We’ve all seen the headlines declaring ‘print is dead’ (probably on our mobile phones…) but is that really the case in internal communications?
In an increasingly online world, is an off-line method of communication more effective at cutting through the noise? Particularly for deskless workers, who it is estimated make up around 80% of the UK workforce?
As we discovered in our recent Remotely Interested? research report, many of these workers spend up to 90% of their time actually doing their job and won’t be regularly accessing digital information. Communication for them needs to be concise, relevant and cut through the digital noise.
It’s a topic that has also come up in several recent internal communications audits we’ve carried out with clients, where magazines have been mentioned as a channel of choice. Workers for a large manufacturing firm, for example, explained that while video may be their preferred channel outside work, it’s not right for them during the working day. They simply don’t have the time to sit and watch a video and would rather sit and flick through a magazine while they have their cup of tea or lunch.
So, should we be investing in magazines again?
I put out a poll on my LinkedIn feed recently and it got some incredible engagement with over 264 votes and 105 comments – it’s clearly a topic that needs some more discussion!
I asked:
Should magazines come back as the main channel for deskless workers?
59% said YES
41% said NO
Is digital always better?
The over-riding sentiment from those who commented was that print magazines still serve a very valuable purpose – the opposite of what we’ve been hearing in the internal communications world for quite some time.
I would put some of this down to the fact that technology companies tend to have dominated our industry in terms of content and events and, understandably, their bias towards technology has had us all talking about the latest digital innovations.
But my feeling is, that what people really want is something away from the constant drip feed of noise, a single channel they can go to for all the information they need for the next few months. It’s a feeling that has been validated by some of those working on the shop floor.
In this blog I’ll explore the benefits of a printed staff magazine and outline the key considerations if it’s something your organisation might be looking to reintroduce.
In praise of print: why staff magazines still matter
While the overall poll result was fairly evenly split, the comments suggested that there was much greater support for the role of the staff magazine, just perhaps not as the main method of communication with deskless workers.
The vast majority of people commenting recognised the usefulness of a print publication as part of the wider communications mix, particularly for those who work remotely.
The advantages mentioned include:
- It’s more inclusive: A printed magazine takes away the need for technology, which can often be problematic for remote workers. Access to the technology required to read a digital magazine may be limited, or poor wi-fi signal means downloading large files is simply not an option. Creating a print publication means these staff feel invested in and included in the wider team.
In the comments on my LinkedIn post communications consultation Trudy Lewis said: “During my in-house days an actual magazine or for that matter printed communications was essential for the deskless workforce. That was a while ago, but their work and pattern of work hasn’t changed which means without that they aren’t included or recognised as part of the whole.
“It’s an essential investment if companies truly want to engage, inspire and connect with all people within the organisation.”
- It beats digital overwhelm: Picking up a printed magazine means physically removing yourself from your phone, with its constant notifications, emails and alerts. You’re distancing yourself from the digital noise and giving your brain the chance to focus purely on one thing.
In this really interesting webinar by communications agency ScarlettAbbott, Sara Hirsch, Director of Colleague Communications for British Gas, explains they re-launched their printed staff magazine last year after a hiatus of more than eight years as they “needed something to stand out from the sheer noise on digital channels”.
- You can maximise the power of storytelling: Content that tells stories about real people can be much more effective than top-down broadcasts from the Senior Leadership Team.
In the webinar mentioned above, Rhian Moore, Head of Internal Communications for Great Western Railway, explains that the role of their staff publication is to give people confidence in the organisation and make them feel clear about their role in it. She explains magazines are perfect for this because they allow for storytelling and creativity in a way that email just doesn’t. “We know most people read their emails on their phone”, she said, “and you just can’t enjoy that rich content in the same way on a tiny screen as you can in a printed magazine”.
- Creates a sense of pride in the organisation: Producing a tangible product that people can touch, feel, and even smell (the idea of the smell of a freshly-printed magazine came up a lot in the feedback) creates a sense of pride and helps to build a cultural connection.
