Communicating during COVID-19

This blog is brought to you by Emma Ninham, Account Manager, MAVERICK

As Canada embarks on its fifth week of isolation to fight the spread of COVID-19, recent public tracking data from the Angus Reid Institute finds a large portion of the country are gearing up for the long haul. Two-in-five Canadians (41%) expect it will be three to six months before things are back to normal, and another two-in-five (43%) believe it will be even longer.

Limiting physical presence to those in our households, virtually connecting with friends and family and working remotely from home is the new normal. Our usual daily communication has darted off course, its rightful return unknown.

Expectedly, this has reshaped the art of PR. While there have been immediate cultural changes such as working from home and switching all in-person meetings to calls, other stronger strategic shifts are at play.  

Here are just a few – a list expected to grow as the pandemic continues to unfold.

Pivoting to a new media cycle
Working with a constantly changing news cycle is something PR professionals deal with daily. COVID-19 supercharged our agility. All planned campaigns, pitch drafts and approved strategies disappeared as quickly as our social lives. Media relations efforts must now marry into the COVID-19 narrative, with subject matter experts providing advice, relief and insight on how to cope during these uncertain times.   

Understanding resources are strained
Media resources are overwhelmed as news creation and consumption has dramatically increased. Canadians are relying on the news more than ever – not just for the latest COVID-19 updates, but also to fact check and debunk rumours. At the same time, the media are facing their own challenges in the new work environment; interviews are conducted almost entirely over Skype, a lot of broadcast has been seconded to web and some reporter beats have been shifted to general news desks. PR professionals must be mindful of this media relations strain and work with clients to create content for their owned and social channels too.

Building robust crisis communication plans
No one was prepared for a health crisis of this scale – especially one that caused such economic and social turmoil in tandem. In future business continuity strategies and crisis plans, the lessons learnt from COVID-19 must be included. Whether it’s how to communicate quickly and effectively with all employees at once, mobilizing remote work for an entire organization, or pivoting away from usual messaging for external audiences, the reassurance and necessity of a robust business plan shouldn’t be underestimated.

Encouraging compassionate internal communication
During times of uncertainty, over-communicating doesn’t go amiss. By providing proactive and fulsome updates on the status of clients and government support, staff can know what action is underway and feel reassured. Healthy dialogue is a two-way street, so it’s also important for employees to have the opportunity to share their concerns and feedback.

Slowing the pace and looking to the long term
With no timeline on when the pandemic will end, it’s challenging to develop and execute any PR plan. Here, it’s important to remember that building a company brand and telling its story is an ongoing process and one that requires patience and persistence. Focus on the long term, watch for trends that could emerge and bolster thought leadership accordingly.

Ultimately, adaption is key. One of the most important things communication professionals can do during this time is to be available and open-minded. In the end, we’re all in this together.