STAT OF THE DAY

Almost two-thirds (65%) cite email as the most effective channel for engaging employees on COVID-19 issues. Half (50%) say video messages from senior leaders are effective, and 46% find it helpful to share positive news and feel-good stories. – Ragan Report: “COVID-19’s Impact on Communications”

COVID-19 UDPATE

• At the time of reporting, The New York Times reported 805,850 COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and 40,323 deaths. Bing’s COVID-19 Tracker reported 827,038 cases and 45,525 deaths. The discrepancy in the two fatality numbers is due to several thousand deaths that are presumed to be COVID-19 related, but are not confirmed.
• President Trump has announced a suspension of parts of the U.S. immigration system, a move that will have many implications for industries that depend on foreign labor. “Nonessential travel” has been hated and regular visa services at many embassies have been halted.
• The Senate has agreed on a deal for $484 billion in relief for small businesses, hospitals and increased testing. The federal government is likely to consider a further $1 trillion in relief spending in the future.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo offers key lessons for crisis communicators. New York’s governor has taken the reigns and received positive reviews for his regular briefings and messages to New Yorkers and the country as a whole. Here’s what you should take from his performance.

Zoom takes top spot as remote collaboration tool. A report from Clutch shares that two-thirds of employees are working from home, and though collaboration is a top challenge, videoconference technology is a big help. See more here.

Look for metrics to guide your crisis response. To find the right cadence for engaging employees, you have to solicit feedback and be humble enough to make changes when things aren’t working. Here are a handful of suggestions from NRG Energy’s crisis response.

Employers can offer “stimulus” to employees. An HR company gave employees an extra $250 to cover expenses from switching to WFH and asked that the money be spent on local businesses. The move shows a commitment to the community and a level of trust in employees.

Fast Company wrote:

We didn’t require any paperwork or expense reimbursement. We put our trust in our employees to deliver our values, to spend the resources wisely, and to give back to the types of businesses they go to bat for every day. In a moment of crisis, trust, after all, is the most important human resource we have.

Get more out of Slack with these tricks and shortcuts. Technology for connecting remote teams is only helpful if you can make it work for you. Here are some tricks to get more out of the popular collaboration tool.

Personalization poses dilemma for privacy-conscious comms. The need to target audiences in the current climate is more severe than ever, but audiences are starting to push back on data collection practices. Here’s how to balance that paradox.

Return to work will likely mean the end of open floor plans. In order to feel safe, 61% say they want policies requiring sick workers to stay home, 59% want better cleaning practices, 48% want to limit meetings to 10 people or less and 47% want desks spaced at least six feet apart.

Image courtesy of the Harris Poll.

Failing to protect employees creates reputational problems. Charter Communications has faced tough questions over decisions to make employees come into the office during the COVID-19 crisis. Now others like Boeing are being scrutinized as they try to come back online.  Make sure you communicate how you are protecting employees, especially workers who have been deemed “essential.”

JPMorgan stresses employee safety and timing in memo on return to work. The bank says it doesn’t have a firm timeline but will follow guidance from local governments and authorities.

The New York Times reported:

"Two considerations are paramount as we plan for this across the firm: We want to do it at the right time — which may differ by region, country and state — and in a manner that prioritizes your health and safety," the bank's Operating Committee said in the memo.

Communicate the start and end of the workday to avoid burnout. Here are some tips on how to set important boundaries while working from home to avoid overworking your team—or yourself.

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.

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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.

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