INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION
12 ATION………...…….…....…...………………...….7 USE OF MOBILE The main purpose of communication from the standpoint of the organization is its successful functioning.Internal and external communicationareconsidered to be very important resources of corporate communication.Internal communication is information and ideas exchange within the organization itself, while external communication means exchange of information both withinthe organization itself and outside the organization. Communication is of vital importanceto achievingERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Association mission and vision.The purposeof this manual is to ensurethatERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationcommunication is consistent, coordinated, efficient,and that it meets various needs ofallinterested parties.This manual will ensurethat accurateandgood-quality information aboutERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationprogramsistimely and efficiently communicated to the public. Our communication strategy will combine various means and ways of communication in order to protect the integrity ofERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Association, as well as to promote the values on which our organization based its vision and mission. PRINCIPLESOF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Employees ofERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Association, whose jobrequires correspondence with variousinterested parties, should havein mindbasic principlesof business communication:-efficiency and promptness:it is important to respond to a received letter/e-mail as soon as possible (within 24 hours). When it is not possible to give a complete response, a preliminary response should be sent with a note that a complete response will be sent in a timely manner-truthand validity:all presentedinformation should be valid,documented andbased on facts-reliability and confidentiality:impliesconstant and securefunctioning of correspondence and regardless of the subject matter of the correspondence,the obligation not to disclose trade secrets and confidential information-conciseness and clarity:implies that it should beconciselyand clearly, preciselyand unequivocally pointedoutin a letter/e-mail what one wants, decides, etc.5 INTERNAL COMMUNICATION Internal communication isinformation exchange within the organization. Messages can be exchanged via personal contact, telephone, e-mail, intranet (the website accessible only by employees) etc. Internal communication as a way of information exchange within the organization can bevertical, horizontal and diagonal. Internal communication helps employees in performing their work, developing a clear sense of organization mission and identifying andpromptly dealing with potential problems. InERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationinternal communicationis organized in the following manner:-vertical (communication between employeeson different hierarchical positions)-downward–executivedirectors, management, officers, assistants-upward–assistants, officers, management,executivedirectors-horizontal (communication between individuals on the same hierarchical positions)-diagonal situations(when vertical (upward and downward) channels have to be filled) InERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationinternal communication isestablished via various channels: e-mail, staff meetings,and onlinetoolsfor information exchange (Google Calendar, and GoogleDrive). INTERNAL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION (E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE) As one of the channels of internal communication inERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationthe e-mail is used.-Employees inERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationhave business e-mail addresses-Signatures inERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associatione-mailsare uniform andthey contain the followinginformation (first name, last name, position, business mobile phone number, e-mail, the name of organization, address, telephone number and office e-mail, contact phone, link to the organization social network page).6 STAFF MEETING In order to exchangeinformation, plan and coordinate program activities, once a week or more often if it is necessary, staff meetings are held.-The person who schedules a meeting via e-mail informs all employees that are supposed to attend the meeting;-Ina meeting invitation e-mail the purpose of the meeting should be stated;-Scheduled time and topic of the meeting are entered into organization Google Calendar;-For each meeting a person who will keep minutes is appointed;-Afterthe meeting,minutes are forwarded to every employee via e-mail;-The person who sendsminutes, files it into Google Drive folder “Minutes” and in the appropriate subfolder depending on the meeting topic (subfolders “Management”, “Finance andAdministration”, “Programs”; inside the subfolder “Programs” there are folders for each individual folder….)-Minutesdocumentis named as a file in the following way: 1.Minutes_date (day,month,year)_initials of the person who createdminutes file 2.Example:Minutes_3.2.2014_JDJ Minutes templateis stored on:-ERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationserver, folder “Media”, subfolder “Templates”, subfolder “Minutes”-Google Drive, folder “Minutes” ONLINE TOOLS FOR INTERNAL COMMUNICATION For the purpose of better information exchange and activities coordination, employees ofERALGBTI Equal Rights Associationuseonline tools: Google Calendar and Google Drive (Documents). GOOGLE CALENDAR-All dates and deadlines regarding project activities are entered into Google Calendar;-Google Calendar contains sub-calendarsassociated with individual programs (…..), nonproject activities and the staff calendar;-Employees enter the information about the absence from work in the staff calendar (personal time off, annual leave, sick leave, seminars, conferences…);-Employees enter the information about meetings, attending conferences and other activities in Google