An all-encompassing crisis like a global pandemic puts you at ground zero. The way we communicate with employees makes all the difference in how individuals and the organization move forward. This webinar on Thursday, July 23, 2020, examined how the communication and HR teams at Cambridge Systematics worked hand-in-hand to quickly recognize needs, respond effectively, innovate, and then shift again as the stage of the COVID-19 crisis changed.
Play the recording. Download the intro/closing slides, presenter slides and presenter notes pages. Plus, as a bonus, you can download written answers to some of the questions shared via the chat during the webinar.
Presenters Dina Wolfman Baker, SCMP, principal/head of marketing and communication, and Leanne Gent, chief talent officer, Cambridge Systematics, discussed how team members accessed professional networks and leveraged practices to the needs of the company and its staff.
They shared insight and practical examples
- Strategies for an HR/Communication partnership and a team-based approach in crisis communication
- Lessons learned for improvement in future crises
- How to link crisis communication with company strategy, business imperatives and employee needs
- Opportunities to leverage technology for effective crisis communication
About the presenters
Dina Wolfman Baker leads the 27-person team for marketing and brand strategy, marketing communication, business development, and internal communication at Cambridge Systematics.
During more than 35 years of professional experience, Baker has built expertise in internal and external communications, strategy development, new product development and launches, creativity, and bridge-building. She brings perspective from background gained in the for-profit and non-profit sectors and in business-to-business, business-to-government and consumer pull-through. In 2017 she earned the Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP) certification. Baker holds a BA from Cornell University, and she has published and presented on marketing and communication strategy.
Leanne Gent is chief talent officer at Cambridge Systematics, where she provides leadership and guidance in the development, implementation and administration of the firm’s talent acquisition activities, employee performance and development initiatives, total rewards package, and diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. As a member of the executive leadership team, she develops policies and programs that foster an employee-focused, high-performance culture that supports the overall business strategy and objectives. Gent is a solutions-focused, results-oriented and decisive leader with 15 years of management experience across multiple industries. She is passionate about developing talent and building a dynamic organization in which employees can thrive and contribute to a broader mission. Gent holds a BS from Emerson College.