As we launched a brand-new week this morning, our team held a conference call to discuss how we are going to fulfill our mission in this new reality which seems to be evolving by the hour.
MCC's staff is committed to helping businesses throughout the province during this difficult and unprecedented time, and our primary role will be to share valuable information with our network and the broader business community. We will:
Become as knowledgeable as possible. Our goal is to support our members -- both corporate and local Chambers of Commerce -- with accurate and timely information related to COVID-19, educational opportunities, and links to programs that may come on line to support Manitobans and the economy. I am a part of the Province of Manitoba's stakeholder communication group and I will continue participating in these important meetings to stay up-to-date. I also plan to reach out today to my Canadian Chamber of Commerce leaders to start leveraging work between regions.
Be available but safe. Our staff is working to stay healthy and helping to flatten the curve by following the recommendations of Manitoba Health, Seniors, and Active Living. We have closed our office at 550-201 Portage Avenue effective today, and we are now working from home offices. We are all available by email and phone, and we have redirected individual work lines to cell phones so you can call us directly (including our main line at 204 948 0100).
Re-evaluate and adjust accordingly. We will examine prevailing conditions on a weekly basis and determine whether to continue work-from-home arrangements or to re-open the office (only if the experts deem it safe to do so). We will also assess the value of the work we're doing on a weekly basis, and make sure that it's helping.
Communicate often. We will send out planned updates every two days (Monday, Wednesday & Friday) using this email marketing tool. We will link to practical resources on our website, and leverage social media (click on these links to connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) to offer graphics and information you can share with staff.
Helping our members as you navigate this challenging, uncharted territory by collecting your feedback, requests, comments, or questions about policies, practices, employment standards, etc. We can spend our time finding answers for you, directing you to appropriate resources, or putting forward your solid ideas to government decision-makers to help Manitoba rebound and stay strong.
As the Voice of Business in Manitoba, MCC is committed to supporting our network and stakeholders. Please stay in touch as we move forward through this global community crisis.
Sincerely,
Chuck Davidson, President & CEO
Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit for SMEs
Thank you to the Canadian Chamber's communication team for all the work they've done pulling together resources targeted to SMEs in their Pandemic Planning website section, including a toolkit, guide, business continuity guide, and more.
