At our latest team day, we came together expecting a bit of friendly competition, problem‑solving and laughs along the way. What we didn’t expect was just how meaningful the day would become. Working through a series of team challenges, we put our heads down to build bikes – assuming, like most team days, the reward […]
When team building turns into community impact Read More »
When people talk about collaboration, it is often framed as workshops, meetings or emails. But some of the most meaningful collaboration happens well beyond the desk. Through embedded teams, long-term relationships and a genuine sense of shared ownership. At Spectrum Comms, for many large-scale infrastructure projects, we work as embedded members of our client’s teams. That doesn’t mean we’re sitting in their office five days a
Collaboration beyond the desk: Why embedded teams and relationships matter Read More »
Culture in the workplace is often talked about as something you can see – an office, a desk, a team working side by side. But culture isn’t a place. It’s a feeling. It shows up in how people work together, how they’re trusted to do their jobs, and how they’re supported when things get challenging. For a remote business like Spectrum Comms, culture is shaped
Culture isn’t a place Read More »
In construction, communication isn’t just about keeping people informed, it’s about building trust, reducing risk, and making sure projects run smoothly from start to finish. Whether it’s a major road upgrade or a small local improvement project, every construction job affects people. Residents, businesses, commuters, and community groups all have a stake in what’s happening.
Why getting communication right in construction matters Read More »
Seven years ago, Spectrum Comms began with a simple idea: to create a flexible workplace for ourselves and build something meaningful together. What started as a conversation between friends who really loved working together has grown into a thriving consultancy with over 55 clients, a passionate team, and projects that have shaped the Hunter region.
The Spectrum Comms recipe for success. How we made it to seven years bold! Read More »
One of the tougher parts of community engagement is telling someone that construction work will temporarily cut off access to their home. While it is all part of the job, it’s definitely not an enjoyable aspect. During a recent road upgrade project, we had to make a lot of those calls. One of residents we
When community care means carrying the dog Read More »
For years, the traditional town hall was the backbone of community engagement. Held in local halls and community centres, these meetings were a chance for project teams to present, take questions, and – sometimes – weather heated feedback from the floor. But as engagement approaches evolved, many moved away from town halls toward more informal, inclusive formats like drop-in sessions, small
Is there still a place for town halls in modern engagement? Read More »
When one of our clients needed to install essential infrastructure along an inner-city street of Newcastle, we knew it would be a challenge. The project was going to close roads, block access to people’s driveways for up to four weeks at a time, and worst of all, there was a substantial amount of night work
Brewing goodwill: How coffee helped us keep the community onside Read More »
Focus groups are a great way to drill down into understanding the “why” behind stakeholder views. They can help to obtain qualitative insights to back quantitative results collected through surveys and polls. But focus groups have their own set of challenges, especially when Covid is forcing them to be held virtually. Challenge 1: Recruitment Recruiting
Navigating the challenges of focus groups Read More »
A project manager said to us the other day “all that early engagement is really paying off now” and we wanted to reach through the phone and kiss him, and maybe erect a little statue somewhere. Instead we urged him to tell all his project manager friends. It’s shiny little moments like these that remind
Why it pays to build trust through early engagement Read More »