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Staff Report
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Report To: Joint Committees
Date of Meeting: June 19, 2023
Reviewed By: Mary -Anne Dempster, CAO
File Number:
Report Number: CAO-016-23
Resolution#: JC-078-23
By-law Number:
Report Subject: Communications Division Service Delivery Review
Recommendations:
1. That Report CAO-016-23 be received;
2. That Council endorse in principle the recommendations contained in the
Communications Division Service Delivery Review prepared by Redbrick
Communications (Attachment 1 to Report CAO-016-23) and prepare an
implementation plan;
3. That Council endorse the recommended staffing structure as set out in this Report,
inclusive of two new full-time positions to be funded out of gapping and reserves in
2023, and included in the 2024 budget; and
4. That all interested parties listed in Report CAO-016-23 and any delegations be
advised of Council's decision.
Municipality of Clarington
Report CAO-016-23
Report Overview
Page 2
Communications and public engagement are critical pieces of effective municipal
government, and Council has continued to highlight the importance of the function and the
need to ensure that our residents are appropriately heard and informed.
The Communications division has undergone staffing and responsibility changes in recent
years, but no formal review had been undertaken to ensure they are adequately resourced
and structured to meet the needs of the community, both now and into the future.
Redbrick Communications undertook the review and has provided a series of
recommendations, most notably an enhanced structure and service model. The proposed
structure would see the division continue to reside in the Office of the CAO, but with
additional resources focused on communications planning and strategy, issues management
and public engagement, and digital media — areas that are notably under-resourced. This
would bring the staffing complement more in line with comparator municipalities, as listed in
the report.
1. Background
1.1 Through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process Redbrick Communications (Redbrick)
was selected to undertake the review. The scope of the review included:
• provide insights into the current structure and suggestions for enhancement
• clarify the role and function of the team
• provide insights for future budget, staffing and resource decisions to create a high -
functioning communications team
• ensure the organization can meet community needs for years to come.
Process
1.2 To inform their recommendations, Redbrick included an analysis of both quantitative
and qualitative data. The quantitative data included population numbers, digital and
web analytics, as well as survey results. A summary of qualitative feedback included
input from interviews with staff, members of Council and input from comparable
municipalities. This resulted in seven recommendations which provide the basis of this
report.
2. Service Delivery Review Recommendations
2.1 This overview is intended to provide Council with a summary of key improvements and
implications that can be expected because of the recommendations contained in the
Redbrick report.
Municipality of Clarington Page 3
Report CAO-016-23
Recommendation #1 - Strengthen the communications team structure
2.2 The proposed divisional structure would break the work into two main service areas,
Communications and Public Engagement and Creative Services.
2.3 Both areas would be led by a supervisor, reporting to the existing Manager of Strategic
Initiatives. There is strong integration by reporting through this position, given the scope
of the portfolio, seat at the Senior Leadership table, and a direct reporting relationship
to the CAO. This model also reduces the need to add another Manager to the
complement, with the former resource being re-scoped, as noted below.
2.4 Communications and Public Engagement - Staff Team
Supervisor, Communications and Public Engagement (re-scoped Manager position)
Advisor/Officer, Communications and Public Engagement (position requested)
2.5 Utilizing a business partner approach, the two staff members will be assigned to
departments to support the development and execution of communications plans
(internal and external), as well as support proactive public engagement. At a high level,
they will be responsible for:
Communications planning and execution (business partner approach)
Public engagement (advice, coaching, engagement -oriented business solutions)
Issues management and media relations
2.6 Creative Services - Staff Team
Supervisor, Creative Services (elevation of existing Specialist)
Coordinator, Digital Communications (position requested)
Coordinator, Communications (2 existing staff — title and scope to be reviewed)
2.7 Staff in this area will prepare tactical items to support communication plans and
outreach efforts. It will also include coordination and oversight of digital assets (web/
social) and to ensure that public -facing technologies are customer -centric. At a high
level, they will be responsible for:
Coordination and oversight of digital assets (E.g., website, social media, other
public -facing technologies)
Brand Management (own the brand and its use, inclusive of advertising
acceptability)
Collateral design (public engagement and education, marketing, and promotion)
2.8 Redbrick noted that corporate customer service requires further consideration, which
ties into the ongoing Customer Service Excellence Strategy being undertaken by our
Municipality of Clarington
Report CAO-016-23
Page 4
Corporate Performance division. This strategy will make a recommendation as to
where the management of this program will reside, and it is expected that the
Communications division could be where it eventually lands.
Recommendation #2 - Strengthen Clarington's issues/risk management approach
2.9 The Communications and Public Engagement area will be the lead resource for all
departments regarding issues management. It is expected, with the recommendations
noted above, that this dedicated resource and expertise will allow for issues to be
proactively managed and mitigated earlier. Clarington needs to be able to be proactive
in this area or run a significant risk of losing control of issues that otherwise could have
been avoided or more appropriately managed early.
2.10 The Supervisor will be responsible as the lead for any escalated issues, inclusive of
media relations efforts. This will require a specific skill set and experience. It has been
included in the structural recommendations as a net -new resource. The Advisor/Officer
reporting to this position will provide support on the issues management and media
relations side.
Recommendation #3- Invest in more purposeful public engagement
2.11 The strategic plan will provide an opportunity to articulate Municipal goals and
expectations related to public engagement clearly. Staff will utilize the Council -
approved public engagement framework to undertake that work, in parallel to the
adoption, execution and reporting against an eventual Council -approved strategic plan.
The new Communications and Public Engagement area of the division will have the
responsibility to act as the point of contact and advisor for these efforts.
2.12 A central component of effective public engagement is to "go where the people are",
including attending notable community events. The current approach is department
specific, creating potential missed opportunities if there is a larger corporate message
to be shared. Staff will be looking at that processes to determine if this responsibility
should be centralized to make our approach more effective and streamlined.
Recommendation #4 - Increase positive storytelling, the ability to communicate quickly
and share timely factual information
2.13 Empowering departments to "own their story" will be a critical component of
implementing this recommendation. Staff will work with departments to set the
expectation that they play a key role in telling both their departmental and the overall
corporate story — within and outside of the organization. A process will be created,
through the proposed business partner approach, to ensure that more good news
stories are proactively captured and disseminated (internally and externally).
Municipality of Clarington Page 5
Report CAO-016-23
2.14 The way information is consumed is changing, and digital content will continue to be a
critical part of the mix. Combining video with an increased focus on photos, in the
context of storytelling will be a key part of driving home messages to our residents.
These two components will be included in the responsibilities of the proposed Digital
Communications Coordinator. This will create a more robust corporate story that can
be told and used to be proactive on items of community importance.
Recommendation #5 - Establish a stronger communications mindset across the
organization
2.15 Staff will work with Senior Leadership Team to clarify roles and expectations for
effective communication throughout the organization. This will include a policy that
clearly stipulates roles and responsibilities when it comes to internal communications
and expectations around timing/frequency — both from the department responsible and
the communications division.
2.16 Monday.com is a digital tool that the Communications team currently uses to manage
tasks and projects and it has significant reporting capabilities. Staff will use this data to
report to Council and staff on a regular basis regarding the communications efforts and
outcomes (internal and external). This will include a semi-annual report to Council.
Recommendation #6 - Place more focus on internal communications across the
corporation
2.17 There are challenges with information flow internally, particularly on larger corporate
projects, as outlined in the survey results. This can be mitigated through the creation of
communications plans, as part of larger project plans. Each department must ensure
they have a project charter, or comparable document, to govern the interaction with
Communications, particularly for larger initiatives, with a communications plan layered
in. Communications staff will support the department in the design and execution of the
communications plan aspect of the project, inclusive of collateral design.
2.18 A new section will be added to the end of Committee/Council reports entitled,
"Communications and Public Engagement Considerations". It is expected that this will
provide a venue for departments to ensure they have collaborated with
communications early enough in the process. This should support the overall corporate
intention to move from reactive to proactive.
2.19 Communications staff will hold quarterly meetings with departments, where the
departments will share information about the projects, they have, on-going/upcoming,
key issues on the horizon and other notable items.
Municipality of Clarington Page 6
Report CAO-016-23
Recommendation #7 - Enhance Clarington's Brand Consistency
2.20 There is a need to ensure that the Clarington brand is used consistently across the
organization and that oversight is strengthened. The Communications Division should
be the owner of the Municipal brand. Any departmental communications work will
require collaboration with the Creative Services area to ensure appropriate and
consistent use of branding and that respective guidelines are adhered to.
2.21 Moving forward, all high -visibility signage (e.g., gateway, parks, facilities) will be
managed from a design perspective through this division, inclusive of a review of all
current assets to ensure consistency where appropriate.
3. Financial Considerations
3.1 The estimated 2023 financial impact (all wages presented as fully burdened), for the
remaining 6 months, would be $233,320.20. This would be offset by gapping from the
former Managers' salary, in the amount of $156,218.93. The estimated net impact for
2023 would be the difference between the two numbers, $77,101.27.
3.2 The 2024 budget impact, assuming the Supervisor positions were at a Grade 8, and
the Officer at Grade 6 would be $254,459.83 (net of the $187,724.33 that would be
allocated against the total, from the existing Managers' salary).
4. Concurrence
This report has been reviewed by the Deputy CAO/Treasurer who concurs with the
recommendations.
5. Conclusion
It is respectfully recommended that Council support the recommended structure and
required resources, to allow for an increased focus on proactive communication and
public engagement.
Staff Contact: Justin MacLean, Manager — Strategic Initiatives, Jmaclean@Clarington.net.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 — Communications Division — Service Delivery Review
Attachment 1 to Report CAO-016-23
Communications Divi
Service Delivery ReviE
Municipality of Clarington
June 2023
• redbrick
40 COMMUNICATIONS
Table of Contents
Introduction and Background ............................................ 3
Project Objectives........................................................
4
Scopeof Work...........................................................
4
Methodology............................................................
4
Key Themes: What We Heard .............................................
5
Comparable municipalities ..............................................
13
Clarington - Current Communications Context with Observations........
23
Best Practices...........................................................27
Analysis................................................................
30
Recommendations......................................................
32
Conclusion.............................................................64
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington
Introduction and Background
The Municipality of Clarington is one of the province's fastest
growing communities. Situated just an hour outside of Toronto, it's
not surprising that this region is attractive to newcomers. It offers the
best of both worlds - offering big -city amenities and close proximity
to major highway routes for commuters and cottagers alike, while
also keeping its'small-municipality'feel, and quiet lifestyle.
As the community grows, so do the expectations from its tax
base. There is growing expectation that their governments are
responsive beyond the typical 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. working hours,
especially as issues arise. More than ever, municipalities need the
ability to communicate quickly. The make-up of communities is
changing, as new residents expand the diversity of communities.
Municipalities need to demonstrate in all they do that they are
welcome to all. Residents also demand a stronger voice in decision
making. Internally, departments and communications teams are
working to keep up. They are finding shifts are needed to set
realistic expectations and meet both public demands and legislative
requirements.
From a communications perspective, the landscape has changed
dramatically over the past several years, and especially since the
COVID-19 pandemic. Two recent public relations research
studies',' speak to the evolving trends and challenges for the future
of communications and public relations professionals. Highlights
include: the rise of mis- and disinformation because audiences are
empowered to publish content online, the decline of journalism, a
growing lack of community trust in their governments, and the rise
of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, to name a few. Each of these puts
pressure on municipal communications teams as they work to inform
and engage their communities.
'Looking back -Looking forward: Insights from Communications Leaders into the future of Public Relations,
Dr. Terry Flynn, Director Master of Communications Management, McMaster University
Effective, strategic communications plays a critical role in building
public confidence in municipal decision making and service delivery,
and an understanding of how municipal governments operate. When
done well, communications strengthen trust between a municipality
and its constituents.
Expanded efforts to connect with Clarington's 105,000 residents,
plus the need to internally engage with Clarington's municipal staff,
has put growing pressure on the municipality's communications
department. The recent departure of the Municipality's
communications manager triggered an opportunity to take a step
back and review the organization's communications function and
structure before initiating the recruitment process.
The Municipality of Clarington engaged Redbrick Communications
to conduct a review of their communications function, team
structure and activities to identify opportunities for improvement for
a more organized, consistent approach to better meet internal and
external needs. This review will also help prepare the organization
to meet future needs of a growing community and changing
communications landscape.
