An increase in violence on UK streets in recent weeks has understandably caused huge concern.
The riots have also raised lots of questions for communication professionals, who want to respond in an informative and sensitive way.
We’ve brought forward our regular ‘what we’ve heard from comms pros this month’ column by my colleague Caroline Cubbon-King to share resources and support.
If you are looking for advice and guidance, I hope you find this article helpful.
As comms pros, it’s easy for us to look after everyone else in crisis situations. I encourage you to check in with yourself and friends and to go gently.
Make sure you are listening to your colleagues from underrepresented groups and communities who are being targeted. Now is the time for proactive behaviour and to look after each other.
All Things IC ethos – what happens inside is reflected outside. Bespoke illustration by Lisa Kirkbride, 2018.
How equipped are your people managers to support their team?
If you don’t have a way to communicate with people managers as a collective group, make efforts to try and counteract this.
Creating dialogue (two-way communication) between people who are responsible for employees’ wellbeing and your organisation is critical. Crisis situations sharpen the focus and help you to identify any gaps in your channels and communication methods.
It’s also the time for empathetic, thoughtful and compassionate communication, as there is a lot of fear and frustration around.
If you expect people managers to make localised decisions about opening/closing office sites, allowing people to change hours or locations and promoting your mental health support, be explicit in this request.
Do not assume people managers know what they are ‘allowed’ to do. Empower and trust through clear internal communication.
Be explicit, directive and consistent with your internal communication. Create ways for them to access advice and guidance and to have a source of truth internally.
Some organisations use dedicated hubs for people managers on their intranets. Such sites came into their own in the COVID-19 pandemic, and many have been repurposed to remain a place for credible, accurate and reliable information and conversation spaces.
Make sure you are listening to your colleague groups, particularly employee resource groups (ERGs) and networks, plus your comms champions. You cannot “over listen” at times like these (or any time!).
Further reading via the All Things IC blog: The listening skills and responsibilities senior leaders need – by Dr Kevin Ruck.
Misinformation and disinformation
Disinformation is a poison which pollutes communication. As ever, please ensure you are verifying information, using credible sources and correcting any untruths.
I recommend checking out the RESIST 2 counter disinformation toolkit from the Government Communication Service if this is new to you.
RESIST stands for recognise, early warning, situational insight, impact analysis, strategic communications and tracking effectiveness.
Misinformation refers to verifiably false information that is shared without an intent to mislead. The effects of misinformation can still be harmful. People also deliberately spread false or manipulated information. Usually, it is because the individuals and organisations that create it have something to gain from deception.
Disinformation refers to verifiably false information that is shared with an intent to deceive and mislead. It can often have harmful consequences.
Source: RESIST 2 counter disinformation toolkit from the Government Communication Service (2021).
Further reading via the All Things IC blog:
- Recommended book: Building a culture of inclusivity by Priya Bates and Advita Patel – published 2023
- Candid Comms podcast: An introduction to AI for internal communicators – published 2024
- Get a reality check on fake news – published 2017
- Why fake news matters and what you can do – published 2017.
Recommended podcast from PRWeek
This morning I listened to an excellent podcast by PRWeek featuring agency chief executives Farzana Baduel of Curzon PR and Shayoni Lynn of Lynn.
Editor John Harrington hosted the conversation in an episode called ‘UK riots and lessons for the communications industry’, which you can listen to online. It’s available via the PRWeek website or your favourite podcast player.
Picture credit: PRWeek
They shared their own lived experiences and discussed the rise of disinformation, particularly in light of the recent and ongoing situation in the UK.
Shayoni and Farzana are two of the co-founders of the new Asian Communications Network, alongside Advita Patel of CommsRebel.
Writing in their inaugural post on LinkedIn, the trio state: “The Asian Communications Network (ACN) exists to energise, empower, and elevate Asian professionals in the PR and communications industries. The three of us became good friends during the pandemic because of our shared experiences. We first started chatting about creating a community early last year, but as usual, life got in the way, and things got busy.
“However, after seeing the stories Advita Patel received after her post on how she managed racism and adversity, we realised that this network is needed more than ever before.
The network is here to help Asian communication and PR professionals connect, collaborate and celebrate together.
“It’s a safe space for people to be free to be themselves (this year’s South Asian Heritage Month theme). Our hope is to create a vibrant community where we can inspire change and motivate others to do the same.”
You can also listen to the new PRWeek podcast episode below,
Rachel
Rachel Miller, Founder All Things IC.
What we’ve heard from comms pros this month – by Caroline Cubbon-King
Specific questions I’ve been asked in recent days include:
- Is it acceptable for a member of my team to take part in a peaceful protest?
- What happens if a colleague makes inappropriate comments about riots and violence on social media?
- How can I support leaders to address concerns and respond to colleague questions sensitively?
Our role as communicators is to try to make it as easy as possible for colleagues to access information about how to stay safe, how to raise concerns and how to seek support.
This includes working with HR colleagues to help equip line managers to respond to the issues raised by team members.
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has issued a statement on UK rioting and violence which includes information on how to signpost colleagues to available support, how to deal with misinformation and advice on working with internal teams to ensure your organisation’s approach is joined up, informative and supportive.
It states: “The CIPR unequivocally condemns the violence, looting, and rioting instigated and led by far-right extremists across the UK.
“Much of this unrest and hatred has been exacerbated by deliberate misinformation and disinformation which stemmed from the tragic incident in Southport last week. We remind PR professionals of their critical responsibility to ensure that any information shared in relation to these events is reliable and factual. This is particularly true of professionals who work for organisations that have a responsibility to communicate with the public and external audiences.
“Many professionals will also have internal communication responsibilities and should consider providing advice to colleagues about sharing information on the riots and, importantly, ensuring colleagues from targeted and underrepresented groups and their families are safe.”