PR professionals will have to focus on managing agile and virtual teams, delivering science-driven communication, integrating complex stakeholder ecosystems in their plans and recognize the 12- month-long pandemic impact on mental health.
It would be redundant to focus on the many challenges of 2020, a year completely overshadowed by Covid-19 and the global pandemic.
I do not wish to minimize the impact at all. These last 12 months have been tough both professionally and on a personal level. Long months away from home fighting the virus in West and North Africa and the Philippines, lockdowns, travel under strict security measures, and the mental health impact were all part of my own 2020.
But for 2021, I want to focus on what’s next. These are my thoughts on what will move our profession this year.
The way we work
LET’S face it…The Public Relations profession and industry have a tradition of conservatism. It took us over 10 years to recognize the revolutionary impact technology would have on business communication and we are just starting to play with Artificial Intelligence. But this pandemic has increased the uptake of technology and already shows how alternative ways of working are entering our business.
Communication teams, both in-house and in agency, will have to become agile and integrate specialized freelancers in their operational set up. We already see global virtual teams executing public relations strategies with efficiency and speed.
The advantages are clear; reduced overhead, increased speed and access to a myriad of specialists at the click of a button. We also see that virtual communication teams cost less to internal or external clients. The latter plays an important role when we look at the economic impact of the pandemic.
Hybrid teams — where one part is staff and the other part a virtual army of independent consultants — can execute what I call “glocal” campaigns; global in strategic approach but executed in a perfectly, locally adapted, form and format.
We have all witnessed how even simple global key messages (wash your hands) can backfire if not infused by social and behavioral science data. Even more so than before, we need culturally aware people on the ground, wherever we communicate. And this communication needs to adapt to the local language, habits and attitudes.
Managing complex
stakeholder ecosystems
Crisis communication is by definition very “company centric”; the organization is an active participant and is often the origin of the problem. But with the pandemic, another dynamic is at play. Your company or organization has become involved in a problem of global scale, having no vested interest in what’s happening.
Suddenly companies had to become responsible for the health measures protecting their employees, even when not at the office. Production and supply chain lines had to be repositioned to support the national health efforts. And all this needed to happen in an environment of social change and even unrest.
In this way, the pandemic is showing us that no stakeholder map should ever be taken for granted. Stakeholder ecosystem management is one of the most crucial Public Relations activities—however, we mostly saw it as a pretty straightforward, once in a year, exercise. Not anymore …
I’ll reiterate what I have written and stated before; Communicators are the best equipped and skilled professionals around to “see what’s coming” and to understand complex relationships, able to navigate constant change.
We need to take up this strategic role and combine it with our science-based measurement and evaluation frameworks. Only Public Relations professionals can coordinate the organization’s thinktank and execute effective, complex communication activities considering all stakeholders.
Our role in society, and responsibility to ourselves
More than ever, I am convinced that ethical, open and trustworthy communications can save lives, bring peace and break the walls of ignorance. I have been fortunate to witness this up close during my Covid-19 emergency risk communication engagements in Africa and Asia over the last 300 days.
Although we all have seen examples of mis- and disinformation, fake news and straightforward manipulation of facts, we also witnessed prominent examples of good, timely and honest communication. Communication which allows communities to take action, help themselves, and brings hope.
We all have an active role to play—as professionals and as fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. The world needs science based, transparent communication—it will be the only defense to polarization, populism and ignorance.
And finally, we have a responsibility to ourselves. Even before the pandemic, our pandemic suffered from a toxic working environment. Studies showed that +30 percent of colleagues found their job very stressful, and burnouts are still a taboo topic in many organizations.
The mental health impact of the last year will be devastating. Even more so on communicators, many of whom many have spent the last 12 months in “crisis mode”. This “fourth wave” is not a short-term spike, but will take years to overcome. As a profession, we should take the first steps with ourselves individually, making sure we can cope. And then help others.
One resource I strongly recommend and which you can use from your home or office is the online resource called Everyone OK. This online self-help activity can help you feel calmer and keep on functioning day to day. It’s a scientifically sound step-by-step plan of about 45 minutes*. You can go through it by yourself, or with your loved ones.
To end…
We should all be proud of our beautiful profession. All of us, professionals and freelancers, in agencies, in-house, in the public, non-profit and private sector alike, are making a difference across the globe every single day. Let’s make 2021 the year where transparent and ethical communication made a positive difference in our lives and for the world.
*This online intervention is made by clinical psychologist Elke Van Hoof (BE) and is founded on the internationally recognised Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol and the Group Traumatic Episode Protocol. These protocols are used to deal with acute stress in crisis situations and to improve mental resilience.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Philippe Borremans is the President of the International Public Relations Association and is a Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Consultant and Member of the Board, European Association of Communication Directors, RiskComms LLC.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.
Image credits: WWW.FREEPIK.COM