This blog is provided by the IPR Behavioral Insights Research CenterWe’ve started to get glimpses into what AI means for the comms and PR professions, and not all the news is good…As AI has burst onto the scene, no one has missed the fact that it will have huge ramifications — not only in our work lives, but for society at large. This is especially true in terms of privacy, regulation, and information access — not to mention the very definitions of originality, authenticity, and art. There is talk of a “Cambrian explosion” in terms of AI’s impact on our world, due to its exponential enablement of new technology and generative outputs. But what specifically does it mean for professional communicators?AI’s newer generative language models, such as ChatGPT, are transforming the business landscape in ways that have huge knock-on effects for the profession. The push of a button is all it takes to create original content, mimic narrative styles, paraphrase texts, and in some cases, design compelling rhetoric that can sway and motivate. It’s patently clear that this is going to be a game changer and relieve at least some of the more tedious tasks in comms. Not to mention the fact that it’s really fun to use. Why, then, does it make us feel so uneasy?In my book, published last year (a lifetime ago in AI terms), I emphasized that generative AI poses a significant threat to the communication and PR professions. In terms of day-to-day content production — such as press releases, corporate announcements, and basic journalism — ChatGPT and its variants can produce convincing and accurate copy in a fraction of the time it takes a human being. This is especially threatening to entry-level and junior communications roles. But the fact is that this type of technological encroachment as inevitable as taxes and death. Just as robotic chefs and robotic surgeons and AI-powered legal contracts will soon become commonplace, many communication tasks will be outsourced to machines. This will undoubtedly create crises for employment and financial security — and it will also create crises around the purpose and meaning of apprenticeships and on-the-job learning — not just for comms, but for all impacted professions.The good news is that communicators have an ace in their pocket. We are still a long way from surrendering organizational and leadership communication to a machine, at least for the time being. This is for two different reasons:1.) There is a dark side to these technologies Even in the earliest days of GPT-2 and GPT-3, researchers found that generative AI excels at generating disinformation — a phenomenon that Politico’s AI reporter Melissa Heikkilä cleverly described as “filling the swamp.” Generative AI is alarmingly effective at crafting slick-sounding messages — from QAnon conspiracy theories and climate change denial to extremist narratives and radical ideologies.With this kind of gloomy research, however, we can glean many useful insights. Because AI is so effective at “filling the swamp,” it means that the structure of disinformation itself must be formulaic or algorithmic. IPR published a valuable primer on how to detect disinformation, and these clues, along with academic research into AI, may help us learn how to reverse engineer it.2.) Generative AI’s output is decontextualizedChatGPT is a generative technology, but that doesn’t mean that the content it generates is meaningful or even relevant. In Alan Turing’s imitation game, a series of questions can determine if one is interacting with a human or a machine, but the results of the game depend not only on the ability to give correct answers, but on how closely the answers resemble those that an actual human would give. In other words, the machine eventually reveals itself. For the time being at least, for any issue of real consequence, ChatGPT is an imitation and not the real McCoy.For these reasons, I believe that generative AI presents an opportunity for the communication profession to grow, even as it increasingly threatens many livelihoods. It may, in fact, be because of the threat that it forces change. It does this by providing an impetus to up our game and focus our time and energy on how to develop more perceptive, sincere, thoughtful, and yes, human communication — that can only be done by people. This is easier said than done, but it will mark the next era of the profession. And provide an even greater reason for corporate communicators to have a seat at the table in the organizations they serve.ReferencesBuchanan, B., Lohn, A., Musser, M., & Sedova, K. (2021, May). Truth, lies, and automation: How language models could change disinformation. Center for Security and Emerging Technology. https://cset.georgetown.edu/public ation/truth-lies-and-automation/McGuffie, K., & Newhouse, A. (2020). The radicalization risks of GPT-3 and advanced neural language models. Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterrey. https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/sites/www.middlebury.edu.institute/files/2020-09/gpt3-article.pdf Laura McHale is the Managing Director and Leadership Psychologist Expert at Conduit Consultants Limited. McHale is an expert in assessments, leadership, and team effectiveness. She is the author of Neuroscience for Organizational Communication. She currently serves on the IPR Behavioral Insights Research Center Board of Advisors. ...

