To identify frontline stories to feature in newsletters, videos and other channels for our clients, Tribe relies on editorial boards composed of client employees. This is a crucial tool for us in sourcing stories and names of employees to interview. These boards are a particularly important tool for frontline stories because our clients in corporate may not have a direct line of site into who’s doing what on the front line. It also helps us cover plants or facilities around the world, to keep internal communications from being too US-centric.
Make heroes of the frontline
One of our goals in companies with manufacturing facilities, retail locations, hotels, restaurants or other industries with many frontline employees is to make heroes of these people by telling more frontline stories. This not only helps unify employees in various frontline locations but helps identify individuals or teams that may have previously felt overlooked, giving them an opportunity to share their passion and achievements with the entire organization.
Simplify the search for content
In companies with a large number of employees spread across many locations, it can be hard to find these frontline stories, but an editorial board simplifies this search for content. These editorial board members serve as our eyes and ears and connect us with their peers to build publications (read more, here). Using employee editorial boards, composed of frontline managers, helps provide frontline story ideas and most importantly, it identifies individual employees to feature in articles on the intranet and in printed newsletters.
Logistics are easier than you think
Editorial boards require some work on the front end, gathering names from leadership and scheduling recurring meeting times, but once this is done, logistics are easy. The time commitment required for members of the editorial board is minimal – once a month or quarter, 20 minutes, tops. Usually, we’ll already have the theme of the upcoming publication and story ideas, so we use the editorial board to pull volunteers directly from the meeting or to suggest names of frontline workers to reach out for interviews. Learn more about editorial board logistics on a global scale in this Tribe blog.
Internal communications should showcase all areas of the employee base to give a full look at the workers that make up the company, especially the organization’s essential workers. Use employee editorial boards to find frontline stories and build a strong company culture from the ground up.
Showcase the essential workers
Incorporating frontline employees into editorial boards allows the company to see the work and dedication these workers display on a daily basis. It’s important to let essential workers see people in jobs like their own featured in company communications (read more, here). It recognizes the contributions that frontline employees make to the company’s success, treats them as heroes and gives their peers concrete examples of the living mission, vision, and values.
Want more tips on how to use employee editorial boards to find frontline stories? Tribe can help.
