Transcript Planning and implementing government communication

Best practices from the Netherlands
Planning and implementing
government communication
Friday, November 28
Pieter Borsboom (1967)
> University degree in Economics
> 16 years public communications
> Of which 7,5 years managing
director communication agency
> Education of professionals (SRM)
> Since 2005: independent consultant
& interim manager communications
2.
Clients
3.
Today
09.30
10.30
11.00
12.30
13.30
15.00
16.00
17.00
17.30
4.
Planning government communication: an overview
Coffee break
Analyze it! What’s the communication challenge?
Lunch
Tax and Customs Administration, Arjan Hoeffnagel
Group work: What’s the communication challenge?
Plenary reports and discussions
Closing remarks, questions
End of day 1
Tomorrow
09.00 Formulate it: public communication strategy
10.30 Coffee break
11.00 Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water
Management, Koos Tamis
12.30 Lunch
13.30 Group work: What’s the communication strategy?
14.30 Plenary reports and discussions
15.15 Tea break
15.30 Implementing it: do it, check and adapt
17.00 Closing remarks and questions
17.30 End of day 2
5.
An overview
Planning and implementing
government communication
Government has several
policy instruments
> Legislation: laws, rules
> Law enforcement: fines,
punishments
> Financial measures: taxes, excise
duty, subsidies, benefits
> Capacity measures: (extra) human
resources
> .. and communication
7.
Many reasons
> Informing the public about a new law
in preparation
> Making the public
–familiar with rights or duties
–consider certain topics
> Influencing the public behaviour
> Improving the image of government
8.
And even more reasons
> Putting a subject on the public’s
agenda
> Making stakeholders talk or
cooperate (Famous Dutch
‘Poldermodel’)
> Influencing the public’s political
opinions
9.
Policymaker
> ‘My subject is of great importance
and interest of everyone.’
> ‘Therefore everyone has to know
everything about it, including all
the nuances...’
> ‘...and everybody has to know why
it is the way it is.’
10.
Public
What’s in it for me?
> ‘Is this important/interesting?’
> ‘What are they telling me?’
> ‘What are consequences for me?’
> ‘Do I have an advantage?’
> ‘Is this worth my time or money?’
11.
Communication professional
> ‘For whom is this really relevant and
of interest?’
> ‘What do they think about it?’
> ‘What is the big picture?’
> ‘In what way is this related to...?’
> ‘Is there budget for communication?’
12.
Communication has to do
two things
> Bring the outside world to the
inside world [and vice versa]
> To attribute meaning to [plain]
information
(Roelf Middel)
13.
Four related key concepts
Policy
Social issue
Stakeholders
Communication
14.
What does this (new) policy
mean?
> Who needs to know what about it?
> Who needs to think how about it?
> Who needs to do or act?
15.
Strategic choices
> Positioning the subject (naming)
> Key message (promise, proof, tone)
> Who is sender of communication?
> Target group segmentation
> Resource strategy (media, activities)
> Designing a communication process
according to a time schedule
16.
Analyze it
> Be clear about what [it] is
> Look at the relevant context and
relations
> Establish the role of communication
17.
Formulate strategy
> Formulate the key message
> Decide on the target groups
> Choose activities, media,
instruments
18.
Do it
> Make a time schedule
> Budget all activities
> Organise who’s doing what
> Realisation/implementation
–Creativity
–Production
–Media buying
19.
Check and adapt
> Measure (before and after)
> Evaluate (qualitative and
quantitative)
> Adapt strategy or actions
20.
Case: ‘WAO’ becomes ‘WIA’
> A new Disability Benefits Act
> Impact on all social partners
> Introduced in 2003
> By the Ministry of Social Affairs and
Employment
> Agency: Tappan Communicatie in
association with TMP Worldwide
21.
Analyze it!
What’s the communication
challenge?
Analyze it - questions
> What is the social issue?
> What is the proposed policy?
