Change Communication Fundamentals

Communicate change with confidence – a simple framework that works

Change is constant in today's workplaces — and communicating it well can be the difference between a smooth transition and a frustrated, disengaged workforce. This highly interactive 90-minute live webinar gives communicators who are new to change, or expanding their toolkit, the practical tools and confidence to do it well.

You'll learn how change management and communication work together, and work through real-world scenarios with peers from across the Asia Pacific region. By the end you'll know how to take a proper brief, craft people-first key messages, set leaders up for success, and measure whether your communication is landing — all through a simple, reusable framework: EPIC.

What to expect:

• Explain the key elements of change management and describe where communication plays a role

• Apply the EPIC Change Communication Framework to design and deliver effective change communication

• Develop a communication plan aligned to the impact of the change and the needs of your audience

• Write clear key messages that put people at the centre of the change

• Set leaders up for success by developing practical leader briefings

• Identify the right voice, channel and timing for your change communications

• Measure whether your communications are working and adjust your approach accordingly

Who should attend:

• Communicators new to change communication who want to build their skills

• Internal or external comms professionals adding change communication to their toolkit

• Graduates and early-career professionals wanting a strong foundation in change comms

• Anyone supporting a change project who wants to feel more confident and capable

Career Level: Foundation, Generalist/Specialist

GCCC certification professional development

• Planning to apply for CMP or SCMP certification? This course provides 1.5 qualifying training hours, which can be counted towards the professional development requirements for your certification application (completed within the two years before you apply).

• Already CMP or SCMP certified? This course is eligible for 1.5 continuing professional development (CPD) points towards maintaining your certification.

Course outline:

Introduction and Overview

• Welcome, acknowledgement, what we'll cover — with a quick icebreaker
  

Change Management Basics

• The five elements of change management and where comms fits; internal vs change comms

The EPIC Change Communication Framework

• Principles of effective change comms and the EPIC process

Evaluate

• Scope of change, taking a brief, the reverse brief, impact and FAQs

Plan and Position

• Awareness–launch–embed, outcomes, planning to impact, key messages

Implement

• Setting leaders up for success, leader briefings, the broken cascade, visuals

Check and Correct

• How and when to measure whether your comms have worked

Wrap-up

• Lightbulb moments, next steps and feedback

Participants will receive:

• The EPIC Change Communication Framework

• Practical scenario worksheets and tools

• Shared peer resources from the session

• Certificate of attendance

About your facilitator

Mel Loy SCMP

Founder and Director, Cuttlefish; Immediate Past President, IABC Queensland, IABC Asia Pacific Academy Partner

Mel Loy is a self-confessed serial ideator, obsessed with how humans behave and what that means for effective communication. After studying journalism she discovered a love not for reporting but for the power of communication — and went on to spend more than 20 years in increasingly senior corporate communication roles across emergency services, construction and mining, early learning, retail and more.

In late 2020, after leading her team through the COVID-19 pandemic, Mel started her own agency. Today her small-but-mighty team at Cuttlefish provides consulting and training to clients across Australia and overseas, specialising in internal, change, crisis and strategic communication.

Mel is the author of two books — Change Isn't Hard and Less Chatter, More Matter — and host of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast. An international award winner for her training programs and strategies, a sought-after facilitator and keynote speaker, and a certified Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP), she is Immediate Past President of the IABC Queensland Chapter.