Tolulope Olorundero NGWomeninPR’S Post

The year is ending, and you’re wondering “what has the Comms Unit REALLY contributed to our business growth in 2023?” As budgets are prepared and defended, and appraisals ahead of possible promotion get underway – this is the time when tough questions will be asked. As a CE, how are you measuring your organisation’s strategic use of the corporate communications function to prosecute your business goals? As the communications lead, how would you assess your ability to translate your organisation’s business objectives and how well have you supported the achievement of same? The answers to these questions are important as you prepare your 2023 communication plans and budgets. On planning for 2023: consider the impact of these three critical activities in Nigeria that will directly impact business operations: • Currency change in January • General elections in February • National Census in April Businesses must anticipate the effect of these activities on operations, and the Communications team must be available to guide and support as required. As in my January 2022 article where I identified three major areas that business crises will emanate from this year (it turned out to be eerily on the mark), organisations must ensure to stay ahead of of the curve. Here is a quick forecast of a potential crisis area for businesses in 2023: employee unrest and joint actions. As more organisations right size their teams, and bow to increasing op-ex pressure to rebase staff salaries, there will be increased employee dissatisfaction, quiet quitting and joint demands on employers. Human Resource teams will have their hands full. As a proactive communications unit, your 2023 plans should include significant internal communications programs that will establish a a sustainable communication approach that encourages feedback, not the current culture where internal comms is mostly for information dissemination; more frequent town halls; management transparency on business operations; and periodic CE engagments using video and audio media. Sounds overwhelming? Then you should engage a Commincations Consultant to support you in 2023. There is more to communications than event planning and media placements. #Tolucomms #YourPRPro #LinkedInforbusiness #LinkedIn #corporatecommunications