Communications Strategy

Transcription

1 Communications Strategy Renewal: March 2016

2 CONTENTS: 1.0 VISION 2.0 INTRODUCTION 3.0 DEFINITIONS & SCOPE 4.0 STRATEGIC AIMS & OBJECTIVES 5.0 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY 6.0 CUSTOMER INVOLVEMENT 7.0 MONITORING & REVIEW 2

3 1.0 The Vision 1.1 To communicate Shropshire Housing Group s aims, activities and achievements effectively across the Group and to our customers, potential customers, stakeholders and the wider public and so assist in the achievement of the Group s ambitions. 1.2 To ensure that our customers, potential customers, stakeholders and the wider public can communicate effectively with the Group, for example, to comment on and influence its actions and ambitions. 1.3 The strategy supports all 5 of the Group s ambitions: Excellent Services and Satisfied Customers More Homes, More Choice Working for Sustainable Communities Well Run for Community Benefit Growing and Developing Our Business 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Good communications is crucial to everything the Group does; it is not an optional extra but is fundamental to all our work. To achieve our ambitions, we must win the attention and support of a wide range of groups and individuals and must clearly communicate our aims and ambitions and how we intend to achieve them. 2.2 As a major organisation within Shropshire which works with other organisations and local communities and whose activities have a significant impact on them, we have an obligation to be open and accountable to our tenants, other customers and stakeholders. Effective communications can help us achieve this. 2.3 Effective communication with all our customers, potential customers, stakeholders and the wider public is also necessary to ensure that we comply with the requirements of our regulator, the Homes and Communities Agency. 3.0 Definitions and Scope 3.1 Our communications strategy is not just about publicity and promotion. It also covers the development of a dialogue with residents, partners and staff. We have separate strategies for customer service, resident involvement, Human Resources and IT, which also include references to communication, for example, references to extending the range of methods we and our customers and stakeholders can use to communicate. The aims and implementation of these strategies complement those set out in this strategy. 3

4 3.2 This strategy outlines our overall approach to both internal and external communication. However, it does not cover communication which is the responsibility of line managers, for example, communication through one to ones, staff appraisals and team meetings. Nor does it cover individual staff communication with customers whether written or verbal. 3.3 For the purpose of this strategy, communications covers: Corporate image and branding including logos and print style; Publications incl. magazines, corporate brochures, Periodic information to tenants e.g. about improvement works, estate walkabouts & customer satisfaction surveys; Press releases and other liaison with the media; Advertising incl. services, recruitment and general promotion; Websites, intranet and other electronic communication; Aspects of internal communications such as staff newsletters; and Promotional/ambassadorial work. 4.0 Strategic Aims & Objectives 4.1 To ensure that our tenants, other service users and potential customers, other organisations and the wider public are effectively informed of our: aims and ambitions our plans to achieve them our success in achieving our aims and ambitions their role in our successes how they can influence our aims and our future 4.2 To raise the awareness of our tenants, other service users and potential customers, other organisations and the wider public of; the range of services we provide how to access our services our performance in providing these services how they can influence our services 4.3 To highlight Shropshire Housing Group s capacity to provide services for others and so maximise our opportunities to obtain new business and income for the Group. 4.4 To highlight Shropshire Housing Group s capacity and willingness to support and add value to the work of other agencies and community groups and so contribute to better local services and more sustainable local communities. 4.5 To effectively promote Shropshire Housing Group as a good employer and as an attractive organisation to work for and so assist recruitment and retention of high quality and committed staff and board members. 4.6 To effectively contribute to the promotion of affordable housing and the sustainability of rural communities, through our own activities and through participation in regional and national campaigns. 4

5 4.7 To ensure our communications provide value for money, for example, by using an appropriate mix of local media and informal methods of communication (such as links with other organisations, participation in events arranged by our partners and informal networking by board members) to supplement our own publications and by periodically testing both the cost and effectiveness of our communications. 4.8 To ensure that staff, board members and tenants groups are equipped and encouraged to effectively communicate with tenants, other service users and potential customers, other organisations and the wider public about the Group s ambitions, homes, services and achievements. 4.9 To ensure that we have effective internal communication within SHG, so that staff are given timely and relevant information, can communicate and share information easily with others and can communicate ideas, views and concerns to managers. 5.0 Implementation of the strategy 5.1 Communications is a Group function, led by Corporate Services, which has overall responsibility for communications across the organisation. However, for the strategy to be meaningful in practice, its full implementation must be the combined responsibility of all staff and board members. 5.2 We will use consultants to assist us in the implementation of our communications strategy, in particular, where they bring additional skills and resources to support staff within the Group. 5.3 Actions we have planned for to implement the strategy will be included in the Corporate Services operational plan, progress against which is regularly monitored and reviewed at a directorate level. Priority actions will be included in the Performance Committee s regular review of priority actions in all service areas.. Actions planned for future years will be included in the relevant operational plan In implementing the communications strategy, we will ensure that the diverse needs of our customers and others with whom we communicate are taken into account. For example, by ensuring: that all our communications are clear, uses language that is easy to read, understand and free from jargon that publications are/can be made available in a variety of formats and languages that publications, websites etc. comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 5.5 We will provide training and clear guidance for staff and board members to assist them in the implementation of this strategy and to help them to communicate using a clear and consistent approach that follows corporate guidelines. New staff will be provided with appropriate information about communications as part of their induction. 5

6 5.6 We will ensure that actions to implement this strategy support and complement other related work, for example, initiatives to improve internal communication between staff teams and between managers and staff and work to develop resident involvement across the Group. 5.7 Costs for the implementation of this strategy will primarily be met from the communications and public relations budget of the Group. This will be reviewed annually in consultation with managers across the Group. Training costs will be met from the training budget and IT related costs, will be met from the IT budget. 6.0 Customer Involvement 6.1 We will take account of customer views in the development of our communications strategy and involve customers, where appropriate, in the implementation of our action plan. Our communications staff meet regularly with TASS and TARCA representatives; the groups also have the opportunity to contribute to our tenants newsletters. A readers group is also involved in approving leaflets and other information and in providing feedback on our existing communications. We will look to develop other ways in which they can be effectively involved in other areas of this work. 6.2 We will work with residents, in particular, with groups such as Tass and TARCA, to ensure that residents priorities for improved communication are addressed. We will also work with residents to ensure that resident group members are equipped to assist us in positive promotion of Shropshire Housing Group and of their own role and activities. 7.0 Monitoring & Review 7.1 Implementation of the strategy will be monitored and reviewed by the Director - Corporate Services, with periodic review at Senior Management Team. 7.2 Reports on progress with the communications strategy will be made to the Shropshire Housing Board at the end of each year. 7.3 We will seek and use customer and stakeholder feedback to test perceptions of the organisation, to gauge the effectiveness of our communications and to improve services. 7.4 The communications strategy will be reviewed every three years. 8.0 Summary 8.1 This strategy provides a clear direction for communications work, sets out how it will be implemented by staff with the support of consultants. It also clarifies that, although specific staff have specific roles in some areas of the work, effective communication relies on everyone at SHG taking responsibility for it. 6