Strategic PR Insights

The Time to Pivot to Green Hydrogen is Now

Tulika Varma — Tue, 19 May 2026 08:36:12 +0000

The Time to Pivot to Green Hydrogen is Now

Unpredictability in oil and gas supply is impacting its availability and affordability in India; hitting small businesses and informal enterprises—especially hard. Alternatives like PNG are not uniformly accessible. In the current situation, green hydrogen needs to be explored not as an option for the future but as a practical complement to current energy alternatives. India’s policy Initative, National Green Hydrogen Mission along with advances in electrolyzer, storage, and transmission technologies can enhance India’s energy security and reduce GHGs. NTPC’s pioneer work in PNG and Hydrogen gas blending, hydrogen based cookstove and solar-hydrogen micro grid provide strong cases for renewed attention and investment to scale proven technologies till future advancement makes Green Hydrogen more mainstream. Only one element is missing…

The Immediate Energy Challenge

Volatility in global oil markets, driven in part by conflicts in West Asia and Europe, has disrupted supply chains and pushed gas prices upward. Rising prices for commercial LPG, including 5 kg cylinders are likely to hit solo entrepreneurs, micro and small businesses, Despite the strong push by the government to switch to PNG and the advantages of PNG over LPG, access remains unreliable or non-existent^[1]outside1 major cities, leaving many users without a reliable alternative.

Why Green Hydrogen Matters Now

Green hydrogen should no longer be treated as an option for the future. It deserves a higher place on India’s policy and investment agenda. India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission^[2], launched in 2023 with a target of 5 MMTPA of green hydrogen production by 2030^[3] provides that foundation.

Maturity in electrolyzer technology, along with advances in storage and transmission technology has discernibly moved the needle in favor of green hydrogen as a viable energy source. It is, perhaps, not yet ready to displace conventional fuels across the board, but it is ready for targeted early applications—especially blending into gas networks, decentralized supply in remote areas, and other pilot projects where energy security and emissions reduction can be demonstrated together.

Cases of Successful Implementation (Some highlights)

NTPC’s NETRA facility^[4] in Greater Noida, has successfully used a hydrogen-based gas stove for cooking using supply from its on-site green hydrogen plant.
NTPC and Gujarat Gas^[5] began India’s first green hydrogen blending operation in a PNG network, initially approved for 5% blending with a phased pathway to higher levels at Kawas in Surat.
Oil India Limited’s Green Hydrogen pilot project in Jorhat, Assam produces the country’s first 99.99% pure green hydrogen from solar power. It is being used to test run India’s first hydrogen fuel cell powered e-bus in collaboration with Ohm Clean Tech Private of Pune.
Indian Oil Corporation’s R&D Centre at Faridabad is producing nearly 75 kgs of green hydrogen that is being used to power two buses across the National Capital Region (NCR) for trial runs.

These successes suggest India is already on its way to address one of green hydrogen’s hardest challenges: storage and transmission. These early efforts offer a practical model for wider residential and commercial use. Admittedly, further advances are still needed for large-scale production and the intermittency in supply of renewable power from wind and solar sources.

India’s Strategic Advantage

Globally, only 4% of hydrogen^[6] is produced through water electrolysis; most still come from natural gas and coal. India, however, is well positioned to shift that balance. By late 2025, India had more than 132 GW of installed solar capacity and nearly 54 GW of wind capacity^[7], giving it a strong renewable base from which to scale green hydrogen production and strengthen long-term energy self-reliance.

Measures that can be taken to make Green Hydrogen Mainstream

Expand pilot projects in gas blending, production of hydrogen-based gas cooktops and hydrogen fuel cell powered public transport system
Increase funding for storage, transmission, and safety infrastructure through targeted public investment and public-private partnerships.
Publicize existing policy initiative—the National Green Hydrogen Mission—production linked incentives, waived interstate transmission charges to lower early deployment risk.
Promote and sponsor research on electrolyzers, storage systems, and distribution standards so pilots can move toward commercial scale.

Since Green Hydrogen produces impressively low emissions (less than 1 kg of CO₂ for 1 kilogram of H₂^[8] depending on the supply chain of the renewable electricity and the overall efficiency of the process); switching to Green Hydrogen will help to achieve two targets-one massive decarbonization and second make India atma nirbhar in the energy sector by reducing its dependency on imported crude oil. India is currently the world’s third largest crude oil importer, importing nearly 80%^[9] of its crude oil requirements.

The Missing Element: Urgency

The case for green hydrogen should no longer be merely aspirational. India already has policy support, growing technical capability, and a strong renewable energy base. Cost, efficiency, and safety challenges remain, but they are the reasons to invest and scale—not to wait. Fast-tracking green hydrogen should now mean expanding pilot projects, building supporting infrastructure, and turning policy support into competitive and profitable deployment. Done right, this would strengthen India’s position in the global clean energy transition while reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Partner with Strategic PR Insights for targeted high impact communications with your key stakeholders. WhatsApp: 7208107904; or Email: tulika.varma@strategicprinsights.com to know more

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/oil-gas/one-hike-many-shocks-indians-cant-ignore-the-rs-933-lpg-cylinder-price-increase/articleshow/130671071.cms?from=mdr ↑
https://mnre.gov.in/en/national-green-hydrogen-mission/ ↑
https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma2021_08_adv_1.pdf ↑
https://ntpc.co.in/media/press-releases/ntpc-demonstrates-zero-emission-hydrogen-cooking ↑
https://ntpc.co.in/media/press-releases/ntpc-starts-indias-first-green-hydrogen-blending-operation-png-network ↑
https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/may/doc2024510336301.pdf ↑
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2209478®=3&lang=1 ↑
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-clean-green-hydrogen ↑
https://ieefa.org/resources/indias-oil-and-gas-crisis-wake-call-transport-electrification ↑

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Identifying Authenticity on Digital Media

Tulika Varma — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:34:24 +0000

Identifying Authenticity on Digital Media

Today, most of our observations and experiences are mediated through online media, where content is often curated and filtered, seldom making it authentic. While some alterations may be harmless, the growing concern lies in the increasing difficulty in distinguishing genuine content from that which is deliberately altered to deceive audiences.

Accessibility and sophistication of AI tools have made content manipulation easier, but they have also contributed to a landscape filled with minefield of manipulated realities, particularly due to the actions of bad actors. The sheer volume of data produced daily—hundreds of quintillion bytes—means that even a small portion of manipulated information can have significant consequences.

Developing the ability to critically evaluate digital content becomes an essential skill. Standards such as those set by organizations like the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) are instrumental in helping identify the origins and edit history of digital content, especially where generative AI is involved. These standards provide much-needed transparency to help users differentiate authentic content from manipulated content.

Techniques for Determining Authentic Content

However, as distrust grows, there is the risk of legitimate content unjustly being labeled as fake. As content credentialing systems and standards become more widely adopted, it is crucial that the public take responsibility for shaping and verifying its own perceptions.

Some techniques that might help with this is

Understanding and challenging our own confirmation biases
Understanding Manipulation Techniques
Taking Personal Accountability

Understanding Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is our tendency to seek out, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms our preexisting beliefs and values. For example, someone who is skeptical about climate change may disregard scientific evidence and instead focus on articles or posts that reinforce their skepticism. This bias is amplified by social media, which frequently exposes us to content aligned with our worldview, rather than presenting balanced perspectives.

Manipulation Techniques in the Digital Age

Manipulation in media is not new, but the ease and sophistication of AI technology has made it more plentiful and widespread. Manipulation techniques such as repetition, selective framing, and the unethical representation of authoritative sources have the power to blur facts. For instance, repeated exposure to false claims can make them appear truthful; a phenomenon sometimes referred to as the “illusory truth effect.” Additionally, messages are often crafted to appeal to emotions or sensory perceptions, making it easier for falsehoods to spread.

Organizations dealing with false information may overcome it by exposing its publics to weakened form of misleading arguments that can help them build resistance to future manipulation. This phenomenon is commonly known as inoculation.

The Importance of Personal Accountability

While technology and media platforms play a significant role in spreading misinformation, personal accountability remains crucial. Shifting the blame to the source of a misleading message; does not relieve us of our responsibility of verifying information and questioning its credibility. Even when content comes from seemingly authoritative sources, it is essential to check the original references and seek out multiple viewpoints. By taking ownership of our decision-making and remaining vigilant against manipulation, we can contribute to a more responsible digital media.

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Asymmetrical Stakeholder Relations and its Impact on Crisis Situations

Tulika Varma — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 11:51:34 +0000

In a crisis situation, the top management’s attention is directed toward stakeholders whose needs are urgent and critical. As such in these crucial and decisive moments, the role and influence of stakeholders not impacted directly by the crisis gets pushed aside. These overlooked stakeholders sometimes hold the power to influence the outcome of a crisis or the reputation of the organization. In such a situation an assessment of the asymmetries inherent in the stakeholder dynamics can prove valuable in the successful resolution of a crisis. This evaluation process nonetheless require complex deliberations since stakeholder salience must be recalibrated around the issue the organization is facing, the stakeholder attributes, the stakeholder’s influence on the issue, and the organization’s locus of control. A closer examination of these aspects can provide key insights needed expeditiously to develop an organization’s issue-specific strategies to resolve the crisis.

Some Points to Consider:

Stakeholder Attributes
Stakeholder’s Influence on the Issue
Organization’s Locus of Control

Stakeholder/Stakeholder Group Attributes

It is well established that all stakeholders possess some measure of power, legitimacy and urgency and thus the ability to influence the operations of an organization or its good name During a crisis, the question of stakeholder salience-the principle of “Who or What Really Counts[1],” becomes pivotal and the order in which priority must be assigned to competing stakeholder claims-must go beyond the stakeholder group’s discernible power and legitimacy. What is arguable, though, is the extent (the limits) of power, the duration of the power and the context. While stakeholder attributes such as urgency makes it self-evident that needs of these stakeholders take precedence during a crisis, new power dynamics emerge as stakeholders perceived less important become more powerful depending on the issue faced by the organization. And, therefore, these subtle swings in the power dynamics must be re-evaluated. Whereas it is hard to overlook stakeholders with recognizable power, whether it is economic power (gained through ownership of resources), authoritative power (acquired through a formal position), or political power (attained by occupying a political seat or public office in a government organization or agency), the less powerful stakeholder groups and its impact can be less discernible.

During a crisis situation, the top management‘s attention must also be directed toward understanding the source of these stakeholder’s power and the extent to which they can harm or hurt the organization and its good name if their claims are not met or are delayed. For e.g. if there’s a plane crash, trade or professional association’s negative claim about the plane crash could have as much of a debilitating impact on the reputation of the organization and its profitability as a report issued by a government agency. Another instance could be if there are demonstrations against an organization or a cause, these demonstrators may or may not have legitimacy, and if their cause is hijacked by groups with hostile intent, then it can create a crisis of massive proportions and these protesters who did not have power or legitimacy have now acquired considerable bargaining power and the ability to harm the operations and/or the reputation of an organization. The decision-makers must then also examine these stakeholder attributes to gain a complete picture of the crisis situation.

Stakeholder Influence on the Issue—Claimants versus Influencers

Stakeholders such as government organizations or agencies have legal claims on an organization with no reciprocal claims on them by the organization. Such stakeholder groups have the power to influence an organization without a reciprocal impact on them. Trade or professional associations, similarly, can have moral claims on an organization but are not influenced by an organization as they do not have anything at stake. Such stakeholder groups or influencers have the power to influence an organization without being impacted by it. When interacting with influencers, it is important to remember that they are not exposed to the same level of risk as the involuntary risk bearers[2]–the employees, investors, suppliers, and distributors, to name a few. They have invested-capital, talent, or other resources—in the organization and are, therefore, susceptible to risk. These stakeholder groups or claimants have a definite stake. It thus becomes important to distinguish between the claimants and the influencers to ascertain the mix of influence or power and the level of risk being undertaken by each of the stakeholder groups. When engaging with claimants clearly their claims must supersede those of voluntary risk bearers or influencers. during a crisis. This evidently creates a paradox and necessitates that top management attune stakeholder salience based on stakeholder influence on the issue in addition to stakeholder attributes.

