There are some elements that need to be paid attention by public relations practitioners when constructing a DEI communication strategy. So what are they?
According to Verlyana Hitipeuw (Veve), the CEO and Principal Consultant of Kiroyan Partners, designing an DEI communication strategy is not much different than other general communication strategy. However, while speaking at the DEI Workshop “Strengthen Corporate Value Through DEI-based Business Practices” on Labuan Bajo, NTT, Thursday (4/8/2022), Veve mentions several elements that are necessary to develop an effective DEI strategy communication.
Some of these elements include; formative research, determining the objective, determining audience priority, establishing a key message, defining tactics and execution time, and carrying out measurement and evaluation. First, do formative research by gathering relevant data. Or alternatively research can also be undertaken by analysing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) and the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal segments (PESTEL).
Second, determine your objective. In general, Veve mentions three categories of communication objectives. These being awareness, acceptance, and action. “Objective must meet the elements of specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time (SMART),”.
An example she presents is that to empower DEI inside an organization, the objective in terms of awareness would be to build DEI awareness and understanding within the organization. Meanwhile, in terms of acceptance, PR needs to be able to shape internal perceptions towards accepting diversity, equality, and inclusivity.
Authentic
Third, determine priority audiences based on demographics and psychographics. Fourth, define the key message. For example, communicating to employees and potential employees that the company able to create a workplace that involves everyone without exception. Wherein, the company will not tolerate any form of harassment and discrimination.
Fifth, determine tactics and execution time. In determining tactics, PR can specify paid, earned, share, or even owned (PESO) media channels that will be later used. Sixth, carry out measurement and evaluation. Measurements are carried out based on AMEC which consists of outputs, outtakes, and outcomes.
Veve continues, that in order to communicate DEI, PR is required to be able to package communication in which it remains both authentic and strategic. As such, she states that PR practitioners should consider various attributes such as words, phrases, photos, videos, and symbols that are related to culture, ethnicity, race, to gender. Lastly, don’t forget to provide written guidelines for communication and branding that is accessible across all functions in an organization.
This article has been published in PR Indonesia magazine 89th edition issued on August 2022, page 34.
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