United Healthcare responds after CEO killed in NYC, Edelman cuts jobs as part of global restructuring
Plus, .Apple employee accuses company of spying.
Greetings, comms pros! Let’s take a few news stories from the last week and see what we can learn from them.
1. United Healthcare responds after CEO fatally shot in Manhattan
On Wednesday morning, a masked gunman shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as he walked down the street in Midtown Manhattan as he walked to his company’s investor relations meeting. The internet has been ablaze with speculation as to who is responsible for the murder.
The New York Times reported that while police haven’t formally identified the suspect, they’re following leads and have released partial photos of the alleged gunman’s face.
UnitedHealth Group released the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him. We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”
While still early, UnitedHealthcare presented a textbook crisis-holding statement that kept things close to the vest, acknowledged Thompson’s family and colleagues, and paid tribute to the late CEO.
There isn’t a specific guide for dealing with this sort of issue, but companies should treat these holding statements as but the first phase of crisis transition plans for when leaders suddenly leave their posts or are incapacitated. By reviewing them frequently during tabletop training and scenario planning, and then updating them consistently, your relevant stakeholders will know what’s next when the unexpected happens. Ensure all your functions are aligned with one another, share what you can, and update your audience as the situation evolves.
2. Apple employee claims tech giant spies on workers
A current Apple employee is taking the company to court, claiming that the tech icon forces employees to surrender personal privacy to work there.
Employees must use an Apple device, such as an iPhone, for work, but because any Apple device the company issues to employees can’t be used for personal reasons, many opt to use a personal Apple device, the lawsuit claims. Yet because these personal devices are used for work, the tech company, which has made privacy a key part of its messaging, allegedly claims broad permissions to “access, search, and use all of its employees’ data—including their personal data,” on the personal devices, according to a press release.
“For Apple’s employees, the Apple ecosystem is not a walled garden. It is a prison yard. A panopticon where employees, both on and off duty, are ever subject to Apple’s all-seeing eye,” the lawsuit reads.
In a statement to Semafor, Apple acknowledged the suit while hedging its words in company policy.
Every employee has the right to discuss their wages, hours and working conditions and this is part of our business conduct policy, which all employees are trained on annually.
The interesting juxtaposition here lies between the privacy that Apple publicly upholds and the differences the employee behind this suit perceives. When there’s a discrepancy between what the company PR and thought leadership communicates as part of its value system and what’s done in practice, brand affinity and culture can take a hit.
When you couch your employer brand around mission and values, leaders must ensure that internal practices exemplify them. If they don’t, employees will pick up on it.
3. Edelman cuts 5% of staff amid worldwide restructuring
Public Relations powerhouse Edelman laid off over 300 employees amid a move toward a more centralized corporate structure and further globalization of the brand.
“I’ve got to structure Edelman to be fast and to be, in a way, completely integrated. The two things we were trying to build in the last years are the advisory business to compete with Teneo, etc., and the marketing side of the business, to compete with ad agencies and digital firms,” CEO Richard Edelman said.
First, it’s notable to see Edelman’s layoffs happening in conjunction with push for international expansion, including the hiring of 200 creative pros in Colombia and plans to add staff in India and South Africa. Richard Edelman said that this move will allow the firm to compete for new budgets. The international markets that other large-scale firms expand to is indicative of its belief that there are more growth opportunities in these areas.
Additionally, the company’s commitment to AI takes on a somewhat different meaning amid these cuts. Edelman the CEO wouldn’t say if Edelman the company made the cuts because of AI, but he did say the firm’s AI adoption was helping employees work faster, saying that the investment was in the “millions”. Agencies must continue to analyze how they are implementing automation, using it to scale their services, and teaching their internal/employee comms accounts to integrate automation themselves as advisors and counselors.
4. How about some good news?
- An Alaska woman dropped Thanksgiving turkeys from a plane for her remote neighbors.
- A report by UNICEF emphasized the need for green spaces in childhood development.
- Evidence of the world’s oldest known alphabet was discovered in Syria.
- Ragan Training is great for communications pros to find inspiration and resources.
- You should be rewarded for your work. Find out how to earn an award here!
Have a great weekend comms all-stars!
Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports, a good pint and ’90s trivia night.