- Daniel Tisch, President and CEO for Argyle Public Relationship, former Chair of
the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management
'The Elevation of Public Relations, A discussion der on a profession's present — and its possible future,
Dan Tisch, APR, FCPRS, President and CEO for Argyle Public Relationship and past chair of the Global
Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington
Project Objectives
As the Municipality grows, there's a need to enhance and build-up
communications capacity, while also focusing on overall structure
and function. These efforts also need to align with Clarington's
strategic plan, currently under development. This review will provide
recommendations to help:
• provide insights into the current structure and suggestions for
enhancement
• clarify the role and function of the team
• provide insights for future budget, staffing and resource
decisions to create a high -functioning communications team
• ensure the organization can meet community needs for years
to come.
Scope of Work
Project Public survey and comparable
kicks off municipal research
• • 1 •1
Internal i-nTervi,
and survey
Methodology
Final report and
presentation
ummary7findings
and preliminary
recommendations
[7
This review includes analysis of both quantitative and qualitative
data. Quantitative includes numbers such as population, digital
analytics and survey results. A summary of qualitative feedback
includes input obtained from confidential interviews with internal
staff and members of council, online survey comments, and best
practices from three comparable municipalities.
Here is the breakdown of the research conducted:
✓ A full review of communications materials, supporting
documents and council reports provided by the Municipality
✓ Ongoing discussions with the project leads
✓ Internal survey (112 respondents)
✓ Interview with the CAO and the Manager of Corporate
Performance
✓ Individual interviews with communications staff
✓ Meetings with individual councillors and mayor
✓ Six interviews with Department Heads and managers
✓ Public survey (124 respondents)
✓ Three meetings with local media
✓ Meetings and analysis of two comparable municipalities (City of
Pickering, Town of Milton)
✓ Interviews with two communications consultants (former
recent municipal communications directors for the City of
Richmond Hill and East Gwillimbury; City of Mississauga)
✓ Findings from a 2021 review of several municipal
communications division structures
✓ Best practices derived from 35 in-depth interviews with
municipal communications leads in the past four years alone
✓ Findings from two recent communications and public relations
research studies, and presentations by their authors at the June
2023 Canadian Public Relations Conference
✓ Redbrick Communications'20-year history and expertise
working in the municipal sector
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 4
Key Themes: What We Heard
Mayor and Council
Overarching themes:
• Council feels well supported by communications, and well -
prepared for meetings, public -facing events, and media
moments.
• There is an understanding that the communications
department lacks resources, and Council is supportive of the
team growing and also supportive of trying new methods of
communications.
• Council would find value in reports that show the workload
and/or achievements of the department. These reports would
help council understand the "why"of communications and
how their work brings values to the Municipality and Council
priorities.
• Council perceives that the public wants to be better engaged
on municipal "hot topics" like development, roads projects and
council decisions.
• Council is unsure if external communications is effectively
reaching all audiences.
Summary of feedback heard:
Clarington's Mayor and councillors all expressed a genuine
appreciation of communications staff. They reported that the
working relationship between council and staff has improved
significantly over the last six months. There's a general feeling that
communications staff do a great job of supporting council with
information and assistance when the need arises.
They recognize that since COVID-19, public expectations for
communications and hybrid meetings has put a lot of pressure on
municipal staff. With an expectation from residents for enhanced,
broader communications, Council recognizes additional resources
may be required within the department, along with more defined
staff roles and responsibilities. Council doesn't currently receive
consistent reports from the department. Regular reports would help
Council members better understand the workload, current projects,
and achievements of the communications department and how they
support initiatives across the organization.
Council expressed the importance of providing a mix of print and
digital communications, like Clarington's quarterly newsletter.
However, there are mixed opinions about what medium is most
effective and the best use of taxpayers'dollars.There's concern the
senior demographic is being missed with so much emphasis on
digital media. Currently, there's not enough data or analytics to
know. There's also a concern that print media isn't being used to its
full capacity. Proactively reaching out to more national publications
about Clarington's good news stories may be helpful.
In terms of their own communications, some of the councillors noted
they aren't active on social media, but recognize that discussions,
comments and concerns about municipal decisions and initiatives
often happen online. They report wanting to have more awareness
about online discussions, the pulse of the community and to be
kept informed if there are opportunities for them to follow up
with constituents to help correct misinformation or help residents
better understand the decision -making process. They want to
ensure the community feels connected to its Council and look to
communications to help bridge that gap where possible, especially
online, to mitigate any perceptions where residents may feel their
councillors are not responsive.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington
Ideas for improvement:
• Better analytics and data to understand which forms of
communications have the greatest impact.
• Regular, detailed reports coming from the communications
department to Council that include measurable results
and demonstrate how the department is working towards
achieving the council approved vision, goals, and priorities that
will shape the Municipality's Strategic Plan.
• More real-time coverage of community events where council is
present to share on social media.
• Increased ability for councillors to respond and communicate
quickly with their constituents - support for them to post on
their own social media channels.
• Enhanced public participation and engagement on municipal
decision -making.
• Humanize stories. Celebrate the success of the Municipality
through the people who live here. Celebrate the voices and the
people in the community.
• Tell the good news stories of people who work at Clarington.
• Use local and national media more often. Send press releases
and photos. Develop new relationships with journalists outside
of the region for bigger stories.
Staff
The CAO at the Municipality of Clarington is committed to
continuous improvement and modernization. Through this service
delivery review, key goals include ensuring a more proactive
and strategic approach to communications, clear roles and
responsibilities, better standards that tie with customer service goals,
consistency of brand and messaging and stronger story telling.
to timely and consistent information on many different platforms,
taking a proactive approach to issues management, and working
with departments to ensure the community has a voice.
Staff across the organization recognize that the Municipality's
communications team works hard and is pulled in a number of
directions. However, because they are unaware of the team's
priorities and workload, currently, there is uncertainty in a number of
areas:
• What the team's priorities are
• What is within their scope of work
• How they are best engaged and brought into a project
• Expectations for timelines
• The roles and responsibilities between communications and
departments
From an internal communications perspective, both the interviews
and the survey results showed that staff take pride in the work they
do everyday. They want to feel more engaged and involved in their
organization and feel valued for their contributions.
As the Municipality has changed and evolved over the past several
months, staff feel somewhat disconnected from the broader team
and other departments. They are looking for a stronger sense of one
team and one Municipality, and to work collaboratively with others.
Finally, staff feedback points to the need for greater community
engagement and two-way conversation with those they serve. They
are unsure where this role lies, but feel communications likely plays a
part.
Overarching themes:
They see the role of communications as taking a lead to bring Communications is reactive, rather than proactive. Information
the organization together and working collaboratively with is not always sent in a timely manner, especially in response to
departments, protecting and promoting a strong brand identity for issues. There is a feeling of often needing to "catch up':
the Municipality, ensuring the community is informed and has access Department is under-resourced. Roles aren't clearly defined.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 6
• Work is assigned based on capacity rather than skillset or
department subject understanding.
• Department leaders would like more planned communications
to work ahead with the team to potentially develop annual
plans or to improve strategic communications planning tied to
their business goals so they can be more proactive and tell a
stronger story.
• Departments work in silos. As a result, they are unaware
of workload and priorities that the communications team
faces. They would like a regular and clearer picture of
communications projects and plans.
• Staff from both the departments and communications feel
that the pressures of day-to-day work does not currently allow
for more in-depth storytelling or campaigns that take more
time to plan an execute. They both desire stronger processes
and policies to help address these challenges and make
communications activities more efficient.
Staff want stronger internal communications. They want to be
informed and engaged. Currently, internal communications is
not seen as a focus, and staff who work in the field or do not
have easy online access do not feel connected nor informed.
Website needs improvement to complement external
communications efforts.
General feedback from what we heard:
We interviewed staff from both communications and other Municipal
departments. The opportunities and challenges identified generally
aligned. Each recognize the need for better processes and functions,
clearer understanding of the roles each play and a desire to be
more proactive and timely in reaching both internal and external
audiences.
Communications is the department that staff feel works closest with
the Clarington community. Their role includes the development of
messaging, overseeing the Municipality's brand, and telling stories in
a way that's clear, concise and timely.
Internally, across the organization, there is a feeling that teams are
working in silos. Staff feel segregated from each other. Since the
structural reorganization in 2019, there's a general feeling that many
staff at Clarington don't really know one another and want a culture
that is more collaborative and connected.
Staff also want to feel engaged and included internally, but don't
always feel like they're receiving enough information, and tend to
hear about internal corporate decisions "through the grapevine"This
impacts morale, especially for frontline staff who engage with the
public on a daily basis.
Departments engage the communications department in different
ways - some by phone, some in person, some by email and some
using the online portal form. As indicated earlier, they are unaware
of the demands put on communications staff. They recognize that
communications is under-resourced, but don't have a clear indication
of what staff are working on outside of their own requests.
Departments want to be helpful in ensuring the Municipality
communicates effectively. They understand they have a role to
play in effective communications and want to be more proactive
and engage communications earlier in their initiatives. Some
departments would also like to be trusted with developing and
managing some of their own day-to-day content for social channels.
From a communications perspective, the team desires more
consistency in process and engagement. They want one way they are
engaged for easier tracking and reporting, higher standards met with
the information shared with them at the outset, consistent ways to
collaborate, share feedback and manage approvals and to close the
loop when work is complete.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington
A consistent theme for improving external communications was
improving the Municipality's website. As a central tool for sharing
information staff across the organization feel the site is difficult
to navigate and reported regularly having difficulty finding
information. As well, more clarity and guidance is needed for roles
and responsibility in writing content and posting to the website,
and greater oversight for quality and meeting best practice web
standards and legislated accessibility requirements.
As an overarching theme, staff recognize that Clarington would
benefit from a stronger corporate direction for communications.
Suggestions for improvement provided by staff in the comments
section of the survey:
• Ensure all staff from all departments are kept better and more
consistently informed and engaged.
• Develop an internal communications strategy and make better
use of The Hub and email blasts.
• Offer more ways for staff to network, get to know one another,
and collaborate to create a stronger sense of team and improve
overall staff morale.
• Build stronger collaboration between departments and
communications to help strengthen a more proactive approach.
• Implement a way to better plan for annual communications (e.g.,
holidays, municipal events, recreational programming)
• Create a process to help the Municipality tell the good news
stories and achievements of the corporation, its staff and
departments.
• Engage staff from other departments and bring them in on
projects when appropriate.
• Staff shared several ideas for storytelling or campaigns, such as:
how Clarington is addressing rapid growth, new trails, parks,
and overall community improvements etc.
Acts of kindness, stories that show a strong sense of
community
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality
➢ Survey Results
The staff survey highlighted similar key themes to what we heard in
the interviews. Data also amplified how staff are currently receiving
information and where there are opportunities for improvement.
Internal Survey Highlights
Number of respondents: 112
Top three ways staff get most of their information about
what's happening at the municipality.
67%
"word of mouth"
Key themes included:
• more proactive issues management and responding more
quickly and effectively
• staff across the organization wanting to be better informed
• more consistency with the Municipality's brand and messaging
• strengthened public engagement
41 % 27%
of employees feel strongly that a said they do not feel
they are informed about municipal well informed.
information and updates.
85% 68%
F
.0-S] of respondents said they want they A�said they do not feel
, feel their work is important, and they they get to be involved
want tofeel engaged in their work. in decision making.
64%
60%
learn from a
get their
manager or
information from
supervisor
all -staff emails.
42%
of respondents said they don't feel
residents receive enough information
or correspondence from the
municipality.
Commentary. Word of mouth and information from managers and supervisors are the top ways
staff receive information. This opens a risk to inconsistency and potential misinformation.
All -staff emails are relatively effective and could be leveraged more. More than half the staff feel
they are somewhat informed or not well informed. The Municipality needs a stronger vision and
processes to ensure staff get the information they need and feel engaged where they work.
46%
ID of respondents do
not feel residents
understand what their
department does.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 9
In terms of external communication:
80% 60%
of respondents feel the said phone or
municipality's main line email.
of communication is
social media.
37%
of staff feel the
municipality's brand is
strong.
63% 0said Clarington's
social media
presence is strong.