Organization’s Locus of Control

A key characteristic of organization-stakeholder relationships is interdependence. These interdependencies creates moral obligations and an expectations of fairness and justice[3]. However, these interdependent relationships are seldom symmetrical. The asymmetries observed in the organization-stakeholder relationships are, for one, due to an unequal dependence of one group on the other for their preferred outcomes. Understandably more power accrues to the group which is less dependent on the other. Internal stakeholders, for example, employees have a higher degree of dependence on an organization than vice-versa due to financial considerations. Also the organization’s actions have a far greater impact on employees than employees’ action on the organization. This indicates that the organization’s locus of control is greater in respect to stakeholders whose dependence is more than its own. During a crisis, the stakeholder groups who have a greater degree of dependence on the organization than the organization on them, the stakeholder groups are more likely to have an accommodative or a pro-organizational stance. In contrast, in the case of external stakeholders such as customers or government agencies, the organization is more dependent on them than vice-versa. In such cases, the organization is in a slightly disadvantageous position because the organization’s locus of control is diminished as more power is concentrated with the customers or the government. During a crisis situation, these stakeholders are more likely to take an antagonistic stance. So, the top management must prioritize the claims/interests of the stakeholders based on its locus of control over these stakeholder groups. The important takeaway is that the locus of control of an organization during a crisis depends upon the level of dependence of the organization on the stakeholder for the preferred outcome and if the preferred outcome is jointly controlled or are more independently controlled.

Having a clear idea of the variables that create asymmetries in stakeholder relations can prove helpful for the top management in recalibrating stakeholder salience during a crisis situation and contracting the decision-making process.

[1] Mitchell, R., Agle, B., & Wood, D. (1997). Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience:Defining the Principle of Who and What Really Counts. The Academy of Management Review, 22 (4), 853-886. DOI:10.2307/259247

[2] Max B. E. Clarkson. (1995). A Stakeholder Framework for Analyzing and Evaluating Corporate Social Performance. The Academy of Management Review, 20(1), 92–117. https://doi.org/10.2307/258888

[3] Bosse, D., & Coughlan, R.,(2015). Stakeholder Relationship Bonds. Journal of Management Studies. 53 (7), 1197-1222. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12182

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Organizational Best Practices in Countering Digital Mis-or Disinformation

Tulika Varma — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 01:09:36 +0000

Organizational Best Practices in Countering Digital Mis-or Disinformation

Social media algorithms and AI content generated by malicious users have aggravated the problems of online misinformation and disinformation considerably. Misleading information hurt the trust in the organization and can cause irreparable harm to its reputation. Organizations, therefore, must respond to these attacks with lightning speed (in minutes ideally) to mitigate the impact.

Following are some best practices that might aid in stanching the spread of mis-/disinformation.

The first, is an obvious one, i.e., organizations must become more vigilant and constantly scan its online environment for suspicious content. The Observatory on Social Media at Indiana University (https://osome.iu.edu/), for one, provides some free online tools such as, BotAmp to detect unusual activity on Twitter. Availability of free online programs and commercial products should make it more practicable for organizations to scan its online environment diligently.

Second, caution must be exercised when liking, commenting, or replying on social media as AI driven disinformation makes it harder to distinguish between credible and rogue sites to avoid becoming a part of the disinformation campaign unwittingly. Some of the free and commercially available tools to detect disinformation are helpful in mitigating the impact of unsophisticated attacks by bots; however, not all disinformation campaigns involve bots. The more advanced programs might provide insights into the dynamics of the disinformation campaign and identify some online accounts at the center of the disinformation campaign, but it would be optimistic to assume that all of them could be identified. Hence, it would be prudent to exercise caution.

Third, this might be contentious, but turning off the comments temporarily during a suspected disinformation campaign would serve better than waiting to confirm the veracity of the posts/comments before blocking it, as speed is of utmost importance given the exponential nature of the online diffusion of disinformation. Public would need to be re-directed to the company’s official website/channels of communication where they could obtain accurate and updated information.