Many people talked about how a printed magazine can make people feel closer to their organisations. It’s something you can show other people, feel proud to appear in or enjoy spotting your colleagues in.
As Simon Thompson put it: “It’s nice to have something to show to your family, to prove that all those Teams calls behind shut doors are contributing to something positive.”
Stuart Bruce agreed: “One of the key benefits of the print magazine was that it was taken home and left on coffee tables so family saw it and felt part of what their mum, dad, brother or sister did.”
What you need to get right
A successful magazine is one that has been properly thought-out from its inception, has clear goals, a defined voice consistent with the brand, and an editorial strategy to match.
- Be clear on audience and purpose: The overall sentiment of those responding on the LinkedIn post was that magazines need to be part of the overall communications mix and will rarely be suitable as the main method of communication for remote workers.
When deciding whether to launch, or reinstate one, it’s crucial to be clear on your audience and the purpose of the communication. What are you aiming to achieve with the magazine? As with all internal communications, ask yourself what you want people to think, feel and do as a result.
- The content HAS to be right: Deciding tomake a return to print is potentially going to meet with resistance, particularly on cost grounds but, done properly, the return on your investment could be much higher than with digital communications.
The key is planning. A huge amount of pre-work needs to go into setting the right tone and editorial strategy for a magazine to ensure that every piece of content within it is valuable.
Jonathan Champ, one of those that commented on the LinkedIn post, summed this up: “In digital first environments, there can be a role for a feature-forward publication that allows for long reads, stories that are a reflection of values or that brings an aspect of culture. But, and it’s a big but, if it’s not incredibly well executed and based on deep audience testing, it can be a monumental waste of resources. Poor content in any channel is not going to add value and create more noise.”
A magazine has to feel valuable and contain messages and stories that couldn’t be told on email.
Don’t just broadcast – ask for opinions, have competitions or explore the idea of having guest editors. Other commenters on LinkedIn mentioned the idea of a readers panel for capturing feedback.
- Consider the method of distribution carefully: This is one of the biggest, and most costly, challenges with print. How can you ensure that everyone who you’d like to read it is getting hold of a copy and that you’re not just left with piles of unread magazines across your sites?
You could send directly to people’s homes but, if that’s not an option, some pre-planning is required. Where do staff congregate most? At what point in their day are they likely to pick one up? Could you appoint champions across the business to make sure everyone’s getting a copy? This was my biggest challenge for my internal magazine and ultimately the reason we stopped producing it.
- Consider sustainability: This is likely to be one of the biggest points of resistance when it comes to introducing a magazine but sustainability in this area has come a long way in recent years and there are much better options for both paper and ink.
It’s also worth remembering that digital products don’t come without a carbon footprint and weighing up the benefits of a printed product that people may come back to repeatedly at various different times and share with others to an email that’s glanced at quickly and never opened again.
Sustainability is clearly important, and we all have a duty to do our bit, but it shouldn’t prevent us from trying something new, and people may not be as critical as we think. Sara Hirsch explained that British Gas gave people the option of opting out of receiving a print copy, but only 10 people out of the 12,000 who receive it have done this.
Asif Choudhury, a sales and marketing director who also commented on the LinkedIn post, made the point that there are many sustainable print options available including “using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) sustainably sourced paper, choosing a carbon balanced printer and a printer that has set a net zero carbon target.”
- Have plans in place to measure effectiveness: Measuring the effectiveness of a magazine is vital to ensure that your hard work is achieving the right results. Regular audits of your internal communications channels are the best way to do this. Get out and talk to the people on the ground, particularly your remote workers, and find out what they really think. Are they really reading it? Are some bits more useful than others? What’s stopping them from picking it up?
Magazines can quickly become expensive, time-consuming channels if not hitting the right spot. Evaluating the impact at regular intervals along the way is the best way to prevent this.
If you’re thinking about changing the way you communicate with your remote workers and would like help auditing your current internal communications channels drop us an email at info@redefiningcomms.com to arrange a chat.
