Communication and stakeholder engagement

Our clients in government and the public sector tell us that they see meaningful two-way communication and stakeholder engagement as powerful ways to improve a project's chances of success, to improve organisational performance, and to raise both employee morale and customer satisfaction.

PricewaterhouseCoopers agrees. That's why we field a dedicated team of experienced public sector communication specialists, drawn from backgrounds in Whitehall, national journalism and local authorities.

Professional communication is no longer merely "nice to have", but an essential ingredient of programme and project management, and one which we integrate in client assignments from the outset. We have proven its value in contexts ranging from efficiency-driven change in Whitehall and local authorities, to public sector reform programmes overseas, and turnaround assignments in the NHS. Some of our work originates in risk management, and may be delivered as part of internal audit.

Potential issues

• Raising levels of performance, employee morale and customer satisfaction
• Improving or safeguarding reputation
• Maintaining proactive, clear and consistent stakeholder communication while in the public eye
• Getting through to "hard to reach" or resistant audiences
• Understanding and managing opposition while implementing change; locking in gains as they are achieved
• Raising awareness of an issue, keeping stakeholders informed, and deepening understanding of the rationale behind an initiative so as to foster commitment - within budgetary constraints

PwC services

• Advising on strategic communication, both internal and external, ensuring alignment between the two; helping produce detailed action plans as required
• Support with stakeholder engagement: analysing internal and external stakeholders, developing messaging and action plans for progressive engagement to secure employee or stakeholder commitment
• Reputation and issues management; crisis management
• Practical support, including advanced media training, media relations support, and content generation (eg. Frequently Asked Questions, core messaging, authored articles, intranet content)
• Board/Cabinet-level communication counsel
• Auditing communication effectiveness (internal or external), and reviewing communication strategy.