Cause-Branding For Nonprofits
Existing and potential nonprofit donors are looking beyond traditional dollar donations alone, according recently released research findings by Cone, Inc. The findings, which
highlight the evolving nonprofit landscape, show that:
* Nearly six of every 10 respondents (comprising a pool of more than 1,000 individuals) indicated that they want opportunities to get involved in nonprofits beyond dollar
donations;
* Trust in the organization is the key for 82% of decision-markers who are deciding which nonprofit cause to support, closely followed by measurable community impacts (81%);
* 76% of philanthropic consumers believe word of mouth is the most effective way for nonprofits to reach them;
* 56% believe media coverage is most effective;
* 44% believe it's through companies from which they buy products or services; and
* The least effective communications tools according to respondents are celebrity involvement (14%) and telemarketing (8%).
Unified Communications: Time 4 U 2 Get A SN?
What is unified communications, you say? According to newly released report "Beyond Dial-tone: The Unified Benchmark Communications Report," it includes IP telephony, voicemail,
instant messaging, presence, conferencing softphones, mobility and telecommuter solutions (basically, any technology that link computers, telephone and other services such as voice
messaging and fax), and it has led to increased ROI among best-in-class users.
The report, released by Harte-Hanks company Aberdeen, reveals that:
* Two-thirds of the 220 respondents report having five or more unified communications tools in service today;
* 48% plan to invest this year to improve productivity and customer responsiveness; and
* 36% look to open-source software to address concerns about interoperability.
The implications on internal communications? PR professionals may see an increasing number of non-e-mail internal communications vehicles in the mix, which could spawn a need for
new protocol in managing such free-wheeling conversation forums as Instant Messenger.
You Can Trust Me ... I'm Not With Management
A Watson Wyatt survey suggests that there was no love lost between employees and senior management in 2006, with findings revealing a decrease in trust and confidence in those at
the top. According to the results, based on 12,205 employee respondents:
* Only 49% have trust and confidence in the job of senior management, as compared to 51% in 2004;
* 53% believe senior management makes changes to stay competitive, as compared to 57% in 2004;
* 55% see senior management taking steps to control costs, as compared to 59% in 2004;
* Only 55% trust senior management to behave consistently with the company's core values; and
* 66% of employees have confidence in the company's long-term success, down from 69%.
More Bad-Boss Mojo
A survey of 700 employees by Florida State University College of Business, to be published in the scholarly journal Leadership Quarterly, reinforces the above news with these
findings:
* 39% of respondents said their supervisor failed to keep promises;
* 37% said their supervisor failed to give credit when due;
* 31% said their supervisor gave them the "silent treatment" in the past year;
* 27% said their supervisor made negative comments about them to other employees or managers;
* 24% said their supervisor invaded their privacy; and
* 23% said their supervisor blames others to cover up mistakes or minimize embarrassment.
Given the apparently pervasive rumblings among employees, PR execs should consider possible causes (e.g., a rise in technology stemming personal interactions, a diminishing
distinction between work time and home life) and work to develop some solutions within their own employee relations efforts. (For more on this topic, look for next week's feature on
emulating the employee-relations practices of Fortune's Best Companies to Work For.)