How to Communicate During COVID-19

Human Resources and business, in general, have been forced to change the way they communicate with their team members. The communication, in some instances, has gone from face-to-face to virtual, or socially distant and behind a mask! However, contact with our teams has never been so necessary- in whatever form it takes. This week on SurviveHR, we interview our friend and accomplished author, speaker, and communications leader Deb Sofield. She is a wealth of knowledge, and I hope you listen in! Her main message is to follow the three “C’s” of communication—be clear, be concise, and be consistent! In these changing days, we must also, according to Deb, add a few more necessities to our communication, “be empathetic, be compassionate, and be human.” We have been tasked with over-communicating the COVID-19 message, from work from home, to CDC regulations and business policies! How we do that is critical to our success as a business and essential in the way our employees view us. According to Deb, “If you don’t communicate, people will speculate.” That is a fantastic phrase given to us by this expert, and it could not be more accurate. Our employees are desperate for communication from leadership and HR, and we have to keep them in the know daily, even if the news isn’t positive and especially during this crisis! The world has changed and won’t ever look the same, and how we communicate must change as well! Steve Nail and I are so very grateful that you have chosen to listen to our podcast! We know you have many options when it comes to how to spend your time and we are so happy you have chosen to spend it with us!