RIYADH: Communication is key in any organization and certainly between a brand or organization and its audiences. The role of a communicator is crucial both internally and externally. It is often said that a crisis proves the worth of a communicator and this year has presented everyone with the biggest collective crisis. Throughout the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and even now, as lockdowns ease, communicators have had an important role to play at every level, from organizations to governments. The form of communication has often varied from educating people about the virus to informing them of what measures the brand is taking and understanding how it affects them. Arab News spoke to Alex Malouf, ex-chair of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) MENA and current communications director at Schneider Electric MEA, about the role of communications and communicators. He is an active member of the PR and communications industry in the region having spent the last seven years managing corporate communications at Procter and Gamble MENA and being a part of organizations such as the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) and the Middle East Public Relations Association (MERA). Crisis communications can vary from a PR stunt gone wrong or a brand ambassador doing something unworthy of the brand to something far more severe such as the COVID-19 pandemic. How does the role of communicators differ? The role of a communicator during a crisis is to minimize any damage to the organization. Crises can be distilled to two basic types: Natural disasters/incidents such as COVID-19, and man-made incidents. A good communicator will advise management on stakeholder perceptions toward the organization, and how to act/communicate in a manner that will burnish reputations, hence minimizing any potential for a crisis. During a crisis, the best communicator will quickly assess the situation and help the organization understand what needs to be said and done, who should be addressed, and how they should be engaged to minimize any negative reputational impact. It is often said that communicators show their value most during a crisis. And a crisis can actually build a brand’s reputation. Take the example of Johnson and Johnson when the CEO decided to pull Tylenol from the shelves worldwide following drug tampering. Customers realized that the brand was putting values and people over profits. Good communicators understand their audience intimately and will understand how audiences will view certain actions over others. They will also anticipate possible crisis scenarios, such as an influencer going rogue. By being prepared to address any scenario and understanding how the organization’s stakeholders will respond (this includes employees), they will ensure that incidents do not become crises. What is the difference between internal and external communications? What are the skillsets required for both, and should they be looked at as separate practices or one and why? The most obvious difference is the audience – internal is focused on employees, and external on a host of stakeholders (the public, shareholders, governments, NGOs, civil society, suppliers, customers, consumers, etc.). At their heart, both require good storytellers and the skills needed differ little from one to the other. The biggest difference is that internal communicators already know their audience very well. The issue they have to deal with is engagement: How do they get employees excited and engaged about what the organization is doing? In contrast, external communication is more about awareness, and ensuring that stakeholders are, at a minimum, kept aware of what the organization is doing and why. The Middle East’s communications industry does not have many specialized roles, but we are seeing more internal communications roles being created, and this will benefit both employees and their organizations. How important has internal communication been during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what is the best way to handle it given that many companies have gone through big changes such as downsizing, working from home, etc.? This has been an incredibly difficult time for everyone, and internal communicators have faced health and safety crises, followed by downsizing, and then in some instances, companies shutting down. I believe that organizations and their leaders are best served by being transparent, frank, and open to debate. And internal communicators need to encourage this. To give you a simple example, employee townhalls have been essential over the past couple of months, to keep staff aware of what is happening and giving them an opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from leadership. Communicators are increasingly looking to technology to ensure that they can connect with employees. One example of what we have done during this crisis is using messaging apps to share best practices on health and safety with our employees. What about external communication during the pandemic? Does every brand necessarily need to communicate on this topic? The best communicators I’ve seen during this crisis have been leaders such as Jacinda Ardern (Prime Minister of New Zealand) and Angela Merkel (German Chancellor). They have been direct with their communication, empathetic to the challenges that are facing the public, and open about the steps their governments are taking and why. They haven’t sugarcoated anything, and they haven’t flip-flopped. The best brands have done the same; they have seen where they can help, and they’ve stepped into the breach. Look at Airbnb, which offered health workers free or subsidized accommodation. Vodafone did the same by offering medical staff free calling and data. Others have looked to what they can do, and they have adapted. In summary, actions speak much louder than words, and people need help and support much more than they need hashtags and messages, which are simply noise. If brands cannot support their customers, it may be better for them to simply say nothing rather than feel as if they should speak up without having anything to contribute. As a communicator, what have you learnt during this time? What are some of the learnings that you think can/should be applied regardless of a pandemic or crisis? None of us has ever dealt with anything like this, and hopefully we will not have to again. My one piece of advice is simple. We are all able to perform at our best if we are energized and healthy, both physically and mentally. Crises are stressful situations, requiring long hours of work. We cannot work day and night over a long period of time. It is important that communicators take a break when they can, so they can recharge and relax. Those that do not will suffer burnout. Where does the communications and PR sector stand within the advertising and marketing industry especially during and post-COVID-19? I would like to say that the work that we have done over 2020 has been recognized for how it has helped get everyone through this situation, be it employees or external stakeholders. But I still don’t think that our work is fully appreciated. And I do feel that this is due to communicators not being vocal enough about the good we do. We are so busy helping others communicate that we often forget to share our own stories. I hope that this will change going forward, and that communications will be seen as more of a partner to other disciplines in the sector, rather than being subordinate to them.