It’s over a month into the current global health crisis and across the board we’ve seen a change in the business landscape. For example, many employees have never worked from home yet were thrust into this new norm, while others who are no strangers to remote working had no trouble adapting. Changes like this have affected entire organizational structures from the top all the way down.

For CEOs and business leaders that means shifting their focus to take a more active, hands-on approach with their teams from a remote standpoint. The importance of visual meetings became critical, not only to ensure productivity but to rally their troops in a time of uncertainty.

As shelter in place rules continue to be enforced, businesses must continue to find ways in which to connect with their customers and keep moving forward until regular operations can resume.

Whether operations will go back to the way they previously were is anyone’s guess; as we see it from a PR perspective, COVID-19 may have already begun to shift the interest of the public ever so slightly when it comes to areas like media and entertainment which in turn affects PR strategies. With celebrities showing glimpses into their lives, they’ve also opened themselves up to criticism. Many followers are no longer interested in what they’re doing now that the country is facing a real epidemic.

With roles being redefined, businesses may need to reshape their model to fit the current landscape and potentially beyond. How we approach things professionally (and personally) will be different, because lets’ face it, we’re all coming out of this pandemic a bit “different” than before.

Team Structure

The dynamics of the way in which we worked before the health crisis began may be a thing of the past once we slowly re-enter back into the workplace. Many people who had never worked from home quickly set up makeshift offices and figured out the best way to get their jobs done. Even if they once thought this kind of work structure was impossible, they quickly learned that wasn’t the case.

Over the last month, team leaders have witnessed their employees step up to the plate and those same people who at one time never envisioned it was possible to successfully work anywhere but their offices are realizing not only is it possible, it’s also effective.

Yet to be effective, and also successful, a company’s CEO must shift focus and take a more active and hands-on approach with their team. In a sense, their roles are almost being redefined as a result of the climate we’re in. This crisis is something we’ve personally never experienced before and we’re all figuring out how to cope with it as it unfolds.

Leaders need to encourage their staff by continuing to give direction while instilling a sense of confidence and hope for the future. Employees want to understand what’s being done, when it’s being done, and why. And it’s possible to deliver as long as it’s done in a clear and concise manner. Now more than ever employees are looking for reassurance from their leaders, they want to know they’re safe.

I’ve been encouraging my team to connect with one another in a more personal way. In the hustle and bustle of the daily workday, we’d often send quick emails, texts, even Slack messages, but since we’re all working in separate locations these days, I’ve made it a point to schedule video meetings so we can not only catch up on business but bring a sense of liveliness as it’s needed now more than ever. The human connection is what binds us and it’s nice to see one another even if it’s only for a short period.

I also encourage leaders to continue to check in with fellow colleagues and clients to see how they’re fairing through all of this. Compassion and understanding is what’s helping all of us through these difficult times and will pave the way for future success. The way in which we do business may be altered, but now is the time to learn how to be creative and innovative in other ways. 

What you do now, the way in which you behave today and over the coming months is critical to set your business up for success when we come out on the other side.

While we can’t predict exactly what changes will unfold, we’re already seeing certain trends emerge that will likely continue on long after the coronavirus disappears. We’ve gained a newfound appreciation for our hero’s working on the front lines, and the days in which we held media personalities in high regard may now become a thing of the past. What people once deemed “important” and “news-worthy” pre-COVD19 are no longer the case.

Re-defining Media

As a result of the current health crisis we’ve seen certain trends emerge, families reconnecting, and new celebrity in our everyday heroes. People are looking to engage with others who are authentic, and they are seeking content that is relatable. While the idea that we’re all in this together rings true as a whole, we are by no means “all equal” in this together.

When comedian Ellen DeGeneres compared her time self-quarantining to being stuck in jail, she was immediately hit with backlash, angering many fans who do not have the luxury of self-isolating in a mansion.

Singer Justin Timberlake appeared on Sirius XM radio’s “Morning Mash-Up” where he lamented over the fact that while he and his family (which includes wife Jessica Biel and their five year old son) were doing fine while self-isolating at one of their homes in Montana, 24-hour parenting was just not human.

Some may argue he was speaking his thoughts, but those words should be chosen carefully. A large part of his fan base are likely working remotely while simultaneously trying to home-school their children, which if you ask any parent is by no means an easy feat.

Comments such as these leave celebrities open to criticism and in times of real crisis, it becomes apparent how irrelevant they can quickly become. There comes a point where fans no longer care what their favorite actor, singer, or comedian is doing from the their multi-million dollar mansion.

Instead, they’re much more interested in celebrating the new heroes of our time, the ones putting their lives on the line day in and day out so we can all remain safe.

This is also a period where people should be mindful of what they’re posting on social media. But instead, some celebrities are using the time to push their brands for gain, something social media experts warn against.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson walks the line when he floods his feed with his tequila brand while Reese Witherspoon’s brand, Draper James, had to backpedal after posting on Instagram their plan to “gift” teachers with a free dress once the volume of responses indicated they were way off base.

While their intentions may be good, it’s the execution that needs work; authenticity and sensitivity are what people are looking for right now.

English comedian Ricky Gervais put it bluntly when he spoke out with a message for his fellow celebrities, “Stop Complaining.” In a nutshell, Gervais said what’s on the minds of many.

Not all celebrity outreach during this time has been met with criticism; there have been many who have donated money and time to help uplift the country in these uncertain times.

Readjusting to Meet Client Needs

Our mission has always been to help drive business for our clients and despite the times we’re in that hasn’t changed, at JMG PR it’s still business as usual. The commitments we’ve made remain intact, and in spite of what’s happening in the world that doesn’t change the fact we have goals to meet.

What hasn’t changed is the way in which we approach the job that we do, and yes, it looks slightly different than it did a few weeks ago, but our commitment remains strong.

Business owners still need to see their livelihoods thrive and it’s important, now more than ever, that their message is out there. What they do now is more important than ever. This is the time for company leaders to be heard and so what we’ve done is positioned our CEO’s as expert voices, talking and sharing relevant knowledge about their industry in relation to the current health crisis.

What we haven’t done is pitch products, or anything else that isn’t relative to the corona virus, and instead, we’ve adjusted our clients message to be mindful of the current climate we’re in.

With each passing week things are changing, which means so are some of the strategies we employ. There’s no doubt that the world as we knew it is going to look and feel different once this is over, but what will remain is our continued efforts in helping our clients stay both productive and relative, now and in the future.

- Jenna