Employee Grapevine is an international, PRSA, IABC and NAHRO award-winning employee communications strategy. It is a one-of-a-kind innovation created by George S. McQuade III. Orginally conceived while SoCalGas Co. went through downsizing. Gas Supply Div. Counted 18,400 callers in four weeks, no budget and no advertising. Just good old fashion word of mouth. It connects employees with senior management overnight strategically simplifying corporate missions and goals with credibility and overnight sensational results. (Long before Social Media, too)

1. Employee GrapeVine
PRSA – IABC – PCLA Award-
Winning Interactive Strategy for
shaping employee behavior with
effective communications
by MAYO Communications
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2. GrapeVine Objectives
 Improve communications relationship
 Increase flow of timely information
 Build credibility and participation
 Quell the rumor mill
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3. Steps for a GrapeVine
 Technical Needs Assessment
 Benchmark costs internally vs. externally
 Designate a special Grapevine phone line
 Expand from 19 to 100 message capacity
 Phone track system
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4. Employee Grapevine
Company format
Talk from the employees
perspective – not yours.
Keep messages simple.
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5. Employee GrapeVine
How to grow a bumper crop
 Get early commitments from supervisors
 Respond to frontline supervisor concerns
 Set expectations with supervisors
 Build phone mail internal list
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6. Growing a GrapeVine
Plant and cultivate before you
harvest
Understanding company issues
Select knowledgeable/credible line
managers
Verbal messages faster with
feelings
Timing is everything
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7. GrapeVine Target Customer
Primary Customer – Employees
Their work stations or meeting places
Secondary Customer – Senior Mgt.
Management feedback
Usage habits – how often do they call
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8. GrapeVine Key Features
Comparative system Analysis
User Friendly –
No instruction – call 24/7
Everyone has access to a phone
Convenient –
GrapeVine is heard on a speaker phone
Cell Phone in the field
Updated when issue or story changes
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9. Grapevine Promotion
Getting employees to call
Match the voices contest
 Offer money, prizes or time off
 Use well-known supervisors
Other promotion methods
 Employee paycheck envelopes
 Posters and 1X2 inch stickers
 Employee Newsletters cross-promote
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10. Company Market Analysis
 Opportunities to share information
One-stop communication center
 Policy changes quickly disseminated
 Keeps employees on top of new info.
 A great way to praise good employees
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11. Emergency GrapeVine
T h e G r a p e v in e b e c o m e s a 2 4 h r . h o t lin e
d u r in g a n
e m e r g e n c y o r c o m p a n y c r is is s it u a t io n
N o rd s tro m
C o rp o ra te
H e a d q u a rte rs
announcem ent
L o s A n g e le s In te r n a l lin e O ra n g e C o u n ty
S u p e r v is o r s Feedback S u p e r v is o r s
M a n a g e rs S e n io r m a n a g e r s M a n a g e rs
C le r k s S u p e r v is o r s c le r k s
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12. Employee GrapeVine Awards
1995 - 2002
 Public Relations Society of
America (PRSA)
 International Association of
Business Communicators
(IABC)
 Public Communicators of
Los Angeles (PCLA)
 National Assn.Housing and
Redevelopment Officials
(NAHRO)
 International Communicator
Awards
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