ollows:• The Agency is a complex, fast moving organization andmust keep pace with the

needs of staff and the public we serve.• Employees work in a variety of work locations
andenvironments with a varying combination of days and hours,24/7, 365 days a year.•
Over reliance on electronic communication and nomandatory use of email.• There is little
practice in promoting good communicationsacross the Agency.• Employees don’t always
take responsibility for their role ininternal communications or actively seek accurate
information,instead rely on rumors.• The spirit of “One team – One Vision” is growing,
yet withinthe Agency’s complex structure, employees still have a widelyvarying loyalties
and allegiances (e.g. Division, Specialty Units orarea assigned)• Limited opportunities for
two-way communication, informalcommunications, dialogue and feedback.•
Inconsistency in key messages and communicationchannels. Solution: The
Communication Team has been tasked with developinga plan which facilitates the flow of
information between Agencydecision makers and staff
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Utilize the monitoring and feedback of the internalcommunication processes; andUndertake
an annual review of the internal communicationstrategies. Key Principles to Effective
Internal Communications of 1. Unless management comprehends and fully supports
thepremise that Agencies must have high degrees communications (like people needing lots
of water), the Agencywill remain stilted. Too often, management learns the need
forcommunication by having to respond to the lack of it.2. Effective internal communications
start with effective skills incommunications, including basic skills in listening,
speaking,questioning and sharing feedback. These can developed withsome concerted
review and practice. Perhaps the most importantoutcome from these skills is conveying that
we value hearingfrom others and their hearing from us.3. Sound meeting management skills
go a long way towardensuring effective communications. 4. A key ingredient to developing
effective communications in anyagency is every employee taking responsibility to assert
whenthey don't understand a communication or to suggest when andhow someone could
communicate more effectively.5. Communications should be tailored to the target audience
orgroup. Always start from the basis that the individual will ask,“What does it mean for
me?” 6. Communication must be positively encouraged up, down andacross the Agency.7.
Sufficient time and resources must be put into internalcommunication. Highlight Add Note
Share Quote Basic Structures/Policies to Support Effective InternalCommunications The
internal communication plan for the Spokane County Sheriff’sOffice can be looked at as
communications downward and upward. Downward Communications: 1. Every employee
will receive a copy of the strategic plan, whichincludes the organization's mission, vision,
values statement,strategic goals and strategies about how those goals will bereached.2.
Every employee will receive an employee handbook thatcontains all up-to-date personnel
policies.3. Every employee will have a copy of their job description and theorganization
chart.4. Division Commanders will regularly hold management/supervisormeetings (at least
once a month), even if there's nothingpressing to report. If you hold meetings only when
you believethere's something to report, then communications will occur onlywhen you have
something to say -- communications will be oneway and the organization will suffer. Have
meetings anyway, if only to establish and affirm the communication that things are of a
status that there's not immediate problems. 5. The Sheriff will hold full staff meetings every
month to reporthow the organization is doing, major accomplishments,
concerns,announcements about staff, etc.6. The Sheriff will regularly hold meetings to
celebrate majoraccomplishments. This helps employees perceive what'simportant, gives
them a sense of direction and fulfillment.7. Managers and supervisors should have face-to-
face contact withemployees at least once a week.8. Managers and Supervisors will ensure all
employees receiveyearly performance reviews, including their goals for the year,updated job
descriptions, accomplishments, needs forimprovement, and a plan to help the employee
accomplish theimprovements.

Upward Communications: 1. Ensure all employees give regular status reports to

theirsupervisors. Include a section for what they did last week, will donext week and any
actions/issues to address.2. Ensure all supervisors meet one-on-one at least once a
monthwith their employees to discuss how its' going, hear any currentconcerns from the
employee, etc. Even if the meeting is chit-chat, it cultivates an important relationship
between supervisorand employee.3. Use management and staff meetings to solicit
feedback. Ask howit's going. Do a round table approach to hear from each person.4.
Managers and supervisors will act on feedback from others. Writeit down. Get back to it -- if
only to say you can't do anythingabout the reported problem or suggestion, etc.

Key Messages ? Target Communication Internal audiences are just as important as external
audiences andemployees are the Agency’s best ambassadors. The Sheriff’sOffice should
reflect this in the priority and speed of thecommunication to its workforce.The following
should be used when considering how to breakdown theworkforce into key target groups
for communication:Agency WideDivisional Staff Staff assigned to a Facility/StationSpecialty
Unit Staff Remotely Based Staff Staff on L&I, FMLA or Military LeaveStaff assigned outside
the AgencyVolunteer Staff/InternsIt is essential to consider how to reach an employee who
is away fromthe work.

Methods of Communication

Information should be delivered through a number of channels, not justone or two. The
impact is greater when it reaches people in anumber of different forms. Saying it once is not
enough. Face to Face: Senior management team meetings Staff meetings, Roll Calls
Performance reviews and appraisals (Monthly and Annual)Informal visits to work
areasTelephone communication Electronic: IntranetEmailText MessagingSheriff’s News
NetworkAudio/Video MessagesDigital Bulletin Boards Written:
NewspaperMemosLettersPosters Flyers

Supervisor and Employee Communications There are several basic and regular activities
which provide a solidfoundation for effective supervision. These basics ensure that
everyoneis working together. Just as important is that staff feel they areworking together,
towards a common cause.

1. All managers and supervisors, including employees in specializedpositions or assignments,

will provide weekly written statusreports to their supervisors.

2. Include what tasks were done last week, what tasks are plannednext week, any pending
issues and date the report. Thesereports may seem a tedious task, but they're precious
inensuring that employee and their supervisor have mutualunderstanding of what is going
on, and the reports come in veryhandy for planning purposes. They also make otherwise
harriedstaff and managers stand back and reflect on what they're doing. 3. All division/unit
managers and supervisors will hold meetings atleast once a month. 4. Have these meetings
even if there is not a specific problem tosolve -- just make them shorter. (Holding meetings
only whenthere’s a problem to solve cultivates a crisis-orientedenvironment where
managers believe their only job is to solveproblems.) Use these meetings for each person to
briefly give anoverview of what they are doing that week. Facilitate themeetings to support
exchange of ideas and questions. Again, forclarity, focus and morale, be sure to use agendas,
take minutesand ensure follow-up minutes. Have each person bring their Scribd Trusted by
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ads or interruptions! Start Free Trial Cancel Anytime. calendar to ensure scheduling of future
meetings accommodateseach person's calendar. 5. Have supervisors meet with their direct
reports in one-on-onemeetings every month.6. This ultimately produces more efficient time
management andsupervision. Review overall status of work activities, hear howit's going
with both the supervisor and the employee, exchangefeedback and questions about current
programs and services,and discuss career planning, etc. Consider these meetings asinterim
meetings between the more formal, yearly performancereview meetings.

Key Success Factors • Targeting and coordination of communication at all levelsacross the
Agency;• Employees should find out about change or proposalsbefore they are made
public;• Employees’ understanding of the messages. Using plainEnglish and ensuring clarity
is essential, as is the use of ProblemSolving groups;• Agency messages must be prioritized
and a consistent flowto avoid information overload among employees; and• Internal
communication requires adequate resourcing tomake things happen and m

Building an effective internal communication strategy is a great way to make our

workplace more productive, collaborative and engaged. The way of communication
between employees has atremendos impact on