Risks

The following risks can exist in companies that do not have a proactive, integrated corporate communications function:

• Employee engagement and performance is affected because employees do not understand company vision and strategic direction and are unclear about their role in supporting it.
  
• Organizations lose access to important sources of talent and innovation because their messaging and communications channels fail to engage, attract and retain new generations of diverse employees.
  
• Organizations lose connection with employees because leadership, culture and communications channels do not keep pace with innovation and technology.
  
• Employee engagement is affected because managers are not trained and equipped to communicate corporate changes and translate strategy into the job requirements for their team members.
  
• Employee mistrust and apathy increases with poor communications around a major change or a corporate event. 
  

Opportunities

Companies who execute well with a proactive, integrated corporate communications function have the following opportunities:

• An organization can use change or disruption as an opportunity to engage employees in discussion of the company's broad direction and aspiration.
  
• Changes in leadership – planned or unplanned – can provide an organization the opportunity to evolve communication styles and change the historical position on openness and transparency.
  
• Social media and new technologies allow a company to rapidly evolve its communications programs, leapfrogging traditional approaches. 
  
• Leaders have the opportunity to establish consistency and transparency in their communications during times of stability, which will serve them well during times of significant change and disruption.