Matteo Urella

Senior Communications Manager, NGUSA Service Company

The National Grid - DPIT team offers strategic partners who provide excellence in IT infrastructure and digital capabilities while delivering secure, reliable, and agile technology. Working collaboratively with stakeholders and across the company, DPIT’s capabilities deliver business value in the workplace and contribute to better programs and services for National Grid customers.

Supernova Award Category: 
Future of Work: Employee Experience
The Problem: 

The largest group within IT&D had an antiquated SharePoint; outdated URL, siloed privacy structures and visually cold digital presence. Over 600 colleagues across two continents and the Community Site was both severely underutilized as well as severaly cared for.

The Solution: 

Took antiquated, private SharePoint site lacking engagement and transparency and replaced with Modern Communications SharePoint. Open-access to all 20K+ colleagues, integrated MO365  products for engagement (Viva Engage, Teams, Stream); hosted one dozen brunch-and-learns to attract both awareness and recognition of our product teams as well as what they're delivering. Removed antiquated Outlook newsletter, replaced with SharePoint newsletter to better capture metrics and engage in collaborative spirit with authors (as opposed to top-down messaging). Launched site in connection with in-person/virtual Extended Leadership Team off-site as well as in-person, multinational Innovation Expo, both supported through new site, subpages and Stream-supported question-and-answer sessions.

The Results: 

We've had an overwhelmingly positive response from both our 600+ team members as well as colleagues across the business at large. Other groups have reached out to replicate our design process, while internal colleagues have marveled at the multiple communications tools, the effort to highligh DEI, the ideas behind our cross-collaborative steps and integration of learning and knowledge upskilling.

Metrics: 

Our feedback survey has shown a near 80% increase in site traffic, 95% success rate in terms of visitor success, 100% approval for removing privacy barriers and a 97% appreciation response specifically for our commitment to highlighting DEI, cross-collaboration and integrating MS365 tools for a better end-used experience.

The Technology: 

We've made full use of MS365 and a variety of it's offerings: SharePoint, Outlook, Teams, Viva Engage (fka Yammer), Stream, Planner, PowerPoint and OneNote. We've additionally used Canva and iMovie for a upgraded digital and visual engagement experience and have begun outsourcing our design methods to internal teams hoping to redesign their own SharePoints and PowerPoint decks.

Disruptive Factor: 

The request to replicate our design processes and outcomes have become so substantial, we are integrating a request service catalog via ServiceNow. Additionally, we are adding this new suite of services into our next FY OKR's in order to capture and capitalize on said successes. Third, we've received testimonials from Executive Leaders from across the business who rave about our team and the site(s) which they're represented on - a first within the company. Lastly, our teams have spoken: the new Community Site has become the true North Star in terms of communications, engagement and design implementation.

Shining Moment: 

Our proudest moment was, is and will continue to be our integration of DEI through our monthly All Hands and Quarterly Town Halls. We've partnered with our 17 ERGs and continue to cross-collaborate to highlight and celebrate a variety of days, months, speakers and people who made special progress throughout history. We communicate these actions intentionally, and our thematic visual cohesion of these elements helps shine an intentional light on who/why we're celebrating.

About NGUSA Service Company

National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the US — serving more than 20 million people throughout New York and Massachusetts.

We are at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society — transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions.