How can the need for Accessibility help you smash the IC glass ceiling?

This Minimum Hygiene Criterion means that, whenever they need to, and wherever they happen to be at the time, employees can:

1. access any information they need, in order to be able to:

• do their job
• manage their relationship with their employer

2. provide timely feedback and/or offer added value to their employer.

?Why it matters

If they don’t have this access, they may not be able to do what’s expected of them as quickly or accurately as they otherwise could.? As a result they may:

• delay doing something they should be doing now (and perhaps have to rush it later on, or even forget to do it)
• take longer to do it than they otherwise would
• give up on doing it altogether
• make mistakes when trying to do it
• have to ask someone else for help (consuming that other person’s time)

All of these can pose risks to their performance and/or emotional well-being.

Implications for your glass ceiling

What if you can get your leadership team to recognise the risks of you not being able to guarantee that all internal communications are logically organised?? Might they consider it worthwhile supporting you to put in place the resources you need to mitigate or eliminate those risks??

What might that look like?

Inevitably this criterion has significant DEI implications, many of which will need to be handled by the IT or Facilities Management teams.? As far as your involvement is concerned, the accessibility agenda goes a little further – particularly when it comes to your channel mix and language standards.

1. Your channel mix needs to maximise the possibility that everyone can access everything they need to, whenever they need it, and wherever they happen to be at the time.? Importantly, though, this doesn’t stop at putting the channels in place.? It’s also about ensuring they’re maintained properly – particularly the digital ones (which can notoriously get out of date) and that the signposting is clear and consistent, so people know where to look, and know they’ve found what they’re looking for when they get there.?
2. As far as your language standards are concerned, this issue of Accessibility overlaps somewhat with the Clarity criterion we’ve already covered – particularly if you have employees for whom English is a second or third language.? Communications which may be ‘intellectually accessible’ to a native English speaker may be less so to someone who isn’t quite so fluent.

These are just possibilities; maybe we’ve stimulated you to think of others which would spell an end to your glass ceiling.? And if you feel you still don’t have enough fuel to put on the fire yet, we’ll be adding to the business risks for weeks to come.? So keep following us if you want to build up your business case.

About the author

We are Russell+Olivia Brooklands (ROB) - and we've been working in the field of Internal Communication for over 25 years.?We specialise in enabling IC Teams to get everything they want, to do the job exactly the way they want to do it – for good.? If you're an IC Manager we can help you secure all the:

• influence
• time
• confidence
• opportunities, and
• budget...

…you desire (and may not yet have).

Some people don't dare to dream this is doable.? But in fact it's all within your grasp.? And imagine what a difference it could make to your day-to-day working life, and your long-term career, if you had it all. We’ll be delighted to explain how you can make it happen.? Message us if you’d like to have a chat.