COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE
Original Charge:
Address communications concerns raised in the Higher Learning Commission’s accreditation report.
“TCC is a rapidly changing and innovative institution, and for its new programs, initiatives, policies and ideas to be effectively implemented and communicated to students and the community at large, the college administration must examine its internal organizational structures, training policies, and communications to empower front-line employees to provide the service excellence that the institution seeks to achieve.”
Revised Charge:
Address communications concerns raised in the Higher Learning Commission and incorporate goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan.
Formation:
10 Member Task Force:
Lauren Brookey – co-chair
Pat Fischer – co chair
Flo Potts
Jan Clayton
Cherie Hughes
Kevin Clayton
Bill Creech
Judy Tarpley
Janice Wilhite
Donna Wood
Original Task Force Goals:
1)to develop or add internal mechanisms which are data informed that improve communication to all employees
2)to create a communication system that supports employee collaboration.
Materials Reviewed by the Task Force:
- PACE climate survey
- HLC report
- Render and Associates market research
- Communication tools currently used within TCC
- TCC Strategic Plan
Task Force Actions
- The Task Force developed and conducted an internal survey focused on communication to gain a better understanding of employee’s perceptions regarding communication with TCC. The survey was conducted in the spring of 2010.
- During the work of the Communications Task Force, the College also began work on a Strategic Plan. For a period of time, the Task Force was also charged with looking at external communication, but later returned to its primary focus – internal communication.
- Developed a set of Core Beliefs to guide the Task Force’s planning
Core Beliefs
- Effective communication is essential to the continued success of TCC,
- Effective communication is the responsibility of all employees – both in terms of originating communication and receiving communication,
- Timely communication is critical to ensure the right people have the right information at the right time,
- TCC has appropriate means or vehicles for effective communication, but we don’t always use them well or in a timely manner, and
- Individual, departmental and committee communications planning rather than a comprehensive plan administered by one person or committee would be the most effective approach to ensuring constructive communications within the college.
Survey Implementation Key Findings:
617 respondents – Fulltime 78 percent, Part-time 22 percent
611 respondents – Campus location 89 percent, CC or other 11 percent
362 respondents – Identified as Faculty 45 percent, Staff 44 percent of Administration 11 percent
621 respondents – Less than 1 year of employment 8 percent, 1-5 years 29 percent, 5-10 years 23 percent, more than 10 years 39 percent
70 percent of employees feel that the College is very or mostly effective in communicating employee information from administration to employees
30 percent believe that communications about college operations is inadequate or not effective
87 percent feel they can speak to their supervisors about job related issues
84 percent feel there is good communication between themselves and supervisor
69 percent believe TCC administration needs to take more responsibility to improve communication
67 percent believe TCC employees need to take more responsibility to stay informed
65 percent said TCC communication is generally accurate
Statements with lowest responses were:
55 percent believe there is good communication between the administrative offices and campuses
41 percent believe existing communication channels are effective
38 percent believe communication by college wide committees is effective
Highest rankings for different types of communication were:
93 percent – Emails
72 percent – TCC website
72 percent - HR News
71 percent - Informal grapevine communication with peers
65 percent - Meetings with my supervisor
Lowest rankings included those communication tactics uses occasionally or not at all:
85 percent - Suggestion boxes
84 percent - Video messages
82 percent - Celebrate Learning newsletter
78 percent - President’s Council
72 percent -Large meeting Q & A
Highest rankings for how informed employees felt about specific topics:
80 percent – Employee policies and procedures
78 percent – College Vision
77 percent – Employment opportunities
74 percent – Employee benefits
73 percent – Training
Items receiving the least favorable responses of poorly or not at all informed:
57 percent – Financial aid policies
50 percent – Budget and business status
48 percent – Tulsa area higher education needs
47 percent – Tulsa area community issues
46 percent – Continuing education progress
Overall Conclusions:
- Positive about communication with supervisor
- Administration needs to communicate better
- Employees need to take the initiative to stay informed
- Communication across the college form location to location is identified as a concern
- A need to improve communication with part-time employees
- Email is the most routinely used type of communication
Communication Task Force Outcomes
Action:Conduct college wide survey of all employees to determine level of satisfaction with current communication methodologies and mediums.
Overview:In general, there was a positive opinion of TCC’s efforts to communicate with its employees. Areas with lower ratings included: communication with part-time staff; communication on budget issues; communication to and from students; and communication between different campuses and locations.
The survey had 617 respondents (78 percent full-time and 22 percent part-time)
Areas with strongest agreement (60 percent or more):
- Supervisor communication is positive
- TCC administration needs to take more responsibility to improve communication
- TCC employees need to take more responsibility to stay informed
- TCC communication is general accurate
Areas with lowest agreement (55 percent or less)
- There is good communication between administrative offices and campuses
- Existing communication channels are effective
- Communication by college wide committees is effective
- There is good communication between administrative offices and campuses
Recommendation 1:Bi-annual communications survey to determine areas of improvement, need or significant trend change. First survey completed by the Communications Task Force will be considered a baseline for ongoing comparison and monitoring with each survey following.
Recommendation 2:Share survey results with college wide community.
Handout:Communications Survey results
- Action:Task Force Developed Communications Planning Form
Overview:As a result of Task Force discussion, decision was made to develop a communication model that would be fluid, practical and required of all supervisors, areas and leaders rather than comprehensive, perhaps easily outdated and the responsibility of one individual or a small group. The model was to require 1) encourage communication as a policy or application to all college planning 2) bi-annual assessment on communication research 2) implementation of a Communication Planning form that would allow individuals and areas to incorporate communication into their planning.
Recommendation 1:Develop a Communication Planning Form for all Supervisors
Recommendation 2:Introduce Communication Planning Form at Administrative Council Meeting with instructions and support and follow up evaluation.
Recommendation 3:Expansion of “Game Plan” projects form to include support for materials identified in the Communications Planning Form.
Recommendation 4:Expectation that new policies or procedures for employees or students that are to be introduced require a Communication Planning Form as part of its implementation.
Recommendation 5:Task Force or Team formed to develop a stronger portal for college wide communications within the framework of the software owned or to be owned in the future by the College and including collaboration with IT.
Recommendation 6:Develop a Communications Committee as a sub-committee of the Operations Council.
Handout:Communication Planning Form