2020 Edelman Trust Barometer Spring Update: Trust and the COVID-19 Pandemic Edelman
In an update to the 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer, Edelman Intelligence conducted a survey in 11 markets of 13,200 respondents between April 15-23, 2020, to determine how trust has shifted since January.

The Edelman Trust Barometer Spring Update found:

  • With an 11 percentage-point increase since January, the public has 65% trust in the government. 
  • Trust in government is not only up by double digits in six of 11 markets surveyed, it is the only institution trusted by the mass population (62%).

  • 67% of respondents believe that those with less education, less money, and fewer resources are bearing a disproportionate burden of the suffering, risk of illness, and need to sacrifice in the pandemic, and more than half are very worried about long-term, COVID-19-related job loss.

  • 67% of respondents are worried about false and inaccurate information being spread about the virus.

  • Half of people believe business is doing poorly, mediocre or completely failing at putting people before profits; only 43% believe that companies are protecting their employees sufficiently from COVID-19, and 46% do not believe business is helping smaller suppliers and business customers stay afloat. 
The Profound Impact of COVID-19 on Activism and PR
Fred Cook, Director, USC Center for Public Relations
This post appears courtesy of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations. Download the full report here.

COVID-19 has altered public relations forever (or at least for a long time). This global pandemic has escalated crisis communications to the forefront of our skills and placed purpose at the center of our messages.

We have learned that we are not immune to the problems facing other countries. We have learned to pay attention to the voices warning us about our future. We have learned how to solve seemingly insurmountable problems when everyone works together. These issues and more are explored in the USC Annenberg Global Communication Report on New Activism.

Fred Cook provides additional insights into the COVID-19 pandemic and what it means for communicators. Click here to read the rest of Fred’s post.
COVID-19 Is Significantly Altering U.S. Consumer Behavior and Plans Post-Crisis
IBM Institute for Business Value
Findings from an IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) survey of U.S. consumers reveal shifting personal behavior and preferences resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study polled more than 25,000 U.S. adults in April to understand how COVID-19 has affected their perspectives on a number of issues, including retail spending, transportation, future attendance at events in large venues, and returning to work.

Some key findings include:
  • More than half of the respondents said they are unwilling to be exposed to large crowds and event once stay-at-home orders are lifted for the remainder of 2020. Conferences and trade shows had a strong response, with 75% indicating that they are unlikely to attend an in-person conference or trade show in 2020.
  • The forced shift to operating as a largely remote workforce has led to nearly 40% of respondents indicating they feel strongly that their employer should provide employee opt-in remote work options when returning to normal operations.
  • More than 75% indicate they would like to continue to work remotely at least occasionally, while more than half (54%) would like this to be their primary way of working. 
  • 17% of people surveyed said that they intend to use their personal vehicle more rather than public transportation as a result of COVID-19, with approximately 1 in 4 saying they will use it as their exclusive mode of transportation.
  • More than 20% of respondents who regularly used buses, subways or trains now said they no longer would, and another 28% said they will likely use public transportation less often. 
  • Similarly, more than half of people surveyed who used ridesharing apps and services said they would either use these less or stop using these services completely. 
Weathering the Storm: Brand Management in the COVID-19 Era
Morning Consult
Morning Consult recently published a study analyzing how brands can drive situation-sensitive yet purpose-led
growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some key findings include:

  • 85% of responds would have a more favorable few of a company if they offered flexible hours for employees who are parents or caretakers, promised to rehire employees who were laid off, and paid for their employees' sick-leave. (See graph for more details).

  •  Republicans are much more likely to give the White House credit for helping Americans most during this pandemic (17%), while Democrats are much less likely to do so (2%).

  • 67% of respondents said it was "very important" for a company to take care of their employees and treat them well, even in tough times; 23% said this was "somewhat important."

  • Younger generations are slightly more likely than the overall population to believe companies shouldn't be advertising at this time (38% for Gen Z and 39% for Millennials vs. 31% for Boomers and 30% for Generation X).
PwC Survey: How CFOs See a Return to Work
PwC
PwC surveyed 305 U.S. CFOs and finance leaders between April 20-22, 2020 to track changing sentiment and priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some key findings include:

  • 49% say remote work is here to stay for some roles, as companies plan to alternate crews and reconfigure worksites.

  • 77% plan to change safety measures like testing, while 50% expect higher demand for enhanced sick leave and other policy protections.

  • Half of all respondents (53%) are projecting a decline of at least 10% in company revenue and/or profit this year.

  • A third (32%) expect layoffs to occur, as CFOs continue to target costs, while 70% consider deferring or canceling planned investments.
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