Internal communication plays an integral role in building and maintaining trust within organisations, and in the context of so much change and uncertainty – this role is more important than ever.

Businesses are now recognising the significant impact of trust on organisational outcomes and viewing it as a strategic asset that must be measured, monitored and managed. Internal communicators are therefore perfectly placed to leverage and demonstrate their strategic value through trust. 

This timely workshop will explore trust in organisations – considering what prevents trust from being built or causes it to go down and how to build trust at an individual, department and organisational level. It will also look at how to measure and monitor trust levels. 

Through the workshop you will consider and test strategic internal communication approaches that support the creation and maintenance of trust in organisations.

By the end of the course, you will identify and prioritise three to five actions you can use in your own organisation, ensuring alignment with organisational vision and strategy.

You will then create an action plan for applying learning from the workshop and how to demonstrate the impact internal communication has on trust.

Who should attend?

This workshop is ideal for experienced internal communications professionals who have a role in the development of strategy. 

We'd expect attendees to be working around Levels 3 and 4 of the IoIC Profession Map.

Learning objectives

• Identify the impact trust has on an organisation both commercially and culturally.
• Explore barriers that prevent trust from being built in an organisation.
• Learn how trust can be built and the role of internal communication in building it.
• Discover how the Trust Pulse* measures the climate of trust in an organisation.
• Review a sample Trust Pulse report and learn how to interpret its results.
• Identify and prioritise three to five strategic communication approaches that empower internal communication to lead cross-departmental action planning based on report findings.
• Create an action plan for applying the learning from the workshop into their professional responsibilities.

The course will cover:

The workshop includes group work and activities within the session, as well as the homework of completing the Trust Pulse assessment.

Part One, 12th May, 13:30 - 16:00  

• What is trust? Role of Trust - Why is Trust important in organisations? What prevents trust from being built or causes it to go down?
• How do you build trust? The individual level; the department level; between departments/functions. Human dynamics; business mechanics.
• The role of internal communication: How can Internal Communications influence/support Human Dynamics and Business Mechanics to build trust?
• How do you measure trust? How does your organisation measure trust?
• Introduction to the Trust Pulse: why created, structure and composition, how it is used.

Homework: Take the Trust Pulse

Part Two, 19th May, 13:30 - 16:00

• Trust Pulse Results review: insights and recommendations.
• Case study: The impact of using the Trust Pulse within a business.
• Identifying your strategic approaches: aligned to your business and vision; resources required; potential barriers; prioritise your approaches.
• Action planning and Reflections.

*The Trust Pulse

The Trust Pulse is a strategic diagnostic tool that measures the climate of Trust in an organisation by assessing observable behaviours across three core systemic lenses which have a vital impact on every organisation. These lenses are processes, communication, and culture.

For Internal Communication Specialists, the Trust Pulse will enable them to answer three critical questions.

1. Is our communication ecosystem generating a Trust Dividend - or triggering a Trust Tax?
2. Where in the communication flow is trust breaking down?
3. What communication actions will rebuild confidence and accelerate alignment?

Additional benefits

 Additional benefits include:  

• The opportunity to take the Trust Pulse and learn how to interpret and address results
• Learn from two experts in organisational trust
• Pre and post course access to Canvas, the IoIC's online learning environment, where you will find all course materials and be able to engage with their fellow participants through forum discussions
• Eight CPD Points for IoIC Members 
• A network of IC professionals to connect with and learn from

• Places are strictly limited to ensure every participant gains the support and guidance they need, and to facilitate maximum opportunity for interaction, connection and engagement.

Please note that we use Zoom and Canvas: The Learning Management Platform for our online courses. Please ensure that you are able to access these systems where you are based before booking your place. All times are in BST.

Trainer

Tracy Gravesande

Find out more

Dorothy Spence