30%
said Clarington's
social media
presence is strong
Commentary: Staff feel that the public is generally not
aware of all the Municipality does for its community. Social
media is an effective tool, but could be used more better.
There is also a sense that the Municipality's brand should be
strengthened.
There are several audiences being missed with external
communications efforts. The top three are:
IN
ser�-- newcomers to people with
Clarington limited and/or
rural internet
access
The top three priorities for better overall communications are:
• Better internal communication with staff
• More meaningful public engagement
• Improved, more proactive issues management (getting on
top of things sooner.)
Staff are important communicators on behalf of the
organization and could be better leveraged to share
information and be champions when they are engaging
with residents. Staff desire more information and want to
help the Municipality strengthen its connection with the
community.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 10
External Survey Highlights
Number of respondents: 124
As we often find in external surveys, residents are most interested in • Respondents were almost equally long-term residents (more than
the topics and information that effect their local quality of life or that 15 years spend living in Clarington) and newcomers (less than 15
are highly visible to them on a regular basis: events and programs, years.)
roads and construction, development etc.
• 52% of those surveyed said they currently feel they are receiving
Different from what we saw from the internal survey, only 29% of too little information and communications from the municipality.
residents who responded rank social media as one of the top ways
they receive information about the Municipality. Most used Facebook
(86%), however 53% of respondents said they don't follow the
Municipality on social media, and 25% said they get their information
from channels not run by Clarington. These statistics create a risk
that the community may not be getting factual information and that
others'content is more engaging and interesting.
The website and local media coverage ranked much higher that
social media and will need to be considered going forward to better
reach the community. Generally, residents who responded say
information on the website is somewhat easy to find, but as we heard
from staff, there are opportunities to make it better.
In terms of public engagement, 33% said they feel the Municipality
is effective in providing opportunities for the community to give
input into local programs, services and decisions. 42% were neutral.
However, most who responded (59%) said typically participate if
asked. 36% said they would sometimes participate. 96%feel it is
important to provide input and be engaged by the Municipality.
When interpreting these statistics, it's important to remember that
the feedback is coming from more engaged individuals who are
The top five topics residents want to hear about are:
• Events run by the municipality (82%)
• Municipal programs and services (82%)
Updates on roads projects (78%)
Emergency updates (73%)
Updates on building projects and new development (72%)
In terms of staying informed about these topics, the survey shows
the top three ways residents most often receive their information
are from:
The municipal website (55%)
Reading or listening to local media coverage (49%)
Social media pages operated by the municipality (29%)
People were asked to identify which media outlets they read,
view or listen to most frequently. The top answers were:
• Clarington This Week (35%)
• Durhamregion.com (19%)
• KX96 or 94.9The Rock or CKDO Durham's Classic Hits (19%
• Additionally, 19% of respondents said they do not pay
attention to local media.
likely to complete these surveys. An online survey such as this in only • 87% of those surveyed said they visit the Clarington.net website.
one way to gather input. It may not have reached a broad audience, Of those, 64% said they visit monthly.
nor those who prefer other methods of engagement.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 11
• In terms of website accessibility:
64% said information is sometimes easy to find
13% said information is always easy to find
23% said information is NOT easy to find
• 86% of respondents indicated they have a Facebook account, but
only 41 % of those people are following Clarington's Facebook
page. 53% indicated they don't follow any of Clarington's social
media accounts.
• 87% of respondents said if they have an issue they directly call or
email the municipality.
• In terms of public engagement:
59% said when offered, they participate in public input.
36% said they sometimes do.
5% said they never do.
97% of respondents said it's important to them to be
engaged by the municipality on decision -making matters.
`qw
Local Media
Overarching themes:
• Local media resources are shrinking. The work coming from the
communications department is very helpful.
• Communications materials are well -written, concise, and in the
proper format with high quality photos.
• As newsrooms continue to shrink, they rely on municipalities to
share their own news.
As local newsrooms continue to lose staff, municipal
communications departments have to take a greater role in
becoming their own style of newsroom. This means knowing
deadlines and sending timely information to local media outlets, and
having their eyes and ears out in the community for stories that have
a municipal angle.
Local media has a great rapport with Clarington, recognizing that
staff make a conscious effort to include them in email blasts and
sending news releases.
Suggestions for improvement:
• Be aware of deadlines.
• Ensure councillors and staff are returning interview requests.
• Notify local media outlets when they've made mistakes or
factual errors. It's appreciated and helps them ensure they're
doing a good job.
• Share video for use on web -based media publications.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 12
Comparable municipalities
Municipal communicators across the province face similar
challenges in their communities. Although structures may vary, their
organizations often deliver like services; they share similar values of
accountability and transparency with their communities; and, they
strive to provide timely information. Each looks to demonstrate value
for taxpayer dollars and to continually find new ways to broaden
their reach and engage more residents and stakeholders in their local
government.
Therefore, an important part of any communications review process
is to look to how other comparable municipalities structure their
communications function, what processes they have in place
within the organization to run efficiently, what practices and tactics
have been successful in reaching audiences, where they may have
adjusted or invested in the past few years and what they are doing
now to plan ahead to better meet community needs.
For the Municipality, Redbrick identified three comparable
municipalities to reach out to based on a few factors:
• Population size
• Similar challenges related to growth
• Representation in Ontario's Big City Mayors
• Recent focus on enhancing the corporate communications
function
Interviews were conducted with the City of Pickering and the
Town of Milton. We have identified the City of Kitchener as a third
municipality. However, we faced problems with scheduling and
competing priorities and were not able to connect in time for this
report.
In addition, Redbrick conducted brief interviews with two
communications consultants who have been recent municipal
communications directors. One was a communications director for
the City of Richmond Hill, and then the Town of East Gwillimbury.
The other was the former communications director at the City of
Mississauga. These interviews focused on workload assignments
within their structures and the considerations for their chosen
models.
Further, over the past four years, Redbrick has conducted nine
communications review projects, varying in scope. Each has included
interviews with municipal leaders across Ontario and a few from four
other provinces. As a result, Redbrick has recent data and insights
from more than 35 municipalities.
Redbrick also pulled insights gleaned from the agency's connection
with network of hundreds of municipal communications leaders,
and our 20 years'work with and for municipal governments and
the associations that support them, such as the Association of
Municipalities of Ontario, the Rural Ontario Municipal Association,
the Municipal Finance Officers'Association, to name a few.
Lessons learned by others and their best practices help inform the
recommendations for the Municipality of Clarington.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 13
Pickering
Following a communications review conducted by Redbrick in 2019,
then updated with current data in 2021, the Municipality has placed
more emphasis on improved strategic communications. They created
a new Division Head of Public Affairs, Communications, Customer
Care, DEI, Mayor/Council, with a seat at the most senior table. They
also created a new supervisor position in communications to provide
more strategic oversight and support the division head. They are
looking to add two additional communications roles in the coming
years and to strengthen the relationship between communications
and customer service, recognizing the synergies between the two.
Work comes into the department through email and/or in follow up
to senior or department meetings. The Division Head leads high -
profile and sensitive files. The supervisor has the most face-to-face
connection with department clients, and then assigns work to the
other staff who work mostly on a portfolio model.
They are putting more effort on improving public engagement. They
have launched Let's Talk Pickering (Bang the Table) and offering more
pop-up opportunities to hear from the community at events they
attend. There is no current corporate framework in place. Planning
leads most engagement with support from communications.
Social media continues to be the more effective tool to reach the
community. However, there is concern that seniors may be missed.
The Municipality is looking to survey the public to better understand
what other tools they could leverage more to reach a broader
audience.
The team's relationships with local media are good. Key
spokespeople are the CAO, mayor and directors, who can assign
others to speak as appropriate. They are planning upcoming media
training to strengthen media responses.
The Municipality is also developing its first ever strategic plan,
which they anticipate will help strengthen the strategic value
communications can bring and ensure their work aligns with
corporate priorities.
They have put focused effort on preparing the community for growth
and have been recognized for their approach. They are leveraging
more video than ever before, and having some challenges keeping
up with demand.
Their greatest challenge is bandwidth. However, with the shift to
having a Division Head role, they are seeing increased support from
the CAO and stronger trust with department leaders.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of C
Milton
Milton's communications structure has evolved over time. The
director has worked over the past few years to educate departments
on the role of communications and the value the team should be
bringing to the organization. There has been significant focus to
tie all communications work to business objectives and to be less
tactical. They are seeing these conversations and relationships
paying off. Leaders look to the director and manager for strategic
advice and counsel, and are approaching the team less from a
tactical standpoint.
They have an online intake form for projects. They use Monday.
com to manage, track and report on workload and projects. They
use Monday to map out annual campaigns and assign work, so all
team members know what's coming and can plan ahead. They have
agreed -upon Day of Recognition that are also mapped out. Each
corporate strategic project has its own board and is tracked and
managed accordingly.
The manager reviews all incoming requests and assigns projects to
advisors or to the web coordinator. They have a set standard that
departments will get a response within two business days and know
who their project lead will be.
They develop annual plans with departments, understand their
business needs and meet regularly to stay on track. In some cases,
such as with the Fire Department and Economic Development, they
have three and five-year plans in place. This allows them to plan
ahead, assign resources and have an agreed -upon road map to guide
work.
Growth is a significant concern for the community, especially those
who are long-time residents. The team is working on building a
stronger growth story for the Town and listening to the community
to set the stage for development and help show what the
Municipality will look like over the coming 10 to 20 years.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 15
Summary of insights from municipal communications leaders and Redbrick's 20 years' expertise
Redbrick is unique in how we are embedded in Ontario's municipal
Below are best practice highlights based on our past projects,
community. We support municipal communications managers, CAOs
engagements and experience.
and elected officials and are committed to helping them share best
practices. We regularly provide free resources and guides, and bring
Municipal Communications Investments
them together to share experiences, such as when we offered four
Over the past five years, municipal communications leaders tell us
municipal communications panel discussions during the early stages
they are putting more investment and focus in three main areas:
of the pandemic.
1. Digital storytelling and transformation
As well, for the past 15 years, Redbrick's president has chaired the 2. Public engagement
Summers Direct Municipal Communications Conference - Canada's 3. Customer service alignment
largest national conference for municipal communicators.
Further, over the past four years alone, Redbrick has held in-depth They are taking different approaches to strengthen these areas and
interviews with 35 municipal communications leaders to understand respond to growing needs, expectations and adapt to new trends.
how they operate, structure their teams and lessons they have
learned along the way.
In addition to our regular client work, Redbrick maintains a Municipal
Communicators Network of more than 400 communications
managers from across Ontario and the rest of Canada. We use
this network to share lessons learned, and to help municipal
governments solve problems.
Redbrick's clients benefit from our'pay-it-forward'approach to
assisting communications managers in need. We have a reputation
for being helpful, and when we reach out in search for best practices,
ideas and solutions, municipal communications managers are quick
to share their insights with us. This has proven helpful in many past
projects.
For example:
• planning and building more capacity in these areas, such
as creating new roles for public engagement leads or new
community engagement divisions (e.g., City of Guelph).
• restructuring the current communications division scope to
include customer service (e.g., City of Kingston, Halton Region).
• strengthening skillsets of existing staff through training and
certification (such as with the International Association of
Public Participation - IAP2)
• strengthening linkages and collaboration processes between
communications and departments who have staff who manage
social changes, regularly engage the public or offer customer
service
• A combination of the above
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 16
Enhancing strategic value
The McMaster research study mentioned in the introduction shows
that communications professionals continue to struggle with
demonstrating the strategic value they can bring to the organization.
It is common for Redbrick to hear from communications staff
comments such as, "everyone thinks they are a communicator"
or"departments think we only do social media and website:'
Developing a communications mindset or culture within an
organization takes time and is created by building strong, trusted
relationships between communications and department leaders, and
by showing successes along the way.
High functioning communications team have established these
relationships and have been able to institute the following:
• Focus is on strategy first, then tactics. When departments
engage communications, the first questions from
communications are, "What is the problem to be solved?"
and "What goals are you trying to achieve?"They then work
collaboratively to build a strategy to achieve identified results.
• They have a seat at the most senior tables, and all initiatives
tie back to the organization's mission, vision and values.
Communications is part of strategic discussions, is kept
abreast of latest developments and challenges and can more
quickly and easily flag brewing issues or provide strategic
advice for response.
