Communications Plan Week 6
Hazel Peters
February 15, 2016
AET/560
Dr. Gregory Dlabach
Developing a Communication Plan for Chipotle Corporation
According to Cawsey (2012), the four reasons that a communication plan is needed are to
saturate the organization with the message that change is forthcoming, let employees know how
the change will impact them, communicate any operational changes that will alter how things are
currently done, keep people in the loop of progress along the way (Chapter 9, Action Planning
and Implementation).
Four Phases of a Communications Plan
Ideally each phase of the communications phase would be given carefully and skillfully
developed before actual communications to employees begins. However, Chipotle Corporation
was faced with a crisis, with outbreaks of illness in several states. Accordingly, the
communications planning timeline was compressed so the company could get vital information
to employees and the public to quell fears and address the crisis.
The plan will reflect the situation at Chipotle.
Preapproval
Phase
Claims of illness had
to be checked out
with a different form
of communications
going to the
restaurants where
outbreaks occurred.
In some cases
approval might be
sought to close the
restaurant to check
out causals and to
throw out potentially
Developing the Need
for Change Phase
The need for change
was thrust upon
Chipotle from
external forces due to
customer illness.
However, a message
will still need to be
sculpted identifying
the need for change
at every level for
everyone who has a
part in the production
and marketing of
Midstream Change
Phase
Chipotle will inform
employees of
progress to date.
Containment of the
spread of viruses at
specific restaurants
where customers
became ill. Feedback
from inspection staff
on the state of safe
food handling
compliance for
Chipotle at large.
Confirming the
Change Phase
Bring people up to
date on changes
implemented and the
results. Celebrate
employees for
working through the
crisis by keeping the
day to day operations
going while
managing change.
Provide training
safety certifications
to all employees and
contaminated food
and clean and replace
food preparation
equipment.
For those restaurants
with no outbreaks, a
serious
communication
would need to be
approved so that
contamination could
be averted.
Approvals would be
needed for the type of
initial
communications to
go to restaurants.
food to Chipotle
Reports on sourcing
food production staff
customers.
from farms for meat, internal and external
Conveying the
poultry and
for each phase of
seriousness of the
vegetables and the
training that they
matter of safe food
steps that will be
complete.
handling to all
taken to ensure safe
Certificates will be
employees, including food from the point
required at different
those who work at
of origin.
phases of the food
restaurants where
Communication will handling process and
outbreaks have not
address rumors of
an individual will not
been reported will
restaurant closures,
be allowed to
require carefully
company shut-down, progress along the
crafted
consumer backlash
career path unless
communications,
and other
they have been
using a number of
misconceptions that
trained, tested, and
different media
may have surfaced
passed required
channels.
during the crisis. The training. Prepare
Steps in change will
company will clarify employees for
be communicated
changes in
continuous
such making
organizational roles,
organizational change
immediate changes
operations, and
and celebrate that
where safety is
employee trainings,
Chipotle will use the
compromised along
expectations, and
crisis as the impetus
keeping people
changes in
to propel the brand
informed about
performance
into the spotlight and
investigations of
standards or systems. live up to its slogan
where illnesses
of Food with
started and training
Integrity!
going forward will
need to be made
plain.
Klein, S. (1996). A management communication strategy for change. Journal of Organizational
Change Management, 9(2).
How to Launch the Communication Plan
Chipotle CEO will hold an emergency meeting with upper and middle managers via
video conferencing, telephone, and skype to inform them of the crisis and vital information that
must be communicated within 48 hours to all employees who report to them.
Face to Face Launch of Communication Plan
The meeting will open with a webcast from the CEO regarding the crisis that Chipotle is
facing and assurance that the situation is being dealt with, and there are no plans to shut down
the organization. They will be instructed that Restaurant Owners and General Managers will be
delivering a message sanctioned by upper management to address the situation. The CEO will
highlight key points of the message to be delivered by the first line manager so that redundancy
is created and the message is more likely to stick.
Because Restaurant Owners and General Managers have earned a level of trust and
credibility with frontline employees that upper management does not possess, they have been
selected to deliver the details of corporate communications to employees. The message will be
carefully scripted having been reviewed by Chipotle legal team and senior management. Extra
care has been given to the contents of the message because of recent fraudulent claims by some
customers who hope to cash in on potential class action suits. The initial communication will
include Chipotle authorized communications and will let employees know about reported
outbreaks, the locations and what is being done to address the emergency. Employees will
receive assurance that Chipotle is not closing its doors but takes the reported outbreaks of disease
very seriously with the understanding that if customers continue to get sick it could mean the
closure of certain locations and could compromise the advancement of the Chipotle brand.
