Latest news with #Staffbase
Fast Company
3 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
The most underrated change agent in your company? Your middle manager
When organizations face disruption, whether it's a corporate restructuring, the sunsetting of a product line, or a shift in return-to-office policies, executive teams often turn to internal communications professionals to guide the messaging and navigate change. However, there's a missing link in this equation: the middle manager. As an employee communications cloud platform, we at Staffbase are always looking at what (and who) is impacting the effectiveness of those communications most. Our recently released communication impact study found that direct managers are the most trusted source of information for U.S. employees. Fifty-five percent of respondents reported that their immediate supervisor is their preferred communication channel, and 56% said they place a 'great deal' of trust in them. Despite that trust, there's a glaring disconnect: Non-desk workers, those on the frontlines in healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, and retail, say they are consistently less well-informed than their desk-based colleagues. Simply put, companies can't afford for frontline workers to miss out on their communications efforts. Internal comms teams can set the strategy together with executive leadership, but they must put the effort into fostering the pipeline that supports middle managers who bring these communications to life. The current state of the world is leading many organizations to lay off middle managers, but that's a grave error, severing one of the most vital communications lifelines between upper management and their workforce. Why internal comms can't go it alone The pandemic, ongoing economic volatility, and evolving employee expectations have fundamentally reshaped how companies communicate. In many cases, internal comms teams have shrunk, been centralized to one part of the organization, and generally had their reach stretched thin. The best communications in the world mean little if they aren't reinforced and humanized by the people employees interact with daily. Our research revealed that only 10% of non-desk workers are very satisfied with the internal communication at their companies. Furthermore, nearly 60% of employees who are considering quitting cite poor communication as a significant contributing factor. The implications are clear: If companies want to improve retention, reinforce change, and build trust, they must focus on improving both the quality and consistency of communications with all levels of employees. Since middle managers are one of the most trusted sources of information, organizations need to work toward empowering them to become stronger communicators who can provide that consistency and quality across the business. Closing the information gap between desk and non-desk workers One of the most striking findings in our study was the communication divide between desk-based and non-desk employees. While 67% of desk-based workers say their managers keep them well-informed, that number drops to 48% for frontline workers. This gap is about both access and equity. Frontline employees are often the most critical to day-to-day operations, yet they're also the least likely to receive timely or high-quality updates. Many don't use company email or sit at a desk, meaning they rely heavily on their direct managers to pass down critical information. When that chain breaks, confusion, misinformation, and disengagement follow. Creating dedicated communication processes can better equip managers with the knowledge and ability to deliver key information to those who struggle to receive it most. Tech can be a huge boon in this process. While there's no all-encompassing app that can replace employees' trust in their managers, utilizing an employee app as a main communication channel can help improve frontline access to information. These tools must be paired with training that ensures managers are both enabled and motivated to properly pair these communications channels with necessary in-person communications. Through posts, comments, and real-life conversations, managers will be better equipped to provide the communications support their various employees need. Coaching managers to lead communication, not just tasks We often assume that people management is synonymous with people leadership. However, just because someone oversees a team, doesn't mean they've been trained to navigate tough conversations, deliver clear change updates, or answer sensitive employee questions. Managers can subsequently become bottlenecks, delivering incomplete or inconsistent messages—or worse, avoiding communication altogether. That's where communications coaching comes in. High-performing organizations are starting to view manager communication as a core competency, rather than a desirable trait. They're investing in tools and training that help managers distill key messages, understand the 'why' behind changes, and create space for team dialogue. They're offering templates, talking points, and even in-the-moment coaching for big moments of transformation. The payoff is significant. When it comes to leadership communication, 91% of employees who say that the vision and strategy are 'very clear' also report being very or somewhat happy in their jobs. When managers communicate well, employees are more likely to feel connected to the company's mission, confident about their future, and have clear expectations. What does this look like in practice? Leading organizations are rethinking internal communication as a shared responsibility. They're not asking comms teams to carry the burden alone, they're making it a joint effort between leaders, HR, and middle managers. First, turn to training. Create or bring on formal communications training for all middle managers and leaders of the organization. This will help create a standard for the entire company and unify the skills for every voice across the business. Second, conduct an audit of your current systems and protocols to identify what tools are working well, which audiences are being underserved and what messages have resonated well to date. Third, create a set process for announcements, change and crisis communications. A team with representatives from the aforementioned core groups can work together to create toolkits and talking points that will help translating key messages much simpler and more direct for managers. Leadership may question the investment of time and money into the above efforts, so employee communications teams should work to measure success along the way. Develop a framework that measures the ROI of your communication efforts by tracking metrics like employee satisfaction, behavioral shifts, and impact on critical business goals. Doing so can help shine a light on the bottom line value of these efforts and create further buy-in across the entire team. In moments of uncertainty, employees don't need perfect messaging. They need consistency and transparency, and more than anything, they need to hear it from someone they trust.