• Clear processes and planning tools are in place, understood
and followed across the organization.
V
A strong connection between communications and customer
service means two-way sharing, consistency of messaging and
• They function like a newsroom and tell simple, concrete early issues mitigation.
stories from start to finish. Communications supports public engagement and work with
• Tools and tactics are audience focused and targeted on departments to offer a variety of engagement opportunities
outcomes. to reach a broad range of voices, or there is a dedicated public
• Social media is used strategically, with a plan and purpose for engagement lead in place.
each channel.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington
17
04
Tools
More and more municipal communications teams are strengthening project tracking and adopting the use of
technology to support monitoring and reporting and public engagement.
Function
Social media
management
Most commonly used
Social media management
Commentary
Post and monitor all channels through one platform.
Assign tasks to team members. Easy to schedule ahead.
Strong analytic and reporting capabilities to track progress. Varying access to
reporting tools depending on subscription type.
Simple password management.
Graphic design
Canva (free or paid)
Canva is the most user friendly and cost effective.
• Adobe Creative Suite
Paid Canva accounts offer a wider range of valuable templates and images.
Adobe Creative Suite is robust and expensive but is the tool of choice for graphic
designers to create the highest quality collateral. Formal training is recommended.
Photography
Pixabay (free)
Visual and video content is far better remembered and has a greater reach than
• iStock photo (paid)
written copy, especially on social media.
• Hiring a photographer to
take seasonal local photos
Pixabay offers many photos, but may not be at the same quality, nor have the
• Ensuring communications
same variety as paid content from iStock.
and department staff have
the tools and knowledge to
Telling a local story visually is increasingly more important to build trust and
take strong local photos
connection with the community. Municipalities are investing in building up
local photo libraries from which to draw images. This may include equipping
communications staff with a smartphone and/or camera. When possible, it is
preferable to use original visual content over stock images.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 18
Function
Most commonly used
Commentary
Public
Bang the Table Engagement
Bang the Table has penetrated the municipal landscape across the country to
engagement
HQ
enhance online public engagement and two-way connection with communities
and government.
Participants need to register to participate and resources are needed to promote
the tool, keep it current and active, and continually increase visibility and
participation rates.
Online engagement platforms should be supplemented with other opportunities
for input.
Project
Monday.com
Can be used to track workload, resources and timelines, but may be too tactically
management
Trello
focused.
• Microsoft Project
Offers reports for tracking and raising awareness of workloads to senior leaders
• Customized portals
and to guide discussions about priorities.
Can be used to improve collaborative, proactive planning with departments.
Video creation
Whiteboard video animation
As video has become more prominent, so have the tools available to create them.
(there are many
Doodly
other tools
VideoScribe
More communicators are able to use their Smartphones effectively to create quick
available. These
Editing Software
videos for use on social media. They are effective and staff should know how to
are common
Adobe Premier Pro
use these to communicate quickly.
ones)
Camtasia
Equipment
More sophisticated video software and tools are available, as the organization
needed:
Create/edit videos on
matures related to video creation.
Smartphone
• Good
Adobe Clip
Smartphone or
. iMovie (iPhone)
DLSR camera
Boomerang
• Tripod
• Lighting
Royalty -free music
• Audio mike
Audiojungle.net
• Smartphone
PremiumBeat
stabilizer
Shutterstock
• Audionetwork.net
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 19
Processes, policies and workflow
Municipalities with established processes and policies report the following:
✓ Clear understanding of roles and responsibilities
✓ Improved efficiency with greater understanding of expectations and timelines
✓ Proactive planning and response
✓ Higher trust and collaboration with department staff
Workflow tool
Related communications function
Common policies
Media relations
• Social media - corporate use and personal use by municipal staff (sometimes
for Council)
• Advertising and promotional items
• AODA (not always overseen by communications)
• Use of photos
• Election -related communications policies or rules
Communications guides
Branding and logo guidelines
• Writing for the Web guide
• Style guides and plain language
• Graphic design and photo use
• Public engagement framework
Processes/standards
Project intake with response standards
• Timelines for common tactics
• Issues management
Tools and templates
Communications planning template
• Public engagement toolkit
• Issues management brief
• Photo and video release forms
• Templates for social media posts, presentations, flyers, etc.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 20
Trends for the future of communications and public relations
Recent communications and public relations research1A provide important insights into the challenges,
opportunities and trends related to the profession. As Clarington considers the way forward, it is important to
consider this rapidly changing landscape.
➢ Top 5 areas of concern ➢ Megatrends for public relations
1. Staff turnover and burnout
2. Lack of advancement opportunities L4
Higher stakes and rising Empowered
3. Communications perceived as a "soft value of reputation audiences
service" by senior leaders
4. Ongoing changes in the media
landscape Content shock and Many speak,
5. Digital overload, misinformation and disinformation ��� few listen
disinformation
➢ Key opportunities for the profession
El Decline of A gap in wealth
1. Internal engagement and connection journalism and trust
2. Bringing strengthened strategic value
during times of issues and crisis
3. Becoming a more inclusive and diverse Al comes to PR
profession
4. Digital transformation
'Looking back - Looking forward: Insights from Communications Leaders into the future of Public Relations, 'The Elevation of Public Relations, A discussion der on a profession's present— and its possible future,
Dr. Terry Flynn, Director Master of Communications Management, McMaster University Dan Tisch, APR, FCPRS, President and CEO for Argyle Public Relationship and past chair of the Global
Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 21
➢ What these mean for communications leaders
As communicators look forward, the importance of building
trusted relationships both inside their organizations and
with their key publics is more critical than ever. This is a
strength of communications professionals. They need
to take the lead in community building and play a more
central role in being an advisor with senior leaders by
leveraging their broader view of the organization as a
whole and how key audiences perceive it, and align their
work with the municipality's priorities.
Communicators need to be better listeners and to rely on
both their gut and data to influence, persuade and inform,
and be able to tell stronger, more engaging stories to
combat misinformation and engage communities in the
value the organization brings to the people they serve.
-Terry Flynn, Director Master of Communications Management,
McMaster University
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 22
Clarington - Current Communications Context with Observations
As we look at strengthening and enhancing communications for the
Municipality of Clarington, it's important to understand the current
context: its community, key issues and external considerations. Each
of these inform recommendations about what the communications
department needs in order to bring the greatest value to the
corporation and Clarington's citizens.
Population and Community
Since 2011, the municipality has grown significantly. According to
census data, Clarington had a population of just over 84,500 in 2011,
which now sits around 105,000.The municipality is expected to grow
by 45,000 over the next 15 years. It is also expected that increased
immigration will attract more cultural diversity. This growth and
change in community fabric will continue to put more demands on
the municipality as a whole, and in particular, the communications
department.
It's becoming increasingly important for the municipality to engage
with the local community, especially as it relates to programs,
services and managing growth and development. It is important that
the municipality tells the story of well -managed, progressive growth,
and puts emphasis on community engagement for municipal
initiatives.
Clarington's community wants to be involved, and have its say on
programs, services and initiatives that directly impact residents.
Residents also want real-time communication, and proactive
communications related to events, emergencies and service
disruptions.
Current Communications Structure and Function
Currently the Municipality's communications function sits within the
office of the Chief Administrative Officer. With a new CAO joining
the municipality in 2022, and the election of a new council, there is
renewed interest in improving communications and supporting the
department with additional resources. Additionally, there's been a
push for the corporation to have a stronger brand presence.
A structural reorganization in 2019 resulted in tourism moving out of
the general communications department. Another recent structural
change resulted in a communications staff member being relocated
to the Mayor's office. Since this time, the department has been
operating without a manager, and with a smaller staff compliment.
The Manager of Strategic Initiatives provides oversight and support.
The Communications Specialist oversees incoming requests and
project manages workflow. However, there is no established senior
communications role to provide strategic direction and counsel.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 23
Redbrick conducted a recent municipal structure review gathering data from a
cross-section of Ontario municipalities ranging in population size from 50,000
to 180,000. Communications leaders provided a breakdown of their full-time
equivalent complements, their portfolios and reporting structures.
For the size of the municipality, Clarington's staff complement is smaller than
that of like -sized municipalities. On average, surrounding municipalities with
comparable populations have between three to five more communications
staff. Some examples are listed in the chart below. More detailed organizational
structure charts have been shared with internal staff at Clarington.
MunicipalityPopulation
Kingston*
180,000
No. of Comms Staff
15 full-time
Guelph
150,000
11 full-time + recruiting one contract
Whitby
150,000
7 full-time
Milton
142,000
7 full-time plus 1 contract
St. Catharines
133,113
7 full-time
Pickering
105,000
4 full-time, plus 1 part-time for web
Waterloo*
104,896
8 full-time
Brantford*
98,000
8 full-time plus 1 part-time
Newmarket*
91,000
7 full-time plus 1 contract
Caledon
82,000
7 full-time
Kawartha Lakes
75,000
4 full-time
* Data is from 2021
Clarington also has an added challenge with two
of its communications staff being unionized. This
limits their ability to have access to confidential
information in the event of high profile, sensitive
municipal issues (HR or labour disputes, for example)
for which the department may need to communicate
both internally and externally. Municipalities with
communications staff in unionized positions are
sometimes required to engaged third -party support
to manage these issues effectively.
All of these circumstances have led to a
communications department that is currently under-
resourced and becoming overwhelmed. Roles and
responsibilities are unclear. Council is not aware of
the efforts or outcomes of communications activities.
The staff compliment is missing more senior
positions to provide strategic advice and oversight,
and to mitigate and effectively manage issues.
At present, projects that come into the department
are assigned based on staff capacity, and
other departments are not aware how busy
communications staff are, whether there are
processes and protocols they should follow to
engage communications.
A more organized, strategic and well-resourced
team, with better -defined staff roles, will go a long
way in addressing current challenges and elevating
the value the team can bring to the organization as a
whole.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 24
Communications Landscape
Expectations on municipal governments to have exceptional
communication with the public has grown significantly since
COVID-19. At the same time, trust in local governments has wavered,
and the local media landscape has shrunk. Social media and
other forms of digital communication have grown as important
and dominant channels to inform and engage the community,
and residents expect real-time updates, hybrid meeting formats,
and a continuation of print -format communications. As result,
communications teams need to be their own newsrooms and have
strong processes in place to communicate quickly and proactively.
Communities expect to be kept well informed about local programs,
services and decisions, and to be effectively consulted along the
way. For many municipalities, communications teams are finding it
challenging to keep up.
Media Landscape
Clarington has several media publications in the region that offer
print and online publications. Those publications have been around
for quite some time and know their audiences well. They also have
great rapport with the municipality. Although they have limited staff
reporters, they've been able to allocate resources to cover council
meetings, important community events, and are willing to publish
municipal news releases and photos without issue. Even with this
media support, it is important that the Municipality functions as its
own newsroom and is able to tell a strong story from start to finish.
There's an identified gap in the Municipality's communications where
good news stories are concerned, and a need for more proactive
outreach to media outlets.
Issues Management
With an increased presence in the digital world, comes increased
issues management challenges. What may have been an innocuous
situation a decade ago - handled relatively quickly and efficiently -
now has the potential to balloon into a much larger problem online.
Word spreads fast. Digital video, photos and social media gossip
spreads even faster.
While many organizations are still figuring out their approach and
approving messaging, media have already picked up the story and
their audiences are consuming content. The public also has increased
expectations related to response and engagement.
In high -functioning municipalities, a collaborative, trusted
relationship between communications and senior leaders
is paramount to successful issues management. Because
communications are engaging daily with key audiences and
stakeholders and have the tools in place to identify issues early, they
are best positioned to give sound advice and craft messaging that
works.
Currently, in Clarington, the manager of strategic initiatives sits at
the most senior table, provides strategic advice and supports work
related to communications and issues management. However, given
his portfolio, he has limited capacity to be proactive. The Municipality
would benefit greatly from having a consistent communications lens
available to listen, flag and proactively respond to brewing issues.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 25
Public Engagement
Clarington's residents expressed a desire to be more involved in
municipal decision -making processes, and the ways in which the
community expects to be informed and engaged have broadened.
Municipalities have always held the responsibility of informing the
public about how taxpayer dollars are spent, and have had to make
decisions publicly, with very limited criteria allowing councils to
make decisions in closed -session meetings.
