“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy
This week, cities across the U.S. are swearing in new Mayors and city leadership. In fact, I just watched as Bill Peduto pledged to build the next Pittsburgh as its 60th Mayor. At least here in Pittsburgh, it seems the majority are anxious for a change. Mayor Peduto is promising a new City Government and if you’ve kept up with the political news here, you’d understand why this is such a welcome change for Pittsburghers.
Change is inevitable, right? Sometimes it’s positive and sometimes not so much. Sometimes it’s downright devastating. With 2014 upon us, now is a perfect time to accept this fact and determine how we intend to deal with the certain changes that will occur both at work and in our personal lives.
The blank slate ahead of us means we have opportunity—for growth, for improvement, for learning. Since we’re in the business of public relations, let’s address how businesses can prepare for and navigate certain changes in 2014. Below are some of the more common changes we can all expect to see this year.
Unplanned personnel moves or departures.
Perhaps a top leader decides to leave the company or worse, someone dies. It is morbid to think about but we know it happens, unfortunately. What is the plan for dealing with such change? Is there a protocol established or is the plan to just “wing it”? As public relations consultants, we advise companies to have a crisis plan in place to address such changes, no matter what the cause. Sometimes it involves partially prepared press releases, detailed media lists and talking points. Other times, it might be focused on a social media strategy for announcing it or simply having a plan in place for how to announce publicly as well as internally. Whatever the strategy, it’s important to have something in place so you aren’t caught off guard when such a change occurs.
The emerging importance of digital and social media.
There is no denying that social media is here to stay. You may hear of “new” platforms (SnapChat, Hubspot, Vine, Pinterest) and wonder which one does what, why and who in the world uses it. Trust me, this is not just for teenagers and college students anymore. Social media and digital marketing is changing how companies conduct their business. It is driving sales, creating conversations and breaking news. If you haven’t given it attention yet, this is the year you absolutely must do so. We understand it can be a confusing landscape and that’s why we help our clients enter the digital/social media space in a meaningful way and advise them on how to manage their content and engage with potential customers.
Workplace demographics.
This one isn’t an immediate change, per say, but it’s one all companies should prepare for. The median age in the U.S. is currently 37.2. More older workers than ever before are nearing retirement (the Baby Boomers) and there is a lack of younger workers who are ready to take their place. Additionally, the workplace now has a wider age gap between its employees and communications challenges between the generations will continue to be an issue. Internal communications must seek to bridge the gap while accommodating the different dynamics of the generations. Companies who are unprepared for such changes will have difficulty hiring and retaining qualified workers. The companies who are on the ball and employing innovative strategies will surge ahead of their competitors.
Change is constant. We can count on it…for better or worse. The best way to manage change is to think ahead and plan. Identify what you can control and what you can’t. Perhaps you need outside experts to help because it’s outside your scope of expertise, or maybe you don’t have the resources to be proactive because all effort is focused on getting through TODAY. Take some time to prioritize. Don’t tackle everything at once. Seek help if needed. Just be sure to take some steps now so you aren’t crippled by inevitable changes that will impact your company this year.
How are you preparing for change? Or, are your challenges so daunting you aren’t sure where to start? Share your thoughts with us.
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Hollie Geitner is vice president, client services for WordWrite Communications.You can find her on Twitter @JustHollieG.
