Establishing a Benchmark for Evaluating Hazel Net News

Linda Peterson

University of St. Thomas

MBC Final Project

May 2007

Issue: How are we doing?

There currently is no benchmark by which to measure whether the Hazel Net news is successful.

A comprehensive readership survey has not been conducted.

What needs to be measured?

Employee publications motivate staff to help an organization achieve its goals.

The news goal is to produce credible news and information so employees read it, believe it, and take actions as a result to help the organization achieve its goals.

Research Question

Do Hazelden staff consider Hazel Net a credible source of news?

Definition of Credibility

High level of readership

Content is of interest

Accurate

Readable

Comprehensive

Informative

Inspires action

Methodology

An online survey was emailed to all of Hazelden’s 1,052 employees.

Survey Participation Rate

Participants: 465

Response rate: 44 %

How often do you open Hazel Net?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Daily Weekly Monthly Never

How often do you click in to read a full Hazel Net news article?

0%

5%10%

15%

20%25%

30%

35%40%

45%

50%

Often Sometimes Rarely Never

How would you rate information in Hazel Net news stories on accuracy?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Excellent Good Fair Poor Verypoor

Noopinion

How would you rate the information in Hazel Net news stories on readability?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Excellent Good Fair Poor Verypoor

Noopinion

How would you rate the information in Hazel Net news stories on level of detail?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Excellent Good Fair Poor Verypoor

Noopinion

The Hazel Net news keeps me informed about what is happening at Hazelden.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

StrongAgree Agree Neutral Disagree StongDisagree

How often have you recommended a co-worker read an article that you’ve read on Hazel Net?

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Never Once 2-5 times More than5 times

Because of a story I’ve read on Hazel Net, I’ve recommended a Hazelden product or service to someone.

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

Never Once 2-5 times More than 5times

Do you want more, the same, or less coverage of the following topics?

Employees want more or the same coverage of 14 news content categories rated on the survey.

News categories for which the highest percent of employees want more coverage

News category Want more coverage

Leadership decisions 58 %

Employee opinions 54 %

Leadership opinions 49%

Employee profiles 45%

Least popular news content categories

News category Want more coverage

Alumni events 11.14 %

Publishing products 14.77 %

Significant finding:News gets positive rating

An increase in the amount of news in four categories would likely increase readership. Those categories are leadership decisions and opinions and employee opinions and profiles.

Greater interactivity on the site via a sharing of reader opinions would likely increase readership.

Significant finding:

News gets positive rating

• News gets positive rating on all measures.• Employees help the organization to achieve its

business goals by referring people to products or services they’ve read about on Hazel Net.

Research Result

The research question: Do Hazelden staff consider Hazel Net a credible source of news?

The answer: yes

Recommendations

• The survey results provide a benchmark against which improvements to the news can be measured.

• A news plan should be developed that has goals representing improvements based on survey results.

Recommendations

Increase the amount of news in the four categories of leadership decisions/opinions and employee opinions/profiles.

Explore developing reader interactive opportunities such as letters to the editor, a message board, guest columns.

Reduce the number of stories about alumni events and publishing products.

Questions?