Responding to a National Crisis
When and how companies should join the conversation
2020 is a year that will consume many pages in history books. While daily routines and annual events were put on pause, it was a year filled with historical and unprecedented events. The nation faced a health crisis, civil discourse and economic hardship. In some instances, these challenges presented increased social, philosophical, racial and political divides. This tension even trickled into the workplace.
As national events dominated the headlines in 2020, many organizations had to decide if they would address these topics that are commonly perceived as taboo and controversial. For decades, many companies operated by the unspoken rule that some topics are just off-limits at work.
In recent years, corporate culture opened the floor for these types of conversations and transparent candor is appreciated by employees. Yet the heightened amount of polarizing national events of 2020 forced many organizations to evaluate how and when it was right to respond.
When determining whether your company should make a statement about a national event or crisis, follow these six steps to gauge if a response is appropriate. Then make sure your response is consistent and your messaging is mindful.
Identify the purpose of a response
A corporate response to a national event is justified if it ties back to your organization, employees or stakeholders. If your business or stakeholders were impacted, will your company take action as a result? If the answer to these questions is yes, then there is purpose and intention backing your response to the national crisis.
There is also value in responding to a national crisis if the actions are connected to a company's values. After the George Floyd shooting, Nike used its platform to communicate about the company’s mission to combat racial inequities and highlight the systemic racism that exists globally. The George Floyd situation may not have directly impacted the sales of Nike shoes, but it did affect their customers. Nike as a brand responded because social justice is a key tenant of its corporate mission. Within days of the George Floyd events, Nike posted a 60-second video focused on taking their brand slogan and turning it into action saying, “Don’t do it.”
Nike had something substantive to add to the conversation so their response was appropriate. Consumers are tired of generic corporate crisis responses. When crafting a corporate response to a national crisis, make sure there is purpose and action behind the words.
Determine who should deliver the message
Companies often call on the CEO to deliver messages in response to a national crisis, but that does not always need to be the case. Depending on the type of event that occurred, consider which leader in your organization is best equipped to deliver the message. Is there a senior leader who was impacted by the crisis who is a more appropriate choice to deliver the message? If the messaging remains consistent, can different leaders throughout the company help deliver it? Depending on the circumstances and with approved corporate messaging, it can be beneficial to have numerous leadership ambassadors championing a company’s response to a crisis.
Tailor the response for the appropriate audience
A corporate stakeholder email addressing a crisis should not be the same email that is shared with employees and posted on corporate social channels. Messages must be authentic and customized based on the audience. As you adjust the message across channels, consider whether verbal or written communication is best. Individuals are more likely to engage with a corporate message shared via video than a statement sent to their email or posted online.
Be timely, but thoughtful
It’s easy to go into defense mode when a crisis hits, even if your company isn’t directly affected. Organizations feel pressure to react and respond quickly to stay ahead of their competitors, or that their stakeholders are waiting for a response. Don’t rush your messaging. During a crisis, especially one that is controversial, have several sets of eyes review messaging before it’s distributed.
Pause other pre-scheduled communications
Evaluate if other planned communications will be impacted by responding to the event. Are there pre-scheduled social posts that will sound tone-deaf if distributed an hour after the response? If you distribute an external message, will you notify employees and stakeholders first? Also, will follow-up communications be needed? If so, determine what the cadence will be and evaluate future communications accordingly.
Outline what’s next
If your organization commits to taking action, determine who will see it through and how those actions will be reported to stakeholders. Consumers hold brands accountable more than ever before. They want to see meaningful change and action.
There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach for responding to national crises or events. These tips can help you and your company evaluate whether a response makes sense for your organization. And remember, respond with messaging that adds to the conversation. Don’t create additional obligatory noise without meaning behind it.