How to take a proactive approach and plan a return to the workplace in a new, unknown, normal?

One country at a time, we will at our turn start planning the return to workplaces that will have changed. We have the opportunity to take control of the situation and organize a responsible re-opening. A successfully planned and executed return will ensure the safety of employees, but also engagement and motivation.

The questions remains: How?

To help you in this task, Open invited two experienced industry leaders, Sizwekazi Jekwa Mdingi from Absa Group and Beenu Thomas from Carlsberg Group, to discuss what concrete actions they are taking to prepare for a responsible return.

In the webinar, Open’s Anna Porko interviews Beenu and Sizwekazi, and guides a discussion on the factors contributing to what is needed of communications in the transition, and what we can -and should- do to address those needs.

Listen in for concrete tips to help you take control of the return, on three different levels:

• Leadership communication
• Equipping managers
• On the floor

Want to learn how to engage your virtual audience better?

Then look no further. We are pleased to bring you a webinar that gives practical tips and tricks to just that.

In this webinar, you meet two experienced storytellers, Megan and Lars, who will give concrete examples of how we all can apply storytelling methods in our virtual meetings and presentations, to keep the attention of our participants – like stories have kept our attention for thousands of years.

Lars is a Video Specialist and Master Storyteller at Open. He lives to capture people telling stories. Lars always focuses on finding the human factor when approaching any subject, because: ‘It’s the only thing that works’

Megan is the Founder and Lead Storyteller of Spendlove and Lamb. She uses stories to create an emotional way of visioning a new future for change and transformation. Megan creates tools for innovation and human-centered design teams to connect to their audience through deeper empathy and insights created by story and character.

In this webinar, Lene Mi Ran Kristiansen, Leader of the Carbon Neutral Program at GE Renewable Energy, and Kristina Malther, Managing Director of Open Communication Cape Town, will bring you practical advice on:

• building the business case for sustainability
• the impact created by a strong union between Internal Communications and EHS
• the importance of leadership buy-in and how to get it.

You’ll get direct input and concrete  actions on how to kick-start the sustainability journey in your organization. Join Lene and Kristina and get going with concrete actions that drive sustainability!

New technologies are making their way into our private and work lives. Virtual reality (VR) is no longer the realm of gamers and technology geeks alone. Instead, we see more and more marketing, communication, and education employing VR and augmented reality (AR).

With this evolution of VR we see a new, innovative and engaging communication channel emerging – but what can it do, when, and what should you use it for, and how expensive and difficult is it really? What about the ROI – is it worth it all?

Speakers:

Michael Neidhöfer
The CEO of ZREALITY, the provider of the world’s first marketing platform for XR apps & content, Michael is a serial entrepreneur who has successfully built several companies in his past, such as Netbiscuits, one of the largest mobile application platforms worldwide. Michael’s key expertise is building hyperscaling B2B SaaS/Cloud platforms and digital business models. Michael also supports several technology start-ups as a Business Angel and Advisor. He has been nominated 3 times as “Entrepreneur of the Year” in Germany.

Andreas Ringsted

The Head of Digital Experience at Open, Andreas has worked for +15 years creating engaging communication and experiences in external and internal communications, developing campaigns and initiatives for a long list of clients like the United Nations, the European Union, Pandora, Carlsberg, Georg Jensen, and Microsoft. Always at the forefront of technology and looking for innovative solutions, Andreas advises clients on digital solutions, across organizational levels and functions.

How do we solve for business leaders’ biggest challenges, and what is on their agenda today? What does culture have to do with competitive advantage and how can stories affect it? And, how can we drive behavioral change?

You can expect insights into transformation in the face of disruption; the role culture plays in organizational change; and how to drive behavioral change through stories.

Speakers:

Mark Lloyd

The Director of Client Strategy for Avanoo, a culture story technology platform, Mark works with some of the world’s leading companies to help them understand how stories can create positive impact in their organizations. Mark and Avanoo are trusted partners to companies like Google, Toyota, and Roche. Prior to joining Avanoo, Mark spent over 12 years researching storytelling with thought leading organizations such as The New York Times and Conde Nast.

Alexander Stephanou

The CCO of Open, a global employee communications agency, Alexander has 10+ years of experience working with commercial excellence, strategic HR and leadership in large, international enterprises and small, fast-growing businesses. Alexander is the author of several papers, a frequent speaker at webinars and conferences with contributions to, among others, HR People + Strategy’s Annual Conference, Bersin by Deloitte’s Annual Conference, AHRMA’s Annual Conference and HR People + Strategy’s Strategic HR Forum.

Internal communication as a discipline has been moving from the role of a distributor of information and an engager of employees to a more strategic business function. What are the challenges in this move, and how to act on them?Mike Klein and Kasper Steensen will discuss this topic from their respective points of view in this 45-minute webinar. You can expect insights into what the alignment gap is and how it stands in your way; where engagement, the hot topic of the past years, fits in the picture; what we mean by reducing noise; and how being human can help you gain the trust of your audience.

Speakers

Mike Klein

One of the most visible voices and writers in the world of Internal Communication, Mike Klein is a Netherlands-based IC consultant with more than twenty years of experience. Mike has worked with major corporates including Maersk Oil, Cargill, Shell, Avery Dennison, easyJet, and Barclays, and has a strong focus on internal influence and qualitative research. An MBA graduate of London Business School, Mike is EMENA Regional Chair of the International Association of Business Communicators and principal of Changing the Terms.

Kasper Steensen

The CSO, partner and co-founder of Open, a Copenhagen based employee communications agency, Kasper has over 15 years of experience in working with internal communications, both as a field and in practice. He knows the ins and outs of the art, has advised large, global organizations such as Carlsberg, Novo Nordisk, Maersk, and Pandora, and has his finger on the pulse of what is moving in the field. He is a multi-artist when it comes to combining a strategic mindset with creative execution.