As we continue to navigate COVID-19 together, we understand that certain industries and local businesses will carry a heavier burden in terms of both employee and customer communications.

At Web Benefits Design, we encourage all employers to be diligent in monitoring and preparing for all possible scenarios to ensure that your organization has plans and resources in place.

Best Practices for Communication Management

Form a COVID-19 task force and command room.

Establish a team from different functions to assess your organization’s coronavirus needs and risks. See the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (U.S. CDC): Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease.

Monitor communications updates from your industry’s leading associations, as well as public health organizations.

The WHO is publishing daily bulletins on the status of the virus, has developed instructions for dealing with the virus, and has produced a document on COVID-19 myths. The organization’s Q&A on COVID-19 is also very helpful.

Create a communications plan. 

Review your audiences’ needs. Develop messaging and communications strategies for each audience and assign a communications lead. What communications tools will you need? How will you communicate with each audience should your organization need to work differently (text, email, website, etc.)?

Develop an HR action plan.

Explore what the rules will be if your employees need to work from home. Will pay continue as normal? What about non-salaried employees? Review telecommuting policies and accountability.

Communicate with your employees.

The CDC has a section aimed at employers with guidelines on preparing your company for an outbreak of the virus. If you’re a WBD customer, you can use the communication tools within our platform to communicate with employees.

Communicate with your customers.

Identify the concerns of your customers (clients, patients, students, hotel guests, etc.). Develop messaging that assures customers your organization has done all it can to ensure consistent delivery of products and services they need and expect. If there are delays in processes, timing, substitutions, etc., make sure your customers are informed.

Plan for the future.

Evaluate your practices and plan to sustain them. Monitor the effectiveness of communication to different audiences.