U.S. subsidiary of overseas biotech stands up internal communication function

*Anonymized

Challenges:

• Support establishment of a domestic corporate comms function separate from overseas parent company, to improve responsiveness, shorten approval times, and overcome linguistic and cultural barriers to acting with speed
• Define a consistent tone and style for U.S. corporate communications, and processes to ensure integrated and coordinated message delivery
• Create a message platform for talent acquisition communications to help attract and retain employees across the organization, and fill critical, newly-created roles on the corporate comms team
• Acknowledge and celebrate progress locally

Approach:

• Designed a communication governance plan and standardized templates for key events
• Developed a template library for key HR, Legal and internal communication tactics, and trained internal champions in their use
• Supported culture change with employee training, built around then-current core values (Quality, Responsiveness, Innovation)
• Put minimum viable work product “into the field” for beta testing, iterative development and continuous improvement as soon as complete; supplement with periodic new releases

Results:

(As measured from the kick-off meeting date):

• Communication management processes (as outlined in the governance plan) were implemented on an iterative basis, starting with the most critical in under 60 days
• Key positions were filled in under 120 days following kick-off, including a U.S.-based Director of Corporate Communications
• U.S. corporate communication function was considered “stood up” and fully operational within 12 months