Employees will be reminded to take seriously their role in the provision of safe food to
consumers. Chipotle management has created a formal process designating a hotline for
employees to report customer complaints of illness. Employees will be advised to make
customers aware of the process right away and not to discourage customers from reporting
incidents. Hotline cards with the emergency number will be printed out and employees will
provide them upon request only, to customers who wish to make a report. Employees will be
informed about new safety regulations that will be put in force that require re-training of
employees. Employees will be certified to work at certain levels of food handling within the
restaurant. Employees will learn causals of E. Coli and Norovirus and how to prevent the spread
of these viruses. All employees will be trained in food preparation, food storage and disposal
guidelines, safe food temperatures, and how to avoid cross contamination of food products.
Each restaurant will have a cleaning time table, not just for the restrooms, but for common areas
where employees eat. During rush hour the time table will be shortened to ensure that high risk
areas like beverage stations, door handles to exist and restrooms, tables and chairs are cleaned
with approved disinfectants with commercial disposable wipes.
Time will be set aside at the end of the session for feedback and questions. Direct
managers will answer questions that can be answered and capture other questions to get senior
management input before responding back.
Technology Needed to Accomplish the Plan
For successful communications it is essential for Chipotle to have one voice and a clear
message that cannot be misconstrued by the receiver.
Technologies needed include Skype, Video Conferencing, Webcasts, Voicemail, Email,
conference calls, posters, blogs, social media, telephones, and computers.
Skype can be used for meetings with managers and reports of safety team to corporate
management. Webcasts and can used for training along with videoconferencing and PowerPoint
presentations. Email is a very effective way to get a message out to all locations quickly and
efficiently. Emails should include a way to gather feedback from those who read the message to
submit questions, gain clarification, or make contribute valuable input.
How to test its effectiveness and the impact of managements response to the organizational
change
Trainers and safety team task force members can check for understanding as they make
visits to all Chipotle locations. Once training has taken place trainers can check back to see if
employees have made necessary changes, even if it is a restaurant that has no reported outbreaks.
Safety teams can perform safety checks and experiments in the field to ensure that the
food and any contact surfaces that food comes in contact with is safe.
Those locations where outbreaks occurred will have a very stringent investigation from
the top to the bottom of the operation to track the source of contaminants and eliminate it.
Employees at those locations will be interviewed to gain important information that may be
pertinent to the investigation.
How to generate feedback for continuous improvement
Chipotle will create a blog for feedback and dialogue among employees. The blog will be
monitored to insure that all contributions are treated with respect and constructive feedback will
be welcomed. Employees can share what is and is not working. They can also make suggestions
for improvements.
Chipotle can engage the services of Survey Monkey.com to develop a survey to gather
the opinions of employees regarding the crisis, how it is being handled, effectiveness of training,
likelihood of continuing to work for Chipotle, commitment to the process, sense that the
company is going in the right direction, confidence that they can practice safe food handling, and
other key matters. The survey should provide anonymity, reach a large audience, and be easily
accessible
They can also engage Survey Monkey.com to develop customers surveys that provide feedback
to Chipotle regarding service, safety, and to recognize employees. In exchange for filling out the
survey, customers can be provided with discounts off food, or Chipotle can partner with a local
charity to make contributions for every survey returned during a designated period of time.
The company can provide recognition to restaurants that have a continuous track record
for producing healthy food in a sanitary environment. Success stories should be published on a
regular basis so that employees can be motivated by the good news within the company.
How to address negative responses or communications about the change
Insure that people are properly educated about the change, trained for the new operations.
Utilize key influencers to communicate with those who are less than enthusiastic about the
change.
Let employees know what is in it for them by linking the message of food handling safety
and clean environment to the ability to build a long-term career. Unsafe food = loss of
customers/possible loss of life = loss of restaurant = loss of career advancement
In the end, Chipotle Corporation has the right and the responsibility to enforce strict
safety standards. If employees cannot pass the training and certification process and persist in
doing things the old way they can be reassigned to an area of the business that is not impacted by
the changes or released from employment.
How your communication plan can affect organizational change
According to Russo & Schoemaker (1992), upper management needs to be realistic
while implementers and influencers need to be over confident. Communications to
Chipotle front line employees needs to be serious, but up-beat, and positive. The
Chipotle brand is in the news, and while it has media coverage it can apply the adage,
make lemonade out of lemons. Now is the time to be enhance and build the Chipotle
brand and commit for the long haul because the company has many loyal customers and
can survive this crisis and others if communications is managed correctly.
References
Cawsey, T.F. (2012). Organizational Change: An action-oriented toolkit (2nd ed.). Retrieved
from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.
Klein, S. (1996). A management communication strategy for change. Journal of Organizational
Change Management, 9(2).
Russo, J.E., & Schoemaker, P.J. H. (1992, Winter). Managing overconfidence. Sloan
Management Review, 7-17
