Why Communication Professionals Have a Vital Role to Play in the Wake of COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted businesses worldwide. With many UK businesses temporarily closing and others facing challenges like falling stock prices and disrupted supply chains, the need for effective communication has never been more critical. Communication professionals are essential in guiding businesses through these uncertain times, ensuring resilience and preparedness for future crises.
Review Communication to Date
A critical first step in building future resilience is to review your communication during the initial pandemic response. By identifying gaps and flaws, you can create a platform for improvement, enabling quick and effective responses to future crises. A review also helps capture and replicate successful actions.
Convene your team and agencies for an online meeting to conduct a structured review. Set ground rules to ensure the session is transparent and constructive, focusing on learning rather than blame. Start by revisiting your COVID-19 crisis communication objectives. What were your goals, and how did your response measure up?
Evaluate individual pieces of communication—internal briefings, customer updates, media statements—against criteria such as empathy, clarity, practicality, alignment with values, and credibility. Gather feedback from stakeholders and consider formal research to understand how your communication was received and what is needed in the future.
VMA GROUP will be holding a webinar with Jonathan Hemus on how to review your crisis communications plan, which you can sign up to here.
Enhance Your Crisis Communication Plan
According to PwC’s 2019 Global Crisis Survey, organizations with a crisis response plan fared better post-crisis. Those that updated their plans with lessons learned were four times more likely to succeed. Apply insights from your review to update your crisis communication plan, ensuring it can handle future crises.
If you lack a plan, now is the time to create one. Use the opportunity between outbreaks to develop clear and simple procedures and templates.
The Battle to Protect Reputation and Retain Stakeholder Trust
The coronavirus pandemic is a significant wake-up call for crisis management. However, it also presents opportunities. Communication professionals add the most value when faced with challenging circumstances. Retaining stakeholder trust is crucial in this new phase, and communication experts play a vital role in this endeavor.
Jonathan Hemus is managing director of Insignia, a specialist crisis management consultancy that works with business leaders worldwide to protect value and reputation during crises. Visit insigniacrisis.com or contact him at j.hemus@insigniacrisis.com.
VMA GROUP is a leading international interim and permanent communications, digital and marketing recruitment, and executive search specialist. Our practices cover internal and change communications, external communications, public affairs, marketing, digital, and agency services. We are known for providing leading consultancy services and advice, supported by in-depth knowledge of the professions we recruit for. Our thought leadership and benchmarking studies are essential resources for the communications and marketing industry, supporting planning and decision-making.
VMA GROUP has offices in London, Manchester, Amsterdam, and Brussels, but we work with organizations and individuals globally.
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