For decades, public engagement has meant some open house
public meetings, occasional surveys and the offer that members of
the community can delegate at council meetings or send in mailed
responses. While these methods may still be relevant, they are no
longer sufficient. Now the onus is on municipal staff to inform and
include the public in a variety of ways, and public engagement has
become a significant area of focus for municipalities.
In Clarington, enhancing and increasing public engagement has
arisen as a key theme during the development of a strategic plan.
Like many other municipalities, Clarington recognizes it will need to
invest in improved and more meaningful engagement, and is looking
to create a stronger and more purposeful approach to hearing from
its community.
The new strategic plan will likely more clearly identify specific goals
and actions. Depending on the approved direction, there is likely to
be a strong role for the communications team. Skillsets and capacity
may need to be enhanced.
Internal Communications and Engagement
Municipal staff are important communicators on behalf of the
organization. Many of them engage every day with members of
the community, and they can be leveraged as strong municipal
ambassadors when they are well informed and feel engaged.
Clarington prides itself on providing excellent in -person and phone -
based client services to its many residents. A significant part of
providing residents with clear, definitive information, is having
effective internal communications. Communications staff do their
best with limited resources to upload information to The Hub -
Clarington's internal intranet site - to help keep staff informed. They
also provide all -staff emails from time to time.
As is common in many municipalities, external communications is
the priority, and internal communications is left with little focus.
We also see that who is responsible for internal communications
is often unclear. This is the case in Clarington. A vision for internal
communications, with clear roles and responsibilities has not been
established. What is the role of the communications team vs. that
of leaders or other department staff to ensure important Municipal
news is shared and known? Staff report hearing news through
the grapevine, even through public channels like social media or
newspapers.
The Municipality has an intranet site called The Hub, but it is not
consistently used as a central resource by staff. Reaching all staff is
also challenging since some of field, volunteer or seasonal staff, do
not have regular access to a computer or do not have a municipal
email address. They rely heavily on information sharing from
mangers and supervisors, or their peers.
Finally, there's a sense in Clarington that staff from different
departments don't really know each other, especially after the
structural re -alignment of the corporation.
With a clear vision and strategy for internal communications,
opportunities for networking and engagement could help to break
down silos between departments, increase staff morale and sense of
value, and create a stronger sense of one team, one Municipality.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 26
Best Practices
Effective communication can play a pivotal role for a municipality
and provide tangible benefits. It has the power to persuade,
influence, steer, and inspire.
Benefits of Effective Communications for Municipalities
As we have seen across the municipal sector and based on insights
from CAOs, communications leaders and elected officials, when it is
done well, communications can accomplish four significant goals:
1. Increase community trust in local government
• Higher perception of professionalism and coordination
• Greater awareness of how tax dollars are being used
• Greater uptake of programs and services
• Better media coverage; more community champions; increased
positive profile
• Higher engagement
2. Save taxpayer dollars
• Fewer issues, complaints and calls
• Reduced need to engage lawyers for issues management
• Mitigated resistance and project delays
3. Inspire behaviour change, improve service delivery
• Easier to implement change or new behaviours because there is
more buy in and less resistance (e.g., new waste programs)
• Inspire collaboration and influence program changes to better
meet resident needs
• Influence policy changes for more efficiency
4. Improve overall staff morale and trust from elected officials
• Staff feel more informed and engaged
• Become stronger champions for the municipality
• Easier to implement internal changes as needed (for example,
new systems or processes)
• Elected officials are better informed and prepared to speak with
constituents
• There is increased confidence in leadership
- Sara Goldvine, VP Communications and Public Affairs with BC Housing
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington
Overarching Best Practices
To achieve the benefits noted
above and respond to the changing
communications landscape, there are
several best practices that are ideally in
place. These best practices are used as
the baseline for the areas of improvement
in the recommendations that follow.
6. Data and
1
strategic advisor
measurement for
listening and
proven outcomes
5. Effective
tools/room for
innovation
2. Aligned
with corporate
strategic plans
3. Supported by
Ztegic strong internal
' processes
4. Consistent
corporate story/
brand
(Customer Service)
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington
1. Trusted strategic advisor: Effective corporate communications
teams are highly trusted and integrated within the corporation.
They have a seat at leadership tables. They are considered
strategists, not simply tacticians. They are consulted regularly for
strategic advice and input for key decisions. They play a role in
business strategy and can help craft the narrative when issues
arise. As such, they can respond quickly and with quality when
issues arise or advise when not to engage. They play a critical role
in the organization's risk management team.
2. Aligned with corporate goals and strategic plans:
Communications work should be guided by a corporate strategic
communications plan (including a social media and public
engagement strategies) that aligns with corporate priorities and
sets clear direction to teams. These plans are ideally endorsed by
Council and allow communications to support every department
in achieving their priorities, actions and objectives.
3. Supported by strong internal processes: Every department
across an organization should understand the role of
communications, how and when to engage them and
the policies that guide them. Strong processes instill a
communications mindset that means communications is brought
in early to project, is seen as a priority, and there is recognition
that everyone has a role to play as a communicator for the
municipality. Communicators are highly collaborative and should
work hand in hand with every department and division.
4. Consistent corporate story/brand: A brand speaks to who the
organization is and what it stands for. A strong brand is achieved
through consistency: in the messaging and story, and the look
and feel of all materials. A strong brand has a clear voice and
tone that comes through in every interaction. This is where
communications overlaps and aligns with customer service. Both
play a significant role in listening and responding to those they
serve, and they should be integrated to ensure they are telling
the same story and supporting each other.
5. Effective tools and room for innovation: Communication
teams should be highly innovative, trying new approaches and
technologies, pushing boundaries within their mandate and
continuously improving. They should be on top of the latest
trends (for example, with social media) and technologies and
supported by a culture that is willing to step outside the box.
6. Data and measurement for listening and proven outcomes:
Communicators should be driven by data and able to
demonstrate the value they bring through measured outcomes,
not simply outputs. For example, they should be listening to
audiences to understand how they consume content and use
that data to inform approaches. They should be able to show
increased influence on social media and the ability to manage
negativity and keep it at bay. They should have the ability to
leverage media and increase coverage that is accurate and
aligned with messaging. They should also be able to demonstrate
how they have prevented an issue or managed it well before it
became a crisis.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 29
Analysis
Based on the research, Redbrick has conducted a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities,
Challenges analysis. This analysis informs the recommendations in this report.
-
VIII 7A - , 1 WIN-1
• Dedicated team of communicators, some with design backgrounds
Departments work in silos. There's a lack of shared knowledge and
and communications expertise who care about their role at the
clear understanding about the role of communications.
municipality.
• Despite limited resources, the puts out a high quantity and variety of
Some departments feel it would be beneficial to have a person in their
communications materials. They want to be innovative, creative, and
own department who have permission to post to social media, for
publish high -quality work.
example, but they feel there is a lack of trust in being able to do that.
• The CAO and council see the value of communications and support
Departments do not consistently involve communications early
the enhancement of the department.
enough in projects. Communications/design is sometimes rushed
and/or ends up not being as timely as it could be.
• Staff in other departments want to work with communications
Processes to engage communications are not clear. Not all
to share the news and accomplishments from their respective
departments use the same approach to connect with the
departments.
communications team. Some use the form, others call, others walk
into the office.
• Strategic Planning process has identified stronger communications
Branding isn't always consistent and could be stronger
and public engagement as high priorities and key themes.
• Opportunity to build a stronger two-way connection between
Stronger processes and policies are needed to set clearer expectations,
communications and customer service staff to improve the pulse on
common understanding of timelines and stronger collaboration and
the community, flag issues early, identify areas where the community
communications amongst the communications team itself and with
needs more information
departments
• Current communications efforts are not tied to annual business plans.
Annual planning calendars and regular meetings with departments
would make communications more strategic and aligned corporately
• Day-to-day operational work is the main focus of the team. There are
missed opportunities to tell more strategic and meaningful corporate
stories
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 30
OPPORTUNITIES
• Meetings with each department head to develop a communications
Both internally and externally, it's felt the website is not effective nor
calendar, whether it be monthly, bi-monthly, annually, etc. will help
easily navigable. Currently no internal resources to do a full evaluation
with flow of timely messaging, and allow the department to plan
and revamp of the website.
ahead.
• Regular reporting to council will help demonstrate the value for
Population growth is happening quickly, putting a lot of demand
investments in communications and help the community understand
and increased pressure on communications staff. There's a risk of staff
the effort taken to reach various audiences
burnout with no additional resources, or the inability to meet growing
resident needs.
• Public is generally engaged and if consulted, would provide data to
Current practices do not consistently include measurement and
inform communications priorities and level of current success
evaluation of success, missing opportunities for lessons learned and
continuous improvement.
• Staff in other departments want to work with communications
Processes to engage communications are not clear. Not all
to share the news and accomplishments from their respective
departments use the same approach to connect with the
departments.
communications team. Some use the form, others call, others walk
into the office.
• Can capitalize on social media as an effective communications tool.
A mixed demographic demands broader communications efforts. A
Opportunity to expand into video eventually.
mix of print and digital. There's a feeling that the older population isn't
on social media. There is currently limited data to determine the most
effective approach to reach audiences.
• Can share stories and humanize staff as"neighbours"doing good
Fast growing community means that Clarington needs to be proactive
everyday work in the community. Similarly, the municipality has many
in telling the story of well managed growth and development.
positive stories to share achievements and progress and value for
taxpayers' dollars.
• Great relationship with local media. Content is clean, photos are
Current processes are limited for proactive issues management. As
high quality. Opportunity to leverage further and have more content
community demands and engagement increase, as will the need for
published.
stronger issues management processes.
• Trust in local government has decreased since the pandemic. The
Municipality will need to strengthen its visibility and proactive
communications to build greater trust over time.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 31
Recommendations
Based on our research, best practices, sector knowledge and key findings, the Municipality of Clarington has
a number of factors to consider when planning to enhance the communications function going forward.
Redbrick recommends the following seven priorities and associated actions.
Recommendations are rated using the following scale of priority:
High = next 6 months to 1 year
Medium = next 1 to 2 years
Low = 2 to 3 years
Best Practice Areas of Improvement
Each recommendation and action below aligns with the municipal communications best practices identified
earlier in this report.
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1.Trusted 2. Aligned
strategic with corporate
advisor strategic plans
6. Data and
measurement
for listening and
proven
outcomes
5. Effective
tools/room for
innovation
3. Supported by
strong internal
processes
4. Consistent
corporate story/
brand
(Customer
Carviral
1
Trusted strategic advisor
2
Aligned with corporate plans
3
Supported by internal processes
4
Consistent corporate story/brand
5
Effective tools /room for innovation
6
Data and Measurement for proven outcomes
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 32
Priority #1: Strengthen the communications team structure
Description/high level current state: Clarington is currently supported by four communications staff, under the
manager of strategic initiatives. For the size of the municipality, Clarington's staff complement is smaller than that
of like -sized municipalities. It is currently under-resourced and becoming overwhelmed. Roles and responsibilities
are unclear, with missed opportunities to provide greater strategic value to the organization, including effective and
proactive issues management response, and to keep up with social media and other technological trends.
Following the table below is a proposed communications team structure for the Municipality of Clarington.
Risks
• Weakened Municipal brand and reputation
• Missed opportunities to respond quickly and effectively to
merging issues
• Lack of clarity surrounding roles and responsibilities leaves gaps
that allow misunderstandings, inefficiencies and an increased risk
of staff error and oversights
• Consistent reactive approach
• Not meeting legislative requirements. Legislation impacting
municipalities continues to evolve, communications staff must
ensure that the Municipality meets several requirements under
the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA)
including creating and providing information in accessible
formats and meeting website accessibility standards. Other
Ontario municipalities have received fines as the result of a
complaint filed about communications activities related to the
Act, specifically website accessibility
Staff burnout as demands continue to increase leading to
lowered staff morale as well as increased risk of staff turnover and
the associated Human Resources costs
• Inability to keep up with changing technology, trends and
updated channel algorithms leading to a failure to implement the
best practice standards of comparable municipalities
Benefits
• Greater alignment with corporate priorities and a more strategic
approach
• Increased ability for proactive communications and connection
with departments
• More capacity for consistent coverage and backfilling
• Broader reach and stronger community building
• Strengthened customer service; consistency of information to the
public; early issues mitigation
• Improved capacity to respond in the event of an emergency or
crisis impacting the municipality.
