When Salvador Tapia, a disgruntled former employee walked into the Chicago wharehouse where he worked until six months before and killed six former co-workers, we all were reminded how a crisis can hit any organization at any time. As is frequently the case, this tragedy may prompt some organizations to evaluate their own policies and procedures. Unfortunately, the review usually focuses on security rather than on the human elements that contribute to workplace outbursts. If your organization is considering what it can do to prevent workplace violence, I hope you, as the public relations advocate in the room, speak up. Public relations pros have plenty to offer for an organization tyring to assess its vulnerabilities, identify areas for improvement and act on those findings. This is the essence of issues management. Besides, if your organization determines that changes are necessary, the communication initiatives that …
If Andy Warhol was right and "in the future everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes," you want to be prepared beforehand in order to prevent becoming infamous. These 10 tips will help get you ready before the cameras turn toward you.1. The Eyes Have It - When face-to-face with an interviewer, focus on the the person asking the questions and not on the camera. If you are at a remote location (as is frequently the case on Nightline) maintain eye contact with the camera lens at all times. When pausing to think, look down - not up. You don't want viewers to think you're rolling your eyes. 2. Dress Conservatively - Wear solid colors with an emphasis on blues and browns. Avoid white shirts, plaids and checkered patterns. Also, bring along a backup outfit just in case you spill your coffee or sweat stains appear. 3. Posture …
This summer I visited Ground Zero. I was shocked to see that structures were rising out of the familiar four-story-deep hole. I have read about the smell that emanated for months and sickened many who came to the viewing platform. The smell I experienced reminded me of Houston. It was the aroma of fresh concrete. The suffering and loss was not lost on me, but I left feeling time clearly is marching on. Even so, the wounds remain fresh for many workers and we, as communicators, need to guide our organizations regarding how to observe the second anniversary of the attack. The word “appropriate” is extremely important. What workplace observance, if any, is appropriate? How can an organization and its leadership appropriately convey the depth of feeling necessary to capture both the horror and the courage we witnessed? These questions …
The anniversary of September 11 will trigger a range of emotions among workers and public relations practitioners should carefully consider how their companies acknowledge the lasting impact of the terrorist attacks. The National Mental Health Association suggests taking the following actions: Mark the day in some way and make sure all employees are invited to participate. Work in the weeks leading up to the anniversary to educate supervisors and managers about the signs of emotional distress and available mental health resources. Be sensitive to religious and cultural diversity in all communications and encourage corporate leadership to state clearly the company''s position on dealing swiftly with allegations of intolerance. Encourage communication among employees by providing a comfortable environment for them to gather. Host a community event such as collecting clothing for a shelter in order to do something positive for others, …
Can you imagine a day when virtually every word communicated on behalf of your organization could be subject to legal review of its accuracy? Depending on how the U.S. Supreme Court rules in Nike Inc. v. Kasky, everything we do as communicators could be deemed “commercial speech.” Why should you care? After all, no credible public relations practitioner would knowingly mislead the public. It’s not that simple. Nike is appealing a California Supreme Court ruling that it can be sued for allegedly trying to mislead the public about its labor practices. The court’s ruling was a shot across the bow of the public relations profession. It indicated that public relations elements – news releases, brochures and letters to editors – ultimately are intended to spur sales and, therefore, are not protected under the First Amendment. If the practice of public …
During this time of tight budgets, many employers have dramatically reduced their internal communications initiatives. A recent study indicates they may be making a mistake. The Corporate Credibility and Employee Communications Survey, published by the Society for Human Resource Management, is blunt about what is at stake for corporations. “At a time when public distrust of big business is at an all time high, organizations should strive to appreciate and place a high value on their employees.” The survey found that employees generally believe their companies are doing a good job of showing appreciation for their employees. Fifty-nine percent rate their company “very good” or “good.” When HCA-Gulf Coast Division asked Dan and his team to design and implement an internal campaign, they understood the consequences. Hit by a serious nursing shortage, they needed to make sure HCA’s nurses felt …
Too often, organizations fail to examine carefully whether what they are promoting is newsworthy before kicking a publicity effort into high gear. The result frequently is disenchantment with public relations as a method of building awareness and demand. But media relations can be an extremely effective way to increase confidence in your company, its leaders and its products. Before you take your story public, consider this five-point checklist to formulate the important messages that need to be communicated: Prominence. How big is this really? Is this part of a larger trend or will it have a lasting impact? Timeliness. Remember, the first three letters in "news" spell "NEW!" Did it just happen or is it about to happen? Does it tie in with a current public interest? Punch. What impact will your story have on your company and your audiences, and how …