ask the expert - Interview with Ralph Schreiber | ahead Intranet

Internal communication with ALL employees is still seen as a "nice to have" in many companies - especially in industrial companies. What is your opinion on this?‍

Gross neglect of the most important resource of any company, regardless of the industry: the employees. They are the most important brand ambassadors, they shape the corporate culture, they are the face to the customer, they create and repair the respective product, they are responsible for the service. If you don't understand this, you won't have satisfied customers for long.

What are your most important goals in internal communication at Ronal AG? Have these goals changed in recent months with the Covid-19 pandemic? ‍

To reach all employees from the very "bottom" of the production plant to the "top" about strategic direction, corporate values and ideals and current information equally and, at best, simultaneously. These goals have not changed, but the right way to achieve them has become more intensive and important.

What are your biggest challenges in internal communication in a global company like Ronal? ‍

The internationality. Different cultures, 11 different languages. Not every employee can speak English. To get employees interested in internal information, I have to use the language of the recipient.

What channels do you use to reach employees and has the Covid-19 pandemic changed the requirements for communication channels? ‍

Everything from print to live to digital: employee magazine, posters, flyers, pocket guides, screens, intranet, emails, townhalls, etc.

You recently carried out an intranet product evaluation, what criteria were decisive for you when choosing the right tool? ‍

Speed, simplicity, accessibility. All in all, the user has to be satisfied, not the business owner. For internal communication and its goals, linking information and entertainment content with the company's values and strategy is crucial for good user engagement and thus for achieving the goals of internal communication.

In your opinion, who are the most important stakeholders in an organization when introducing a new intranet and why is it important to have them on board at an early stage? ‍

Communication, IT, HR, Legal & Compliance. Plus senior management in a clean project organization. Without a client from upper management, the intranet project has no "backing" in an international organization and the project manager (at best from communications) has a correspondingly difficult time. All other areas should be included in the project team in order to address the usual issues of a cloud solution at an early stage.

What advice would you give your colleagues in internal communications about what they need to pay particular attention to when choosing a digital communication channel (intranet, employee app)? ‍

Have fun with the solution/product yourself.

Company profile

The RONAL GROUP is one of the leading manufacturers on the global market for light alloy wheels. The company's services cover the entire process chain - all production steps, from design and toolmaking to the end product, are carried out by the RONAL GROUP using state-of-the-art production facilities. The company was founded in 1969 and has been supplying all well-known car manufacturers worldwide as an original equipment manufacturer for many years.

Number of employees: over 8000 worldwide
Turnover: 1.3 billion euros (2019)
Locations: 17
Website: www.ronalgroup.com