Speak-up and start a conversation
About spup
  1. My mission is to help organizations accomplish meaningful communication with employees and other stakeholders.
  2. My vision is that meaningful communication can only be achieved in a climate of openness and trust.
  3. My contribution is to provide actionable insights and solutions based on these principles.

Here are some key insights…

Mobilizing people

It takes more to succeed in today’s marketplace. More responsiveness. More flexibility. More commitment. People are key in living up to these demands. Employees need to act as ambassadors of the organization, its mission and values. This kind of commitment is not easy to come by. What it all means is that organizations need to find new, sustainable ways of mobilizing their people.

Drivers of employee engagement

People strive for purpose, autonomy and learning. Research shows these ‘soft’ values are stronger long-term motivators than traditional financial rewards and status. What it all means is that organizations need to find the right balance between extrinsic and intrinsic motivators to attract and retain engaged employees.

Social media in the workplace

Social media are creating a more level playing field. News finds its way through the grapevine in less than no time. What it all means is that to build trust organizations need to maintain a more open, expressive stance when communicating with stakeholders. Organizations can also use social media to stimulate the flow of information and to foster collaboration.

A healthy communication climate

Most organizations who successfully engage their employees have a few things in common. Such as a culture of openness and trust, of dialogue and collaboration. Information flowing as easily upward as downward or sideways. The absence of corporate silence. It all adds up to what we call a healthy communication climate. And a healthy climate is what it takes to let your internal communication take root and flourish.

Benefits of a healthy communication climate

A healthy communication climate is characterized by trust, openness, supportiveness and participation. It increases trust in management, makes employees identify with the organization and its values and increases employees’ self-confidence. A healthy communication climate nourishes mutually rewarding relationships between organizations and their stakeholders.

The need to manage communication climate

A healthy communication climate is the foundation on which effective employee communication or engagement strategies are built. Without a healthy climate, even the most compelling corporate stories, internal branding programs and corporate messages will fail to make much difference.  What it all means is that organizations need to actively manage communication climate as a part of their overall employee communication strategy.

 

About Marc Amaral

Marc B. do Amaral is a passionate corporate communication specialist, copywriter and speaker with a penchant for internal communication. He believes that socially responsible organizations that seek to engage in dialogue have the future. And that this always begins on the inside. The foundation of such a ‘communicative organization‘ is formed by a climate in which employees experience openness and trust, feel taken seriously and feel free to speak out.

After completing his Bachelor’s in International Business & Languages and a starting position as market researcher, he entered the communication profession at the age of 27 as an advertising strategist. At various agencies he set his teeth in brand and theme campaigns, media strategy, direct marketing and so on.

In the mid-nineties, he switched to asset management provider Robeco in Rotterdam where he held various marketing communication roles and initiated a digital and online competence team specializing in online marketing, CRM and electronic publishing.

Since 2004 he has focused on internal communication. At Fortis and ASR Nederland he brought internal communication to a higher level, realized various large-scale events and meetings and was the driving force behind an organization-wide dialogue about identity and strategy.

Since 2013, he has been an independent consultant and helps organizations to shape strategic dialogue with internal and external stakeholders. In 2012 he obtained his international Master’s in corporate communication at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

As an external advisor, he has supported Chrysler International (Chrysler / Jeep), GlaxoSmithKline, Siemens, Vodafone, VimpelCom, Reputation Institute, Relevant Holdings (including Phone House NL, Optie1 and iCentre), the Association of Healthcare Providers for Healthcare Communications (VZVZ), BNP Paribas, Gatehouse and the Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO).

 

  • Share On

Services

Latest stories