From the Nominator

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 forced a radical shift in Sheridan’s operations, as campuses closed, all classes shifted to remote delivery, and almost all employees were directed to work from home for the first time in the college’s 50+ year history. From March-December 2020, Sheridan’s employees experienced tremendous organizational change. To enable business continuity and fuel the morale and energy of employees upon whom our success depends, we mounted an employee engagement and internal communications campaign. Our work was rooted in values and purpose, and aimed to be the glue that fostered trust, goodwill, participation, and connection while people were dispersed. We led from the top with regular presidential communications and virtual coffee chats with employees, online resources that were continually updated and, among other initiatives, shared positive stories about Sheridan’s contributions with our communities during this crisis to boost morale. Our efforts were recognized with a 77% approval rating from employees, while our rating on the external review site Glass Door rose from 3.8 in December 2019 to 4.4 in September 2020, and our ranking on Forbes Canada’s list of top employers soared 73 spots. As the pandemic continues to affect operations in 2021, the key elements of our campaign will continue.

From the Judges

This communication embedded a strong sense of purpose and shared vision among management, faculty, and staff of the university in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The leadership position taken by the president in the communication activity displays a deep sense of understanding of the culture of the institution, and how members of a community often look to their leaders for security, strength, compassion, and direction during worrying times. We considered this submission as exemplary due to its strong use of research in its planning and goal setting,  its highly effective execution, and ultimate delivery of measured, impactful results. They also thought it noteworthy that activities were grounded in evidence from the outset and throughout its delivery. The use of “employee engagement pulse surveys” at two distinct periods over the course of the delivery of the communication activity to track the satisfaction with the leadership response on issues of significant concern and help guide messaging to address gaps, interests and needs was also viewed as exemplary in terms of effective communication. The move up the ranking on Forbes Canada’s list of top employers, which is correlated to the communication project, is evidence of its effectiveness at achieving its defined goals. The use of this communication as a model for other institutions is limited by the significant $1.7 million costs involved in elements including employee perks, give-aways, and extra paid holidays.