Entrepreneur
30-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How to build your leadership reputation before you're in the room
If you're a founder, CEO, MD or business owner and you're looking to shorten your sales cycle, secure investment, energise and engage employees, as well as make connections and grow your network, building a strong reputation is important. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. And it's even better if you are already building that before you enter the rooms where your key relationships are shaped and formed. 'If marketing is like asking someone on a date, branding is why they say yes,' Goose Agency founder Tom Pestridge said on LinkedIn recently. And reputation is why they agree to become exclusive. Ensuring that your reputation speaks for you before you enter the room is based on three things: narratives, behaviours and networks. Build your narratives People who read management texts, have a communications team or spend a lot of time on LinkedIn are probably tired of hearing that they need to tell stories. Stories have several important functions. Firstly, they serve as connective tissue between humans. They help us build relationships – these are key when growing a business. But in addition to connecting us to others, stories have a reputational function for founders, entrepreneurs and leaders. In his recent book The Narrative Age, Staffbase co-founder Frank Wolf says that reputation consists of narratives, and narratives consist of stories. While his focus is on organisations, it is the same for leaders. 'Narratives enable strategic control over the organization's reputation. While individual stories are important components of the way in which an organization is perceived, narratives offer a more consistent, coherent and practical approach to reputation management.' This practical approach is what one of my interviewees in We Need New Leaders calls vitamins instead of aspirins. The more stories you tell about yourself now, the more trust you build, the more you grow a healthy immune system for you and your business. Then when the inevitable crisis unfolds – and it will – your immune system (the trust you have built with others) protects your reputation during the crisis. Owning the narrative about yourself matters. And to do this, you communicate your perspective through a thought leadership practice of personal and business-related stories on channels that reach your intended audiences wherever they might be – LinkedIn, Substack, TikTok – using a delivery method you're comfortable with (written, video, carousels, podcasts, LinkedIn Live or a combination of these). Behaviours You've met someone – a boss or a peer – who says one thing and does another. We immediately lose trust. Trust is a verb and needs to be demonstrated in our behaviours. People devastate their reputations if they don't behave according to their words. It's that simple. And behaving according to your reputation and values can be immensely beneficial. A recent example is ivee co-founder Amelia Miller, whose business is a back-to-work platform for women who've had career breaks. Amelia says that she and her sister Lydia 'built ivee after watching our mum struggle to return to work, ultimately accepting a 60% salary cut for a role far below her qualifications - which offered limited progression. This is a fate shared by 7 out of every 10 UK women.' It is clearly documented that female founders like Amelia and Lydia do not receive funding at the same rate as male founders do. Atomico's 2024 report showed that only 5% of European Seed funding goes to female founders today. When a new fund called Project Europe was announced, Amelia wrote an emotional LinkedIn post that began, 'Project Europe DO BETTER. The newly announced Project Europe Fund could have been a turning point. Instead, we get the same old story.' She said that the three fund sponsors were all men, that of the 150 founders, only five were women, the investor line-up was almost all men, and eight out of the nine mentors were also men. She continued, 'This is SO dangerous. The start ups getting funded today will build the world we live in tomorrow. And right now, that future is being shaped by an alarmingly homogenous group.' By calling out a powerful group (in her behaviour), Amelia was adhering to her narrative of supporting women. The post went viral. To date, it has 3,978 responses, 447 comments and 144 reposts. Amelia received 28 inbound requests from VC firms, 12 media requests, 450 new ivee sign-ups and new inbound B2B clients. Since then, she's been interviewed by The Times and the Financial Times. Her behaviour matched her story. But in reputation terms, there was a third ingredient in the mix: her network. Networks Amelia is building ivee by having a strong presence online, both on LinkedIn and Tiktok, where she posts regular videos on 'A Day in the Life of a Tech Founder.' Social media, and how you show up, plays