Internal Communications and the Olympics

In 1996, I worked at a large international accounting firm’s Atlanta office in the Marketing Department, where we produced the internal communications newsletter.   We developed some pretty original and impressive content in those days.  One of my favorites was this co-authored article about all employees who had participated in the Olympics—or were training to do so. 

My colleague and I interviewed employees all over the world to share their stories.  Here’s a screenshot of the final result:

(Note: We had a team of awesome designers as you can see, and I don’t think the word “budget” was mentioned. Ah, the good old days!)

The point here really is  . . . Any event that draws people together, such as The Olympics, makes for excellent reporting at the micro-level in any organization.  Did your employees attend or participate?  Capture their stories, even in a small profile section.  Hold a contest for the best photo.  Ask employees to submit recommendations for a top 10 list.  The possibilities for employee engagement in content creation are endless. 

Although I can’t take credit for the original topic idea, it’s a great example of how a company can make its communications meaningful and personal—thereby creating interest and connection in the workplace.  That energy, excitement, and involvement is what’s missing in a lot of company newsletters--and corporate communications.  If you don’t believe me, ask Steve Crescenzo.  That guy is the Jack Bauer of employee engagement w/ internal communications.