QUOTE OF THE DAY “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear. -Rosa Parks COVID-19 UPDATE As of Monday morning, The New York Times reported that at least 336,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and at least 9,600 people have died. Bing’s COVID-19 tracker reported 337,797 cases and more than 10,000 fatalities at the time of reporting. Global cases now number more than 1.25 million. An internal government probe released Monday says that many hospitals lack adequate equipment and supplies for the outbreak. The Surgeon General warned that this week would be the “hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives.” Janet Yellen, the former chair of the Federal Reserve, says unemployment is already probably at 12%-13%. Stocks started the week on the upswing as the market rallied up from a sell-off last week.
As you settle in for the long haul, consider employees’ needs. Here’s what some communicators and PR pros say you can do to prepare for the next phase in your COVID-19 response. Here’s a hint: It’s all about your employees.
Find uplifting stories to share on your social media channels. A flight crew was able to go above and beyond for a passenger traveling to visit her dying mother during the pandemic. The crew’s actions become a great video story for the airline to share. Make sure you are surfacing these stories to share form your brand channels. How should you prioritize media requests in the current crisis? Stakeholders need to hear from you—and internal team members deserve to get updates before external audiences. Here are some tips from Ragan Consulting Group’s Nick Lanyi on how to triage your media relations strategy. CEOs are now “chief empathy officers.” Edelman shares examples and tips for how your top executive can be a caring and supportive leader through this crisis. Your CEO is a key spokesperson for your response with employer communications being the top-rated source of information for audiences about the COVID-19 pandemic. Microsoft launches “Meet Now” to compete with Zoom. The tool is from Skype, the video-calling platform Microsoft acquired in 2011. The company tweeted a reminder that users can start a video meeting and invite users to join without using the app or creating an account, both requirements for competitor Zoom. Use social media to highlight your community engagement. Your strategy on social platforms should highlight how your organization is serving those around you who need a helping hand. Here are some ideas for how to get creative in your attempts to reach out during this crisis. Zoom CEO tries to address security flaw criticism. The CEO apologized for the security flaws that has led some businesses and organizations to ban the use of its videoconferencing product. He wrote in a blog post: We have strived to provide you with uninterrupted service and the same user-friendly experience that has made Zoom the video-conferencing platform of choice for enterprises around the world, while also ensuring platform safety, privacy, and security. However, we recognize that we have fallen short of the community’s – and our own – privacy and security expectations. For that, I am deeply sorry, and I want to share what we are doing about it. Remote work is here to stay. Many business leaders report that remote work won’t disappear once the current crisis is over, and some believe offering remote work to employees will help attract top talent. Keep notes on what is working for your remote employee engagement during this crisis as some of these changes might become permanent. Global CEOs offer takeaways from COVID response in Hong Long, Italy and Singapore. Some of the top recommendations include moving fast, assuming the worst, creating separate A and B teams for operations and other steps. Read the full report to be a valuable strategic advisor during this uncertain time. Take pains to share how you are prepared for this crisis. JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon showed how the bank is poised to weather the current storm in exhaustive detail in his annual report. The document is a reminder that over-communicating can be effective when sharing solutions and trying to calm fears. Virtual Conference Alert Join us for Ragan’s Internal Communications and Culture Virtual Conference April 21-22 to learn how you can connect dispersed workers and unite your organization in the face of unprecedented disruption. Join our Crisis Leadership Board Ragan’s Crisis Leadership Board is the resource you need before, during and post-crisis. As a Board member, you have access to all back issues of this newsletter, we well as research, data, case studies, checklists, tip sheets, articles and other resources, plus a peer to peer discussion board and an all-access pass to the annual Crisis Management Conference. Sponsorship/Advertising Opportunities Contact Hannah Lavelle at HannahL@ragan.com with sponsorship and advertising inquiries. Pitch Us Have a great story to share about crisis communication or your own take on current best practices? Contact Editor Ted Kitterman at TedK@ragan.com. Sign Up Subscribe to Ragan’s Crisis Daily newsletter today! | 