1. European “Lifelong Learning” Programme, Leonardo Da Vinci, “Transfer of Innovation” Action The different integration phases and resulting problems. Analyzing communication policy and effective personnel management Karaberi Christina, EU Project Management (e-Trikala SA) “PRISSM” 1 ο Workshop, Trikala 04-05 February 2014

2. Integration Implementation phases Integration can be achieved either partially in the long run or in just few months. Implementation speed depends on the powerful will and support at a political and administrative level, as well as on sound cooperation among employees. beginning implementat ion Reorganizing services & culture change Adapting HR roles into integration

3. Implementation Phases Beginning

4. Initial objectives: Encourage knowledge about services and regions, facilitating a dialogue between bodies whose mission is sometimes different. However, they serve the same management and planning implementation policy. Modernize services through developing tools with more complicated and useful features, which demand special skills that are less and less predefined. Rationalize and structure the means of services so that they can become more efficient, reducing thus the operation and investment costs.

5. Implementation Phases Implementation

6. Implementation procedure bodies The client: decides about the implementation strategy, ensures financial resources and controls the works satisfactory execution (the executive body) A body/strategic guidance committee: gathers elected reference persons and general directors or heads of different services. It also defines strategy followed by the clients, shows directions and approves the main phases of the integration procedure A body/technical committee: prepares the Steering Committee’s decisions concerning the technical aspects of integration Associate body: finds technical skills needed for the action plan. It may come from either within the group or from an external consultant Thematics (professional centers): subgroups to support technical mechanism actions, and coordinate actions concerning the production and collection of data related to this field. Evaluation of means- financing- decision file: submission of an annual budget proposal,

7. Implementation phases Reorganizing services

8. Reorganizing services Communication policy

9. Reorganizing services Communication objectives General Objective: make clear to employees that the integration procedure is a chance for positive developments concerning services and the city, but also a chance for themselves: improvement of professional perspectives, more interesting missions, maintenance or improvement of individual status Especially: remind the positive integration aspects voluntarily present integration as a chance to promote common projects, develop new missions, increase awareness about promoted policies and the quality of services offered select a transparent procedure, to avoid the impression of making an isolated reform with no prior consultation promote a common concern and the implementation of a coordinated integration procedure open the public debate about finding ways to implement integration be ready along with the integration timetable be timely and abide by deadlines before and during each important phase

10. Reorganizing services/Communication models There can be group, individual, oral or in writing communication. Selecting a method depends on the methods to be conveyed and on the extent of participation we wish for. Group communicationIndividual communicationOral communicationCommunication in writing When all employees should know a situation at the same time When all emotional reactions can be predicted To express feelings and create an atmosphere of understanding When the management needs minutes Promote group discussion, new ideas and problem solving procedures When the management wants everyone to be able to express themselves To retain attention easily, mainly when the receiver does not seem that interested or occupied To standardize objectives in a document- framework Increase group cohesion When the details of the change must be classified To learn views or feelings To achieve gradual communication, the personnel should familiarize itself with the procedure Prepare individual meetings When the objective is to examine an individual status (i.e.: mobility) When the management should persuade When communication concerns details of complicated issues which are easily explained orally

11. The roles of human resources in integration Human Resources Direction communication policy Form a team consisting of members of the Human Resources Department and communication services responsible for the design of the communication programme, the guidance and actions implementation, the drafting of printed material It coordinates: The information meetings per group in their working environment, to update employees about the structure, organization and operation of integration as well as discuss issues such as working time, salary, career management, organizational chart and employees’ association. Individual meetings with each interested employee so that their status would be better reviewed. The organization of general meetings to make a report before passing to the new body.

12. Important elements for a proper communication policy Communication and exchange of views with the personnel should be made as early as possible Elected officials and the General Directorate should support communication In the update meetings, they should listen to and take into account the employees’ questions, reply to them, even mitigate the concerns of the ones who shall express fear or concerns Information given concerning human resources should be credible and clear both at the beginning and during the implementation course. At the beginning of the plan, communication should be of general nature and should not refer to details (employees can raise only general questions). Personal issues will be discussed at a later stage in the framework of individual or sectorial meetings

13. Group communication Group communication for developing a common culture 1. Big annual group discussions Announcement at the beginning of completion, update about the continuity of measures, per year and report of already applied measures Ensure wide spread messages, a chance for employees of different services to meet, studying issues such as great challenges, methods, timetable and evaluations

14. Group communication Group communication to develop a common culture 2. Small meetings per body Meeting once a month where specific issues shall be raised, reform is meticulously studied, and special concerns of each group are dealt with Groups are given the chance to get to know, exchange views, discuss about problems and express more specialized requests

15. Group communication Group communication to develop a common culture 3. Conferences and info-days All employees form all unified services participating as well as the ones from other services in case of extension to other types of public services Examples from other local authority bodies are presented, witnesses of employees having experienced the services unification procedure

16. Individual communication- promotion of the reorganization procedure Discussion between the Human Resources Directorate and the employee. It is important to stipulate and announce the beginning of these talks when the integration announcement takes place Discussions are not mandatory but a choice – right of the employee. The Human Resources Directorate informs via letter each employee asking them whether they wish for an individual meeting. It may take the employee some weeks to answer. This meeting can be held before the implementation of the services integration procedure, and can be followed by a second meeting after integration Employees can freely express their views, their difficulties and expectations and receive clear answers The objective is to avoid any painful and stressful working conditions, even multiple withdrawals of employees

17. Communication in writing print media Communication in writing should be held at the same time with oral, as a supportive tool. In general, information would be similar to the ones submitted during the meeting for announcing the intention of unifying administrative social services Multiple print media could be used as follows: 1.Announcement in the municipal newspaper and local media, once integration decision has been taken 2.Articles with flash news, news, reviews could be frequently published in municipal press, reflecting the reform progress. 3.Letters by readers to reply to employees’ questions 4.Internal info leaflet

18. Communication in writing intranet Information should also be disseminated through the local authority body’s intranet. 1.Intranet dedicated to the integration procedure or a special column in the current intranet: the same information as the one in the leaflet is disseminated, but shall be updated more frequently. 2.Integration forum, in which employees raise questions, find answers and discuss one to each other. 3.Upload witnesses on video streaming

19. Communication in writing Pedagogic Guide Creation of a pedagogic guide which shall be distributed to employees. This guide shall remind the objectives and the integration timeline In this guide, the employees could find necessary information about the development of wages, professional perspectives but also the new organization chart, new procedures, contacts, etc. This guide should be frequently updated through the HR Directorate. By definition, this guide will be voluminous but also accessible through the intranet or shall be available in hard copy as well. Leaflets could be added with short summaries on special issues (i.e. wages development for a specific category of employees). Short leaflets will be frequently validated and shall be accessible through the intranet.

20. The role of senior executives in the communication strategy to promote integration The success of the integration procedure greatly depends on the support of executives as: 1.Its implementation could mean the increase of the workload 2.There is the need for close cooperation with the employee who is higher in the hierarchy 3.They should mobilize groups, convey information to employees and acknowledge their status, the implementation difficulties, the obstacles or favorable factors Possible communication ways are the following: 1.Participation of all employees in conferences 2.Participation in special sessions: meetings of senior executives, directors and head of services meeting 3.Executive seminar organization in a more relaxed atmosphere.