From one crisis to another

Under Pressure newsletter 27 November 2020

This week has brought another crisis to the forefront of our considerations and that is the economic situation. Countries have been paying a high price for finding ways to reduce the spread of Covid-19, support business and manage the impact of lockdowns. In the UK the cost became clear with the Chancellor’s statement that it is reaching £400billion and unemployment is expected to rise in 2021.

Dealing with this is going to affect everyone. People will have to look at their own finances to find ways to afford the cost of living. Charities that have been hit hard are going to be needed more than ever before. Investment is going to be needed to keep businesses functioning and the public sector is likely to be squeezed again.

There is also going to be a challenge in helping people to deal with the impact that is going to be felt in 2021 and beyond. People are exhausted after such a turbulent year so finding ways to positively talk about the future will be essential. What is important to remember is that dealing with an economic crisis requires the same skills and approach as any other crisis situation.

Be open and honest about the situation, talk about what is being done, see the situation from those who are most seriously affected, and work collaboratively to find a way forward.

Security risks and Covid-19

The rapid pace of change in 2020 and the move to extensive online work and activity has opened up potential vulnerabilities. I am grateful to Felipe den Brok for highlighting an article from Gartner that identifies seven security areas that need some extra attention because of the pandemic. Find out what they are here.

Disaster communication ‘disaster’

There is an interesting opinion piece in The Manila Times looking at what communication took place about the opening of the floodgates of Magat Dam. There is concern about low engagement rates and a perception that the focus of the communication was on social media. Read the article by Antonio Contreras here.

Crisis Communication Planning with CIPR International

On December 10 I will be joining a panel looking at what comes next and how can our crisis communication become successful. The event is organised by the CIPR International and Africa Communications Week. The panel includes experts Philippe Borremans recently appointed President of the IPRA, and Victoria Uwadoka from Nestle Nigeria. Find out more details about the free event here https://www.linkedin.com/posts/perpetual-motion-ltd_cipr-international-and-acw-to-host-joint-activity-6737588921280028672-6WzG

In Brief

• Testing Times my crisis communication case study is published next week. The December edition takes a look at some crises that happened during 2020 and looks at what we can learn from them. Message me for a copy of the report.

• New research has been published looking at policing and social media during the pandemic. I looked at in detail and gave some thoughts about how social media needs to develop within law enforcement in 2021 and beyond. Read my thoughts here. There is also an interesting study Local governments' communication through Facebook. Evidences from COVID‐19 pandemic in Italy that looks at social media and how it was used. Read more here.

• Short interview on Fox10Phoenix with Assoc Prof Bradley Adame highlights the messaging that is important to change behaviours around wearing masks. Watch it here.