Internal Communication

A majority of communicators is unlikely to return to the office soon. Still, PR leaders are considering how to transition staff back to the office, either now or post-pandemic. James Wright, global CEO of Red Havas and global chairman, Havas PR Global Collective, shares ideas he’s considering for the transition back to the office.

A leader of a company or organization can serve as the quarterback when it comes to delivering a positive reputation to the public. While leaders do not always handle the day-to-day details of running a brand, they serve as a face for employees, customers, shareholders and more. We asked communication professionals about how to proceed when leadership falls ill.

Last Thursday, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg said the company this week will unveil changes to policy regulating how its employees communicate with each other. Is he trying to shield employees who don’t wish to engage in social-political discussions at work or reduce the chance staff will openly criticize Facebook? Maybe it’s both. It should be interesting.

Walmart has announced it will be closing on Thanksgiving this year, breaking an annual tradition that draws large crowds of shoppers for holiday sales. Bringing together thousands of customers indoors is not advisable in a pandemic—or even legal, in many states, as things currently stand—but the move still comes as somewhat of a surprise given the massive financial losses suffered by retailers as a result of quarantine orders and store closures.

Weber Shandwick did a very good thing last week. It released diversity data for its senior levels. The data were dismal and the agency said as much. It also made the correct point that benchmarks are needed before you can make improvements. Though the agency needs to offer detail about how it will improve, Weber has taken a bold first step.

Here’s a column that you should make time to read. What? You’re too busy? Seriously, PR pro Jamie McLaughlin had the same problem. That’s before he resolved to become less busy. His story offers hope to harried PR pros everywhere. And smile. This is a very quick read.

As the virus continues to impact every business across the globe, there certainly are no right answers on how to tackle different companies’ economic issues. While Airbnb’s heart may have been in the right place, it also may have benefitted from some sort of interior plan instead of placing the burden on the consumer, much like Verizon’s training rollout.

When is it the right time to fire a client? And how do you do it? Some PR firms have issued statements about no longer working with tobacco or foreign dictators, for example. Refusing a client is never an easy decision, but sometimes it’s the only choice you have. We inquire with PR pros about the best ways to break up. 

PRNEWS surveyed an outstanding group of entries for this year’s Top Places to Work in PR. Here are the honorees.

It was a hot Friday in July. The perfect slow news day. But not for the world of PR, where some of the major teachings of the craft seemed to be thrown to the dustbin. See what happens when a brand CEO steps directly into politics, a brand disregards optics and the computer system of a mega-retailer goes whacky.