TIP OF THE DAY Deloitte’s guide for communicators focused on recovery recommends that you “define the destination” and clearly illustrate what a full recovery would entail. “Envision what being wildly successful looks like at the end of recovery,” it says, “and determine what immediate steps can be taken to move quickly and decisively toward it.” – “The essence of resilient leadership: Business recovery from COVID-19” COVID-19 UPDATE At the time of reporting, The New York Times showed 1,075,696 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and 63,109 deaths. Bing’s COVID-19 Tracker showed 1,100,706 cases and 63,851 deaths. Global cases are more than 3.2 million. The Trump administration is laying the blame for COVID-19 on China, with economic adviser Larry Kudlow promising China will be “held accountable.” Anthony Fauci says it is “doable” to have millions of doses of a vaccine for COVID-19 by January. Consumer spending had a record drop in March as many stayed home during COVID-19 lockdowns. Markets were down early Friday to start May. Here are tips for addressing a return to the office before a viable vaccine is available. Kay Sargent, director of workplace strategy at HOK, shares ways to prioritize safety if you’re trying to restart your business even when the virus still poses a threat to workers. See all of her takeaways here. Who belongs on the crisis response team? The size of your organization will determine this, but experts say there are universal truths about an effective crisis management apparatus. See who you should tap to lead your response. 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. Address potential “people risk” in your crisis contingency plan. In a report from Hackett Group, experts warn that personnel issues could exacerbate your crisis, and they advise you take action on expanding remote work, planning for leadership continuity, reviewing PTO policies and more. See their full crisis analysis here. Focus on these essential elements of trust. For employees to feel safe to return to work, they need faith in their physical surroundings, financial stability, emotional stability and digital security.
Image courtesy of Deloitte. You should become an expert on the science of face coverings. With many organizations adopting rules to protect workers and consumers, it’s wise to learn all you can about how face masks can reduce risk. Check out this infographic about how to make and use a mask. Nationwide Insurance to adopt remote work permanently. The company says it will close its office buildings—except for four main campuses in the U.S.—and that many on staff will become permanent remote workers. Insurance Journal wrote: The company said it will exit most buildings outside of four main campuses by November 1, 2020 and move associates in these locations to permanent remote-working status. “We’ve been investing in our technological capabilities for years, and those investments really paid off when we needed to transition quickly to a 98 percent work-from-home model,” said Nationwide CEO Kirt Walker. “Our associates and our technology team have proven to us that we can serve our members and partners with extraordinary care with a large portion of our team working from home.” Tyson increases safety measures after spike in COVID-19 cases. Its meat processing plant in Logansport, Indiana, has seen almost 900 workers infected, and the company said it would voluntarily close down and introduce better protection practices at all its plants. The crisis is a reminder to adopt stringent practices now instead of waiting for employees to get sick. The Hill reported: “We've been screening worker temperatures, requiring protective face coverings and conducting additional cleaning and sanitizing," Tyson said in the statement. "We’ve also implemented social distancing measures, such as workstation dividers and more breakroom space.” Be an essential resource for reporters during this crisis to build relationships. By ensuring that you have relevant and accurate information to share, and taking the time to find a fresh angle for your story, you can build essential relationships with reporters. Here are six tips. Macy’s commits to July 4 fireworks and Thanksgiving Parade. Despite potential disruption due to coronavirus concerns, the retailer says it will find a way to keep its annual events going. The chain also announced it would start to reopen stores in a staggered schedule. AdAge wrote: “We’re committed to both these events,” said [CEO Jeff Gennette], though he noted that Macy’s is “working through what the country is going through and how to change the narrative of the parade to be reflective of that.” Amazon says remote work will be extended to “at least” Oct. 2. The retailer says employees who can do their work remotely won’t be back in the office until the fall, but for workers who do come into the workplace it has promised added safety measures. The SeattleTimes wrote: A company spokesperson confirmed the extension, adding, “We are working hard and investing significant funds to keep those who choose to come to the office safe through physical distancing, deep cleaning, temperature checks, and the availability of face coverings and hand sanitizer.” 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! | 