Internal communications: Microsoft

Translating global business values into messages that engage with local audiences

The brief

Microsoft's global values are set in Seattle and the communication of those values is left to the owners of local communication channels.

Every year the business reorganises, resulting in fresh departments and fresh initiatives. The result is an environment charged with communication. For Microsoft's values team, the challenge was to stand out in this internal marketplace.

Microsoft approached us for advice on how they might best communicate the values and make them real in the work place.

The solution

We provided Microsoft with strategic advice on how to package the values. We focused the business on three key messages to increase message retention among employees and used these to explain the values set.

The launch of the values, which included environmental branding and events, aimed to educate people on the importance of values in the workplace. The web tool we designed gave all employees access to support that enabled them to assess their own performance against the values and identify development opportunities.

"Working with The Team enabled us to identify messages that were relevant to the UK, were memorable and were easy to apply. The values in the UK are now both unique to our business and very much the product of a global approach."
Kay Winsper, Head of Great Company, Microsoft