Bennet Group joins effort against COVID-19 in Hawai‘i
Aloha,
In this unprecedented time, our firm is deeply dedicated to doing our part to fight COVID-19 in the ways we can best contribute: supporting thoughtful strategic communications that will benefit Hawai‘i, helping arm us all with the information we need to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our community as a whole. Working alongside Hawai‘i’s front-line leaders, we know first-hand this rapidly-evolving situation poses unique challenges. Know that we are here to help - fully operational in our remote office setting - and standing by.
Stay informed
Bennet Group is proud to have been retained by the Hawai‘i State Department of Health to create www.hawaiicovid19.com. The site is designed to equip our community with updates and resources to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i, and will serve as a hub of information for Hawai‘i’s inter-agency coordinated effort to combat the spread of the disease statewide. Updated multiple times daily, the site is a dynamic source for verified information and we hope will be a valuable resource to you.
Here for you
Working remotely is in Bennet Group’s DNA. As a primarily virtual firm under normal operating procedures, we seamlessly transitioned to fully remote work at the beginning of March with no interruption in service to our clients and partners. We continue to operate with full capacity to work with you on the many complex communications challenges arising as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as continuing to ensure your big-picture organizational goals can stay on-track during this uncertain time. We’re here for you.
What we’re learning
As we help our clients navigate the nuanced and urgent communications needs that continue to arise, we’re always looking to share best practices and resources to help our clients. Some critical areas we’d recommend for thoughtful attention include:
- Keep your internal team close. Thoughtful internal communications will need to step up beyond just day-to-day operational updates, but also stewarding a sense of shared commitment and mutual care. Culture is hard to maintain virtually; extra effort needs to be applied to keep internal stakeholders connected and committed.
- Be clear, decisive and transparent. Having a clearly articulated operational plan, defined decision-making criteria, and transparent ways to share it all with your internal and external stakeholders is an important way to inspire confidence and demonstrate leadership. If the plan changes – as many will – it’s equally important to be transparent about that too.
- Lead with aloha. Demonstrating compassion and prioritizing the personal experience of your stakeholders is the most important aspect to retaining loyalty in this time of upheaval. Beyond obvious medical risks associated with the virus, be conscious of - and take action where possible - to shore up your stakeholders’ ability to cope with the emotional strain and the personal economic challenges that could occur as the downstream effects of the virus emerge.