{"id":3090,"date":"2021-03-30T12:48:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T12:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carma.com\/?post_type=tms&p=3090"},"modified":"2024-01-04T06:12:12","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T06:12:12","slug":"commentary-be-bold-be-skilled-be-innovative-three-tips-for-success-from-the-launch-of-the-gcs-uk-government-communication-plan-2021-2022","status":"publish","type":"tms","link":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/tms\/commentary-be-bold-be-skilled-be-innovative-three-tips-for-success-from-the-launch-of-the-gcs-uk-government-communication-plan-2021-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Be Bold, Be skilled, Be Innovative \u2013 three tips for success from the launch of the GCS UK Government Communication Plan 2021\/2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This afternoon the UK Government\u2019s GCS Communications Plan for 2021 \/ 2022 was launched from the Cabinet Office. As a member of the GCS Strategy and Evaluation Council (https:\/\/gcs.civilservice.gov.uk\/guidance\/strategic-communication\/evaluation\/gcs-strategy-and-evaluation-council\/)<\/strong>, I jumped at the opportunity to hear first-hand what it contained and how much importance government communicators place on having a documented and credible communications plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The need for communications and PR professionals to have a clear strategic plan against which to deliver is one of the top issues that holds too many organisations back from performing their best. It is also one of the biggest challenges to a more widespread understanding of how to measure effectiveness in a meaningful and relevant manner. After all, if you don\u2019t know where you are, and where you want to go, how can you ever know whether you\u2019re on the right track?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Government Communications Service has been in existence for just over 100 years in its various iterations. Yet in that time, it has only operated against a clearly defined and documented plan on just 8 occasions. Each of these, perhaps unsurprisingly, has been the last 8 years. That\u2019s because the urgent need for a plan and professionalisation of the service was rammed home during the era of the last coalition government. When incoming ministers asked about the effectiveness of government communications, they were unable to receive a meaningful answer with demonstrable, tangible results. This resulted in swinging job cuts, and over 3,000 communications professionals lost their jobs. There was no financial headroom for busy people just to do \u2018stuff\u2019, implementing tactics and activity. Clearly demonstrated value against stated Government objectives was what was required. It was a wake up call to the sector and it is one that Alex Aiken<\/span><\/a><\/strong> has championed ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the ensuing years, the plan has evolved to have three key themes. The plans<\/p>\n\n\n\n