Internal communications: Managing Partners Forum launches campaign to show how dialogue can improve performance

A campaign to encourage law firms and other professional practices to improve their internal communications has been launched by the Managing Partners Forum (MPF).


The move by the association – which promotes leadership and management skills – follows the implementation in the UK on 6 April of the EU’s information and consultation directive, giving employees in larger organisations new rights to be informed and consulted on workplace developments.


The campaign, ‘Internal communications and corporate pride,’ was also prompted by two surveys conducted last year that demonstrated the business case for investing in internal communication. They showed a link between good internal dialogue, corporate reputation and business performance.


In an e-mail survey of managing partners and human resources directors in 250 firms worldwide, conducted by the MPF in March 2004, 89% of respondents maintained that corporate reputation is always influenced by effective dialogue with employees. A further 81% said that creating greater understanding of the organisation’s goals among staff always influences profitability, while 61% felt that engaging communication always makes employees less likely to leave.


The second survey, conducted for the Institute of Public Relations, asked those responsible for internal communications in medium-to- large organisations to rate the effectiveness of their communications.


MPF research director Peter Hutton, who is also managing director of of BrandEnergy Research, said: ‘The most powerful finding was that 75% of those who rated their internal communications as “very effective” also said that their communications culture “works effectively to improve the performance of their firm”. The equivalent percentage was only 13% for those who rated their firm’s internal communications as “ineffective.”’


The MPF campaign includes a survey that firms can use to see how they perform.


Robert Halton, global human resources director at DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, said: ‘We all think we are good communicators. This will give firms the opportunity to see how good they are.


‘The traditional view that the more senior you are, the more information you have and that you don’t pass that information down, is no longer appropriate. Information must be passed down.’


Stuart Morrison, internal communications manager at City firm Allen & Overy, said: ‘Creating dialogue can improve decision-making and make managing easier, particularly at times of change.’


Links: www.mpfglobal.com