Communitelligence Presents Premier EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, HR & SOCIAL MEDIA Event in Chicago May 12-13

March 23, 2010 - PRLog -- Experts on employee engagement – the heightened emotional connection that employees feel for their organization that can drive greater focus and effort –  are converging at a premier conference in Chicago May 12-13. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, HR & SOCIAL MEDIA 2010 will address trends, best practices and the future of internal communication in the age of rampant employee disengagement.

“If you look at all the earthquakes rumbling through marketing, PR and corporate communications, it's not difficult to see internal communications undergoing a reinvention also.  This conference is aimed at helping attendees lead their organizations to higher levels of employee engagement, loyalty and retention," says John Gerstner, President of Communitelligence, producer of conferences and other resources on business communication trends.

So is internal communications obsolete? That question will be debated in an opening panel moderated by Gary Grates, President and Global Managing Director of Edelman Change and Employee Engagement. Panelists include Erik Battenberg, Vice President, JPMorgan Chase, and editor of Ink, one of the most candid employee publications; and Jill Feldon LaNouette, Vice President of Internal Communications, Cardinal Health.

"The concept of internal communications being obsolete is an intriguing one, says Edelman's Grates. "The irony is that internal has never been more strategic to an organization's success given talent retention and acquisition, organizational clarity and employee engagement, yet as a profession are we truly tested and ready?"

“The recent recession has made it clear. Internal communication departments must give value or give notice," says Jim Shaffer, author of The Leadership Solution. Shaffer is moderating a panel on realigning internal communications for employee engagement and bottom-line impact. The panel includes Bob Kula, Senior Director, Corporate Communication, ConAgra Foods; and Courtney Reynolds, Director of Internal Communication, ITT.  

“Our session will describe in detail what companies are doing to improve quality, service, cost, speed, safety and productivity by eliminating communication breakdowns that impede performance. This represents the future of internal communication management,” Shaffer says.  

Bob Kelleher, noted thought leader on employee engagement and workforce trends, and CEO of The Employee Engagement Group, is leading a workshop titled, "Louder Than Words: 10 essential engagement steps that drive results, new strategies.”

“As we recover from the recent Recession, are you sure your employees are engaged? Do you feel confident that today’s low employee voluntary statistics will stay low tomorrow? Well, according to a recent Deloitte human capital study, 49% of employees are either looking for a job or plan to look for a new job over the next 12 months.  And only 37% of your Generation X employees plan on staying with their current employers.  If you're not focusing on engaging your employees today, will you be able to weather the upcoming turnover storm that many firms will face?”, asks Kellerher.


Another workshop titled “Do No Harm: Writing your organization’s social media policy,” is being led by Bart Lazar, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Kevin Sheridan, CEO of HR Solutions is also conducting a workshop on developing and retaining talent.

Jeff Willinger, Director of Business Development and Marketing for Rightpoint, is moderating a case study panel featuring Aon and Abbott Labs on engaging employees using intranets.

Another panel will address realigning internal communications for employee engagement and bottom-line impact.  Moderated by Jim Shaffer, author and leader of the Jim Shaffer Group, the panel includes Bob Kula, Senior Director, Corporate Communication, ConAgra Foods; and Courtney Reynolds, Director of Internal Communication, ITT.

Presenting the luncheon keynote on May 13 is David Grossman ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, President & Principal thoughtpartner™ of the Grossman Group. Grossman will speak from his new book: “You Can’t Not Communicate.”  

“The most effective leaders know that their ability to get people focused and moving forward, to get people engaged and motivated, to get people working with a sense of urgency and moving a little more quickly… these successes hinge on a leader being able to communicate,” says Grossman.

Toni Ewton and Heather Roberts of Yum! Brands, Inc. are presenting a case study on iCHING, the company’s highly successful global collaboration network. “We’re the largest restaurant company in the world and we needed a way to “make a big company feel small”.  iCHING connects our associates from around the globe giving them a way to collaborate on strategic business drivers, share and build know-how and just get acquainted. Our manta is Seek – Know – Share.

Steve Crescenzo, Owner of Crescenzo Communications, will present learnings from the winners of the 2010 E2E Communication Awards.  

Jerry Halamaj, Senior Manager and Consultant at Valtera Corporation is moderating the last panel on new trends and thinking on employee engagement measurement and ROI.  

Supporting sponsors of the event, in addition to host Seyfarth Shaw LLP, are SnapComms, Mashable, E2E Communication Awards, SmartBrief, Human Capital League, and Job of the Week.

Register online for the EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, HR & SOCIAL MEDIA 2010 conference at www.communitelligence.com. Special early-bird pricing until April 1. For information, call 480-816-5550.

The Communitelligence Learning Academy produces conferences, workshops, How-to Web seminars and Learning CDs on emerging business communication trends and skills.

Contact:
Communitelligence, Inc.
John Gerstner, President, 480-816-5550
www.communitelligence.com

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Communitelligence.com is a consultancy and social network for business communication, marketing and PR professionals. Communitelligence produces how-to webinars, conferences and virtual classrooms on key business communication skills and issues.