10 reasons to keep printing your in-house magazine

Moving your print publication online may pacify those who hold the purse strings but what effect will it have on your employees? And is your company culture one that's ready to make the transition?

Suzanne Clift, corporate internal communication manager at UK government department Land Registry firmly believes there should be a mix of print and online, and recently had cause to defend her decision to continue printing the in-house magazine.

"In times of change, some things need to remain the same," says Clift in an article on the Internal Comms Hub. "The magazine has been part of the organization for a long time and it would send a negative message to staff to stop printing it."

Below are Clift's nine other reasons to ensure print stays part of your communication mix.

1. You can pass it round the dinner table.
Quite often staff like to take in-house magazines home with them to show their family pictures of people they work with or an article they've had published.

2. It's easier to read longer articles in print.
The length of features and type of content don't always make it easy to read online.

3. No time to read at work.
Many staff don't read the in-house magazine at their desk.

4. In the absence of a Kit Kat chocolate bar...
It gives staff a reason to take a break from the monitor.

5. Great to keep in contact with alumni.
The in-house magazine is often sent to ex-members of staff and staff on long-term leave as part of a "keep in touch" scheme.

6. Some employees prefer print.
We need to keep a balance when delivering our communication to take account of different staff preferences.

7. Each channel has a slightly different purpose.
A variety of communication channels allows us to repackage and reinforce messages - a printed magazine is great for delivering the back-story and exploring an issue.

8. Not necessarily environmentally unfriendly.
We can still consider the environment in delivering a printed magazine by using 100 percent recycled paper and reducing the number of copies printed.

9. Keeping all channels open during change.
During organizational change we need to keep the flow of communication going and make best use of the channels available to reach staff.

10. In times of change, some things need to remain the same.
The magazine has been part of the organization for a long time and it would send a negative message to staff to stop printing it.

Until next time,

P.S. Melcrum's brand new practical guide, Essential toolkits for communicating change, shows you how to plan, manage and implement winning change programs. Melcrum members save 10% - order now.

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