• A senior communications practitioner will provide the skills and
leadership experience necessary to fulfil the legislated role of
Public Information Officer under The Emergency Management
and Civil Protection Act and provide strategic communications
leadership to the Municipality's emergency response team.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 33
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Add greater capacity to the
Other like -sized municipalities have greater
Council/CAO
H
1,2,3
communications team and
communications FTE complements. Refer to chart on
enhance the Municipality's
page 24 of the report.
approach to public engagement
through the creation of two
The Municipality is missing a senior practitioner to work
net -new positions and the re-
closely with departments, work on high -profile and
alignment of existing Manager
sensitive initiatives and provide guidance for public
position:
engagement, to strengthen the Municipality's ability to
• A senior practitioner in the
anticipate issues, get out in front of them with strategic
role of Communications
positioning, and provide oversight to the leadership and
and Public Engagement
others.
Supervisor
• A Communications and Public
This person can also be the starting point to provide
Engagement Officer
greater oversight to and enhance the Municipality's
• A Digital Communications
public engagement efforts.
Coordinator (discussed
below)
In other municipalities, Communications Officers (or
Advisors) work closely with departments, develop
strategy, positioning and key messaging. They are
strong writers and create plans to meet department
goals and objectives. In Clarington, there is a need to
elevate this function and add more capacity to meet
departmental needs. The proposed organizational chart
also includes a second position that could be considered
in the future.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 34
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Realign the structure in the
To reach audiences, content needs to be timely, visual
CAO/Manager
H
1,2,3
following ways:
and engaging. Departments rely on this content to
of Strategic
• Differentiate strategic
help share their messages and information. Research
Initiatives
communications roles and
shows demands for this content in increasing across
tactical roles, yet ensure
every organization. Graphic designers and digital
collaboration
media specialists play a significant role. A Supervisor
• Create a Creative Services
of Creative Services will be able to capture incoming
Supervisor role for stronger
requests and see them through to completion ensuring
project management, quality
all timelines and quality standards are met.
assurance
Communications plays a leading role in protecting
the reputation of the Municipality and demonstrating
value for taxpayers'dollars. Clear, professional, timely
communications help get you there.
Strategic communicators develop strategies, manage
projects, and confidently lead municipalities through
the communications process from concept and
positioning to evaluating results and reporting back
to Council. Graphic designers and digital coordinators
bring them to life. These areas must be highly
connected and collaborative to be effective and deliver
the highest value.
• Note: Based on best practice and the intended role
of communications staff in issues management,
communications staff are ideally not part of the union
given the need for and importance of them having
access to confidential information especially for issues
management, such as union negotiations or labour
strikes.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 35
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Increase the team's capacity for
To become a more modern organization, digital and
Manager
H
4,5,6
digital media and data analysis
visual storytelling is more important than ever. Being
of Strategic
- hire a Digital Communications
able to create engaging content, appropriate for the
Initiatives
Coordinator.
channels used, and understand and interpret analytics
and data are critical.
Websites are a central information source, as is social
media. On these channels, algorithms are regularly
updated. Adding additional digital capacity is critical to
keep up with trends, tools and best practices and inform
best use of these channels and meet AODA standards.
The Municipality needs additional capacity in this area.
Enhance the Municipality's ability
Across the board, municipalities are investing in digital
Manager
L
4,5
to create video and multi -media
communications expertise on their teams to keep
of Strategic
content. Clarington can either:
up with trends and meet community expectations.
Initiatives
• hire for an in-house resource
Statistics clearly show that video content is more
• budget to engage third
engaging, highly shared and easily remembered.
parties as needed
Municipalities are adding greater capacity in this
area. As Clarington thinks about the future of the
team, adding more capacity for video creation will be
important.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 36
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Strengthen the link between
Many municipalities now have communications and
CAO, Manager
M
1,3,4
Communications and Customer
customer service under the same director. Their work
of Strategic
Service: consider having these
aligns as both areas support the other, both have a
Initiatives
two areas in the same division - or
pulse on the community and both provide information
creating a dotted line reporting
to the public.
to ensure regular collaboration.
Communications advisors create the key messages
customer service staff need to deliver to the public in
order to ensure a high standard of customer service,
accuracy and efficiency.
Customer Service staff track public complaints,
compliments and feedback and Communications
Advisors rely on this information to inform
communications strategies that will be effective for the
municipality. Customer Service staff are often the first
to become aware of a shift in public opinion on specific
Municipal programs or services. This information helps
communicators and departments identify opportunities
to enhance public consultation and strengthen public
education.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 37
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Establish regular connections
These areas are outward facing and engage audiences.
Manager
H
1,2,3
between the Mayor's office and
To ensure consistency across the organization, these
of Strategic
Economic Development.
areas must work collaboratively with communications
Initiatives,
on a regular basis.
Mayor,
Director of
Staff in the Mayor's office are often the first to
Planning and
become aware of political issues emerging within
Development
the community. As such, an effective and efficient
relationship is needed to ensure the Mayor and
Council are properly briefed and provided with staff
communications support as/when needed.
Mayor's office staff can act as a go between to
report Council's questions/concerns about ongoing
communications work to streamline processes and
eliminate duplication of effort by the Mayor and
individual Councillors.
While economic development operates with its own
dedicated communication/marketing resource, their
work directly impacts the tax base. Messaging should
be consistent, aligned, and complimentary to ensure
both communications and economic development
are working as efficiently as possible to attract new
residents, visitors, investors and businesses to the area.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington
Proposed communications team structure
Strong
Stron
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 39
Priority #2: Strengthen Clarington's issues / risk management approach
Description/high level current state: During the internal interviews, a common theme was related to the need for stronger
issues management processes and more proactive responses. Issues and risk are related. When issues are not well managed, there
is greater risk to the organization: its reputation, trust from the community, and there can be possible legal ramifications. When
we train, we say "issues management starts today.' The more a municipality can build community champions, proactively prepare
responses, keep Council informed, increase trust through positive action, and build stronger relationships, the easier it is to manage
issues when they arise.
Issues and risks such as cyber attacks, more severe weather events, discussing sensitive topics like housing and homelessness, are
all examples of common issues that have been increasing in frequency, complexity and in some cases, severity, over the past few
years. Municipalities need to be prepared to respond and be setting a proactive foundation for these conversations.
In the event that a municipal emergency response is needed, the Municipality of Clarington will need a senior communications
professional with the specific skillset required to lead the organization through difficult times at a moment's notice. This position
needs the flexibility to work hours outside of typical union contracts and must have the authority to access confidential documents
as the emergency response strategy may require.
Risks
• Reduced trust and diminished reputation
• Possible legal liability
• Fueled anger on social media
• Increased staff time required to manage complaints and customer
service inquiries
• More demand on elected officials to manage public complaints and
inquiries
• If staff don't feel they are being appropriately protected and
supported by management when issues occur, the municipality
risks increased union complaints, staff burnout and staff turnover,
along with reduced job satisfaction, productivity and loss of trust
• Inability to appropriately monitor, evaluate and prepare to
proactively respond to issues with current staff compliment
Benefits
• Mitigated legal liability
• Fewer complaints
• Reduced staff time spent responding to public inquiries
• Saves time and money by preventing issues from becoming crises
• Enhances ability to provide effective crisis management
• Greater public satisfaction with the work of staff and elected
officials
Sample risk factors for consideration
Internal Risk Factors
New personnel
External Risk Factors
Economic environment
Change in management responsibilities
Change in legislation or regulations
New programs and/or systems
Change in technologies
Changes in controls
Community and resident needs or
expectations
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 40
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Ensure roles, responsibilities, approach,
An issues briefing note for Council is a proven
Communica-
H
1,3,4
standards and processes are clearly defined
tool to build greater trust between Council
tions and
and Council is well informed.
and staff, share key messaging and help with
departments
consistency, and demonstrate there is a plan
Continue to rollout and use the established
in place and action being taken to address
Council issues briefing note template
the issue.
to all departments to ensure it is used
consistently.
Develop a phased issues management
Most issues are known or can be anticipated.
Communica-
M
1,2,3,4
strategy (building on the draft currently
When they are identified early or ahead
tions and
being created) following a 3-step process
of time, processes and messaging can be
departments
for improving issues and risk mitigation
in place to help with quick response and
from a communications lens:
confidence across the organization.
1. Identify top issues and concerns
Clarington's residents have or the
Municipality has faced. These can
include regular occurrences such as
watermain breaks.
2. Assess their level of risk related to
how likely they are to happen, and
their consequences or impact on the
organization or community.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 41
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
3. Prepare to manage the risk. As a starting
point, choose three for which to develop
pre -approved related key messaging
and materials based on the impact level
(media releases, social media content,
photos etc.). Keep in mind that one
topic may have different impact levels.
For example, if a watermain break is
on a busy, main road, the impact and
response will need to be greater than if
on a side street.
Over time, follow the same process and
build on the issues covered.
Include Customer Service staff as part of the
As indicated above, collaboration between
CAO
H
2,3,4
issues management process.
Customer Service and Communications can
• Establish the expectation the
help to identify issues early, mitigate them
communications and customer service
and ensure consistent messaging is shared if
operate collaboratively as a team.
they do occur.
• Set up weekly meetings with
communications to share call trends
For some municipalities, the customer
and potentially flag issues or find
service division is being integrated as part
opportunities to strengthen messaging
of communications divisions. In some case,
to mitigate issues.
where relationships between managers are
• When issues arise, share messaging with
strong, this reorganization is not necessary.
customer service staff as a matter of
Regardless of the approach, ongoing
course.
collaboration is critical.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 42
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
If appropriate, reach out to moderators of
The spread of misinformation on social media
Communica-
M
4,5
local social media groups and channels
is a challenge for every municipality. Some,
tions
to identify opportunities to correct
like the City of Kawartha Lakes, are finding
misinformation and guide members of the
some success in reaching out to local group
public to Municipal facts.
moderators in an effort to correct inaccurate
information and set up processes to guide
• Note, this requires some political acuity,
the community to the facts. It will take time
and sensitivity related to how open or
to build trust, but it can be an important step
closed the moderator may be to authentic
forward with key and influential members of
dialogue with government.
the community.
This section is included twice because of
As indicated above, as Clarington plans for
CAO,
L
1,5
its potential for communications. Artificial
the future, it cannot ignore that Al tools
department
Intelligence tools, like ChatGPT or
are advancing rapidly. They are already
heads, com-
Microsoft CoPilot, can be used to support
being adopted for customer service and
munications
communications and writing efficiency.
will be used increasingly over time for
However, they need to be used with caution
communications and writing - and not only
and cannot replace communications
by communications staff.
expertise and strategic thinking.
While Al can assist in communications
Clarington's leaders, with communications
efficiency, it is important that municipalities
at the table, should develop clear policies
consider the risks. These tools are machines,
and corporate expectations around their
not humans. They miss nuance, tone and
use.
context. They can be used as a starting
point, if desired, but caution and policies are
needed to guide their use. Communications
professionals must be at the table when
these policies are being considered.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 43
Priority #3: Invest in more purposeful public engagement
Description/high level current state: As indicated, public engagement has become a significant area of focus for
municipalities. Many are putting more investment in this area to meet increased expectations from their communities
to have a voice in local decision making. Effective engagement takes resources and commitment, which can pay
off in greater community trust, stronger decision making and strengthened connection with key stakeholders.
Communications often support, and in some cases, lead public engagement. They can help promote opportunities,
ensure participants are well informed and provide strategic advice and counsel on approach.
At Clarington, currently public engagement is led by departments that may have mandates to engage, such as Planning,
or ad hoc based on the impact of the initiative. A more proactive, strategic approach will ensure a more consistent and
meaningful approach going forward.
