For over 30 plus years, I have fought an uphill battle educating employers and leaders on the importance of communications in supporting strategic outcomes, improving employee engagement and in a crisis, aiding in meeting operational objectives. Typically, they need to see it in action, and I always worked hard to deliver value for them to ensure they "saw the light."
The COVID19 health crisis has illustrated the need for timely, accurate and effective communications in a way I could never have achieved. Today, companies, emergency management personnel and leaders in every industry and government are leaning hard on their communications teams to develop and deliver messages for a variety of audiences. And their role isn't an easy one. Just as they get communications out into the information sphere based on one decision, new information, updates and direction require them to offer updates and share further, more relevant information with their audiences. COVID19 is a fluid health crisis with daily (almost hourly) updates. It is an exhaustive stream of critical information that people need to make informed decisions. The public is hungry for knowledge and is looking for information on every medium they own.
Our response to this global pandemic is critical - but when we come out on the other side of this crisis, the general public will be judging us on how well we communicated our response to them during and after this crisis.
In closing, I hope that when the After Action Reports are submitted, those in charge reflect fondly on the communications support they're receiving today. I want them to become advocates to help give their communications teams the resources and training they need to prepare for the next crisis. I also hope they thank them for making such a tremendous difference.
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