Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
When we heard that Telecine is again working on further improvements for Acorda Therapeutics Inc.’s digital signage, we weren’t too surprised: It seems to be the type of client that wants to constantly improve its communications with its employees.
Acorda isn’t a huge company, but has been named for five consecutive years as one of the best companies to work for in New York in a survey conducted by the Best Companies Group in partnership with the New York State Society for Human Resource Management and the Business Council of New York.
Founded in 1995, and initially active in spinal cord injury research, Acorda’s mission now is to develop therapies that restore function and improve the lives of people with neurological disorders. It is dedicated to the development and commercialization of novel therapies to improve, repair and restore neurological function in people with a range of nervous system disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy.
“We delivered the first phase of digital signage content in January, 2015, at the company’s head office in Ardsley, N.Y.,” says Renée Hampton, project manager at Telecine. “Then in March, we added more content and added signage in Acorda’s office in Chelsea, near Boston.
“We reprogrammed the content to be location specific, for such information as local traffic delays and weather, and recognition of various employees, which helped bring the two offices closer. The ‘SynapseTV’ digital signage uses highly creative and effective communication content on screens installed throughout Acorda’s offices.”
The system has quickly become a focal point in Acorda Therapeutics’ employee communications. The customized software automatically and painlessly builds and displays captivating, dynamic and relevant content by constantly accessing Internet and Intranet data. The various screens also show seasonal information, meetings planned, events, congratulations and thank you messages, and more.
“The content really has increased the number of users,” says Hampton.
Anyone watching Acorda’s screens may wonder about the various colourful animated fish that swim in and about the screens’ content in both offices. They are emblematic of Acorda’s values. Based on a Jewish folk story familiar to Ron Cohen, M.D., Acorda’s president and CEO, the moral of the story is that people care less about what you say or write and more about who you are and what you do.
“Sort of ‘Actions speak louder than words’,” says Hampton adding that Telecine worked with Acorda’s own creative people to come up with the 10 different fish designs that are incorporated in all the signage.
The newest work, she says, “involves Telecine increasing the use of social media such as Twitter and Instagram into content for Acorda employees, as well as working to provide more in terms of analytics.”
“Many companies focus significant effort on digital signage content for advertising and external communications,” says James Fine, Telecine president and CEO. “This project proves that it is also worth putting thought and effort into creating great employee communications.
“Acorda is ground-breaking in the way current and relevant data are integrated seamlessly into unique graphic animations. It is the best we know how to do and represents the kind and quality of content that we are hoping all employee communication systems will be… one day.”
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