This blog is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research CenterBe it the 3 a.m. phone call from your CEO or a polite ask (even though it’s not really an ask) to leave early from a vacation to return to work, a crisis can upend your life. Crisis communication professionals must always be at the ready. But what if you don’t have crisis experience, as is the case for many public relations professionals?In a crisis situation, you will react as you are organized and trained (Machado & Anderson, 2022). Knowing what to do can draw the line between chaos and calm. The best frameworks and policies are implemented by well-trained employees at companies that truly prioritize preparation.Organizations sustain more long-term damage before and after a crisis than during the crisis itself (Herridge & Lee, 2022). Proactive crisis communication helps minimize damage, improve morale, and encourage healing (Bowman and Schneider, 2021). Traditional and social media have significant long-term impacts on public perception and organizational reputation, but so do messages from employees. The burning question: how do you best prepare for a crisis?Proactive PlanningThe key to effective crisis communication is proactive planning. One must consider communication logistics. Do you have enough staff for coverage? Do you need to engage a crisis communication consultant? If so, it is vital to bring them in before the crisis, so they understand your organization and a solid working relationship exists before things go south.As it pertains to crisis response, communication teams must act quickly, but with factual information. The crisis communicator does not act on speculation or hypotheticals. Once the facts have been gathered, the communication team should compose a holding statement (Levick, 2020). Holding statements generally contain basic information to provide the media and other stakeholders and provide time to gain a deeper situational understanding and gather more information.Other considerations are internal communication and spokesperson selection. Keep staff in the loop through internal communication tactics that can include internal messaging like e-mail or Slack, town halls, and staff huddles (depending on organizational size). Internal stakeholders often are overlooked, which can harm staff morale and organizational effectiveness (Strandberg & Vigso, 2016).Depending on the crisis, one must choose the appropriate spokesperson (Vercic, Vercic & Coombs, 2019). For major crises, the chief executive must be front and center to convey the organization’s serious attitude regarding the matter. The organization’s designated spokesperson also must be available to triage and field media requests and relieve the chief executive in providing media updates. If technical expertise is necessary, (for example, during an environmental disaster,) subject matter experts can translate scientific or policy jargon and explain organizational response in layman’s terms.When responding to a crisis, there are a few universal rules. First, lead with empathy to humanize the situation (Fannes & Claeys, 2023). Second, state what happened, that your organization will correct it, and what steps they will take to do so. Third, be as transparent as possible to foster credibility (Schoofs & Claeys, 2021). Sometimes, these corrective steps can position the organization as an industry leader, as it emerges from the crisis (Sellnow, Ulmer & Snider; 1998).Risk Mitigation and Crisis PlanningA crisis can happen at any time, no matter how well one prepares and anticipates. This being said, it is important to prepare as diligently as possible to help stave off a crisis (Coombs, 2007).Organizations should conduct environmental scanning as part of daily issues management work. Environmental scanning is applied from systems theory (Slaughter, 1999). Issues management helps prevent/mitigate potential crises by catching them before they occur, which helps maintain reputation. If an issue looks like it will fester, it probably will — break the glass on your crisis communication plan and prepare for the crisis. Finally, continuously plan and evaluate so one’s organization remains on top of things to the best of their ability.Crisis Communication Plan Components​​Before we dive into the elements of a crisis communication plan, there are several considerations to address. Who shapes the crisis communication policy? Does it dovetail with an emergency preparedness plan? Who activates the plan and who is part of the crisis team? Who speaks with reporters and when? Does a holding statement repository exist? The crisis communication plan should answer all of these key questions to ensure you are prepared when the crisis occurs.The Crisis Communication Plan FormatPart 1:Cover PageTable of ContentsPart 2:Executive SummaryIntroductionAcknowledgementsRehearsal DatesPurpose and ObjectivesCrisis InventoryPart 3:List of Key PublicsNotifying PublicsIdentify Crisis Communications TeamCrisis Communication Team DirectoryIdentify Media Spokesperson(s)List of Emergency Personnel and Local OfficialsList of Key MediaSpokespersons From Related/Regional OrganizationsPart 4:Crisis Communications Control CenterEquipment and SuppliesPre-gathered InformationKey MessagesWebsite, Blogs, and Social MediaTrick QuestionsList of Prodromes (early symptoms of potential crisis – could begin as an issue)Part 5:Evaluation FormAfter-Action Report/Hot Wash Questions and FormatHolding Statement RepositoryConclusionAt the end of the day, no matter how prepared one might be for a crisis, surprises will happen. However, with crisis communication planning communication teams can better position their organizations so that they are not caught completely off-guard and can spring into action.ReferencesBoman, Courtney D., and Erika J. Schneider. “Finding an Antidote: Testing the Use of Proactive Crisis Strategies to Protect Organizations from Astroturf Attacks.” Public relations review 47.1 (2021): 102004–. Web.​​Coombs, W. Timothy. Ongoing Crisis Communication : Planning, Managing, and Responding. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, 2007. Print.Herridge, Andrew S, and Xinyang Li. “Surfing for Answers: Understanding How Universities in the United States Utilized Websites in Response to COVID-19.” Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education 14.3B (2022): 111–. Web.Levick, Richard. “Cybersecurity in the Age of Cyber-Espionage, Nation-State Hacking, and Criminal Abundance.” Of Counsel 39.4 (2020): 5–20. Print.Machado, Sara A, and Patricia N Anderson. “The Perspectives of Preschool Teachers Regarding Their Ability to Respond to Various Crises in the Childcare Center.” Journal of Early Childhood Research : ECR (2022): 1476718–. Web.Schoofs, Lieze, and An-Sofie Claeys. “Communicating Sadness: The Impact of Emotional Crisis Communication on the Organizational Post-Crisis Reputation.” Journal of business research 130 (2021): 271–282. Web.Sellnow, Timothy L., Robert R. Ulmer, and Michelle Snider. “The Compatibility of Corrective Action in Organizational Crisis Communication.” Communication quarterly 46.1 (1998): 60–74. Web.Slaughter, R.A. (1999), “A new framework for environmental scanning”, Foresight, Vol. 1 No. 5, pp. 441-451. Strandberg, Julia Matilda, and Orla Vigsø. “Internal Crisis Communication: An Employee Perspective on Narrative, Culture, and Sensemaking.” Corporate communications 21.1 (2016): 89–102. Web.Tkalac Verčič, Ana, Dejan Verčič, and W. Timothy Coombs. “Convergence of Crisis Response Strategy and Source Credibility: Who Can You Trust?” Journal of contingencies and crisis management 27.1 (2019): 28–37. Web. Matt Charles, DPA, APR, teaches Crisis Communications for the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies Master’s in Public Relations and Corporate Communications program and is President & Founder of Matt Charles Public Relations+Strategy. ...

