Communication has been reshaped due to the public health crisis caused by the COVID-19. The communication needs of the people are now different and the need to be empathetic is more in demand. So, what communication demands are to be met and how can they be met?
This post will evaluate the need for communication change, ways it has changed, and much more.
Need for Change in Communication Since COVID-19
In the past, the world has gone through various forms of crisis and learned to adapt to the changes it brought out of necessity. Thus, the idea behind brands becoming more customer-centric has been an ongoing conversation. When the pandemic hit, it became more important for the brand to find a connection with its audience.
Since the pandemic, people have been more interested in non-COVID-centered content, which has affected what is expected of the professional world. As a result, people are more in tune with things that lead away from the health crisis while maintaining sensitivity.
Also, across the world, people are beginning to have more meaningful conversations virtually and offline simultaneously. The pandemic has created a spirit of commonality and placed into focus a sense of connectedness in areas with little commonality in the past. People are now more willing to share who they are with those in contact with them.
4 Ways Communication Has Changed
Communication has changed because of the COVID-19 health crisis. Here are three ways they have changed:
1. Authenticity in Business Communication
The COVID-19 allowed for employers, employees, businesses and leaders to get more insight into one another’s lives. This has been facilitated by constant video streams, phone calls and virtual communications. It has become important to be more open and transparent when engaging employees, customers and those with whom they are in constant contact.
Resultantly, businesses are more empathetic and available than they ordinarily would, thus actualizing a level of humanization. Working remotely has become more expedient and is predicted to last even after the world has normalized. New positions are even filled remotely with little-to-no physical interaction.
2. Crisis Communication Plans
The continuity plan and risk-preparedness of companies have been tested over time because of the health crisis. Hence, more businesses have made efforts to ensure that the risk planning aspect of their organization is placed in consideration. Those without a proper crisis communication plan have become more intentional. Organizations have found it necessary to find new ways of communicating outside the office building.
Businesses have taken up media training to ensure that its workforce can adopt other means of communication as the new normal. They have engaged the services of video streaming services, phone systems and other means of virtually communicating.
3. Necessitated the Return of Experts
Despite the prediction during the 2016 Referendum that there are enough experts already. However, the COVID-19 health crisis has revealed a need for the experts to return. Governments have seen the need for more experts to help lead several aspects including the tenets of communication.
From the government responses during the heat of the pandemic, it has been made clear that the communication has been led by “scientists.” Therefore, experts led communication focusing on the customer’s needs.
4. Focus on E-Events
Less physical communication has become necessary because of COVID-19, so events are now virtual. Regular events are now done through video and audio streaming platforms. As a result, more phone systems and video-enabled platforms have become necessary. Events are now organized over the internet with minor human interactions.
Summary
COVID-19 has caused a shift in the world’s communications needs, which has caused new strategies to be developed. Organizations have taken to remote positions for services that are usually done physically.The government has reverted to experts to ensure that communication is both emphatic and effective.
Thus, the public health crisis has changed the look of communication significantly. New phone systems and video streaming platforms have come up to fill in the communication gap.
