National Grid - Global employee magazine
The Challenge
To launch a single global magazine to unite National Grid’s 27,000 employees in the UK and US. In both countries, frontline field force employees make up 12,000 of the workforce. The acquisition of the US’s KeySpan Energy in 2007 created a need for a global publication to tell the new National Grid story, to build cohesive community and to share the strategic objectives and challenges with the newly integrated workforce. An online version of the magazine was also required, to offer employees with intranet access a choice of media channel.
The Solution
The new magazine draws on employees’ experiences to tell the story of the ‘new’ National Grid. Through a range of features from different areas of the business, it builds a picture of National Grid as a dynamic business, demonstrating how all the elements within the company contribute to its strategy for growth.
It also aims to create a sense of belonging to a wider organisation; help employees be clear on the contribution they make; and clarify how the different parts of the company help to deliver the strategy. As the 20-page magazine is published six times a year, it doesn’t usually carry much time-sensitive news – this is covered in other channels – so the focus is mostly on featurebased content, to give the context of the bigger picture.
An interactive pdf is produced each issue with links to further information on the intranet, to feedback forms and for an enhanced viewing of imagery.
The value
Feedback from employees on both the print and online format is very positive, with an increasing number of employees contributing story ideas and entering competitions. A senior leader calls One the “benchmark for communication within National Grid”.
Employees are invited to write in with (or email) their feedback. Comments received to date include:
- “I have been with the company for 26 years. These issues of One are by farthe best magazines that have ever been available”
- “The articles in the last issue helped me re-focus and better understand National Grid’s goal of branding and achieving growth targets”
- “This is a great employee magazine. The article on branding was interesting, especially in the US, where the name will not be as well known as in the UK”
- “I enjoyed reading One. I liked the statistics on the ‘power of 27,000 employees’. It is true that you learn something new every day.”
Awards
2010 CiB Winner – Award of Excellence Winner
The articles in the last issue helped me re-focus and better understand National Grid’s goal of branding and achieving growth targets.
National Grid.
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