an enormous role in the network effect of your reputation. This is why executives in B2B focus of a lot of time and attention on their social media, building a thought leadership practice and making connections that could lead to customer relationships. One CEO I interviewed said he spends up to six hours on social media a week, and that time has increased after he moved into his second CEO role. Some of our networks are digital; many are in person. What other people say about you in your networks is part of your reputation – the uncontrollable part. However, you have a better chance of having a good reputation in all your networks if your words (stories and narratives) match your behaviours. And having a good reputation before you get into the room matters, because people are more likely to want to do business with you. Referrals, goodwill, new clients – these all happen by word of mouth. You build your leadership reputation by telling great stories, behaving in a way that matches your words (and build trust) and showing up in your networks – in a way that is real and authentic to you. Watch the business flow in.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Staffbase announces 2025 Comms Club 12-city event series for Internal Communicators
Exclusive networking and learning events coming to cities across North America; Staffbase announces investment of $1.2MM for Internal Comms innovation, awarding $100K at each event. 2025 Comms Club NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Staffbase, the fastest growing employee communications cloud platform is excited to announce the launch of the 2025 Comms Club, a 12-city event series designed exclusively for internal communications (IC) professionals. This free, half-day event series is tailored to help IC leaders connect, learn, and grow within a community of like-minded professionals, communication experts and industry leaders. In today's corporate world, internal communicators are key to business success—yet their impact is often overlooked, and they aren't taken as seriously as they should be. Without a strong platform to amplify their messages, their contributions often go unheard, limiting their ability to drive meaningful change. Staffbase is doubling down on its commitment to support, empower, and celebrate IC professionals by providing not just an industry-leading platform but also valuable educational and networking opportunities like Comms Club. What to Expect at Comms ClubComms Club events are small, intentional, and designed for impact. Each session is all about: Exploring industry shifts – Gain insights from industry experts on how AI and the rise of internal comms are reshaping the landscape or the deeper purpose of internal communications. Addressing real challenges – Participate in open conversations during our fireside chat, where IC professionals will tackle the biggest pain points in the industry, and dive into a hands-on workshop to brainstorm practical solutions. Building lasting connections – Engage in candid discussions, swap strategies, and wrap up the day with cocktails and networking activities, leaving with fresh perspectives and valuable industry relationships. 12 cities, 12 opportunities to connect with communicatorsComms Club will take place in key locations across North America throughout 2025: March 4 – Seattle, WA March 27 – New York City, NY April 1 – Houston, TX April 8 – Toronto, CAN April 24 – Los Angeles, CA April 30 – Dallas, TX September 10 – Cincinnati, OH September 16 – Minneapolis, MN October 7 – Philadelphia, PA October 21 – Detroit, MI October 28 – Chicago, IL November 6 – Baltimore, MD Introducing the Strategic Communicator $1,200,000 GrantTo empower the internal communications (IC) community, Staffbase is awarding $100,000 worth of software licenses to a lucky winner at each event - an opportunity to revolutionize an organization's internal communications strategy. This Strategic Communicator Grant represents a 1.2 million-dollar investment in Staffbase software, fueling 12 North American enterprises to elevate their internal communications and drive tangible business impact in 2025. If you're an internal comms professional looking to expand your knowledge, network, and impact, Comms Club is the place to be. To register for Comms Club in your city, please visit About StaffbaseStaffbase is the fastest growing employee communications cloud, equipping many of the world's leading companies with solutions to inspire every employee with motivating communication. With over 2000 customers, Staffbase helps organizations such as Adidas, Alaska Airlines, Audi, Blue Apron, DHL, and Whataburger to inspire their people to achieve great things together. Staffbase connects companies with their employees through a branded employee app, intranet, email, SMS, digital signage, and Microsoft 365 integrations, all of which can be managed through a single platform. In 2023, Staffbase was named a leader in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Intranet Packaged Solutions. Staffbase has also received the 2024 Choice Award for Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms from ClearBox. Staffbase is headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany and New York City. Media ContactAndrea A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
