Corporate Communication

What Is the Meaning of Corporate Communication?

Corporate communication is the practice of developing, cultivating and maintaining
a corporate identity or brand image. A solid corporate communications team
provides initiatives to mold company image, communicate with internal and
external audiences, and sustain a long-term
os p itive reputation. Through public
relations an d wide-spread corporate communications, your customers,
x

employees and clients can share in your company's success

Building a Reputation
Corporate communication encompasses methods and processes in promoting a
company’s credentials, its positioning pitch and its acceptability in the marketplace. It
involves a series of planned, interconnected activities and programs to communicate
and engage with internal employees and externally with partners, customers and
other stakeholders. Corporate communication helps highlight a company’s annual
earnings and achievements, its roster of products and services and its philanthropy
and community outreach efforts. The intent at all times is to project a unified
message and a consistent corporate identity.

Building Corporate Identity

Corporate communication is generally acknowledged as the best possible method of
building long-term corporate identity. A well-articulated and consistent corporate
communication strategy, along with larger advertising and PR campaigns, reinforces
a positive image about your company. This practice has helped businesses,
corporations and even startups to develop and sustain unique corporate brand
identities. Strategic, timely and well-orchestrated corporate communication initiatives
have helped companies to limit negative fallouts of market missteps, crisis scenarios
or unseemly or controversial utterances by key business executives.

Building an Influence
The top management or key business executives play an influential and nuanced
role in shaping the corporate communication agenda of an organization. The
communications team will follow their lead, and often use higher-ups and top
management as part of their campaigns. Management can offer strategic inputs and
suggestions to fine-tune specific programs and communicate key organizational
highlights. The communications team takes these insights and translates them for
their audience of clients, customers and employees. The relationship between upper
management and the communications team is vital to sharing corporate wins.

Supporting the Corporate Communication Team

The in-house corporate communication department is the key enabler of any
corporate communication effort. A senior executive and the brand communication
manager devise, develop and revise various initiatives. They understand the need to
be flexible and account for evolving business environments and contextual
organizational shifts. The team drafts news releases, prepares executive briefs for
top management, ghostwrites op-eds, blogs, social media posts and columns for
business managers and other higher-ups. The team arranges interviews of key
personnel in relevant industry and trade publications or for panel-based programs on
cable and network news channels. The department can also liaise with an external
PR agency to manage nationwide PR campaigns and press conferences.
x
Benefits and Beyond
A well-managed, flexible and sustained corporate communication practice can reap
both medium and long-term benefits. It enables a company to have a distinctive
identity in a crowded and intensely competitive marketplace environment. Customers
are more loyal to the company and generally feel positive about buying or consuming
the company’s products and services. Business investors stay committed to
investing in the company. Shareholders remain confident about the capabilities of
key executives, and the long-term prospects and profitability of the company.

Objectives of Corporate Communication

The goals of a corporate communication plan should align with the overall goals
of the company. Corporate communication objectives may include:

• Always being transparent with employees and customers

x
• Building credibility and establish ing expertise in the industry
• Minimizing damage to the brand’s reputation
• Preventing miscommunication and clarifying details
Create a corporate communication plan for your business that helps to further
the goals of your organization. For example, if one of your goals is to increase
awareness of your company for a specific audience segment, your corporate

Embodying the Vision, Mission and Values

Corporate communication helps a business to identify and establish its vision,
mission and core values. These foundational aspects of the business are on what
the rest of the organization is built, from the products to the sales strategies to the
operating procedures.

The vision, mission and core values should always shine through all corporate
communication activities. For example, if your company’s vision is to always use
sustainable materials in your products, you can expand on that idea in the way you
distribute corporate communications. Instead of printing out memos, send them via
email. Focus on creating marketing brochures on recycled paper or donate funds to
environmental charities.

Ensuring Employee Engagement

One of the benefits of corporate communication is that it helps to keep employees
informed about the direction of the company. This helps to boost morale, increase
engagement and help employees to understand what the future of the company
holds for them.

Internal corporate communication includes companywide quarterly meetings,

monthly departmental newsletters and readily available policies and procedures. By
keeping the lines of communication open between management and front-line
employees, organizations can increase retention and reduce hiring and training
costs.

Solving Customer Problems

Corporate communication is an effective way to improve customer relations. By
keeping customers informed about upcoming events or company updates,
businesses can reduce the likelihood of problems. For example, if a business is
x
going to be out of a popular product due to supplier issues, it is important to inform
the customer base about the upcoming shortage. While customers may be upset to
learn this information, they will appreciate knowing it in advance so they can plan
accordingly.

Businesses can use a multitude of channels to communicate with customers. These

include email marketing, social media, post mail, website updates and in person at a
store location. The key is to offer transparency to customers so you can establish a
sense of trust and credibility.
What is Crisis ?

A sudden and unexpected event leading to major unrest amongst

the individuals at the workplace is called as organization crisis. In
other words, crisis is defined as any emergency situation which
disturbs the employees as well as leads to instability in the
organization. Crisis affects an individual, group, organization or society
on the whole.

Characteristics of Crisis
 Crisis is a sequence of sudden disturbing events harming the
organization.
 Crisis generally arises on a short notice.
 Crisis triggers a feeling of fear and threat amongst the individuals.

Why Crisis ?
Crisis can arise in an organization due to any of the following
reasons:
 Technological failure and Breakdown of machines lead to crisis.
Problems in internet, corruption in the software, errors in
passwords all result in crisis.
 Crisis arises when employees do not agree to each other and
fight amongst themselves. Crisis arises as a result of boycott,
strikes for indefinite periods, disputes and so on.
 Violence, thefts and terrorism at the workplace result in
organization crisis.
 Neglecting minor issues in the beginning can lead to major crisis
and a situation of uncertainty at the work place. The management
must have complete control on its employees and should not
adopt a casual attitude at work.
 Illegal behaviors such as accepting bribes, frauds, data or
information tampering all lead to organization crisis.
 Crisis arises when organization fails to pay its creditors and
declares itself a bankrupt organization.
Crisis Management
The art of dealing with sudden and unexpected events which
disturbs the employees, organization as well as external clients
refers to Crisis Management.

The process of handling unexpected and sudden changes in

organization culture is called as crisis management.

Need for Crisis Management

 Crisis Management prepares the individuals to face unexpected
developments and adverse conditions in the organization with
courage and determination.
 Employees adjust well to the sudden changes in the organization.
 Employees can understand and analyze the causes of crisis and
cope with it in the best possible way.
 Crisis Management helps the managers to devise strategies to
come out of uncertain conditions and also decide on the future
course of action.
 Crisis Management helps the managers to feel the early signs of
crisis, warn the employees against the aftermaths and take
necessary precautions for the same.

Essential Features of Crisis Management

 Crisis Management includes activities and processes which help
the managers as well as employees to analyze and understand
events which might lead to crisis and uncertainty in the
organization.
 Crisis Management enables the managers and employees to
respond effectively to changes in the organization culture.
 It consists of effective coordination amongst the departments to
overcome emergency situations.
 Employees at the time of crisis must communicate effectively with
each other and try their level best to overcome tough times.
Points to keep in mind during crisis
 Don’t panic or spread rumours around. Be patient.
 At the time of crisis the management should be in regular touch
with the employees, external clients, stake holders as well as
media.
 Avoid being too rigid. One should adapt well to changes and new
situations.