Health & Safety Communications Strategy

Introduction
Health and safety communications can be critical to workplace safety. It is often not easy to communicate effectively with ad hoc methods so a strategy for each communication is required
to ensure that all avenues to communications can be explored. Any changes to existing processes or any new processes will need to be communicated, and it will require you to identify a
number of things in order to ensure the right people get the right information. This may require a number of means to ensure you do all that Not all H&S information will be required for
each, and every member of the University community and it remains important to target the communications to those stakeholders. Communications can take many forms. Some may be
general and utilise the staff intranet, virtual learning environments, and traditional marketing techniques. The use of key people such as HASLO’s and Union members to cascade
information down. Others may be more formal such as email communications to heads of departments to cascade down to their teams, formal meeting agenda items and updates, and
some may require a mix of all means. Using the template below will help make clear how each process introduction or change can be effectively communicated.

Stakeholders
Identify the stakeholders. This means all of the groups or people who need to know about what you are changing or introducing. This could be internal, external, staff only, students,
members of the public, contractors etc. It is important to think about who needs the information, not just directly, but anyone who will benefit from understanding it. Identifying them from
the beginning will ensure that the communication stands the best chance of being effectively delivered to your target groups.

Objectives
It is important to understand the reasons why the communication needs to be delivered to each stakeholder or stakeholder group. This ensures that they are clear why they need to know
the information and what they are expected to do with it if anything. Sometimes, the objective might be just for information, but to the most part, it will be, so they are able to implement
the new processes or understand the changes to existing ones.

Message content
Defining the message content allows you to get the right information to the right stakeholders. This does not need to be a long explanation of the change or process, but the overriding
message that, e.g., we are introducing a new framework for risk assessment to ensure it is simple and standardised across the university which will help manage risk more effectively and
ensure compliance with the legislation.

Delivery method
Thinking about all the ways to deliver the message so that it stands the best chance of being effective. This may be via an email to all the HASLOs, HASLM’s, heads of department etc. There
is likely to be multiple methods of delivery depending on the message intended. Using the intranet, weekly digest, on H&S meeting agendas, training sessions, briefings etc.

When
Think about the best time to initiate the communications. Timing is often key. You don’t want to send out communications prior to any finalisation of a new process or changes to processes
prior to final agreements of the change. This is very much part of the planning process. Even pilot schemes will benefit from a well-timed communications strategy.

Frequency
Does the communication need to be scheduled for repeat dates/times? Things like reporting processes may need to be communicated on a more regular basis. Some may be only once. It
is good to plan these ahead of launch or changes which need to be publicised.
Health & Safety Communications Strategy

Process/project title Team

Stakeholders Objectives Message Content Delivery Method When Frequency
Who needs the What is the purpose of the Delivery methods to When do they How often they
What needs to be communicated
communication communication be used need it need it