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Agenda

Building a more confident, connected communications approach

How we supported BALPA through a review of its communications activities, shifting the focus from reactive to strategic.

The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) represents thousands of pilots across the UK aviation sector. Communications underpin its success – from recruiting and retaining members, to supporting reps, building industrial strength and influencing decision‑makers. 

BALPA asked Agenda to review how communications were working across the organisation, from head office to its rep-led company councils, and to identify how a more strategic, joined‑up approach could better support the union’s long‑term ambitions. 

BALPA started from a position of strength. Member density is high. Rep communities are committed and active. Leadership is ambitious about the role communications should play in the future. 

But communications had grown organically. Different teams and company councils had developed their own approaches, channels and rhythms. Over time, this created fragmentation, duplication and missed opportunities – and the communications team were often pulled into delivery mode rather than positioned as strategic partners, leaving the team in a cycle of servicing. 

BALPA wanted to shift from busy, reactive activity to a clearer, more deliberate communications approach that worked for the whole organisation. 

Our approach 

We began with a focused discovery phase to understand how communications operated in practice and how members experienced them. 

This included: 

  • interviews and workshops with officers, staff and company council reps 

  • surveys and engagement analysis 

  • a review of channels, platforms and content 

  • mapping the member journey from joining to long‑term involvement 

Alongside this, Agenda supported BALPA’s communications delivery for a period. That gave us first‑hand insight into pressure points, decision‑making and day‑to‑day realities – and allowed us to start testing improvements alongside the review. 

What we found 

BALPA’s devolved structure brings real strengths. Local ownership creates energy, commitment and relevance. But without a strong strategic framework, it also brings challenges: 

  • multiple uncoordinated channels 

  • limited use of data and insight to inform planning and priorities, partly due to a legacy CRM that is difficult to integrate into other platforms 

  • silos between central teams and company councils 

  • inconsistent external positioning, despite BALPA’s authority and expertise 

There was commitment and effort but there was an absence of a shared approach and clear strategic comms direction. 

The strategic response 

From this insight, we developed a clear, practical direction built around a “One BALPA” approach to communications. 

The aim was not to centralise oversight, but to better connect what already existed – and to strengthen communications as a strategic capability across the organisation. 

This meant: 

  • a stronger central communications function to set direction and narrative 

  • clearer priorities and planning across teams  

  • better support to shape local communications 

  • greater use of data and insight to learn and improve 

This approach closely aligned with the union’s wider reflections, helping to build shared ownership and momentum for change. 

From strategy to practice 

We paired strategic recommendations with practical, achievable changes designed to improve how communications worked day to day. 

These included: 

  • introducing a communications calendar to improve visibility and prioritisation 

  • streamlining email activity to reduce member overload and staff pressure 

  • creating regular spaces for collaboration between central teams and company councils 

Together, these changes freed up capacity, reduced noise and created the conditions for more planned, confident communications. 

Supporting culture change 

During the review, BALPA’s communications team evolved. Agenda supported delivery, embedded more strategic ways of working and helped model a clearer role for communications within the organisation. 

We also supported the recruitment of a new communications director, strengthening leadership and ensuring communications had a clear voice at senior level. 

The impact 

BALPA is now better placed to continue the shift towards a more integrated, strategic communications system that supports its long‑term goals. 

The work has created a shared direction for communications across the union and laid the groundwork for stronger external positioning as the voice of UK pilots. 

Most importantly, it helped BALPA move from fragmentation to focus – supporting a more confident, purposeful and joined‑up approach to communications that matches its ambition and authority. 

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