This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research CenterDr. Jian Peng, Dr. Qi Nie, and Dr. Yucong Cheng examined how team abusive supervision created team distrust in the supervisor and eventually induced team behavioral resistance to organizational change.Researchers collected three-wave survey data from 124 teams in four organizations that were part of a large Chinese conglomerate.Key findings include:1.) Higher levels of team abusive supervision resulted in higher levels of team cognitive distrust and affective distrust in the supervisor.2.) Higher levels of team cognitive distrust in the supervisor resulted in greater levels of team behavioral resistance to organizational change.3.) Higher levels of team affective distrust in the supervisor resulted in greater levels of team behavioral resistance to organizational change.4.) When teams perceived a greater frequency of organizational change, team abusive supervision impacted team affective distrust more negatively. — Team behavioral resistance to change also became stronger.Find the original study here. ...

This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research Center.Dr. Cornelia Wolf and colleagues conducted research on the role and need for strategic internal communication in startup environments.A review of 25 journal articles focused on strategic communication, business management, and entrepreneurship was conducted between January 2010 and June 2020. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted from June to August 2020.Key findings include:1.) In startup environments, internal communication tended to encourage back-and-forth discussion and fostered open ideas and thoughts.2.) Internal communication went hand-in-hand with internal growth.3.) Feedback from employees was often not systematically evaluated.— There were no tools in place to measure or organize employee feedback, resulting in a lack of internal communication strategy.4.) Organizations were constantly in flux and undergoing changes and it was crucial to avoid adhering too strictly to old routines or ways of doing things.— Growth required flexibility and adaptation.Find the original study here. ...

This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research CenterDr. Dejun Tony Kong and Dr. Liuba Y. Belkin examined how the feeling of being neglected by employers could bring negative implications on employees’ organizational citizenship behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.A four-wave survey of 111 employees across 40 states in the United States was conducted from March-May 2020.Key findings include:1.) The employees who felt more negelected also felt  more frustrated about their need for relational connections met at work.— This frustration led to a negative perception of the meaning of their work.2.) Negatively viewed work was associated with a reduction in employees’ organizational citizenship behaviors.3.) Employers needed to deliver attention and care through daily communication and action.Find the original study here. ...

