1. Project: Cake Day
Category: INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
Summary
Leadership engagement is one of the most important factors of successful internal
communication. However, 40% of employees of our company felt that there was a
lack of open communication between them and the company‟s leaders.
Hence, the main objectives of campaign were to increase leadership engagement in
employee communication; find interactive, informal and fun communication way; and
to increase inter departmental communication (as 49% of employees felt the lack of
cooperation between company‟s departments).
Therefore, “Cake Day” – a monthly gathering of all employees – was decided to be
implemented. 20 strategic locations in all 7 regions were selected for
gatherings. 21 top and middle managers were distinguished who on rotational basis
visited every strategic location each month, made formal presentations on topicalities
and informally communicated with employees while everyone tasted a cake.
The results according to set assessment criteria were really astonishing:
management participation was from 85% to 100% while employee participation –
90% to 95% each month. 70% of employees said “Cake Day” encouraged open
communication between them and management, 55% said that it encouraged
communication between departments. Moreover, “Cake Day” became an inseparable
tradition in company‟s life which is now adopted and implemented by the Group to
which company belongs.
Situation
Our company has around 700 employees. With offices situated in 10 different
cities and 7 different regions in the country top and middle management direct
communication with the employees is extremely difficult if not impossible:
· Almost 40% (n=420) of company„s employees felt lack of open communication
between them and the management;

2. · Around 30% (n=420) of employees felt that managers did not encourage them to
talk about the clients and their needs;
· 49% (n=420) of employees felt that there was not enough of collaboration
between company‟s departments.
Objectives
The target audience of the initiative was all company’s employees:
· Back office employees;
· Front office employees;
· Regional employees;
· Top and middle management.
The main goals of the campaign were:
· Increase leadership engagement in employee communication;
· Find interactive and informal communication way;
· Find a way to effectively communicate corporate messages;
· Guarantee fun for employees;
· Increase inter departmental communication;
· Make this campaign a tool towards becoming WCSC (world class service
company): collect insights from employees about clients‟ needs;
· Change communication concept: not only HR and PR departments are responsible
for communication.
Strategy
Employees‟ research (see Situation section) indicated a need for informal
communication platform with managers. Hence, employee and management
gatherings – “Cake Day” initiative – selected to be implemented:

3. · 20 strategic locations in all regions selected for gatherings;
· “Cake day” announced a day just for employees (without meetings with outside
partners);
· Initiative implemented monthly to guarantee regularity;
· All communication about initiative implemented on company‟s intranet because of
widest reach – 450 unique daily visitors.
Leadership engagement
· 21 top and middle managers distinguished to participate in “Cake Day”;
· On rotational basis managers visit every strategic location;
· Formal presentations by managers based on topicalities.
Employee engagement
· Informal part: tasting a cake, networking, discussions;
· Recipes for cake sent and selected by employees;
· Managers and other departments can attend event in different locations.
Assessment criteria
· Management participation (percent);
· Employee participation (percent);
· Employees‟ evaluation of initiative.
Execution

4. To implement “Cake Day” these actions are undertaken each month:
Before “Cake Day”
· Employees invited to send recipes for the cake;
· Departments invite guest speakers;
· Three weeks before “Cake Day” visits‟ map made due to busy managers‟
schedules;
· Employees choose cake from sent recipes through poll on the intranet.
During “Cake Day”
· Formal part: managers make topical presentations (financial results, etc.);
· Informal part: open discussions, gathering insights from employees about
clients needs‟;
· Fun part: celebrating successful projects, tasting cake.
After “Cake Day”
· Messages about “Cake Day” communicated and presentation material available
on the intranet;
· Surveys about managers‟ presentation skills implemented on the intranet.
And more…
· After half a year of “Cake Day” implementation “Hyde Park” was added to
original initiative;

5. · During “Hyde Park” well-known people (singers, actors) without any payment
come for an hour of informal discussions with employees.
Documented Results
The results of the “Cake Day” initiative according to the set assessment criteria were
really stunning:
· From 85% to 100% top and middle management participation in the “Cake Day”;
· From 90% to 95% employee participation in the “Cake Day”;
We also conducted a survey to find out what employees thought about the “Cake
Day”:
· 70% of employees said “Cake Day” encouraged open communication between
them and management (n=123);
· 55% of employees (n=123) said that “Cake Day” encouraged communication
between departments;
· 88% of employees (n=123) overall very positively evaluated the “Cake Day”
initiative.
Moreover, “Cake Day” idea was adopted by the Group to which company belongs
and is now being implemented internationally.
At the end, “Cake Day” became an inseparable tradition in our company‟s life without
which employees cannot imagine their last Thursdays of the month (when “Cake Day”
takes place).