Southwest Shows How to Fly High through Employee Engagement and Social Media

Sept. 19, 2009 - PRLog -- Providence, Rhode Island – On October 7, 2009, join Yankee IABC and Southwest Airlines’ Millie Richter for a dinner presentation in Providence, RI on Southwest’s highly successful employee engagement, social media (such as its award-winning corporate blog, Nuts About Southwest, http://www.blogsouthwest.com/), and internal communications programs.

Employee engagement is the key to the success of company initiatives. When Southwest implemented a “cashless” policy for food and beverage purchases on flights last year, it knew that all employees--from flight attendants and boarding agents to the people who stock the planes with food and beverages--would be affected by the change.

Using a variety of internal communications vehicles, Southwest solicited ideas from various employee groups for the best way to implement this new policy. Their inclusion in the planning process showed employees that they were a valued part of the Southwest team. Employee behavior and acceptance was vital to the cashless cabin initiative’s success.

Implementing the cashless cabin policy is just one example of a successful employee engagement effort at Southwest. During her presentation, Millie will share other examples and tips about employee engagement, as well as

•  Innovative ways to communicate to your employees--whether you have a highly mobile workforce or one with daily computer access
•  Creative ways to encourage employee behavior to positively impact your bottom line
•  The important role culture can play in communications--and the Southwest business case behind developing a dynamic culture
•  How to strategize and develop web 2.0 campaigns that move your company ahead
•  When to listen to online conversations and when to chime in
•  How to use social media tools for crisis communications

WHEN: Wednesday, October 7 from 6:00-8:30 p.m.

WHERE: RDW Group, 125 Holden Street, Providence, RI 02908. RDW Group, the largest independent communications agency in New England, will host the event at their Providence office. Directions and location details are available on their website (http://rdwgroup.com/indexFlash.html).

For information on the event, directions, and how to register, go to http://yankeeiabc.org/southwests-millie-richter-comes-to-....

About the Presenter: Millie Richter has been with Southwest Airlines for over 11 years. As a Communications Specialist, focusing on internal communications as part of the Communications and Strategic Outreach Department, she communicates Southwest’s message to 34,000+ Employees in 67 cities nationwide. Millie graduated with a Marketing degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

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The Yankee chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators connects professionals across all communication disciplines to inspire individual growth and overall industry excellence. For more info, please visit http://yankeeiabc.org.