QUOTE OF THE DAY "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." – Martin Luther King, Jr. COVID-19 UPDATE Microsoft’s COVID-19 Tracker on Bing shows 55,330 confirmed cases in the U.S. as of Wednesday morning and 804 fatalities. The New York Times reports at least 53,934 cases and 728 deaths. Cases continue to rise globally. The White House and the Senate have reached a deal on a $2 trillion stimulus package. The bill contains “$250 billion set aside for direct payments to individuals and families, $350 billion in small business loans, $250 billion in unemployment insurance benefits and $500 billion in loans for distressed companies,” per CNN. The bill is expected to pass Wednesday. Despite the previous day’s surge, and the announcement of the federal aid package, markets trended down Wednesday morning over fears about COVID-19’s continued impact on the economy.
To keep remote workers engaged, it’s important to have the right tools for the job. Here are some productivity and coworking tools that can help you manage your dispersed teams.
Zoom videoconferencing sweeps the nation, but are you doing it right? The tech experts at Wired have put together this guide to help you get the most out of the videoconferencing solution, including how to share your screen and troubleshoot a bad connection. Check out their guide here. Are we over-communicating COVID-19? Learn what messages are essential and what does more harm than good from Ragan Consulting’s Jim Ylisela. In-person activities and promotions have to move online, but how? This case study from coded{pr} shares some tips to help guide your new strategy. During the current crisis, let your organization’s values be your North Star. It’s never been more important to your stakeholders, from employees to customers, to see your company take a stand. Here are some ways you can lean on your values around COVID-19 messages. WeWork offers cash for workers who will brave COVID-19 to go to work. The coworking space company has denied the payout is to incentivize workers to come to the office, but rather claims it wants to reward workers who feel “comfortable coming in.” The company risks sparking a backlash online, despite efforts to frame the move in a positive light. Read the memo here. Wells Fargo requires call center employees to report for work. The company says that these operations are “essential” and therefore are exempt from shelter-in-place orders in places like San Francisco. Vice reported: The situation grew especially tense last Tuesday, when multiple California counties issued shelter-in-place orders and directed all non-essential employees to stay at home. That same day, the San Francisco bank’s head of consumer lending, Mary Mack, told employees in her division, in an email obtained by VICE, that the “branch, contact center, and operations center employees are considered ‘essential’ and exempt from the counties’ orders.” Get your leaders in front of an audience with an effective Q&A. During tough times, your employees and customers want to hear from people at the top. Here is how you can use the Q&A format to deliver important information from your leaders. Apple plans to reopen stores in April. The tech company has told employees to prepare to return to work in early April, according to a memo seen by Bloomberg. CNET reported: "In all our offices outside of Greater China, we are extending flexible work arrangements for all team members -- outside of those whose work requires them to be onsite -- through at least April 5, which will then be reevaluated weekly depending on your location," O'Brien wrote in the memo, which Bloomberg said was dated March 23. Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. YouTube is lowering video quality for 30 days. The move comes as increased internet activity poses a threat to internet systems. Companies can do their part to help their communities in many ways, and offering a careful response to the current moment is essential. Make sure your employees know the ways you are working to offer solutions, such as the messages from Jeff Bezos or Satya Nadella. Uber sends mixed signals on financial aid for drivers. The company has promised to offer assistance to drivers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 for up to 14 days, but have resisted measures to help drivers receive unemployment benefits, according to The New York Times. It wrote: In a call with analysts last week, the Uber chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, alluded to the problem, suggesting that his hands were tied because Uber drivers are independent contractors. “This situation certainly demonstrates the downside of attaching basic protections to W-2 employment,” he said. Walmart, others increase employee protections in stores. The mega-retailer says it has found new ways to improve employee safety, including “sneeze guards” and new solutions for sanitizing shopping carts. Proper safeguards for employees during this crisis are both an internal and external issue and should be communicated regularly to all stakeholders. You can still network while social distancing. LinkedIn reminds us that we can continue to network, even when if we’re stuck inside. Virtual Event Alert Check out Ragan’s Crisis Communications Virtual Summit March 31 for a day of virtual sessions that you can share with your entire team, or watch any time on your own schedule. 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. | 