This article is from the archives of the UB Reporter.
News

New, improved internal
communications tools

UB Reporter

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By Arthur Page
Published: August 28, 2008

As part of an effort to improve internal employee communications and in conjunction with UB’s “Great Place to Work” initiative, University Communications has created UB Reporter, a new faculty/staff newspaper in print and online, and next week will launch a new weekly email, “This Week @ UB,” for faculty and staff.

The new products were developed by University Communications, guided by the expressed desire of employees for timely, effective internal communications that are relevant to them and their work, and that enhance the experience of working at UB.

The call for improved internal communications was sounded by the university-wide Communications Task Force that reported its findings and recommendations to President John B. Simpson in July. Creation of UB Reporter print and online and “This Week @ UB” was guided by conversations with participants at the April 2008 “Campus Conversation.” It also was informed by results of a subsequent online survey of faculty and staff that was conducted by University Communications in spring 2008.

The survey, which was posted online from April 28 through May 23, drew a total of 631 responses -- 471 from staff and 160 from faculty.

Among the findings:
  • Fewer than half of the respondents said internal communications were effective.
  • Both groups indicated a desire for internal communications that are relevant to them and their work, as well as “real” information as opposed to “spin.”
  • Only 35 percent of faculty and 55 percent of staff agreed that internal communications provide them with necessary information to do their job.
  • Both groups rated email as the most effective form of internal communication.

Planning for the print and web iterations of UB Reporter has been guided by a “think tank” focusing on internal communications that was convened in May. In addition to members of the University Communications staff, it includes representatives of the Professional Staff Senate, Faculty Senate, Human Resources, School of Management and University Development.

UB Reporter print and online and “This Week @ UB” constitute a suite of complementary internal communications tools:
  • UB Reporter serves as a useful and relevant internal communications tool that speaks directly to faculty and staff by focusing on the people, the community and the university through information, as well as news and feature stories. It aligns audiences with what is happening across the university strategically.
  • UB Reporter online supports email and print internal communications by providing a publishing vehicle for stories, multimedia and ability of the audience to interact with the products. It includes key top news, events and information published weekly in the print or email platforms. The UB Reporter online is updated to include critical breaking news.
  • “This Week @ UB” aggregates top news and announcements (e.g., budget news, HR items, road closures, etc.) for the week into a short, concise read and forecasts key news and events on the horizon. It is designed as a 90-second read.

UB Reporter will be published online weekly throughout the calendar year and in print weekly during the academic year when classes are in session. A single issue also will be printed in June and July. UB Reporter online will be responsive to breaking news.

“This Week @ UB” will greet all employees in their inbox when they open their UB email accounts every Monday. Because of the Labor Day holiday, the first weekly installment will debut on Tuesday, Sept. 2.