Member spotlight Michelle Atkinson

I work across the whole organisation and membership keeps me credible

I work in Durham University’s Internal Communications Team. We lead on communications with staff and current students. As a team we are responsible for all pan-University internal communications channels and provide advice, guidance and support on specific projects. We work closely with our external communications and marketing colleagues. We invest time and resources on using insights and best practice to develop our work and have seen significant developments in our internal communications in the few years since the dedicated team was established.

Membership of the IOIC provides me with credibility. It also ensures my skills and knowledge are up to date.

Staff have always been my first stakeholders

I first experienced internal communications whilst undertaking the placement year of my degree at British Aerospace (BAe) and loved it. I returned after graduating. They were early pioneers of employee communications and saw it as an investment, even stopping the production line to undertake face-to-face cascades. They recognised early on the value of informed and engaged staff way before Engage for Success. This has stayed with me throughout my career.

From that day on, staff were always the first stakeholders I considered. My mantra is that staff should be informed first of any news before it goes external (where that’s not possible, it should be at the same time). They are your ambassadors. Having moved onto communications roles in the NHS, local authorities, PR consultancies and teaching internal communications, my career has turned full circle as I’m currently working in a dedicated IC role – it’s where my heart is.

What I enjoy is the variety, the constant challenges we face – whether that’s too much noise, being listened too, technology or change fatigue and being in a privileged role looking across the whole organisation and being able to advise our leaders.

Membership gives you the resources and the credibility to stay ahead

What I really value from the IOIC is the work they do on producing professional guidance on current issues e.g. AI, including the round up of legislation and policy too. This is invaluable and crucial to ensuring we are at the top of our game. Likewise the annual IOIC index – it really helps for benchmarking and trends. The learning resources and webinars are great too. Being a member of a professional body also provides credibility.

Improving trust after industrial action and seeing it work

As the Corporate Communications Manager at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue I was tasked with establishing the first professional comms function. My priority was to improve internal communication following industrial action with trust low between firefighters and senior officers.

After spending three weeks listening to staff at all levels I presented an internal communications strategy to the senior management team, who after some challenging questioning, fully committed to it. Within 15 months of implementing the strategy 42% of staff said that internal communications had significantly improved and within two years 36% said it had further improved. The improvement, and my team’s work, was recognised in a number of industry awards.

My advice to someone just starting out in the profession

Be curious – observe, ask questions and listen. Get to know your business and stay up to date with the news – what happens outside affects inside.  

Develop your networks internally and externally. Never assume you know it all and don’t be afraid to ask for help. The day we stop learning is the day we take our last breath. Oh and try not to take things personally (easier said than done), build resilience and look after your health.

One fun fact about me

I’m a PetHead (huge Pet Shop Boys fan). Not long after starting at Durham I was luckily enough to meet Neil Tennant, my favourite in the pop duo, as he received an Honorary Degree. I was the consummate professional and only screamed and jumped up and down when I got home.