c2c – engaging employees with making voices heard

As a train operator running 26 busy stations in the UK, there is always plenty happening on the c2c network. But the c2c Communications team had a problem in that they heard about great employee stories too late to communicate them – stories that would bring people from all over the business into the centre of their internal communication strategy, amplify their voices, and create a connected community.

The team wanted to help employees understand the role they could play in internal communication through sharing these stories, and how they could get involved to make their voices heard.

Sequel Group was asked to plan and run communication training for a selection of colleagues, making sure to include frontline colleagues who currently weren’t as involved in sharing stories. 

The training aimed to 1) promote the Communications team; 2) explain the value of communication and what makes a good story; 3) highlight the role of employees in sharing story ideas.

We used a mix of presentation content and group exercises to get people thinking about what communication at c2c means to them now, and how they can get more from it by getting involved.  

Sequel also wrote and designed a supporting handout to share with attendees after the session as a quick reminder.  

32 people attended the sessions, from across the business, including headquarters, operations and frontline employees from c2c stations. The post-session survey showed the impact of the training, with attendees’ understanding of their role rated at 4.4 (/5) and their understanding of the Communication team’s role jumping from 3.4 before the training to 4.8 (/5). On top of that, they enjoyed the course, rating it 4.4 (/5) and the Sequel trainers 4.8 (/5).

Alice Shimali, Head of Communications at c2c, says: “With attendees from both HQ and our frontline community, it has helped to break down some of the barriers often found in operational businesses, encouraging colleagues from across the team to contribute ideas and stories for consideration.

“This initiative has significantly enhanced our internal communications strategy, not just giving us more eyes and ears on the ground, but also fostering a more engaged and aligned workforce while driving meaningful connections across all levels of the company.”