How to Communicate During a Pandemic?

How to communicate during the coronavirus pandemic?

The spreading coronavirus epidemic is forcing company boards to change the way they work and communicate with both employees and the external environment. The coming weeks, and perhaps even months of remote work and the ban on gatherings pose new challenges for corporate communication. Here's how to prepare for the new situation and limit potential losses for your business.

Taking into account the experience of previous economic crises and the specific nature of the epidemic itself, we should expect increased demand from companies for change communication, which will be forced by further adaptations to market demand in many industries. In the event of a prolonged slowdown, company boards will face the need to communicate pay cuts, group layoffs, or changes to their production or service profile. Usually in times of crisis, as a PR agency, we received more inquiries and assignments in the area of internal communication, with particular emphasis on change communication. In internal communication, corporate and crisis communication will be very important. The first industries are already beginning to prepare their clients for difficulties in goods deliveries, changes in the way services are provided, downtime, and staff shortages. What distinguishes this crisis from previous ones, including the 2008 crisis, is communication, which must adapt to the impossibility of meetings, hence the strong emphasis on social media platforms and group communication channels, as well as webinars and video broadcasts – forecasts Iwona Kubicz of Procontent Communication.

The first important stage is planning activities

Many companies are sending their employees to remote work without communicating procedures, ways of communicating, reporting results, and keeping each other informed about work progress.

Even if a company has implemented many systems supporting remote work, such as CRM software, instant messengers, internal social communication channels, or video calls, for employees, especially those who are less independent or poorly embedded in the life of the organization, such a change means a major shock. For managers, this means the need to communicate rules, set direction, and find new opportunities, which in times of uncertainty and disconnection from the group employees need much more” – emphasizes Iwona Kubicz.

Planning activities first

First of all, leaders should currently focus on planning activities. Plans should include, among other things, readiness to respond efficiently to the potential impact of the epidemic on the company's business, focus on minimizing losses, and organizing the work of the entire team in such a way as to ensure business continuity in the best possible way.

When creating an action plan, it is worth answering the following questions:

• What are the potential effects of the epidemic on your company?
• What are the key indicators by which you will measure the potential effects?
• When will your financial results translate into team reductions, halting production, or services?
• Should you inform your clients/business partners, e.g., about moving operations online, etc.?
• Do you have an effective early warning system to react in time?
• How will you regularly communicate with your team, stakeholders, and clients?
• Do you have suppliers and business partners on whom your company's operations heavily depend? What is their epidemic response plan? What communication should you send to them?
• Are you able to ensure continuity of the company's operations to cope with this kind of crisis? If your business requires employees to be on site, what safeguards must you implement so they can continue working?
• Are you prepared to continue operations if an epidemic breaks out among your employees?

An effective crisis communication plan

Knowing the answers to these questions makes it easier to take communication actions and develop a crisis communication plan at the company. If you do not have a plan in place – do it as soon as possible. It will help you react quickly and avoid unnecessary panic. In the communication plan, pay particular attention to whether it includes rules of conduct in the event of a widespread health threat. Remember that in difficult times you should always start communication with your employees, and then with clients, suppliers, and other business partners, even before the message is directed to the media.

When gathering information that the company wants to convey in communication about the epidemic and its spread, as well as recommendations, use verified sources – the World Health Organization (WHO), the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, and the Ministry of Health.

More information on this topic can be found at - https://www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie. In an era of fake news and the mass shift of communication online, it is worth relying on the most trusted and verified sources of information.

Employees are primarily concerned about their own health and that of their loved ones. So, does your company provide all the necessary information on how they can protect themselves and their family? Does your company's operations allow for remote work to minimize the risk of infection? Do employees have the right equipment and internet access during home office, and do you have an intranet, mass communication platform, or other means enabling quick contact?

Remember that your communication concerns actions aimed at protecting people's health and increasing the company's trust and credibility. That is why it is also important that you determine who is responsible for reaching and communicating with specific target groups. The most important rules should be prepared, approved, and passed on to those responsible for comprehensive communication in the company. Be aware that how you behave in the current situation may affect your company positively or negatively in the future.

Communication in times of uncertainty

Relationships have never been as important as they are now. You should be in constant contact with employees, clients, and the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. By adapting to the general recommendations of the Ministry of Health, you can minimize any losses and restore the company's normal operations more quickly – summarizes Iwona Kubicz, President of Procontent Communication.

ABOUT PROCONTENT COMMUNICATION:

Procontent Communication is a PR and communication consulting company belonging to one of the world's largest public relations networks, Global Reach PR, which, through 35 offices on five continents, offers its clients global communication campaigns. The network's main headquarters is located in the capital of the United Kingdom, London.

Summary

The coronavirus epidemic is forcing companies to take a new approach to internal and external communication, with particular emphasis on remote work and the absence of meetings. Planning activities, readiness for crisis, and developing a crisis communication plan are key to minimizing losses and avoiding panic.

As emphasized by Iwona Kubicz of Procontent Communication, leaders must first take care of employees, their health, and access to the right tools, and only then of clients and business partners. In an era of fake news, one should rely on verified sources such as WHO, GIS, or the Ministry of Health.