The bigger picture was to explicitly demonstrate – rather than pay lip service to – genuine employee involvement in communications and that the business was prepared to entrust its flagship publication to its people. It was also a clear signal that employees could have a genuine stake in internal communications and help shape its direction.
Companies frequently talk about ‘giving a voice’ to their employees through their various channels. We decided to take this to its logical conclusion and hand an entire edition of London Underground’s monthly magazine, otm, over to a group of employees who had no previous experience whatsoever of producing any sort of publication. We branded this the ‘Employee Takeover’ edition.
Eight employees volunteered to run the magazine from start to finish and, as a part of an unprecedented exercise, we handed over the reins to a brand new editorial team which included a train operator, a station supervisor, a customer service assistant, a signaller and a planner. They were charged with deciding content, conducting interviews, writing articles and taking pictures.
We took the utmost care to discuss the project with them in advance, to stress that this was a real exercise with genuine deadlines. With beetroot’s support and guidance they drove the magazine through the various steps from conception to delivery.
Winning their trust was a critical part of the project. There was some scepticism that the business would still somehow ‘sugar-coat’ their intended articles. Once they realised this would not be the case, their confidence and enthusiasm grew.
The panel had some strong and interesting views and were inspired by many formats including tabloid newspapers, women’s weeklies and lifestyle publications. Our task was to interpret these and deliver a magazine which satisfied all. This sense of ownership was cemented by placing each staff member’s pictures next to their stories.
The exercise was a resounding success with everyone involved including the panel, LU’s Employee Communications team and ourselves feeling enriched by the exercise. As soon as the edition was out, we started receiving letters and emails from other readers and, without exception, the panel viewed the experience positively.
The ‘takeover edition’ marked a watershed in the way LU’s staff magazine is put together. The publication gained enormous credibility for having the courage to undertake such an exercise and won new respect among employees.
