As we face off the biggest pandemic in today’s modern memory, which is literally doctored and engineered in China, the fact is millions of lives are lost and life world is facing a chaos and disruption. Global economy is gone for a toss as never before. This pandemic is above all human crisis that calls for camaraderie. It has taught the world many lessons and one such lesson is about business ethics which starts with ethical communication.
The importance of ethical communications has never been clearer. Much of the debate around media ethics in recent years has focused on far-reaching questions why business is important. The global COVID-19 pandemic has pushed ethical considerations back to the basics. Concerns about governmental transparency and corporate responsibility have become a fresh urgency. The implications are more immediate and those working in the media, now more than ever, have a responsibility for their role in shaping public debate.
As businesses go about their work, managers must continue to ask themselves whether it is their responsibility to communicate as they are.
Businesses have a challenge on their hands. In an atmosphere of financial uncertainty, they have difficult decisions, first to make and then to communicate. They will have to consider both internal and external stakeholders. They must address concerns about safety and hygiene. They must clarify what they are doing in terms of business continuation and protocol. Before they get into the nitty-gritty of messaging, outreach and marketing spend, they must consider the ethical dimension of what they do.
With the global coronavirus outburst, business world is now grappling with ethical communication demanded by their consumers. The big brands of world are increasingly being tested for their moral backbone. Alert and observant consumers are refusing to support companies who are not honest in keeping their promises and are turning a blind eye to the complaints of customers. The Covid 19 pandemic has harnessed the power of social media like never before; customers are able to hold organizations directly and evidently accountable.
Prior to the pandemic, a paradigm shift towards digitization of the economy was already underway. The current scenario has accelerated the paradigm, as evidenced by the marked shift in spending towards digital businesses. As customers are already facing autonomy due to the virus, no longer they are willing to allow brands stay silent. They have a platform and a stronger network to discuss their issues.
The major principles governing communications, the correct and incorrect aspects of the same, the moral and immoral dimensions relevant to the communication are called ethics of communication. In other words, communication ethics is the notion that human beings are governed by morals which essentially affects communication. Simply any kind of moral good present in communication of any form is generally termed as communication ethics. It is important that whatever we communicate should be guided by certain ethical principles.
Amazon has been a crowned winner during the Covid crisis because its sales have soared due to the shutting of bricks-and-mortar shops and malls. It’s also interesting to note that its share price has risen by more than a third in the past few months. And, yet Amazon has been bitterly criticized although the most serious accusations are made against it the US and France rather than the UK. In France all Amazon warehouses were temporarily closed after a huge row about worker safety. In the US Amazon experienced lot of workers quitting due to over warehouse safety and conditions. Many of its workers pledged to stay home in protest because Amazon has failed to provide face masks, and has refused to pay sick leave (the US is one of the few wealthy countries in which companies are not required to), is not allowing workers proper time to wash their hands, and that too many people are working at once to allow for proper social distancing. The fight intensified after Amazon fired four workers who had publicly criticized safety measures. In progressive countries such as Us, UK and France customers gauge the behavior of companies.
Even in India in a survey conducted by EY Earnest & Young presents response in favor of ethical communication. For example, at the onset of COVID-19 in India, an MNC promised its employees that the organization would retain all its employees during the hardship period but later started firing endless numbers of employees’ right from the lowest to the topmost rung of the ladder. This is a clear breach of trust and faith, no one who is still with the organization will ever trust the employer come what may. Any organization which breaches trust of any of its stakeholders, finds it difficult to get back the trust. Another survey conducted by Deloitte reports that employees do not need a perfect company but just want transparency and truthfulness more than anything else.
Ethical communication always helps organization in admitting openly that they fell short of their goals, they have committed some mistakes, which in long run lead to huge improvements and positive changes for the future which help to garner support from all stakeholders.
It is so important to acknowledge that clients cannot be cheated in the present problematic times; it is better to inform them the truth only. One of the news items in Miami News Times reported that a popular cruise line recently misled its guests about COVID-19 by having sales staff tell them the only thing they needed to worry about for their upcoming cruise was bringing enough sunscreen. The cruise line ignored the pandemic and the associated safety measures which the clients are worried about. Most of the customers who had booked for the cruise did not appreciate the irresponsible behavior of the cruise liner staff, and they decided to drop out of the cruise. Their response is a perfect example of what not to do during such difficult times. This response caused a media storm that generated negative press for the cruise line.
In acknowledging the current times, organizations can establish and build trust and confidence with others that can have a long-lasting impact. Avoiding the truth is bad practice for any business and providing relevant updates won’t cause a panic. When the state of the world returns to normal, individuals will remember how businesses responded to the pandemic and during this time of need.
The pandemic that has taken over our daily lives, businesses and society at large are forcing us to rethink how we react during times of crisis. Practicing empathy in statements, newsletters, social media announcements and other avenues of communication can help establish rapport with customers. It shows that businesses care. However, having empathy goes beyond a written statement. It must be practiced in action. While many businesses choose to address COVID-19 solely online, on social media or with e-newsletters, it has been observed that organizations that pitch clients for stories on how to stay afloat throughout this pandemic, are appreciated the most. For instance, offering a client spokesperson for TV news segments to provide expert insight or resourceful information on what they are doing to stay in business can set an example for similar companies.
Conclusion: In a sea of statements, social media announcements and email newsletters, making presence felt is difficult. This is where sincere and realistic communication matters.
