Change communication: Quirke's Staircase helps every layer of your organization

 Quirke's Staircase (1994) is a practical model. It helps to set up better internal communication in change processes. The model connects each phase of the change process by means of concrete resources that can be used. A state of mind is linked to each phase, which is expected of the employees at that time. Quirke's stairs are a well-known communication model. It answers the question: 'For what purpose can I best use which means?' We'll give you more information about the relevance of Quirke's stairs within each organizational layer.

From informing to communicating

Quirke says: the higher the change ambitions, the more you have to do to involve your employees. The power of the model? Simplicity. The model goes from informing to communicating. This means that if you want to inform people (mix of resources), they have to get information about something. So they must know something. If you are going to inform, sending is sufficient. For example, sending an e-mail or newsletter, putting up posters or posting a message on the intranet. With Communication (dialogue) you expect more from the recipient. It is important that you put more energy into communication. Interaction is central to communication. Use a pep talk, a presentation, meeting or think of seminars, feedback sessions and training.

The five parts of Quirke's Staircase

Quirke's stairs consist of five parts:

  1. Knowing about it
  2. Understand
  3. To support
  4. Feeling involved
  5. Feeling Connected

In the first phase of the change process, employees need to know what is going to happen. It is about simple information. An email, poster or newsletter is sufficient.

In the second phase, information becomes more ambitious. People need to understand what is going to happen. And more importantly, why? Interactive means of communication are appropriate here: presentations, for example.

In the third phase, it is crucial that employees start to support the change. This phase demands something from the employees. This includes training. It is important that employees actively work with the changes.

This continues in the phase in which employees must feel involved in change. In the fourth phase, they realize that it is mainly about themselves. Group discussions and workshops fit in with this.

You strive to get to the fifth phase. Here, employees feel connected to the change. The employees are aware of the fact that their part is needed. They also want to make this contribution. It is important to give employees the space to actively contribute to the change. In the last step, it is therefore important that the problem is tackled 'together'.

Visualizing Quirke’s Staircase

It is important for each organizational layer to visualize the level at which each layer is located. With enterprise architecture software from https://bizzdesign.com/, you give structure to this model.

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