Use of TV (CCTV) for Internal Communications

[LesPiles]

Hello !


Regarding internal communication challenges we face to distribute the "news", things to know, points to remember, procedure remindings, new employee announcements, etc., I have had the idea to install tv's in strategic points in the plant (hallways, cafeteria, etc.) - with a rolling Powerpoint presentation.

Idea seems reasonable from business owner's point of view. He fear though that material qty might not be enough and that the presentation might not "roll" continuously ...

In order to get a buying, I promised to him a "demo" with a small management process.

Is this something that you use in your plant ? If so, has the initiative proven itself to be a good one ? Do you have a small process associated with the management of this process (that you could share) ? Who manages the Powerpoint ? Quality Dpt ? HR ? Do you have an approval process for slide submission ?

If you're not using this tool of communication, I think we get back to old grapevine, foreman cascading oral transmission or a company journal (either printed or email). Maybe you use other means ?

I've looked in the past postings and "Internal Communication" doesn't seem to be a subject that has have many threads ...

 

[guruprasadb]

Hi,

In my previous organisation we used have a similiar type of communication where

1. New Joining & employee related information from HR used to be prepared by HR exe & approved by relavent authorities (like HOD HR, GM etc)

2. Related Quality Issues , Customer complaints prepared by QA exe & approved by HOD QA

3. Related to customer visits - Prepared Exe mktg & approved by HOD mktg

4. Related to higher offical visits - prepared admin exe & approved HOD HR & GM

5. Other general updates as approved by respective HOD's


Once the ppt is approved IT exe will upload the PPT in all systems & TV displays

the same was written in our internal communication procedure

I think this might useful

 

[somashekar]

Hello !


Regarding internal communication challenges we face to distribute the "news", things to know, points to remember, procedure remindings, new employee announcements, etc., I have had the idea to install tv's in strategic points in the plant (hallways, cafeteria, etc.) - with a rolling Powerpoint presentation.

Idea seems reasonable from business owner's point of view. He fear though that material qty might not be enough and that the presentation might not "roll" continuously ...

In order to get a buying, I promised to him a "demo" with a small management process.

Is this something that you use in your plant ? If so, has the initiative proven itself to be a good one ? Do you have a small process associated with the management of this process (that you could share) ? Who manages the Powerpoint ? Quality Dpt ? HR ? Do you have an approval process for slide submission ?

If you're not using this tool of communication, I think we get back to old grapevine, foreman cascading oral transmission or a company journal (either printed or email). Maybe you use other means ?

I've looked in the past postings and "Internal Communication" doesn't seem to be a subject that has have many threads ...

It is all fine and any innovation to communicate that is well accepted is acceptable...
However., please tell me how this method is going to make communication about effectiveness of your QMS.
Any effective communication for professional use must be two way. Your internal CCTV stuff could best be a internal mass communication media.
So typically for your new company announcements, quality policy awareness (communication only, now understanding) upcoming events, achievements, and such other, you can have it. Let us know if you have deeper ideas about CCTV application.

 

[drgnrider]

Our company has been using this format for about six months now. Basically it repeatedly scrolls through a PPT presentation.

Ours is controlled by the EHS manager as it was originally intended to be an EHS initiative. Since then it has grown to anything that management wants/feels needs to be disseminated to all the employees, not limited to:
- holiday wishes from the management staff
- ISO information
- Safety awareness (ice, electrical safety, hunting season, etc)
- Upcomming events: Health department on site to give Flu shots, health/safety day
- Welcomes to special visitors
- Photos from plant-wide events (safety-day, flu shots, fitness center, etc)
- Reminders: Insurance sign-up deadline, EAP assistance, etc
- Plant/policy changes/reminders

We moved our ISO information board, it was posted on the CCTV to make everyone aware to where it was moved.

Can this be called "communication" since it is not two-way? Sure. If I have an issue with a slide I go talk to the person who is responsible for the slide, others do this too. Besides, most of our 'all-employees sessions' result in people sitting there with a blank stare and speak only when asked (seen this with ISO, safety, new medical insurance, etc).

 

[LesPiles]

Hello !


First of all thank you guys for your replies ...

I'm not sure I understand very well your questions/comments but I will give it a try.

1. How this method is going to make communication about effectiveness of your QMS ?
Answer : About effectiveness of your QMS I'm not sure that this goal could be met (although we could publish performance metrics). The goal is to find a way to communicate "messages" to personnel on many diverse topics.
I know we had an internal journal many years ago but people went to extreme in the huge amount of pages the journal had so it required almost a resource to manage it ! So, the activity had vanished. The pitfall with a journal from my point of view is that people writing in it have a deadline so if some "urgent" message must be passed you can't.
Powerpoint & TV is what I've seen being implemented in many plants. It's more "actual". I've also seen a "push technology" on PC (messages were displaying as a screen protection mode when the user left his/her PC inactive for some time). Idea is interesting but I'm working for a small company and IT resources are not easily available.

2. Let us know if you have deeper ideas about CCTV application.
Answer : Nothing more to add I think.


Any effective communication for professional use must be two way.
Comment : Yes, indeed.

Your internal CCTV stuff could best be a internal mass communication media.
So typically for your new company announcements, quality policy awareness (communication only, now understanding) upcoming events, achievements, and such other, you can have it.
Comment : That's my intent.

Regards,

LesPiles

 

[somashekar]

Hi LesPiles.
What the ISO9001 says is "appropriate communication processes" and certainly this CCTV can be one of your communication processes. This must be anyway supported by some other direct two way communication process.
Nothing more that keeping all the related personnel on the same page about all related interactions and decisions, such that they can execute their part of task effectively further and keep all other related personnel again on the same page.
Go ahead and use your CCTV to the best of your effectiveness.