groups. The protocol guidelines included dealing directly with the person involved,
appreciating that different communication styles exist, being civil, being consistent when
delivering a message, separating the issues from the person, and avoiding passivity or passiveaggressive behaviors.
Task 3: Compile data and prepare conclusions
I utilized information received from in person interviews along with information from secondary
resources to form conclusions for my report.

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Task 4: Prepare report

I drafted this report to provide more detailed information and to encourage a call to action on
addressing internal communication issues between employees. Following interviews with
multiple employees in addition to researching organizations currently utilizing communication
plans, I found that Columbia State Bank will benefit from the implementation of a uniform
communication protocol.
Conclusions
Based on my research it is clear that a communication protocol will benefit employees companywide by providing clear written guidelines and expectations for all individuals. When each
employee has guidelines to help educate them regarding conflict and is also provided assistance
on how to approach those issues, it will promote a healthier communication environment. If the
standards are broken or ignored by a department or department member, they will be easily
identifiable and corrective action will be executed promptly. In addition to a more harmonious
work environment created by less confusion, external clients will benefit from more productive
employees.
Recommendation
In conclusion, my recommendation is for Columbia State Bank to develop standards for internal
communication that would help employees from all departments develop better communication
and overall results. Emails should adhere to a standard which includes an introduction, purpose,
clear request, background, closing, and include supporting documentation if applicable. Once
developed and approved by executive leadership, these communication standards should be
included in the Employee Handbook Policies and Procedures to ensure all employees have
access to this information and should be communicated during New Employee Orientation
(NEO) within the first few days of an employee being hired with Columbia Bank

12

References
Katcher, Bruce L., Ph. D. "Improving The Workplace." Improving The Workplace. Discovery
Surveys Inc., 2012. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://www.discoverysurveys.com/articles/itw017.html>.
Cranston, Kim, APR. "Comprehensive Communication Plan." Comprehensive Communication
Plan. Rockwood School District, 2010. Web. 02 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.rockwood.k12.mo.us/communications/Downloads/Communications%20Pla
n%202 010-2011.pdf>.
"Foster Positive Employee Relations Using Communication Best Practices." Where Great
Workplaces Start. World Press, 17 Aug. 2010. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.
<http://greatworkplace.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/foster-positive-employee-relationsusing-communication-best-practices/>.
Diamond, Arlyne, Ph.D. "Inter-Departmental Communication." Inter-Departmental
Communication. Tech Week, Nov. 2000. Web. 06 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.diamondassociates.net/articles/content/InterdepartmentalCommunication.ht
ml>.
Hoover, Larry. "Education Developing Departmental Communication Protocols." Conflict
Management in Higher. University of California - Davis, 1 Oct. 2003. Web. 6 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.campus-adr.org/CMHER/print/hoover4_1.pdf>.

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C: Brochure Contents

Columbia State Bank

Internal Communication Policy
Brochure Contents
Purpose
This document implements the policy of Columbia State Bank (CSB) for internal
communication. The purpose of introducing an internal communication policy is to
help staff organize their work effectively and eliminate common office problems
including missing deadlines and misunderstandings between employees.

Goals
The main goal of the CSBs internal communication is to support the organization in
achieving the overall goals described in the CSBs, mission and values statements.
The internal communication policy will strengthen the organizational culture and
feeling of commitment among the staff. Effective information sharing is an important
standard to ensure efficient internal communication and includes the following goals:

Uniform Internal Communication

Support the organization in achieving CSBs Mission and Values
Strengthen CSB Culture and relationships between departments and
staff

Managing Principals
Efficiency
CSB will use modern communication technologies including email, phone calls, and
voicemail in a timely manner to efficiently convey its messages to its target groups
or departments. Cooperation among employees and departments will be sought
after when it comes to using different communication channels.
Transparency
As a prominent local financial institution, CSB will make every effort in its
communication to be as transparent and open as possible while taking into account
bank secrecy and security. The requirement of a transparent communication
environment contributes to maintaining a high level of accountability for individual
employees and departments bank-wide.
Clarity

14

CSB will strive for clarity whenever possible, i.e., to send uniform and clear
messages interdepartmentally when applicable. Employees sending unnecessary
and unprofessional communication including personal emails or spam will be in
violation of company policy.
Cultural and Social Awareness
As a prominent expanding local financial institution, CSB operates in a diverse
multicultural and social environment. While most of its communication material is
outlined, it is important to communicate effectively with diverse groups in an
effective and respectful manner. Technological expansion has increased dramatically
over the past twenty years and it is imperative to remember that there is a diverse
group with varied levels of technological competencies.

Target Group
All Employees
CSBs goal is to recruit and retain employees that possess the competencies and
skills required in order for the Bank to implement its strategy. All employees are held
to the Internal Communication Policy including executives, departments, and branch
staff.

Communication Channels and Rules

Internal communication channels fall under three identified categories including
electronic email, phone calls, voicemails, and in-person interactions. All
communication channels used should adhere to CSBs policies and procedures
supporting the companys mission, values, and security policies. Requirements of for
the internal communication channels are outlined below.
Timeliness
CSB has a 24 hour communication policy. Once communication is initiated the
expectation is that the receiving party will respond within a 24 hour period.
Exceptions should only occur when the receiving employee is out of the office.
Purpose
Communication should be initiated with a clear purpose identifying key points
including but not limited who, what, when, where, why, how, etc. In the event all of
the question categories do not apply, the receiver should be able to identify the
following items at a minimum:

Who is making the request

What is the action required for the request
When is the deadline for the action

Absences & Out of Office Notifications

15

In the event that an employee is out of the office for vacation, sick leave, or any
other purpose, employees must notify their manager in addition to ensuring any
individual attempting to reach them is able to contact that employee or receive a
response within the timeframe outlined in the timeliness section of this policy.
Emails must have an appropriate out of office notification letting receivers
know:
1) That the employee is out of the office
2) How long the employee will remain out of the office
3) When the receiver can expect a response
4) Who the receiver can contact as an alternative (if applicable)
Voicemails must have an appropriate out of office notifying receivers:
1) That the employee is out of the office
2) How long the employee will remain out of the office
3) When the receiver can expect a response
4) Who the receiver can contact as an alternative (if applicable)
Note: If an employee is taking a scheduled leave and will be out of the office
for an extended period of time a note should be placed on the employees
workstation identifying:
1) That the employee is out of the office
2) How long the employee will remain out of the office
3) When the receiver can expect a response
4) Who the receiver can contact as an alternative (if applicable)
Email Signatures
CSB has implemented a standard for electronic email signatures for each employee
to add to all emails, internally or externally. All email signatures must remain uniform
for all CSB employees at all times. If the criteria falls outside of the following
parameters the employee is in violation of the email signature policy.

Signatures will be in Times New Roman, font size 11

Employees first and last name will be bolded
Mailing address will include: street number, city, state, zip code and
company mail stop
Office phone numbers will be listed in 10-numer format
Mobile phone numbers will be listed in 10-number format

Example:

First Name Last Name

Title
Mailing address Mail Stop
Office Phone: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Mobile Phone: (xxx) xxx-xxxx (if applicable)

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