Communications Task: The Website blog
Creating blog posts for the studio's website was a fun exercise in making content as a group. It has been interesting reading some of the other blogs. One in particular has given me some great summer trip/visit inspiration.
My Topic
Personally, I chose unions for my topic as my role within the studio is HR & Administration. HR is seen as on the side of the company. However, I have worked alongside HR in a previous role and they balance looking after employees, budgeting and the expectations of the company's directors. Looking after employees is pivotal to a company's success, to quote Sir Richard Branson, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” Working well with unions is an important part of building rapport and finding good balanced compromises with employees.
Additionally, I have also been part of a staff association, and I realised that many employment issues need an outside organisation to see the bigger picture.
Lastly Unions prevent exploitation, financially, physically and mentally. Though I have always wanted a career, not just a job, that option has not always been open to me (and many other people). So I have done most things for money on my journey to a career. This has left me open to some complex work environments where I have had to decide between paying my rent and my safety/my work-life balance/values (Yes, these were all jobs within the UK). I want to live in a world where no one has to do that. This is where understanding and valuing unions come in. I understand that I am only writing a blog post. It’s not likely to get many readers, but there is strength in numbers and the more everyone feeds into unions, the better.
How it was made
The picture was created on Photoshop by layering and editing stock pictures. I wanted to focus on the round table aspect of a union. It would have been easy to create a Modernist Marxist tribute, but it's been done. Karl can rest now. I chose cool hues and simple images to communicate a rational conversation between parties. I understand that this is idealistic, but I am so bored of infighting. It's time to put new vibes and ideals out there.
The research for the blog was fun. It’s the part of projects I excel at. Talking to Chris was a highlight as he gave me the most nuanced information. I spoke to/tried to speak to others over the phone about unions, but I either couldn’t get through or they couldn’t give me the information I needed. These avenues could have been explored further, but this was only meant to be a simple 500-word blog, so I needed to balance my effort.
I went slightly over the word count but decided to leave it as it was. Honestly, I could have written an essay. The ending felt a little off to me, though a friend gave feedback that it worked fine. I suspect I’m just too close to the piece to see it clearly. I also included my references—something I noticed my colleagues didn’t do. That said, I like to keep them for my own records, so they’re there for marketing to include or leave out.
I don’t expect this blog to start a revolution, but if it makes someone pause and think about their rights, or even just appreciate a good round table, I’ll take it. It’s my contribution to a better future.