This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research CenterDr. Yeonsoo Kim and colleagues studied how an organization’s base crisis responses and dialogic competency impacted employees’ trust, satisfaction, belonging, and support for the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic.An online survey of 378 U.S. employees who worked full-time at small, medium, and large companies across 18 industries was conducted in September, 2021.Key findings include:1.) Employees trusted their organizations’ pandemic-related commitment when organizations provided more instructing information.— Instructing information told employees what physical actions to take to protect themselves.2.) Employees became less likely to develop trust in their organizations’ pandemic-related commitment when organizations provided more adjusting information.— Adjusting information delivered emotional support to employees and helped them cope with the pandemic psychologically.3.) Employees developed trust in their organizations’ pandemic-related commitment when organizations demonstrated a higher level of dialogic competency by being open and respecting mutuality with employees.4.) Employees’ trust in organizations’ pandemic-related commitment further contributed to their support for organizational decisions during the pandemic, and their relational satisfaction with and belonging to the organizations.5.) Organizations’ dialogic competency directly contributed to employees’ support for organizational decisions during the pandemic, and their relational satisfaction with and belonging to the organizations.— Dialogic competency reflected the extent to which the organization listened to employees and engaged in open, transparent, and respectful conversations with employees during the pandemic.  Find the original study here. ...

This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research CenterDr. Chuqing Dong, Dr. Yafei Zhang, and Dr. Song Ao investigated how an organization’s strategic communication on corporate social responsibility (CSR) can engage employees in CSR initiatives cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally.An online survey  of 78 MBA students at a public university in the Southwest United States was conducted in March 2020. An online survey of 548 full-time and part-time employees conducted in November 2020.Key findings include:1.) Employees’ perceived social norms about participating in CSR were influenced by the approval or disapproval of their managers, higher leadership, and colleagues.2.) Employees perceived they had more control over participating in CSR when their organization provided paid time, communicated CSR better, and offered support.— Employees perceived less control when they faced a heavy workload, conflicting schedules, or a large time commitment.3.) Strategic CSR communication enhanced employees’ attitudes, perceived norm, and perceived behavioral control of CSR participation.4.) Enhanced attitudes and strengthened norm of CSR participation contributed to employees’ CSR engagement cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally.— Perceived behavioral control of CSR participation was not associated with employees’ CSR engagement.Find the original study here. ...

Note: This list was compiled as a resource and is not a comprehensive list of best practices. You can learn more about accessibility communications from the sources listed below. 

Institute for Public Relations and Voya Financial have partnered on a comprehensive re

 Dr. Hongmei Shen and Dr. Chunbo Ren sought to define and establish disengagement as a unique concept. They also identified which factors drove disengagement and explored the behaviors through which it manifests. The study was motivated by the increasing global prevalence of employee disengagement and its detrimental effects on both organizational performance and culture.To better understand what disengagement looks like and how to define it, the researchers conducted 24 in-depth interviews with employees working in China.Key Findings                                                           — The researchers found that disengagement behaviors included an indifferent attitude to work, pulling away from being involved with colleagues and work events and a “who cares” approach to high priority tasks. — While disengagement and burnout are often perceived as similar, this study revealed a distinction between the two. Burnout is not characterized by a lack of willingness to contribute, but rather a state of being overwhelmed that restricts one’s capacity. On the other hand, disengagement involves employees who possess the necessary capacity and bandwidth but lack the motivation to actively engage.— Burnout can be understood as a temporary state that, if not remedied, can eventually lead to the more long-lasting state of disengagement. Implications for PracticeEmployers should recognize the significance of an employee’s alignment with both their role and the organizational culture as crucial factors influencing disengagement. A mismatch in these areas often serves as a predictor of disengaging behaviors. Additionally, employers should be mindful that they can adopt mitigating measures to decrease disengagement. This can be achieved through practices like actively listening to employees and actively involving them in the decision-making process of the organization. Click here to understand more about what disengagement looks like, how to recognize it, and how to prevent it.Shen, H., & Ren, C. (2023). Reconceptualizing employee disengagement as both attitudinal and behavioral: Narratives from China. Public Relations Review, 49(2), 102318.                                               ...

