By Jill KaszubskiAs we enter year three of the pandemic, businesses are solidifying what has thus far been a moving target of sorts — the return to the office. Many companies have embraced permanent changes that give employees long-term flexibility when it comes to remote work. But keeping those remote workers fully engaged starts with…
By Danielle McGivney As we reflect on the past year, we can’t help but recognize the ways COVID-19 and the events of 2020 have impacted our lives – particularly our relationships and how we interact with one another. Human connection and communication are the lifeblood of a thriving community, and admittedly we’ve had to get…
By Celia Willis The value of being independent — as a country and as individuals — has been a point of pride in American culture. However, everything morphs under stress, and stress we have had. After experiencing what’s felt like several years’ worth of challenges just in the past six months, we are seeing evidence…
By Anna Morris Research shows that people truly begin to understand a company’s values when decisions are made to sacrifice short-term profitability in favor of demonstrating or prioritizing values. In the early months of 2020, we got to witness companies across industries respond in different ways to COVID-19, each in alignment with their principles. PepsiCo…
By Jeff Cochran (or Chance Bettington, depending on who you ask) I knew who the killer was, but I couldn’t say anything. This wasn’t your normal day at the (virtual) office. After an hour of interrogations, accusations and shocking revelations, the dastardly Brenna Chambliss, KWI’s culture manager, was found guilty of murder. And then we…
By Jessica Merrill Though some employees are slowly starting to return to their offices, most are still working from home, and they likely will be for the foreseeable future. While many workers have craved this kind of workplace flexibility for years, it brings new challenges for leaders. Even the most seasoned managers have struggled with…
Originally published in PRSA’s Strategies & Tactics on Oct. 1, 2020. By Celia Willis Imagine you’re running a 5K, making the last turn with 100 meters to go until you can finally stop running and enjoy a post-race beverage. Just before you start to pick up your pace for the final stretch and reach for…
By Anna Morris From higher profitability and retention rates to better leadership development and increased employee engagement, the evidence is clear: mentorship programs are highly effective. But are they really worth the investment? Consider this: a Gallup poll of more than 1 million U.S. workers found that 75% of employees who voluntarily left a job…
By Jeff Cochran Much like parenting, the stock market and folding a fitted sheet, there is no instruction manual for preparing your employees to work in the COVID-19 (or even post-COVID-19) world. It has been more than 100 years since a pandemic like this has taken hold in our nation. Considering how much business operations…
By Janna Dawson Public relations professionals know that effective pitching is an art – not a science. With COVID-19 coloring just about every story told since March, it’s more important than ever to understand how the pandemic is impacting media before you reach out with a story idea or a press release. Newsrooms have faced…