Flexible engagement in the time of Corona

Most engagement practitioners agree that an inclusive engagement plan includes a combination of online and offline engagement. But it seems 2020 had other plans when it came to offline methods.

In the past month, we at Spectrum Comms and many others have needed to turn engagement on its head in the interest of social distancing and keeping people at home. It has changed the way we issue project notifications, how we stay in touch with stakeholders, what we can offer residents in lieu of accommodation and entertainment respite and we’ve had to overhaul the way we manage service disruptions to private properties.

As practitioners, this is the sort of environment we thrive in; being responsive to changing stakeholder needs, being flexible and adaptable with our methods all the while keeping people informed about how this new world order will affect them.

Doorknocks have become letterbox drops. Face to face meetings have become phone calls and emails. And accommodation, dining and entertainment vouchers for respite have become supermarket vouchers (does anyone know where you can actually get toilet paper?). But it’s not as simple as swapping out one method for another.

We’ve had to consider the changing needs of stakeholders who are now isolated at home, who rely on handwashing as an essential element to “stop the spread” and who may suddenly not love the sound of construction outside their property from 7am until 6pm Monday to Friday. The working from home workforce has come to appreciate the value of not just our teachers (they really do deserve more money!) but an uninterrupted power and water supply. There are also works that are critical to resident wellbeing such as noise mitigation works that require property access at a time when visitors of any kind are unwelcome. It’s not an ideal situation for anyone.

It has meant we have had to step up in our role as advocates for community stakeholders, encouraging project managers to consider activities and impacts from a resident’s perspective and make alternative arrangements so we don’t further disrupt what is already a global disruption to the way we live.
To discuss ways we can support your organisation maintain engagement during and after the Covid-19 crisis, get in touch with the friendly Spectrum team.