Managing Corporate Communications in a Chaotic World
By Sharon Mckenna
If you manage internal, employee or change communications, or work in HR, you’ve had one heck of a ride the last few years. Chances are you’ve had to figure out how to communicate around topics and issues you never thought would enter the workplace conversation, from the state of race relations in America today to how to react to an unfolding humanitarian crisis half a world away. And most importantly, you’ve had to decide whether you and your company should even go there – or sit the conversation out.
A profound shift in businesses willing to “wade in”
As recently as a few years ago, it was common practice for most companies to take a “church and state” approach to what was happening outside the workplace. If a crisis or issue didn’t have a direct impact on the company or its employees, there was no need to communicate the company point of view – assuming it even had one. In fact, it was often consciously avoided: “too controversial, it could backfire…etc.” No more. In just the last few years, corporate communicators have had to develop skills, strategies and tactics for communicating internally on unforeseen situations that have fundamentally altered the world around us, such as:
BLM/Police violence: The murder of George Floyd by police stunned the world, and that shock and sadness didn’t end when employees entered the building. Many companies quickly understood this but let’s be clear: communicating “officially” about this incident was very much uncharted territory for nearly every organization. The subsequent protest and cries for reform that followed Floyd’s murder meant that communications pros had to carefully craft messages to their staff that hit the right tone and didn’t ring false. Companies that decided to remain silent on the issue likely regret it now.
COVID-19: Ask any internal comms manager about how they handled COVID communications, and their eyes might glaze over. The sheer volume and complexity of the required COVID-19 communications for companies of all sizes has been astounding. While most of these centered on work from home policies and operations, the length and impact of the pandemic required the need to communicate more openly on sensitive subjects like mental health, grief and loss – with even executives talking openly about mental health – which was new territory for nearly everyone.
Ukraine: The most recent crisis to land in the communicator’s inbox seems straightforward enough: millions of people are being displaced, injured or killed in a horrific war and the U.S. and most of the rest of world are aligned in their outrage. That said, global conflicts are a very tricky topic (See below for some guidelines). I personally have been surprised at the swiftness of companies to email employees about the war in Ukraine even when they their workforce and business are not impacted. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but it can have unintended consequences and even increase anxiety levels at work.
These are just three examples of stressful issues and situations that employee communicators have had to deal with – there are indeed others, such as the two Presidential impeachments, the Jan. 7 insurrection, the homeless crisis and more. No doubt you’ve learned from recent experiences a lot about what to do and what to avoid when communicating on touchy subjects, but clearly each situation is unique. Below are some questions to ask yourself and principles to remember when the next crisis rolls around (which it inevitably will) before you hit send on an all-employee communication.
QUESTIONS
Ask Yourself:
Do employees really need to hear from us on this issue/crisis? In a world of doomscrolling and crisis fatigue it’s critical to not have a knee jerk reaction and communicating without first carefully considering if it’s even necessary. If you’re concerned about being silent on a timely issue, you can always use other employee forums to post a message such as, “The company and leadership are aware of situation X. Please reach out to (HR, your manager) if you have any questions or concerns.” That way you’re not ignoring the topic, but you’re also not sounding the alarm unnecessarily. And when in doubt, sit it out.
Do I have all the facts? Is the situation still evolving? If you do decide to communicate, remember that credibility is essential during times of crisis. Particularly when a message is coming from an executive or CEO, you want to ensure you’ve got it right, and cite government or other sources as appropriate. Particularly in today’s climate of rampant disinformation, breaking crises or news may not be all it appears to be – confirm, then communicate.
What is the potential blowback? While it may seem (from your point of view) that your message is empathetic, complete and necessary, others may not agree. Get your ducks in a row before pushing send: have an FAQ prepared and a bench of senior level people who can address any internal rumblings that may arise as a result of the communication.
PRINCIPLES
Remind Yourself:
Employees are not monolithic. Your workforce is diverse, and so are their opinions. Particularly if you are a global operation, be aware that many employees get their news, information and opinions locally. Particularly when it comes to coverage of conflicts between nations. The Ukraine situation is a timely example: a great deal of Russian citizens (or people of Russian descent) are working for U.S. or EU based companies. While they likely are very concerned and upset regarding the Ukraine invasion, they may also hold more nuanced or culturally influenced opinions about the conflict. Reading an email that takes a strong stand politically could offend some, and should be avoided. Rather, focus the content and call to action on helping those in need. Also, there are ongoing – and devastating – conflicts globally all the time. I could be wrong, but I don’t think most corporations have emailed employees to help the war victims in Syria, Yemen, or elsewhere. Elevating Ukraine now (perhaps for good reason) could raise questions from employees as to why other conflicts or issues have been ignored.
Conversations land better than proclamations. I’ve been impressed (and in some cases, concerned) at the willingness of some high profile leaders to address the Ukraine crisis. However, having worked with many executives, I can say that many probably would rather not have to. And in many cases, it might not be appropriate for them to serve as the leading voice. It creates pressure on employees to feel or think a certain way when the message “comes from the top.” And it’s a one-way communication. Instead, when appropriate, try to use safe spaces or dedicated (and moderated!) internal channels on Teams or Slack to allow employees to discuss what’s going on. This isn’t to say an executive shouldn’t sometimes deliver the lead communication, particularly if the situation impacts the business and employees. Aim for a balanced approach that makes everyone feel included.
Beware the Bandwagon. The rapidity with which major corporations created their Black Lives Matter branding in the wake of the George Floyd protests was astounding. But where are those campaigns today? While many companies instituted long overdue policies and practices to build a more diverse workforce out of that social unrest, others just jumped on the bandwagon of BLM support so as not to be left out. Consumers and employees see that, and it can damage their morale and the company’s credibility. So if you are going to get behind a social issue or cause, plan to stick with it and continually communicate internally and externally the progress you’re making to achieve change. if your company did the right thing and improved their commitment to diversity in the workplace and to supporting diverse communities in need, great! How’s that going? Sharing improvements and positive results from the action of employees and the company is important to making employees feel like they can make a difference.
Buckle up, communicators
Hopefully the crises of late have helped you build a whole new repertoire of strategic communications skills. Because you’re probably going to need them. The 2021 Edelman Global Trust Barometer put it this way: “Our data paints the picture of an environment that’s become more charged, more divided, more impatient and more ready to vote with their wallets and talents. This environment will only intensify.” The good news is your skills will always be in demand.