How to Decide Which Social Issues to Weigh In On
Having clarity on what to say in response to social issues can feel like an impossible task nowadays. Almost every public topic is a hot-button issue, and it can feel like you are trying to navigate through a minefield as you try to determine what your organization should weigh in on.
Developing a set of internal and external communication guidelines for your organization has become imperative, particularly as multiple generations in the workplace bring a variety of expectations on what will be discussed.
Ultimately, the key is to have the decision on what to weigh in on make logical sense,
be consistent across issues, and be consistent internally and externally.
A number of organizations have been burned by rushing to make public statements while delaying internal responses, or worse, not living out those statements with their employees. As with all DEI issues, intentionality rules.
Here are some questions you can use to help you develop your own communications standards:
Does this directly impact our business, employees, and/or business partners?
Does weighing in on this issue align with our strategy and values? Does NOT weighing in go against our strategy and values?
Does weighing in on this issue align with our employee promise and/or value proposition?
Will weighing in help us serve our customers, communities, investors, and/or industry?
Will weighing in impact our reputation positively, negatively, or not at all? If our reputation could be negatively impacted, and we still feel this is important, how can we best prepare for that response?
Can we drive change on this issue? If so, are there others we should collaborate with proactively in alignment with our response?
Once you have developed your standards, sharing those internally will help employees feel the organization has taken the time to be thoughtful about what to weigh in on. That transparency will go a long way in building trust.
Need help determining how to achieve high-impact, measurable results with your DEI work? Contact us here.
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