Spirax Group · Steam Thermal Solutions
A radical idea: that communication should be owned not by a team, but by everyone.
Steam Thermal Solutions (STS), part of global engineering company Spirax Group, has around 4,500 colleagues across 61 locations. Its success depends on highly specialised knowledge and expertise being shared across businesses, borders and functions.
Colin Archer, Head of Communications, had set out a bold new vision for internal communication. His strategy became the foundation for one of the most innovative projects AB has ever supported: the Communicating Organisation.
At its heart is a radical idea: communication should move away from something owned by a communications team and towards something owned by everyone. Instead of messages cascading down through a hierarchy, they wanted to create an organisation where colleagues actively connected, contributed, challenged, shared knowledge and helped one another make sense of what was happening around them.
The thinking had strong parallels with From Cascade to Conversation, written by AB Managing Director Katie Macaulay.
At the heart of the Communicating Organisation is a network of Connectors: trusted colleagues whom others already turn to for information, advice and perspective.
AB helped STS design and pilot the model across Sales and Global Supply Chain in North and South America. Using peer nomination and a technique known as snowball sampling, we helped identify the people colleagues already trusted, listened to and relied on.
Crucially, Connectors do not serve as corporate mouthpieces. Instead, they retain their independence and authenticity. However, they are equipped with storytelling, influencing, facilitation and communication skills, and given direct access to senior leaders and strategic information.
Peer nomination and snowball sampling surface the people colleagues already trust and rely on.
Connectors gain storytelling, influencing and facilitation skills, plus direct access to leaders and strategy.
Monthly Keeping You Connected Live conversations, learning pathways and digital channels keep the network alive.
connected with ideas, knowledge and context from across the business.
given a window into the questions, concerns and opportunities emerging on the ground.
Throughout the pilot, AB has worked alongside STS to measure impact, capture learning and continually refine the model. The programme is tied directly to business priorities, including growing sales and finding cost efficiencies.
The aim isn’t more communication. It’s better business performance through better communication.
The gains show up across the board. Between November 2024 and February 2025 there was also a 3% increase in the belief it was easy to collaborate with colleagues in other parts of the business – and Strategy and Future Direction scored 74%, again the highest across the business.
When a new ball valve developed in Argentina was shared by Connectors across the network, interest spread rapidly to other operating companies and markets.
A time-critical customer success at an oil refinery in Chile became shared learning for teams thousands of miles away.
Connector feedback during organisational change enabled leaders to adapt their communication before subsequent stages.
The programme is also having a personal impact on Connectors. In qualitative interviews, they talk about feeling greater confidence, developing stronger communication skills, closer connections across countries and functions and the pride that comes from being nominated by their peers.
Perhaps the biggest sign of success is that the Communicating Organisation is now moving beyond its original pilot, with executive support for a wider roll-out across the business.
This project represents a fundamental reimagining of internal communication. Instead of communicating for an organisation, we are helping build an organisation in which the capability to communicate is everywhere.
The ultimate measure of success of the Communicating Organisation is better business performance through better knowledge sharing, improved problem-solving and greater alignment. But crucially, success also means every voice inside the company is heard and people feel their work has greater meaning and purpose.Colin ArcherHead of Communications, Steam Thermal Solutions