TIP OF THE DAY Only half of workers say companies are sharing honest information about infected employees. Make sure that you are providing regular updates about workers who are sick, while also explaining how you are protecting their privacy. –The Harris Poll COVID-19 UPDATE At the time of reporting, The New York Times showed 965,214 confirmed cases in the U.S. and 49,465 deaths. Bing’s COVID-19 Tracker reported 988,333 cases (823,459 active) and 55,548 deaths in the U.S. It showed global cases at nearly 3 million. President Trump is expected to shift to talking about the economy after a series of missteps during briefings about the coronavirus. Several U.S. states have started to reopen their businesses, including Alaska, Georgia, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Many other states are set to let their stay-at-home orders expire April 30. Markets were up Monday on hopes that the economy might start to reopen. Many experts say the market won’t experience a quick rebound or “v-shaped” rebound, so named for the shape made on a line graph.
The microsite is a key tool for crisis communications. Here’s how Sensata was able to launch an COVID-19 resource hub on Microsoft Sharepoint overnight and use other channels—like email—to reach important stakeholders with vital information.
When communicating layoffs, hold onto empathy. Here are some ways to soften the blow when faced with devastating financial decisions, and ways for communicators to continue to advocate for furloughed employees. In Muck Rack’s 2020 survey of more than 1,000 journalists, just over 50% of journalists said that only one-fourth of the stories they publish originate from pitches. And, 28% of journalists said that none of their stories originate from pitches. How can we bridge this gap and better understand, collaborate with, and provide value for journalists? Read the full insights from Muck Rack’s State of Journalism survey here, and get an analysis of the research from its CEO Greg Galant, along with special guests from W2O and CUNY, in this recorded session. You can also catch Muck Rack at PR Daily’s Media Relations & Measurement Virtual Conference on May 14-15. WFH employees struggle to maintain work/life balance. In the Harris Poll, 56% of respondents said they maintain clear boundaries around work and 36% feel overwhelmed trying to balance WFH and other family responsibilities.
Image courtesy of The Harris Poll. The IRS recalls employees despite lacking protective equipment. Tony Reardon, head of the National Treasury Employees Union, says that if bonuses don’t entice enough volunteers, the agency will begin to order workers to return. Politico reported: Effective April 27, 2020, the IRS will be recalling certain employees in mission-critical functions to handle work that must be conducted onsite,” said the agency memo, sent Friday by IRS Human Capital Officer Robin D. Bailey Jr. and a deputy. The email warned that, “An employee who fails to adhere to the requirements in the memo may be required to return home until such time the employee adheres to these requirements. Please remember, the intent of this requirement is to ensure the health and safety of all our employees and their families.” Tesla takes hit asking workers to return despite shelter-in-place order. The issue highlights the need to carefully explain how you will keep employees safe amid messages planning a resumption of activities. Employees who are worried for their safety might turn to external sources for help—dinging your reputation. During this crisis, PR pros should focus on digital skills. The current disruption the industry faces has only ramped up the need for digital knowhow on topics like SEO, paid media and measurement. Here’s where you should invest. Consider adding video to your email. Email newsletters have seen a healthy increase in readership—but video messages are also a crucial channel. Why not use them together? Here are some ways to add video content to your email messages. Airbus shares bleak financial picture with employees. In a memo, the airplane manufacturer said that the “survival of Airbus is in question” if the company didn’t take immediate action. It’s important to offer transparency in a crisis—but you can spook employees who you’ll need to give their all for a full recovery. Make sure to temper warnings with hope for the future. After the crisis, 55% say they want to return to the office. As companies think through the future of work and how to bring back employees, know that some workers are happy to keep working from their homes. However, a healthy number want to go back to the office. Communicators can take the lead on how to help organizations execute this move safely. Keep your meetings brief. In a report, employees are spending more time on one-on-one checkins and meetings during the COVID-19 crisis. Make sure that your meetings are efficient and carefully planned to avoid unnecessarily adding to your teams’ workload. Virtual Conference Alert Join us for PR Daily’s Media Relations and Measurement Virtual Conference May 14–15. Learn from experts who are transforming their pitches and media relations efforts as well as their measurement strategies to meet the challenges presented by the current public health crisis. 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! | 