Got Crisis Management?

The PR department at Carat, the self proclaimed leading independent media communications agency, must be fuming at the HR Exec who accidentally released a email memo outlining a major restructuring and forthcoming layoffs to the ENTIRE agency meant to be seen only by senior managers.

"Oops" would be a major understatement. One person's slip-up, became a colossal PR nightmare.

Apparently the email contained a Powerpoint and Word document "full of 'message' points on how people should be told of their fate and what should be said to their still-employed colleagues, clients and vendors."

Not the kind of thing you want to get into the hands of not only the rank and file, but also the media. No employee wants to read a "script" and ensuing message points of how they are going to be told they are let go and that this move is in the "best interest of the clients." What a blow.

A further blow is to Carat's reputation. Advertising Age not only wrote this story (and countless other media no doubt) but included a link to the documents included in the email. Ouch.

The worst part is how they planned to handle this with the press. Senior VP Rob Hollander "reflected on the company's PR plans around the layoffs. He wrote, "This is a tough one. Since we're not opting to get out in front of the press, we will be left to defend. I think we may need to prepare for different contingencies depending on how they may hit us -- because they will hit us. RISK assessment."

That's the spirit. Let's keep it a secret and be on the defense. I've helped companies through times of layoffs, and believe me, that's about the worst PR strategy I've ever heard.

Carat needs to take a dose of proactive, and hope their PR dept. can clean up this awful mess.

Comments

[Matt]

What a bonehead move! I know we are all human and have sent emails that we didn't mean to, but come on, this is the top HR person. The Wall Street Journal did a spread on the story as well--not exactly the way I'm sure Carat wanted to make a headline in that paper. This will be a case where "no spin" is the best move. Their PR people will have to be completely transparent and (painfully) honest about this. Any attempts at spin will only make this way worse.