Opportunities for internal communicators in the future of work with Janet Hitchen

In this episode, Janet Hitchen discusses the importance of understanding organisational priorities and aligning internal communication efforts with those objectives. She emphasises the need to ask the right questions and challenge assumptions to ensure that the work being done is truly impactful. Janet also highlights the educational aspect of internal communication, both within organisations and in educational institutions. She stresses the importance of business acumen and the confidence to ask questions and seek understanding. Ultimately, Janet encourages internal communicators to reflect on the work they are doing and strive to make a meaningful impact.

Takeaways

• Understand the organisation's priorities and align internal communication efforts accordingly.
• Ask the right questions to ensure that the work being done is truly impactful.
• Educate others on the role of internal communication and its importance in achieving organisational goals.
• Develop business acumen and the confidence to ask questions and seek understanding.

About Janet Hitchen

Janet Hitchen is a Internal Communication Leader with 20 years experience working globally in Finance, Tech, FMCG and Retail. She has worked in complex international organisations, start ups and scale ups and, for the world's most admired brand.

In January 2020, she started her Internal Communication consultancy Janco Ltd to help companies create and/or reimagine their internal communication function.

She’s a strong advocate of internal comms as a business driver as she has done it and seen it many times when she and her teams have been given the opportunity to not simply react but proactively develop and craft.

She’s cultivated a deep passion for sustainability over the last few years and how internal communication professionals can help businesses shift to being futureready, strengthened by her recent studies and relationship with Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership.

Outside of work she’s an avid theatre-goer with a review blog she has been writing for 10 years, a gentle runner, a very-amateur film photographer, a prolific bookworm and, she is accompanied pretty much everywhere by her Border Terrier, Mills.

You can contact her on LinkedIn or janet@janco.uk (but she admits email is not her favourite thing)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janethitchen/