Page 34 - PR Communication Age January-June2020

izing, no takeaway food, no trips to the mall, cinemas, and this academic session. Special emphasis is now given for the
theaters and, crucially for all students as schools & colleges students of classes 10 and 12, who will be taking up the
are under shutdown, no going to work. various Board examinations during 2021; all the schools in
the different cities have resorted to regular classes and rig-
The challenges presented to citizens of different age bands orous & intense online tests mainly over the digital plat-
are different - especially for those who are now attending forms and mails.
their class-room sessions or working from home are exposed
to different experiences. In India, a complete nationwide Challenges that are forced due to impo-
lockdown was in place till 14th April (first term), extended
up to 3rd May (second term), and further extended up to sition of lockdown:
17th May (third term) & finally extended up to 31st May, Challenges that organizations face are unprecedented and
2020 (fourth term) and subsequently lock down may be can seem overwhelming. These include disruption of ser-
continued up to how many days no one knows - but being vices and sales, the need to keep their brand relevant,
definitely different for various states or to be considered whilst also managing a workforce that has been forced to
based on different zones turning from green to orange and operate remotely and in testing conditions. As we get
orange to red or vice versa. deeper into the lockdown period, there are numerous ques-
tions being raised in dealing with many unknowns. This is a
Now it is evident Maharashtra, UP, Punjab, Bihar, etc. are good thing as it drives us towards finding effective and in-
atrociously seeking extension of lock down period up to 31st novative solutions to the multitude of issues that rear their
May at this point of time. But every crisis has a life cycle head in such situations. Challenges that organizations face
and emotional states and needs vary with the cycle's stages. are unprecedented and can seem overwhelming.
The COVID-19 crisis can be divided in five stages: (1) Re-
solve, (2) Resilience, (3) Return, (4) Re-imagination, and These include disruption of services and sales, the need to
finally (5) Reform. These stages span the crisis of today to keep their brand relevant, whilst also managing a workforce
the next normal that will emerge after COVID-19 has been that has been forced to operate remotely and in testing
controlled. The duration of each stage may vary based on conditions. Important expectations such as the health and
geographic and business context, and organizations may welfare of employees, guidance to shareholders and mak-
find themselves operating in more than one stage simulta- ing contributions to the society; all find equal place on the
neously. priority list.I was on a webinar where the guidance given is
that businesses in the communications industry will have to
reorient themselves to get a far deeper understanding of
their client's business realities to be relevant.

It is my belief that every situation can be managed by
proper planning and curette. The recovery strategy is two-
fold. Firstly, it calls for strong leadership and credible com-
munication, both internal and external. Communication
that bonds with different stakeholders and is alert to what
is essential to clients in given socioeconomic climate is the
need of the hour. The second part includes the way forward
for brands and organizations. There is no one size fits all
FIGURE 6: TOOLS THAT MAY BE USED FOR PR DURING strategy but having said this, the bedrock of success will lie
THIS LOCK DOWN PERIOD in narrating the brands' story with transparency and sensi-
tivity to the current scenario.
As part of the preventive measures taken to avoid the
spread of COVID 19 however, all schools are currently shut Stakeholders look to leaders to take the right initiatives and
down. Schools in various cities have begun their classes on bring clarity to a crisis. How leadership handles communi-
various subjects on specific schedules over Social media like cations can go a long way in ensuring business effective-
WhatsApp, and also on various digital platforms like Zoom, ness and cementing relationships with all stakeholders. The
video lessons and online tests to complete the syllabus for leaders who stand apart communicate in a timely, trust-

34 PR COMMUNICATION AGE January - June 2020