27-01-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Staffbase launches next-generation email solution to transform employee communications from unread to unmissable
AI-powered content, analytics-driven insights, and global management tools make 'The New Staffbase Email' the ultimate solution for secure, streamlined employee communication NEW YORK, Jan. 27, 2025 /CNW/ -- Staffbase, the fastest-growing employee communications cloud, today announces the launch of 'The New Staffbase Email,' an updated email platform designed to address the evolving needs of employee communications. By offering tools for creating personalized, visually compelling, and strategically timed messages, the new email product aims to improve how organizations engage with their employees. The New Staffbase Email enhances an already trusted email product, relied upon by leading organizations across North America, including Rady Children's Hospital, Sephora, Rite Aid, Daimler Trucks North America, and JBS. The enduring role of email in workplace communication In an era of rapid digital transformation, email remains a core communication tool for businesses. The recent Employee Communications Impact Study by USC Annenberg and Staffbase reveals that emails from management are the second most preferred channel for receiving company news, with 52% of employees favoring this method – second only to updates from immediate supervisors. Furthermore, email stands out as a highly credible source: an impressive 91% of employees trust emails from management as a reliable channel for information. Its versatility and reach make it indispensable, especially for organizations with diverse, global teams. The New Staffbase Email acknowledges the enduring relevance of email while providing modern solutions to common challenges such as analytics, engagement, clarity, and accessibility. 'While new communication tools are constantly emerging, email continues to serve as a reliable and universal channel for organizations and remains a critical part of the broader communication stack,' said SVP and GM of Staffbase - Americas, David Maffei. 'With this new release, we're focusing on helping businesses tap into the full potential of this essential resource by making employee communications more impactful and actionable.' The New Staffbase Email introduces several features aimed at improving both the employee and administrator experience: Drag-and-drop email editor: this fun, user friendly email designer helps simply the creation of visually engaging and branded emails. No design experience required Advanced communication management: Tools like the editorial calendar, campaigns, and spaces streamline planning and execution. Multi-language support: Enables global teams to communicate effectively in their preferred languages. Staffbase Studio integration: Provides a unified platform for aggregated analytics, holistic management, and streamlined user management across Staffbase tools. AI-assisted content creation: Helps teams craft relevant, engaging messages quickly and efficiently. Data-driven insights: Tracks metrics like open rates and reading time, empowering better content strategies, campaign performance analysis, and insights from alignment surveys. Reliable hosting: Built on Microsoft Azure for top-notch security and uptime reliability. The email solution is part of Staffbase's ongoing efforts to support organizations in navigating the complexities of workplace communication. By combining modern technology with user-centric design, the Staffbase Studio helps teams create communications that are clear, engaging, and relevant. For additional information, visit About Staffbase Staffbase is the fastest growing employee communications cloud, equipping many of the world's leading companies with solutions to inspire every employee with motivating communication. With more than 2,500 customers, Staffbase helps organizations such as Adidas, Alaska Airlines, Audi, Blue Apron, DHL, and Whataburger to inspire their people to achieve great things together. Staffbase connects companies with their employees through a branded employee app, intranet, email, SMS, digital signage, and Microsoft 365 integrations, all of which can be managed through a single platform. In 2023, Staffbase was named a leader in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Intranet Packaged Solutions. Staffbase has also received the 2024 Choice Award for Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms from ClearBox. Staffbase is headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany and New York City.