This blog is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research Center.Internal Communication (IC) is an essential part of any organization’s success. It is the backbone of a company’s culture and its ability to drive performance, engagement, and commitment among employees. However, measuring the effectiveness of internal communication has often been ignored or considered unimportant due to various reasons such as lack of resources, time, and effort. Some leaders also struggle to see the correlation between IC and business issues. But times are changing, and businesses are measuring more than ever, making it a strategic imperative.According to a 2023 Deloitte study, 58% of corporate affairs leaders consider data and insights to be their top area for improvement. This indicates the need for organizations to invest more in communication measurement and evaluation. The 2023 Brand Finance report, which ranks the world’s most valuable brands, also highlights that brands consistently make up 20-25% of the value of listed companies. Measurement and evaluation are crucial in helping leaders appreciate the value of brands, both internal and external.Measuring internal communication goes beyond proving value; it is now viewed as a strategic tool to make effective decisions and guide business priorities. It helps diagnose issues, allocate resources, create programs, and take action based on insights from data analysis.So, how can you ensure that internal communication measurement is a priority for your organization? Here are some strategies to consider:Set clear and SMART goals that align with the business’s priorities. For example, you could aim to enhance team outreach over the next six months by conducting six monthly meetups and engagement initiatives. Objectives could include increasing staff awareness and commitment to the organization’s purpose and goals, encouraging staff to talk positively about the company, improving brand perception and reputation, connecting staff to each other and the organization’s purpose, and increasing engagement and effectiveness in their roles.Identify specific audiences to engage, from skeptics to committed supporters and everyone in between. Getting everyone on board matters for successfully embedding measurement as a practice within the organization.Create a dashboard that brings all communication activities together, allowing stakeholders to see a comprehensive view of communication activities.Demonstrate the value of measurement by making it visible and inclusive. Invite stakeholders to share what they value the most, and ask what they think the organization should measure and report.Revisit and enhance how communication can further impact the business.Train “power” users of communications within business teams to be upskilled on measurement.Show how internal communication measurement can link to external communication and vice versa. For example, demonstrate how staff can act as ambassadors and contribute to content marketing in ways that help the brand’s reputation externally.The Barcelona Principles 2.0 recommend focusing on measuring outcomes (awareness, knowledge, relevance, etc.) and impact (such as productivity, innovation, reputation, safety, employee retention, and innovation), not just outputs like hits, views, or likes. Approaches for measurement and evaluation include surveys, polls, focus groups, interviews, and sentiment analysis.According to a Gartner update, most organizations do not invest enough in measurement or innovation. Organizations also tend to avoid broadcasting the value and impact of measurement and evaluation, which limits how the function is perceived.To effectively measure and evaluate internal communication, there are a few key questions that internal communicators should consider. By answering these questions, communicators can gain valuable insights into what is working, what isn’t, and how they can improve their strategies going forward. Here are some key questions to consider:Which channels are working well? Why?It’s important to understand which communication channels are resonating with employees and why. This can help communicators focus their efforts on the channels that are most effective, while also identifying areas for improvement. For example, if email newsletters are consistently getting high open and click-through rates, it might make sense to invest more resources into that channel. On the other hand, if social media posts aren’t getting much engagement, it might be worth exploring other channels that might be a better fit.Which content elements are trending? What is driving engagement?Similarly, it’s important to understand which types of content are resonating with employees and why. This can help communicators create more engaging content in the future. For example, if videos are consistently getting more views than other types of content, it might make sense to create more video content. On the other hand, if blog posts aren’t getting much engagement, it might be worth exploring other types of content that might be more engaging.Which type of employees are most involved? What are the drivers?It’s also important to understand which types of employees are most engaged with internal communication, and what is driving their engagement. This can help communicators tailor their strategies to better meet the needs and interests of different employee groups. For example, if younger employees are more likely to engage with social media content, it might make sense to create more social media content targeted at that demographic.How can internal communicators raise the profile of the function?Finally, it’s important for internal communicators to think about how they can raise the profile of the function within the organization. This might involve highlighting the impact that internal communication has on the organization or demonstrating the value of measurement and evaluation. By showing how internal communication is contributing to the success of the organization, communicators can ensure that their function is seen as an important part of the business.Measuring internal communication is more important than ever, and it requires a strategic approach. By setting clear goals, identifying specific audiences, creating a dashboard, demonstrating value, revisiting and enhancing communication impact, upskilling internal communication teams, and linking internal communication measurement to external communications, organizations can effectively measure the impact of internal communication and drive better results. Aniisu K. Verghese, Ph.D., is a globally recognized communicator and Prosci® Certified Change Management Practitioner with over two decades of experience. Aniisu holds a Ph.D. in organizational communications, runs Intraskope, a boutique communication and personal branding consultancy, and is based in Krakow, Poland. His mission is to help individuals and organizations discover and develop their sweet-spot through effective communications. He is the author of Internal Communications – Insights, Practices and Models. ...