How can we regain trust in 2021?

Under Pressure - 16 January 2021

Losing trust is a huge challenge for those involved in communication, particularly at a time of crisis. The Edelman Trust Barometer for 2021 was published this week and has provided some interesting insight into the impact of Covid-19 and what it may mean for those working in PR and communication.

The pandemic has put trust to the test and governments have suffered big losses in trust after a rise in May 2020. The same loss can be seen among the media and NGOs. In fact, trust in all information sources is seen at a record low. This will be a huge challenge for communicators at a time when there needs to be trust for the vaccination roll out.

Businesses have faired well and in 18 of 27 countries are more trusted than government. They are seen as competent and ethical, with some additional pressures now being placed on CEOs by the public.

An additional note is that the pandemic has deepened inequalities all over the world. This is an important fact to be aware of when communicators are looking at all aspects of their work during 2021. These are challenging times globally and rebuilding trust will be a critical element during the crisis, into the recovery and beyond.

Tackling inequalities

One of the big concerns I have is that the current crisis and response are increasing inequalities across communities. This was evidenced with a recent UK announcement about vaccinating people aged over 80. I outlined the concerns in the blog “Are all things really equal”. Read it here.

Managing Risks

I was pleased this week to be able to run a short workshop to help communicators consider risk management and what it means for their work. The three-hour session was run through the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) and attracted participants from the UK, Europe and Australia. If you are interested in risk management and communication let me know and keep your eye out for future workshops.

Living with Crisis

You can still get a copy of my crisis communication report Living with Crisis. It looks at what we can learn from 2020 to help with 2021. Just email amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk for a copy.

In Brief

• The January edition of my monthly crisis communication case study Testing Times is now available. The focus was on the UK indecision about when and how to close schools due to the latest wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Email amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk for a copy.

• The protests at the heart of US government have highlighted lessons in crisis management according to a report by Forbes. They speak to a number of experts and academics about what can be taken from events on 6 January. Read the article here.

• The importance of crisis communication was highlighted in an article on the Forbes website. You may say well of course I would say the same thing as I work in crisis communication. But the article covers the reasons why it is so important to have a plan and to make it work. Find out more here.

• Some suggested solutions to five top crisis communication challenges have been documented on the website Physicians Practice. It may be of interest to those in the medical world and beyond. Read the five solutions here.