| Your free trial subscription expires 8/14/20. Go here to extend your term, only $79/year. STAT OF THE DAY According to a report from Talent in Innovation, “majority men” in leadership positions in corporate America make up three profiles when it comes to DE&I: true believers (62%), persuadables (31%) and detractors (7%). True believers say they believe that greater diversity leads to more innovation (69%), makes them better leaders (49%) and improves the reputation of their companies (43%). COVID-19 UPDATE At the time of reporting, The New York Times showed 5,101,384 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and 163,018 deaths. Bing’s COVID-19 Tracker reported 5,184,607 cases in the U.S. and 165,331 fatalities. Most Americans won’t be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine deep into next year, even if a viable product is available by November, a highly optimistic target. Governors from both parties deem the new stimulus measures from President Trump’s executive orders too expensive to implement and are calling for fresh compromise in Congress.
Make sure to explain the “why” behind wellness programs. Here are some common mistakes that will doom your efforts to improve the health of your most crucial asset: your employees.
Ensure quotes are clear in your crisis statements. The details always matter, but especially when trying to protect your brand reputation. Here are some important considerations when using quotes form key spokespeople in a release or blog post. Can your organization have a voice on COVID-19? Newsjacking might feel ill-considered in the current climate, but here is how one PR pro argues you can help your business or brand find its voice on topics like a global pandemic. How can you identify an influencer partner that is safe for your brand? Sometimes avoiding a crisis is all about doing your due diligence beforehand. Here are some ways to think about these key partners and avoid a reputational disaster down the line. Many employers avoid liability waivers as workers return to the office. Experts warn that such agreements will be hard to enforce and could send the wrong message to employees risking their health to help rebuild your business. Uber and Lyft lose court battle of classifying drivers as employees. The companies promised to appeal the decision in California, saying it was bad for their drivers. CNN reported: In response to the order, Lyft spokesperson Julie Wood said, "drivers do not want to be employees, full stop." "We'll immediately appeal this ruling and continue to fight for their independence. Ultimately, we believe this issue will be decided by California voters and that they will side with drivers," Wood said in a statement provided to CNN Business. Guidelines to help employees set boundaries during WFH. Here are three rules one author says are the foundation of a successful remote work setup. Think about how your communication can help support a better working environment for remote employees. Your office won’t be obsolete. Many experts see the new belief in remote work’s efficacy to lead to a boom in remote work—but they say many employees will still commute to an office. OregonLive reported: “If you looked into the workforce that is dependent on offices typically, I would say that about 5% of workforces were working from home on a regular, if not full-time basis (before the pandemic),” said Julie Whelan, the head of occupier research at commercial real estate firm CBRE. “I think that this is going to accelerate that trend, but I don’t think it’s going to accelerate it to a point where offices become obsolete.” Marriott tries to turn the page after devastating losses. The hotel chain has been heavily impacted by the COVID-=19 pandemic, but top leaders are trying to point to a return in demand. CNBC reported: “While our business continues to be profoundly impacted by COVID-19, we are seeing steady signs of demand returning”, Chief Executive Officer Arne Sorenson said in a statement, adding that Greater China continued to lead the recovery. Special Report Get a free copy of Ragan’s Crisis Leadership Board’s “Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter,” a concise and meaningful review of how 10 brands responded to the Black Lives Matter movement—from best to worst—and the lessons taken from each response. Virtual Conference Alert Join us for Ragan’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Communicators Virtual Conference Sept. 17-18 to learn beast practices and tactics for improving diversity and inclusion in your workplace and making your comms programs reflective of your core values and beliefs. Join our Crisis Leadership Board Ragan’s Crisis Leadership Board is the resource you need before, during and after the crisis. As a board member, you have access to all back issues of this newsletter—as 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. Your free trial subscription expires 8/14/20. Go here to extend your term, only $79/year. | 