The European PES Network has published a new “practice casebook”

The European PES Network has published a new “practice casebook” for good communication by Public Employment Services (PES). It provides all the latest ideas and experiences on how PES across Europe can communicate effectively with their clients and ensure positive visibility for their ‘brand’.

The PES Network’s new practice casebook – “Tools and techniques for developing the PES brand through effective communication: learning from each other” – brings together tips and advice on how Public Employment Services (PES) across Europe can enhance their communication activities.

The casebook sets out a combination of theoretical insights and practical advice on good communication activities for PES, drawing on the experience and examples of PES Network members. It includes a review of the changing media landscape and examples of specific communication activities in different countries, including ideas for how these could be further enhanced.

Key principles identified in the casebook include the importance of having a clearly defined purpose, ensuring the use of simple language and visuals, matching messages to channels, and testing approaches with relevant target groups. It highlights the value of being creative, being positive and surprising the audience and examines how to measure and evaluate communication activities effectively.

The document also looks ahead, identifying internal communications and the effective monitoring and assessment of communications activities as areas for PES to explore further together.

The casebook was the final output of a PES Network Working Group (WG) on Supporting PES Visibility and Branding, which had three online meetings between May 2020 and March 2021. It gathered PES from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania and Spain and was chaired by PES Estonia.

The group confirmed the added value for their national/regional work of this PES Network Working Group – which provided an internal ‘network of practice’ for communication specialists within the Network – and raised the possibility of further exchanges and even potential joint initiatives in the future.