Risks
• Reduced trust
• Misunderstanding of the decision -making process
• Greater community resistance
• Not reaching key impacted audiences, or missing opportunities
to engage with Indigenous or other equity seeking groups
• Increased risk of FOI requests when residents feel the
municipality is being dishonest, not disclosing important
information or not listening to what the community wants
• Increased staff and political time required to respond to
questions and concerns, increased amount of Council meeting
deputations and correspondence when people don't understand
work that the municipality is undertaking, and how it impacts
them
Benefits
• Greater trust
• Exceeding legislative requirements
• More community champions and strengthened relationships
with key audiences
• Better meeting the needs of equity seeking groups and ensuring
they have a voice and do not feel ignored
• Increased effectiveness and efficiency when there is a dedicated
team with experience and expertise overseeing and advising on
public engagement projects, as opposed to department staff
leading projects on an ad hoc basis.
• Improved decision making that takes into greater consideration,
the community's input
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 44
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Best Practice
Level
Area(s) of
Improvement
Clarify the organization's goals
Different municipalities have taken different approaches
Council, CAO
H
1,2,4
and expectations related to
in the development of their public engagement
public engagement, as per the
frameworks and toolkits. Clarington will need to clarify
new strategic plan.
their level of commitment and promise to the public
when it comes to engagement.
Examples:
City of Burlington Community Engagement Charter,
which is an agreement between Council and citizens.
City of Kingston public engagement documents
Build up public engagement
IAP2 is recognized as the global gold standard for public
Communica-
H
1,2
expertise and skillsets across the
engagement. Municipalities across the country have
tions
organization. Ensure at least one
adopted their model as the foundation of their work.
staff is trained and certified by
Certified staff can be leveraged to help others across the
the International Association of
organization strategically plan, implement and close out
Public Participation (IAP2).
engagement initiatives to increase trust between local
government and those they serve.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 45
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Identify populations that
Municipalities must ensure they offer opportunities for
CAO,
H
1,2,
are commonly missed in
all members of their communities to be heard and have
Department
engagement initiatives. (This
a voice. The Municipality should consider who may be
heads,
could include Indigenous or
being missed during typical engagement exercises to
communica-
other equity seeking groups.)
find out directly from representatives of these groups,
tions
Develop a strategy to engage
how best to engage them in the future. This exercise
them in how best they can be
must be inclusive of non-native English speakers.
reached and engaged in the
future to strengthen their voice
and ties with the Municipality.
Build on the Municipality's Public
Easy -to -use planning templates can help municipal staff
Communica-
H
3,5
Engagement Framework and
strategically plan for public engagement. It ensures
tions
enhance the toolkit section to
they will close the loop once engagement is complete,
assist in easier planning and
which is the most common gap in achieving meaningful
implementation.
engagement. Clarington's current framework is a
good start. It can be enhanced following some of the
examples above (e.g., Kingston).
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 46
Priority #4: Increase positive storytelling, the ability to communicate
quickly and share timely factual information
Description/high level current state: Audiences are inundated with content. Speed trumps accuracy, and while
municipalities approve text, audiences are consuming and creating their own content. At the same time, the media
landscape has changed, with fewer newspapers and reporters. Attention spans have decreased. It's important
that municipalities become their own newsrooms, tell their own story and have processes that ensure they can
communicate quickly.
Risks
• Reduced trust
• Missed opportunities to share Municipal achievements
• Spread of misinformation and greater difficulty to correct it
• Social media users expect a more immediate response than
traditional forms of interaction, delayed response time can be
perceived as poor customer service
Benefits
• Increased understanding of the value for taxpayers' dollars
• Ability to share factual information
• More engaging and timely content - more engagement on social
media
• Improved rates of public satisfaction and community
engagement with the municipality
• Positive community stories promote community pride and social
involvement
• Opportunity to share positive municipal stories and project wins
that traditional media may not share
• When you identify the information that is most important to your
audience, present it in an engaging way, and in a timely manner,
you ensure that it will be useful to the community you serve and
shared more broadly with others
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 47
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Best Practice
Level
Area(s) of
Improvement
Leverage the new strategic
Strategic plans define mission, visions and values. These
Communica-
M
1,2,4
plan to develop consistent
foundational organizational pieces can be used to
tions
corporate messages to be used in
develop the corporate story that becomes embedded in
communications materials.
communications materials, speeches etc. as appropriate.
Clarington's coming new strategic plan is an
opportunity to leverage the work and feedback from
the community to root a stronger, consistent Municipal
story.
Leverage regular meetings with
Consistent feedback from staff is that the community
Communica-
M
2,4
departments to mine good news
does not see all the good work the Municipality delivers
tions,
stories and content. Identify key
every day. Regular connections with departments and
department
staff, and support them in how to
setting up staff to take quality photos will help tell these
staff
take quality photos.
stories more consistently.
Develop a social media strategy
Social media is an important tool to engage audiences,
Communica-
M
3,5
to ensure the purposeful
including the media, and to manage issues. The
tions
use of these channels, target
Municipality should take a step back to review their
audiences and clarify roles and
current use of social media, and develop a strategy to
responsibilities.
enhance their approach and consider which tools will
bring the greatest value.
Respondents to the public survey indicated that they
are on Facebook, but more than half do not follow the
Municipality. Staff also indicated that youth are a key
audience being missed. There are opportunities to
improve content based on each channel's strength. If a
new digital media person is added to the team, they can
support this work.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 48
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Once a strategy is established,
As above, respondents to the public survey indicated
Communica-
M
4,5,6
increase promotion of the
that they are on Facebook, but more than half do not
tions
Municipality's channels.
follow the Municipality. More awareness is needed as to
where the Municipality is active.
Create and continue to build up
Municipalities need to tell their local story. This includes
Communica-
M
4,5
a photo library with local photos
visually. As part of the Municipality's efforts to create
tions, possible
during all seasons, staff at work,
more authentic content, continually building on
department
municipal facilities and assets,
Clarington's library of local photos will help create
staff
fleets (such as snowplows). This
stronger content and demonstrate how the Municipality
can include:
is connected with its community.
• Allotting time to
communications staff to take
local shots on a regular basis
• Hiring a photographer two to
three times a year
• Offer photo contests for
members of the community
to share local photos
• Training identified staff who
work in the field on how to
take a good picture
• Reaching out to local service
groups and organizations for
event and community photos.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 49
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Humanize staff where possible:
There is a growing trend in municipalities to create more
Communica-
L
2,4,5
• Take photos or simple video
"human" content, showcase their staff and have a more
tions,
of staff in action in the
authentic and approachable voice.
department
community to share on social
staff
media
This can be done simply, by taking photos of a staff
• Build opportunities as part of
person putting up a new stop sign for road safety for
communications plans
example, or it can be more in depth by taking video and
• Consider identifying three
having different staff as spokespeople - with guidance
or four staff to profile on
from communications.
social media and share the
Municipal story
These stories also help establish a positive culture
• Look for opportunities to
where staff effort and contributions are celebrated and
share "behind -the -scenes"
recognized.
stories and footage: e.g., host
a "Touch a Truck" event or
Examples:
show firefighters in training.
The City of Cambridge shared photos and video of
one of their custodial staff to talk about the work he
does every day to keep facilities maintained and in
good working order.
• The City of Kingston uses their Public Works
manager for a regular feature called PW this Week.
He shows where construction is taking place, why
and what roads to avoid.
• The Township of Lake of Bays featured their Director
Finance in a humorous Twitter video reading a
long list of all the infrastructure and assets the
municipality is responsible for, to highlight the
importance and value of good asset management
practices.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 50
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Create a video strategy for the
As indicated above, video content is more engaging
Communica-
L
2,4,5
Municipality taking a phased
and attracts more viewers. It is by far more highly
tions
approach to build up more video
shared with others. The Municipality should take a more
content over time and increase
strategic approach to video and look for opportunities
the community's awareness of
over the coming years to develop more video content.
how the municipality is delivering
It should be a mix of informal video and more
value:
professional.
• Ideas: Base them on top
questions or concerns,
identity one to two topics for
which to develop a video as a
starting point and build from
there.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 51
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Investigate and put guidelines
As Clarington plans for the future, it cannot ignore
Communica-
L
1,5
in place for the use of ChatGPT,
that Al tools are advancing rapidly. They will be used
tions
Microsoft CoPilot, or other
increasingly over time to create content and automate
artificial intelligence tools
responses to public inquiries and draft content. Their
to support communications
level of sophistication is still evolving. Some tools better
efficiency. However, they need
than others. It is an area that is changing rapidly.
to be used with caution and
intentionally with appropriate
Some communications professionals and other staff
policies in place.
are starting to use ChatGPT and other tools to generate
ideas, create early drafts or consider approaches for
Also discussed in the Issues
graphics and photos.
Management section below.
While Al can assist in communications and writing
efficiency, it is important that municipalities consider
the risks. These tools are machines, not humans. They
miss nuance, tone and context. They can be used as
a starting point, if desired, but caution and policies
are needed to guide their use. Communications
professionals must be at the table when these policies
are being considered.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 52
Priority #5: Establish a stronger communications mindset across the organization
Description/high level current state: High -functioning communications teams are at leadership tables, are brought in early to
projects, have processes and policies that are well understood across the organization, and use tools to help them track, monitor
and report on communications activities and priorities. The Municipality of Clarington has been putting effort into improving
communications practices and clarifying roles and expectations. This work can be further enhanced so communications is kept
top of mind across all departments.
Risks
Benefits
• Frustrated community because communications are reactive, not Greater trust in the Municipality - higher perception it is well
timely nor strategic managed
• More complaints and issues to manage creating increased Strengthened risk management across the organization
demands on staff, and further frustrating community members as Stronger messaging with more time for strategic positioning and
response time are impacted anticipating reaction or questions
• Greater risk for misinformation and additional staff time Greater reach because audiences are thought through up front,
and Mayor/Councillor time required to address and correct and enough time is allotted to leverage and create the tactics
misinformation
• Departments not engaging communications and doing their own
leading to inconsistencies and inefficient use of staff resources
across the organization
that will reach target groups
• Improved collaboration, reporting and information sharing
between municipal departments, communicators and elected
officials
• Allows the municipality to provide enhanced value to taxpayers
by streamlining communications processes and ensuring the
right staff, with the right skillset, are involved in communications
projects at the right time
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 53
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Once the Communication
Educating staff across the organization about the role
Communica-
M
1,3,4
and Public Engagement
of communications, expectations for engagement,
tions,
Supervisor is in place, roll out a
and processes is the first step in building a stronger
Supervisor,
"communications road show"and
communications mindset.
departments
increase the visibility of the team
and expectations.
Once the supervisor is in place, that person should
become visible across all departments, start building
relationships and setting the tone and expectations
for how communications and departments will work
together strategically and collaboratively.
Implement strategic
Many teams follow project management approaches.
Communica-
H
1,2,3
communications practices across
Communications should be embedded into these
tions
the organization, build into
existing processes. For example:
Supervisor/
existing project management
Communications is identified as a representative on
Officer,
processes where appropriate.
the project team
departments
• A communications lead participates in kick-off
meetings and processes
• Communications and engagement plans are
developed and part of the scope for all projects
• Success measures, risk assessment plans,
stakeholder matrixes all include communications
input
• Communications regularly monitors public/audience
reaction and reports back to the project team to
make any needed adjustments
• Project close out reports include communications
analytics, lessons learned and successes
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 54
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Build off the Creative Services
Clear guidelines, tools and standards help departments
Communica-
H
2,3,4,5
Catalogue and MatrixToolkit
and communications to work together more efficiently.
tions,
currently under development
A toolkit that lays out these expectations helps
to ensure it details the role of
give clarity and establish a consistent approach to
communications, how they are
communications planning and implementation.
to be engaged and includes a
communications brief/checklist
for all projects, common tactics
and their associated timelines,
close out reports.
At the beginning of each year
High -functioning communications teams have
Manager
H
2,3,6
or after the budget has been
established processes for departments and
of Strategic
passed, establish meetings
communications to connect regularly. Once the budget
Initiatives,
between communications and
is passed, departments tend to develop their annual
Department
each department to discuss
business workplans. This is an important opportunity
heads
and map out needs for the year
to engage communications and start to map out the
ahead.
year ahead and working collaboratively to set early
expectations of where communications may be needed,
how they may be involved and what resources may
be needed. It's the first step in taking a more proactive
approach.
Once in agreement, projects can be mapped out and
tracked in Monday.com.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 55
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Best Practice
Level
Area(s) of
Improvement
When the Communications
As above, regular, established meetings with
Communica-
H
1,2,3
Supervisor and Officer roles are
departments are critical to create a communications
tions,
in place, establish bi-weekly
mindset and ensure communications is kept top
department
or monthly meetings with
of mind. Departments with high communications
managers
department leads for planning
needs should be meeting more frequently with
and collaboration.
communications to stay on top of needs.
