Hy-Vee and COVID-19

The five crisis communication recommendations from PRSA include humanize the message, convey empathy, reinforce organizational values, tell the truth and write for a 6th-grade reading level. The Hy-Vee in Peoria does a really good job of using these five elements to explain their changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first three recommendations are used especially well throughout the issue statement. It humanizes the message and reinforces organizational values by saying while their hours are changing they are doing to this to help maintain a high level of sanitation for their customers to be safe. They also convey empathy by expressing that they know that this is an unprecedented time for every and that they appreciate their patience and loyalty from their customers. They want the customers to know that they are their top priority during this pandemic. Another thing that HY-Vee does well is explaining the reasoning(or truth) behind their actions and their word choice meets the criteria of being written at 6th-grade reading level. The reason that they chose to change their hours and what they are going to do make sure that their customer’s health will not be affected when walking around in the store. The notice that HY-Vee put out gets the point across in a simple, concise and clear manner. Most people reading this can understand that there is an issue going on and that changes are trying to help keep us safe. To read more about the inside to the decision of Hy-Vee in the Peoria Area, you can click the link here.

When writing an issue statement there is are two audiences the internal and external. In this issue statement, I believe that both of those target audiences were addressed very well. The main purpose of the statement is obviously for the external audience (or the costumers). Throughout the update, it explains that the customers are still able to make purchases on the products from the store but the time frame they can do that changed. Then the explain they changed their hours to make that the time that is usually open will be used for additional cleaning of the store. Now for the internal audience (or the employees), the update mentions that the time changes also make sure that their employees are taking care of themselves and their families. Everyone is going through this together and Hy-Vee did a good job of expressing that the needs of customers are important but also their employees.