Calendar.GOOGLE DRIVE (DOCUMENTS) In order for employees of necessary for successful ERALGBTI Equal Rights Association performance, the access to access documents to the necessary documents is enabled via Google Drive. oworkers. All employees can create their own folder and documents in Google Drive an share them with c EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION While in internal communication information flow goes upwards, diagonally within the organizational structure exchange goes downwards, horizontally and , in external communicat ion the information both within the organization and outside of it. Organizations communicate with the outside world on a daily basis. External communication can be formal and informal. FORMAL EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONvia a letter, e Special attention is paid to formal communication in organizations. Regardless of how it is establishedmail, web, telephone or some other waycommunication is the first step in creating the appropriate image. Car reports, presentations or web pages, the efficient external efully created letters, send the outside world an important message about the work and quality of the organization. TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION A telephone conv the ersation can frequently be the first and the only time to ma person you are talking to, not only about the individual but also about ke an ERA Rights AssociationThe , so it is important to telephone know the rules of telephone etiquette. should be answered to no later than the third ring;-- After the connection has been established, organization, t hat is your position you should identify yourself in the organization ; The call is transferred to a coworker only after he/she isimpression on LGBTI Equal as well as the informed who calls him/her;If the person who is called is not in the office or cannot answer at the time, you are required to write down the caller’s first and last name, the institution/organization and the telephone number; 7During the conversation, y make your voice sound as pleasant as ou should try to possible;--During a business telephone call always be professional, interested, polite and concise; During work time, calls to friends and family should be avoided, as well as any other private calls; During a telephone conversation, special attention should be paid not to disturb the office coworkers. USE OF MOBILE PHONES-- It is required to turn off the mobile phone during business meetings. It is unacceptable to make a phone call during a meeting; It is inappropriate to use business mobile phone numbers for private conversations. EXTERNAL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION ERA dLGBTI Equal Rights Association efficient. Electronic commu encourages its employees to use all types of electronic communications and corresponding services, because they make communication more effective an nications are Association the property of and it is necessary that all employees respect ERALGBTI Equal Rights the confidentiality of the organization’s work and activities. Electronic correspondence is a relevant document in case of a misunderstanding.------ executive dir During communication with donors, colleagues etc. depending on the topic it is required to put the ectors, the mail ; management and/or the project coordinator in Cc box of If it is necessary that some other employee is acquainted with the received and sent mail, always forward the email to that/those person/s; Email address of the recipient is put i nto the box To. The field BCC is used if a message should be sent simultaneously to several addresses and to prevent each recipient from seeing the other addresses to which the message has been sent. The field Cc is used during the teamwork, and when the i nformation sent to an individual recipient seen by the other team members;mail also; should be In case of orally transferred business messages or assigned tasks it is required to forward it via e The subject of email should be precise and unequivocal, a of the message that needs to be communicated; Respond to end to transfer the very essence mails immediately, or within 24 hours at the latest; 8If you receive an email to which you cannot respond immediately or perform the assigned task (of a donor, site visitor or an employee) mark it as unread in order not to forget about it;---- Writing style should be adjusted in accordance with the topic or the are writing; person to whom you While using the Internet, employees should be professional and give information in a concise and clear manner; Additional information, including graphs, pictures, tables can be attached to the e message; Grammar and spelling are of vital importance, and it ismail important that each message should be grammatically correct and composed with style; BUSINESS LETTERS The nature of ERALGBTI Equal Rights Association business is such that sometimes it requires communication via sending official letters, memos etc. 1. 2. For business letters use ERALGBTI Equal Rights Association letterhead Address the letter appropriately to the person, his/her position and company; 3. 4. Fini sh the letter with your full name, position in the organization, as well as with contact information; all the Writing style should be adjusted in accordance with the topic and the person to whom you are writing; 5. 6. 