Staying Engaged! The Accounting Marketer’s Role in Internal Communications During the COVID-19 Outbreak

For many marketers, we are not only tasked with communicating to our clients and our community, but we are also leading the charge in keeping our employees informed and engaged during this time of working remotely. From virtual happy hours to fun videos, here is what some of our fellow AAMers are doing to keep their fellow employees engaged and informed:

Irma Zaldivar, Digital Marketing Manager, BDO USA, LLP

“Our firm created a page on our intranet where we get daily updates as it relates to COVID-19. We also created a resource HUB page via SharePoint where employees can have access to the latest guidance and resources to provide us with information to help us successfully and safely care for our personal well-being while working to serve our internal and external clients. In addition, we have a page on our BD and Marketing portal, where everybody in the company has access to any COVID-19 related insights, alerts, webinars, etc. that the marketing team is working on. Our CEO recorded a webinar for all professionals, providing an update on the firm’s novel coronavirus response.

He also sends us voice emails where he reminds us to take care of ourselves, which is such a lovely gesture to see coming from the top. Our Crisis Management & Business Continuity practice discussed the steps BDO is taking for the safety and well-being of its professionals. We are also hosting virtual happy hours with our direct teams and most recently hosted two work from home best practice webinars.”

Emily Taibl, Marketing Manager, Sweeney Conrad

“We have put a number of new practices in place to communicate internally. Our managing shareholder is sending out a weekly video where he updates us on what is going on, and answers questions that I collect anonymously through Survey Monkey from around the firm. We are doing virtual happy hours each week where we randomly pick groups so that departments get to visit with one another. I also created a Facebook Workplace page where we are running internal contests and doing various things to keep people engaged.”

JoLayna Arndt, Marketing Director, JLK Rosenberger

“I’ve been creating short, daily videos for our internal staff as we are all working remotely from home. The video series is called Bridge the Virtual Distance, and the topics range from running effective virtual meetings to client development during crisis to creating effective workspaces at home. I’ve also been publishing like crazy about the tax deadline changes, how COVID-19 will change financial statements, and how to lead in uncertain times.”

Jessica Hekmatjah, Director of Marketing and Corporate Development BPM

“We have launched an internal BPM COVID-19 Resource Center to provide colleagues with tips on how to manage time when working from home, free resources for yoga, training, etc. Our firm also hosts virtual happy hours/lunches via RingCentral Meetings and provide daily emails from our CEO to the entire Firm on various updates, topics, and stories that tie to current challenges. business decisions as we monitor the ongoing changes around COVID-19. We receive regular emails from our Chief People Officer on resources available for colleagues who may need additional support during this time (e.g., we have access to Joyable).

We also have daily COVID-19 Task Force calls between Corporate Services Team Leaders, Practice Group Leaders, and our Chief Risk Officer to make sure we are checking in on our people.”

Jaimi Koechel, Director of Marketing, Henry + Horne

“I am not playing much of a role other than informing the partner group on what is being said internally. I am allowing our executive committee and HR handle the internal communications. For my department, I am hosting daily video meetings via Teams to stay in touch. We are talking about current and upcoming projects as well as plain water cooler talk.”

Jenna Ward, Marketing Manager, Mengel, Metzger, Barr & Co. LLP

“Internally we have limited anyone in the office, asking people to work from home and only visit the office if they must pick up files, etc.  Our admin staff is still required to be there to help aid during these times. The marketing department (2 of us) is working from home but have assisted with crafting messages sent out internally and externally.”

We are trying to be proactive with this extra time we now have, researching prospects, etc. but we obviously are sensitive that now is not the time to reach out of course.   We have little projects that are always pushed to the side that we can be attentive to and just trying to support our firm.”