February 22, 2024
A simple little prefix, while short on letters, can completely transform the meaning of a word. “Build” becomes “rebuild,” “think” becomes “rethink,” and so on. In the particular case of “re-,” adding it turns a word into an opportunity. For companies, turning the calendar to a new year means thinking about the opportunities – whether planned or unplanned – that are ahead. These opportunities, or “re-” moments, take many forms:
- Annual reviews and re-commitments to goals (e.g., annual reports and sustainability/ESG reports)
- Website content refreshment (e.g., building out a new section or simply designing new text and images)
- Company rebranding (e.g., new name or new/updated logo, new messaging)
- Company reorganizations, policy changes or major announcements, which require communications packets for various audiences
- Reductions in force, or leadership/board of directors refreshment
No matter what form it takes, “re-” is an invitation for involvement – a chance for company employees to collaborate across functions and through inclusive conversations to examine the current state and, potentially, make some changes. Have employees been asking questions about a particular policy or benefit? Maybe it’s time to review the employee handbook. Does your company’s employee value proposition (EVP) feel dated? Consider an initiative to revitalize it – or, if your company does not have one, develop one!
Now that we have settled in a bit to 2024, your organization may have more clarity about the goals and initiatives for the year ahead. Below are a few ways that your company could harness the opportunities inherent in “re-,” from simple yet impactful to larger in scale.
1. Review – Individually, by division, or collectively, start by reading through what you have: company policies, language on the website, etc. Is it all accurate? Does it still feel true to the organization?
2. Refresh – This next step represents a chance to revise content, images, data, and so on – an actionable moment where information is updated and modernized. Do your company materials contain outdated products and services, policies, and even photos? Is language about your company (on key parts of your website, or even the boilerplate for press releases) misaligned with recent awards or new priorities? Time for some updates – and when you release those updated messages, reinforce them by sharing with employees, customers, investors, and other key audiences through a strategic communications plan.
3. Rebrand – It might be time for a branding overhaul, whether externally or internally. Has the company recently announced a big merger or acquisition? Is the company targeting new markets or updating its strategy? Could the elements of the brand identity (logo, visuals, etc.) be revitalized? Thinking beyond the external brand representatives, there’s also the employer brand (like an EVP) to consider – the pieces that attract new talent and encourage current employees to stay and advance. Do your employer brand elements resonate with applicants and bring in strong candidates? What are the sentiments shared in employee engagement surveys? If there seems to be a disconnect, consider taking the opportunity to refresh your employer brand.
Before making any changes (whether large- or small-scale), it’s important to gather a complete picture of what is working well within the company, as well as the opportunities for improvement (also called a current state analysis). You could even consider bringing in an external partner to help you collect this information from a mixture of stakeholders. Including the right team members in the “re-” process will help produce a result that is robust and impactful – and thus, ensure that your new plan, content, brand or major announcement is unveiled and managed smoothly.
At Dix & Eaton, we collaborate with clients for any “re-” they can think of – from managing significant change to annual reporting to crisis communications to media and public relations. We’ve seen the results, and we share our clients’ enthusiasm when something fresh is unveiled. This is the perfect time for new opportunities, and we’ll work alongside you to get the right results.
Need some guidance, or want to talk through ideas? Email me and we can help you navigate the “re-” that’s right for your company this year.
