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What do you do during corona time? Experiences of public affairs professionals in times of crisis, part 3

What is the effect of the corona crisis on public affairs practice? In times of crisis, the circle of stakeholders becomes smaller, we hear from public affairs professionals from large companies. “At a time when quick action is needed to solve something urgent, trusted stakeholders come first,” says Walter Annard of Rabobank.

Jacco van der Tak from NS also sees this. 'We spend a lot of time in contact with parties we know. Everything is faster and more inventive. Normally you are stuck in positions and then you look at what is behind those positions and whether positions are compatible after all. That time is now lacking. In a crisis, much more is possible than you thought in advance with a party you normally work with. The joint task is central, an open attitude helps enormously.'

The umbrella organizations and trade organizations in the polder are especially popular, including the cabinet and the departments. You can 'read' the stakeholders you know well better, and you can estimate them better, and even with a video connection you can still do this with those well-known stakeholders.

Walter Annard of Rabobank: 'We now work a lot with the other banks and the NVB, the Dutch Banking Association (NVB). Together we come up with solutions. As an individual bank we wouldn't be able to do that.'

Together with directors of individual banks, the NVB gave a digital briefing to eight MPs from the Standing Parliamentary Committees on Finance and Economic Affairs. Reaching so many MPs in such a short time was not possible before.

Also new crisis relationships

Annard and his colleagues from Rabobank have never had as much contact as they do now with the cabinet and the departments. Annard: 'I feel great solidarity. The relationship is different now. We all know we have to sort this out together. We had some relationships for much longer. But new relationships are also emerging from the crisis.'

The great solidarity is a remarkable change for Ad Antonisse of AstraZeneca. 'If there is one difference in the practice of my work, it is that I perform a lot together. The number of public-private partnerships has increased. Together we are committed to doing something about the pandemic.'

Walter Annard has created a video consultation hour, in which individual MPs consult with him and an expert colleague. 'We've done that eight times now. That works very well, even with MPs who I would otherwise never speak to.

The Dutch Railways suddenly has contact with companies in other sectors with which there was no contact before. An example is DSM. And mattress manufacturer Auping about the production of face masks.

Off the beaten track

So much for crisis relationships to solve an acute problem. These will come about quickly. It is more difficult to enter into structural new stakeholder relationships that only have an effect in the longer term. "The current situation is hindering this," says Mark Esseboom of IBM.

'New long-term relationships are now being established gradually,' says Esseboom. 'It's difficult to get to know each other quietly now. You cannot build trust gradually. This works better in a personal conversation than in a video call.'

The result may be that organizations remain stuck in their existing network and no longer deviate from the beaten path, while some PA professionals now need out of the box think about new issues in meetings with new stakeholders. These meetings thrive best in personal appointments. Our discussion partners hope that they will take place again soon, without a handshake, and at a distance of one and a half meters.

This is part 3 of a series about public affairs in the corona crisis. Do you have completely different experiences? Let us know.

Also read parts 1 and 2 of the blogs: PA in crisis mode ensures more creativity and From your bunker, the quality of relationships deteriorates 

Sybrig van Keep and Bas Lans update corporate communications agency The Issue Makers. Erik van Venice is a trainer and advisor in the field of public affairs.

With the cooperation of Noor Broeders from De Issuemakers.