Establish and approve a schedule
Before and since the pandemic, Days of Recognition
CAO, Manager
H/M
2,4
of regular Days of Recognition
have become important to build community and for
of Strategic
calendar (e.g., National Day for
municipalities to demonstrate all are welcome. Often,
Initiatives,
Truth and Reconciliation, Pride
deciding which days to recognize is challenging.
Department
Month).
Having intentional discussions around these days is
heads
important to help communications staff be proactive
and prepared.
Develop a 15-month
Much municipal work is cyclical and can been
Manager of
M
1,2,3,5
communications and social
anticipated and scheduled well in advance. 15-month
Strategic
media planning calendars that
calendars ensure communications is planning ahead,
Initiatives
map out seasonal and annual
has the resources needed and is always thinking a year
occurrences (e.g., winter road
in advance to continually improve content. (e.g., in year
maintenance, festivals), and
one, they may not have strong photos of snowplows.
upcoming projects.
They can take those pictures that year to use in future
years.)
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 56
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Better leverage Monday.com
Monday.com can be used as a powerful tool to manage
Manager
H
3,5,6
for project initiation, tracking,
communications efforts. The risk is that the tool is
of Strategic
resource management, priority
too tactical in nature. It is important to differentiate
Initiatives,
setting, collaboration with
between tactical needs, such as webpage updates, with
communica-
departments.
strategic needs, such as the launch of a new initiative
tions
• Establish the communications
that requires a proper communications plan.
form (which links to Monday)
as the way to engage and
The team can leverage'boards'for larger projects or
initiate projects, not just
for department planning, assigning annual campaigns,
tactical requests.
Days of Recognition etc.
• Review the form to ensure
all necessary information
The data and information from Monday.com can also
is captured and leverage
support conversations with department heads about
the information to guide
setting project priorities and reporting back to Council
conversations and approach
on communications achievements and workload.
with communications and
departments.
• Provide regular reports to
leaders and Council.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 57
Priority #6: Place more focus on internal communications across the corporation
Description/high level current state: Staff are the Municipality's strongest ambassadors and communicators. They have pride in what
they do and when valued, the Municipality benefits. Many staff also engage with members of the community every day, and when
informed and engaged, they can broaden the Municipality's reach with factual information and build stronger connections with the
community. At Clarington, internal communications has lacked focus and priority. While there is an intranet called The Hub, posting
content to the site is not consistent. It is unclear who provides oversight for internal communications and what the expectations are across
departments.
Currently staff receive more information informally and is largely dependent on the ability of their manager or supervisor to share updates.
More tools are available to support internal communications and reach all staff. The expectations of different generations also play a role
and should be taken into consideration. (Refer to chart.)
Risks
• Low staff morale
• Reduced retention
• Increased risk of miscommunication due to informal "broken
telephone" style information sharing between staff
• When internal communication is not clear and consistent it leaves
room for rumours and speculation to fill the gaps
• Missed opportunities to leverage staff as important ambassadors
for the Municipality
• Tension between union and non -union staff can develop through
inconsistent internal communication processes
• Reduced ability for staff to embrace big picture thinking when
departments work in silos and fail to communicate effectively
• Cross -departmental projects are more difficult to manage and
less efficient when departments do not have an established
working relationship built on trust and productive internal
communications
Benefits
• Increased sensed of staff belonging and value
• Increased staff job satisfaction, leading to less staff turnover and
the associated recruitment and training costs
• Staff feel safe to share ideas for continuous improvement and
become more engaged in their work
• Increased productivity
• Increased capacity and effectiveness of cross -departmental
teams
• Increased organizational knowledge and improved attendance
at internal staff events when staff engage with corporate
communications materials
From the City of Dryden's 2020 Service Delivery Review report by Blackline Consulting
(page 32)
Traditional
Baby Boomer
Generation x
Millennial
Generation Z
W
E
'ICI''''
NINO
0
Phone Calls
Phone Calls
voicemail
Instant Message
FaceTime
®
W
up
09
M
Letters
Fare -to -Face
TEEd
Tend
Text
Personal Notes
Email
Email
Email
Face -to -Face
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 58
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Create an Internal
Effective and meaningful internal communications takes
Communi-
M
2,3,4
Communications and
commitment, resourcing and action. Municipalities that
cations, and
Engagement Working Group
put focused effort on internal communications and
HR - strategy
with representatives from
building a positive culture benefit in many ways, from
approved by
all departments to develop
improved productivity, higher morale, greater retention
senior
an internal communications
and more.
leadership
strategy.
The best way to develop an internal strategy is to
The strategy should detail:
better understand staff needs and to have it driven by
• Goals and objectives
staff. They can brainstorm opportunities to enhance
• Measurements of success
internal communications and engagement, including
• Clear roles and
approaches, tools, ideas for improved recognition,
responsibilities, recognizing
regular touchpoints, networking opportunities, etc.
staff across all departments
have accountability
Leadership support is critical to success. Leaders are role
• Strategies and tactics to
models, set the tone and establish priority. All leaders
reach and recognize all staff
must buy in to the strategy and support its rollout for it
- regardless of workplace
to be effective and successful.
location, full/part-time or
volunteer etc.
Communications and HR can co-chair this group.
Example: The Town of Newmarket has long emphasized
the importance of internal communication and
engagement. It is built into their values and it is part of
building trust across the organization. Staff are engaged
to inform, drive and participate in the internal strategy.
Sample tactics include a staff newsletter created by staff
"reporters , coffee with the CAO, staff appreciation days
and much more. As the communications director says,
there is a"continuous sprinkling"of internal touchpoints
and a commitment to leader visibility, strong
recognition practices, and listening to employees.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 59
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Best Practice
Level
Area(s) of
Improvement
Develop an internal
Putting a policy in place emphasizes the importance
Communica-
M
2
communications policy based
of internal communications and expectations for staff
tions, and HR
on the strategy. It should include
across the organization.
how The Hub is used, ability to
use other tools like Yammer or
Microsoft Teams, recognition etc.
Develop and send a weekly
Based on survey results, all -staff emails have been an
CAO, with
M
2,4
update email from the CAO.
effective tool to share information. A brief, weekly email
support from
from the CAO can provide timely information and keep
communica-
It can be piloted to start and
staff up to date with latest news from the Municipality.
tions
then after a 6 to 8-month period
It also helps the leader be more visible across the
reviewed for effectiveness.
organization and role model the importance of internal
communications.
Example: the City of Kawartha Lakes sends a Friday
Update to all staff. It is backed by a Management
Directive that all leaders ensure their teams have
seen the email week to week - in some cases they are
expected to print and share it with their teams.
Develop a staff recognition
Staff recognition is a critical part of building positive
Leadership,
M
strategy that aligns with the
staff morale and staff feeling valued. Recognition should
HR, internal
internal communications
take many forms, from formal long-term service awards,
staff represen-
strategy.
to informal, day-to-day thank yous.
tatives
As Clarington look to enhance its internal
communications, intentional thought recognition
should be considered and included in plans.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 60
Priority #7: Enhance Clarington's brand consistency
Description/high level current state: An organization's brand tells you what it does and what it stands for. Each element of
the brand contributes to the overall impression others have. As a part of the brand, the logo is important to conveying the
professionalism and personality of the organization. Other key components of the brand include its voice, messaging and visuals.
Each and every interaction the municipality has impacts its overall brand reputation. The level of professional alignment and
efficiency of operating procedures between communications and customer service staff will play a critical role in determining the
brand's success or failure. A good brand will positively contribute to the municipality's local economy, while a weak brand runs the
risk of having a long-term negative impact on your local economy.
The role of communications is to protect and promote the municipal brand. Staff from both communications and other individual
departments report there are opportunities to strengthen Clarington's brand identity and ensure it is used consistently across the
organization.
The Municipality uses a wide variety of mediums to communicate. It is important to ensure the organization's voice is consistent
with organizational values, while leaving enough flexibility for communicators to choose a level of formality that is appropriate for
the communications medium being used. For example, the voice used on social media post should be less formal than the voice
used for a tax insert or notice of a parking fine.
Risks Benefits
• Weakened Municipal reputation and professionalism from Strengthened public recognition of Municipal collateral materials
incorrect use of the Municipality's logo or inconsistent voice and
use of visuals
• If too formal a voice on social media, a risk of missing key
audiences such as youth, or content not being shared
• Reduced program participation and by-law compliance if key
messages are not delivered in an effective, consistent and
professional manner
• Failure meet AODA requirements
• Failure to provide clear, accurate and timely information to the
public
• Public confusion and lack of trust created by a perceived
inconsistency and lack of transparency
• Increased administrative expenses as a lack of consistency leads
to additional staff time spent on non -value add activities, and
inefficient processes
and communications
• Stronger, more consistent voice and tone in every interaction
• Enhanced perception that the Municipality is well run
• Increase reach and engagement on social media
• Consistent processes and branding enhance and improve
efficiencies during the onboarding and training process through
times of staff turnover
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 61
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Best Practice
Level
Area(s) of
Improvement
Establish the communications
Both department staff and communications
Manager of
H
1,3,4
team as having authority over the
reported they did not know who has authority over
Strategic
Municipality's brand.
the Municipality's brand. This role should sit with
Initiatives,
communications. Departments should know to go to
CAO
communications to confirm materials adhere with logo
and style guidelines.
Invite communications to
Presenting the brand guide to all departments ensures
Department
H
1,2,3,4
department meetings to talk
there is broad awareness and recognition of the
heads and
about the brand guide and
Municipality's brand and expectations of use.
communica-
expectations of staff and where
tions
materials can be found.
Ensuring a central place to find the brand guide and any
templates makes it easy for staff across the organization
to access it and refer to it appropriately.
Raise greater awareness of the
The Municipality has established templates for common
Communica-
L
3,4,5
common templates that exist and
materials such as presentation slides, letterhead,
tions
conduct an audit of their use of
e-signatures etc. to ensure departments are following
communications templates to
the brand guidelines without communications needing
identify what may be missing.
to review all day-to-day materials.
Based on feedback, it is unclear if these are being used
consistently. More awareness may be needed as to
where they can be found and how they should be used.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 62
Recommended actions
Rationale / Leading Practice
Responsiblity
Priority
Level
Best Practice
Area(s) of
Improvement
Determine the Municipality's
Engaging social media content is commonly less formal
Manager of
H
4,5,6
brand on social media - allow for
and more"human" Municipalities that have increased
Strategic
some flexibility in tone of voice
their followership or engagement statistics have often
Initiatives,
and content that is less formal
done that through a more casual voice, that is less rigid
CAO
and more approachable.
than in most written materials. It has also helped them
reach audiences such as youth.
The Municipality should determine what tone they are
comfortable with on social media to increase how many
people engage with them on these channels, and create
a stronger perception of being approachable to their
community.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington 63
Conclusion
The Municipality of Clarington's current communications team is
dedicated to providing good service and delivering quality content.
At the same time, they recognize that demands are continuing
to increase and more strategic skillsets are needed to strengthen
the Municipality's ability for proactive issues management, more
strategic and engaging approaches to sharing information, and
being able to keep up with how audiences consume content online.
Council and the CAO are committed to enhancing the effectiveness
of the team and see it as a priority as the community grows and
expectations increase. The new corporate strategic plan will set new
priorities and actions for the organization. Communications should
have a roll supporting the achievement of these priorities.
At the departmental level, there are opportunities to strengthen
relationships and collaboration and clarify processes and roles.
There is an opportunity for the communications team to bring and
demonstrate greater value across the organization and ensure they
are seen and leveraged as trusted advisors and partners.
This report emphasizes that everyone across the Municipality has a
role to play to support and ensure effective communications. It starts
with a clear vision for the team and a solid structure that ensures
the right capacity and skillsets are in place. From there, establishing
priorities, supporting processes and educating departmental teams
will go a long way in elevating what the dedicated communications
team can deliver and offer each department and the community as a
whole for years to come.
Thank you for the opportunity to work with you.
Redbrick Communications I Communications Division: Service Delivery Review Report: Municipality of Clarington
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