> Who are the stakeholders?
> What is the potential role for
communication?
23.
Is it something
communication can
‘fix’?
At its own strength?
Analyze the issue
> What is it?
> What’s the history of the issue?
> What are facts on the issue?
> What is known about the issue?
> What are related issues?
> What is the communication history?
25.
Balkenende II government
“The proportion of people in work can
be increased by reducing the number of
those who are unable to work through
sickness or disability, by increasing the
incentives for unemployment benefit
claimants to find work, ... We need to
do so if we are to maintain a good
system of basic social provision in the
Netherlands that meets modern needs.”
Policy Statement, June 11, 2003
26.
The current ‘WAO’ (1967)
> Disability Benefits Act
> Meant for paid employees
> If you become (partly) incapable of
work
> You can receive state benefits
> Unlimited in height and duration
27.
The current ‘WAO’, 2
> Doesn’t stimulate going back to work
> Cheap way to get rid of employees
> WAO population grows and grows
> And has become far too expensive
> ‘WAO’ = ‘hopeless case, will never go
back to work’
28.
Becomes: ‘WIA’ (2006)
> ‘WIA’: Law Work and Income
according to your ability to work
> Passes houses of Parliament in 2005
> Effective as of January 2006
> UWV, the social security agency, will
execute the WIA
29.
‘Hands off of our WAO!’
> Several cabinets tried changing the
WAO, with loud protests as result
> So proposals were being withdrawn
30.
Analyze the policy
> What is in essence the solution
proposed by the government?
> What is it? A new or adapted policy
plan, a new programme or a law?
> What are the instruments used?
> What is the ultimate goal of the
proposed solution?
> Good or bad news? For whom?
31.
The new act ‘WIA’
> Reduce numbers, limit growth
> Improve prevention activities
> Stimulate the return to work
> Everybody who is (partly) able to
work, has to work (partly)
> Those who are 100% incapable of
work, will receive benefits
32.
Further more
> Employers have to continue salary
payments for two years after the
employee became incapable of work
> Incapable employees who (partly)
work, receive additional benefits.
> Employers and employees have a
common responsibility regarding
prevention and reintegration
33.
Analyze the players
Player
1.
2.
3.
...
34.
Point of
view
Interest Power
Baseline Communication role
Sorts of players
> Influencers
> Decision makers
> Suppliers
> Users
> Implementers
35.
Relevant players - external
> Employees (15yrs-65yrs)
> Employers (public and private)
> Current WAO-population
> UWV, assurance companies and
companies aimed at reintegration
> Organizations for employees
> Organizations for employers
36.
Don’t overlook the internal
players
> You might need them, in different
phases of your communication plan
> They can be ambassadors
> Endorsing your message
37.
Relevant players - internal
> Relevant civil servants ministry of
Social Affairs and Employment
(policy, press and public information
service)
> Relevant civil servants ministry of
Health, Welfare and Sport (policy,
press and public information service)
38.
Analyze the communication
elements
> How big is the knowledge gap?
> How big is the attitude gap?
> How big is the behavior gap?
> Are the target groups identifiable?
> Is there a ‘blank sheet’ or are there
relevant points to be taken into
account?
39.
Use SWOT
Strengths
Weakness
Opportunities
Threats
40.
Conclusions for
communication
>What’s the task at hand for
communication?
41.
Conclusions for
communication
1.A complicated message with serious
consequences
2.The message isn’t all new, but it’s
tougher/stricter
3.Diverse and large target groups
4.Ambitious goals combined with a
relatively small (media-)budget
42.
Case
Arjan Hoeffnagel
Ministry of Finance
Tax and Customs Administration
43.
Group assignment
What’s the communication
challenge?
Assignment
> Form groups
> Read the handout and discuss it with
your group
> Prepare a short presentation (10
minutes), answering the questions on the
handout
> Include the reasoning behind your
answers
45.