7. Do not write long, or technically complex letters; Before sending the letters, always proofread it; Respond to letters immediately or as soon as possible; BUSINESS MEETINGS Business meetings should be scheduled in advance in writing, several days prior the meeting, so that all participants could plan their time. In emergency situations, meetings could be scheduled by phone. When scheduling, clearly define the purpose of the meeting.eeting. During meeti The circle of invited employees and who attend the meeting is defined by the purpose of the m ngs with clients /partners professionally included are not allowed to be present;the employees who are not actively The decision about who should attend business meeting is made by the one who organizes them; 9n unoccupie present) for Each employee is provided with a scheduled business meetings. If circumstance present, should not interfere d room (in which other employees are not that is not possible, employees who are by in business conversation unless explicitly requested to do so or asked a question by the person who organized the meeting;Never discuss the jobs you are not competent for or which are not part of your business description during business meetings. Mak e sure to include the most competent person/s from certainfields according to the level of knowledge required for that meeting; Always follow the topics that have topic of the meeting and do not make any digressions, i.e. do not discuss nothin g to do w ith the work you are trying to finish have understanding if it is in business interest, but discreetly try to and topic of the meeting;If you think that a client from doing /partner is just wasting his/her and your that in a decent but clear manner;It is not allowed to be late for a business meeting. due to the traffic jam or other circumstances beyoBusiness etiquette states that a meeting host should business meeting to the conference room.Upon the arrival to a meeting, you should cordi your host offers;-- The host takes a seat only after all guests have sat down; . If a client /partner does it, reestablish the business level time, try to prevent him/her Running late for no more than 10 minutes nd your control may be acceptable welcome, greet and ; take participants of the ally greet your host, and have a seat to a place Right after everybody sat down, business cards should be given out so that a person receiving a business card can read its content while receivin g it. First and last name from the business car the business d should be read out loud, and after that the business card should be placed on the desk, where it should be during the meeting. When the meeting is finished, the business card should be placed in planner notebook or the inner pocket of your jacket, or bag;-- The starting and finishing time, as well as the agenda of the meeting should be followed; During the conversation you should concentrate on the person you are talking to, pay careful atten tion to what he/she is saying and look him/her in the eyes when talking to him/her;Should any ambiguities arise during the conversation, you should ask the person you are talking to for clarification;During a business meeting you should never talk t be established with all the participants; o only one person, and the eye contact should 1011-It is inappropriate to talk to people sitting next to you while somebody else talks, as well as read and respond to SMS messages and e-mails;-At the end of the business meeting, you should see clients/partnersto the door; MEDIA RELATIONS ERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationis an open and transparent organization which cherishes a proactive and two-way communication with all interested parties. For communicationsystem functioning and media relations the Communication Officeris responsible. The term media stands for both traditional (radio, TV, newspapers etc.), as well as new ways of communication (text messages, the Internet, blogs, social networks).-Employees are not allowed to give any public statements or appear in the media regarding any questions or issues relation toERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Association unless they were authorizedby theExecutive Directors and Communications Officer;-During a public appearance and communications with the media allERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationmessages, values and interests agreed on must be respected;-ERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationcreates various media strategies and uses various tactics: sending public reports, organization of press conferences, events, scheduling radio and TV appearances;-Contacts with the media aremainly the responsibility of Executive Directors and Communications Officer; INFORMAL EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION AllERA-LGBTI EqualRights Associationemployees represent an important informal communication channelwith the outside world (with the public).During everyday work activities employees subconsciously absorb information thus enhancing their cumulative knowledge about the organization. Each time an employee talks about his/her organization, he/she sends a message.Informal external communication is the form of communication which we cannot regulate.-Bearing in mind that each employee represents the organization on a daily basis outside the workplace, he/she is expected to respect all the organization values and to avoid callinginto questionthe reputation ofERA-LGBTI Equal Rights Associationduring conversations with acquaintances, employees of other organizations and associates, because in that manner they show(dis)loyalty to organization;-- In case he/she encounters a problem at work, the employee should talk to the supervising manager or the organization management; By gossiping in the organization and outside of it, posting negative comments o media or social networks, no problem can be solved, an d both persona n online l and organization reputation are damaged and it has a bad impact on the image of the organization in local and wider community. RULES OF BRANDING Visual identity is very important for every organization. Figuratively speaking, it represents the face and image of the organization. Visual identity has the purpose of simplifying and at the same time enriching the communication between the orga nization and the public. Any type of advertising is almost unimaginable without elements of visual identity as an integral part message or an advertisement.ERALGBTI Equal Rights Association of the has the official logotype used on all promotional mate rials and presentations created by the organization.-- Prior to sending materials to be printed, it is necessary to obtain the approv Executive Directors and Communications Officer ERALGBTI Equal Rights Association ; respects visib C ommunication sOfficer is responsible for implementation o al of the ility rules of f those rules; its donors. The 1