How do you monitor and update your risk communication strategies and plans?

1 Assess your communication goals and objectives

The first step in monitoring and updating your risk communication strategies and plans is to revisit your communication goals and objectives. These are the specific outcomes that you want to achieve through your risk communication activities, such as increasing awareness, building trust, influencing behavior, or resolving conflicts. You should evaluate whether your goals and objectives are still relevant, realistic, and measurable, and whether they align with your overall process safety vision and values. You should also review your key messages and ensure that they are clear, consistent, and accurate.

2 Identify your target audiences and their needs

The next step is to identify your target audiences and their needs. These are the groups or individuals that you want to reach and communicate with, such as internal staff, external partners, regulators, customers, media, or the public. You should understand their characteristics, preferences, concerns, expectations, and knowledge levels regarding the hazards and risks in your industry. You should also assess their risk perception and how it affects their attitudes and actions. You should segment your audiences based on their similarities and differences and tailor your communication strategies and plans accordingly.

3 Choose your communication channels and methods

The third step is to choose your communication channels and methods. These are the ways that you deliver your messages to your target audiences, such as face-to-face meetings, emails, newsletters, websites, social media, press releases, or brochures. You should select the channels and methods that are appropriate, accessible, and effective for your audiences and your messages. You should also consider the frequency, timing, and format of your communication and how they influence your communication outcomes.

4 Evaluate your communication performance and feedback

The fourth step is to evaluate your communication performance and feedback. These are the indicators and measures that you use to assess the quality, impact, and results of your communication activities. You should establish some criteria and standards for evaluating your communication performance, such as reach, clarity, relevance, accuracy, timeliness, or responsiveness. You should also collect and analyze feedback from your audiences, such as surveys, interviews, comments, or complaints. You should use both quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate your communication performance and feedback.

5 Identify your communication gaps and challenges

The fifth step is to identify your communication gaps and challenges. These are the areas or issues that need improvement or attention in your communication strategies and plans. You should identify the gaps and challenges based on your communication evaluation and feedback, as well as the changes in your industry, environment, or stakeholder expectations. You should prioritize the gaps and challenges based on their urgency, importance, and feasibility. You should also consider the root causes and consequences of the gaps and challenges and how they affect your process safety goals and objectives.

6 Update your communication strategies and plans

The final step is to update your communication strategies and plans. This involves making adjustments, modifications, or revisions to your communication strategies and plans based on your assessment, identification, and prioritization of the gaps and challenges. You should update your communication goals and objectives, messages, audiences, channels, methods, performance, and feedback to reflect the current and future needs and expectations of your stakeholders and your industry. You should also communicate the changes and updates to your relevant stakeholders and seek their input and support.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?