The COVID-19 crisis has had a profound impact on public relations professionals across the world. Despite the ongoing uncertainty, communications are playing an essential role connecting stakeholders and helping organisations to make sense of their new environments. Messaging and communication have never been more critical to business.
This exclusive Q&A series spotlights the communications professionals behind the organisations working the COVID-19 crisis.
In this week’s Q+A, Lynda Williams MPRCA, Founder & CEO, VIM & VIGOUR PR talks about how recent global events has affected her company.
How has the COVID-19 crisis affected you and your organisation?
Aside to adapting to working from home like the majority, we’ve had to switch our scopes for our travel and lifestyle clients. Luckily, as Vim & Vigour is a multidisciplinary, nimble agency, and not just public relations, we’re able to do this and still offer great value. In the beginning of COVID-19 we were dealing with Crisis Comms, providing many clients Crisis Communications strategies and then moved onto how to create brand awareness and revenue in our new territory. I don’t think I’ve ever seen us be more agile and creative! It’s a different landscape and it will continue to evolve post-COVID.
How should businesses communicate with stakeholders during the current crisis? What are the key things to bear in mind? How can organisations safeguard their reputation during this period?
It’s important to be transparent, honest, and compassionate whilst staying true to your core values – these things are essential to maintain trust in a brand, it’s also the way Vim & Vigour operates on a daily basis. Compassion and kindness doesn’t just mean your company and employees, but the wider ecology of your community. The companies and individuals that manoeuvred this unprecedented era with integrity and heart, will be remembered and returned to.
Do you have any thoughts on how organisations ought to communicate with employees during the present crisis?
It’s similar to how you deal with all stakeholders, it boils down to empathy, kindness and transparency. From day one at Vim & Vigour, we believed it was important to be open with the team on the challenges we were facing and how we would get through this together. It’s also important to address individual concerns and give employees your one-on-one attention. Whether it’s working from home or overall job security – reassurance and understanding is key.
Do you have any tips on how to protect and promote mental wellbeing amongst staff at this time?
To promote mental wellbeing we set up various initiatives to keep morale and to keep us all connected. We have our regular virtual team meetings, have a quiz night once a week which is hysterical and guarantees a bucket load of laughs and an ‘Angels and Mortals’ initiative. We make sure we check in regularly with each other, and it doesn’t have to be about work. Aside to this we’ve been continuing with our pro-bono efforts with mental health organisation Limitless, as well as pushing out support for the Hospitality industry as a whole and awareness for FDW’s campaigns where possible. This gives the team a greater sense of purpose, perspective on our own situation and that we are being responsible by doing our part to get our greater community through this.
Can you share any examples of organisations delivering positive community-led or social campaigns over the past couple of months?
Some great examples of companies delivering positive community-led or social campaigns can be found on our blog here:
https://vimandvigourpr.com/inspiring-kindness-giving-back-and-supporting-communities-in-covid-19/
In what ways (if any) will this crisis impact the way communications professionals work in the long-term?
The communications industry was already moving more to digital and absolutely towards the PESO model. COVID-19 has just sped this up so communications professionals need to be up-skilling with any down time they have on their hands. Clients will ever more need solid ROI; on-brand revenue generating communications, and fast.
If you could share any advice with yourself before this crisis began, what would it be?
Change is inevitable – stay nimble and open-minded. Embrace the change with exciting new opportunities and you’ll come out the other end of it stronger than ever!
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About VIM & VIGOUR PR: V&VPR was founded in 2013 by Lynda Williams, a creative and passionate PR and marketing professional with over 15 years of international experience, working with some of the world’s most prestigious travel and lifestyle brands. V&VPR spans across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong with a strong team of 12 creative, experienced PR professionals representing leading travel, hospitality and wellness brands.