Fourth, organizations should focus its efforts on building and protecting its credibility. At the highest level of abstraction, AI driven approaches use data labels to classify social media posts as credible or deceptive. User credibility is one of the factors considered in creating these data labels. Organizations that score higher on credibility measures would fare better during a disinformation campaign.

Fifth, organizations should consider hiring its own domain experts to assist in fact checking or identifying information for fact checking. Sometimes, the misinformation can emanate from within the organization. As more and more organizations switch to chatbots, it has been observed some have the potential to turn rogue. Recently, Tessa, the chatbot for the National Eating Disorder Association went rogue and started giving advice which was unsafe and outside of its designated role. Given the limitations of both AI and human-based approaches independently in fact checking, a hybrid of both AI and human-based defense system is required to leverage the scalability of AI to efficiently process extremely large amounts of data and the expertise of humans in checking the accuracy of the statements. This hybrid method will not only improve speed but also the accuracy of outcomes and enhance trust in the organization.

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Can Organizations Afford to Ignore Key Stakeholders?

Tulika Varma — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 07:12:16 +0000

Can Organizations Afford to Ignore Key Stakeholders?

The stakeholder view of the publics of an organization has been a useful framework for the management in identifying and building, mutually beneficial long-term relationships with them. However, in the current environment, there are greater expectations from an organization’s consumers and the public, in general, to be more responsive socially and environmentally.

In this steadily evolving environment there is an urgent need for the management to broaden its view of the stakeholders. The dominant view of the stakeholders based on the notion of risk (stake) and the nature of the risk, limits the field of the stakeholders to key stakeholder groups such as investors, employees, consumers, government, suppliers and media.

Stakeholder identification based on financial motives like profit maximization, reputation building, and obtaining support for the organization would no longer be sufficient in providing the competitive edge.

Also, this approach tends to regard stakeholder groups–the society and the environment–with legitimate interest as discretionary responsibilities even though they might able to influence the functioning of the organization.

Stakeholders that tend to receive the management’s attention typically possess one or more of the following attributes—Power, Legitimacy and Urgency. If one were to examine the society’s and environment’s claim as organization’s key stakeholders based on these three attributes, it would be evident that these two classes of stakeholders deserve the senior management’s attention in strategic decision-making processes.

Legitimacy

The legitimacy of organization-stakeholder relationships are based either on formal or legal contracts, or transactional interactions. However, underlying latent relationships can be as crucial and as vital as the formal relationships. The environment and the society are undeniably impacted in the attainment of an organization’s goal and in turn have the ability to affect the organization’s viability and success.

Therefore, even in the absence of a formal or legal relationship between the organization and the society, there is an interdependence over one another for survival and/or for success. And based on the legitimacy of the society’s moral interests in the organization’s functioning, it is vital to evaluate an organization’s impact on the environment and the society; and how the social and environmental issues might influence the management’s practices.

Power

Power has been an important differential in the management’s identification of the stakeholders and their interests. Typically, stakeholders who control the resources or who are in a position to either reward or punish the organization are viewed as being powerful[1]

Even though the society or the environment might not appear to have the same level of power as other key stakeholders, situations can change unpredictably and tip the power in the favor of the society or the environment.

Moreover, stakeholder relationships are not entirely based on the notion of reciprocity and synchronicity. The directionality of the relationship, whether uni-or bi-directional, does not undermine the power or the legitimacy of the relationship between an organization and its stakeholders—specifically, the society or the environment.

Urgency

Organization and stakeholder relationships are dynamic and change with time. Stakeholders who ordinarily appear latent can become active in certain situations and make an urgent claim/demand on the resources of an organization.

Urgency in organization and stakeholder relationships is evident typically during a crisis situation when lack of timely attention to stakeholder issues can disrupt the normal flow of business, hurts its reputation or even its viability.

The recent global public health issue—the COVID-19 pandemic– quickly shifted from being a public health concern to an organizational issue requiring urgent top management attention.

Corporate Citizenship

Related organizational initiatives that focus on fulfilling an organization’s commitments to the society and the environment such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/Corporate Citizenship, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Reporting, Sustainability and Stakeholder Capitalism-have gained currency with the senior management.

These initiatives have been a step in the right direction in giving back to the environment and the society in which they operate but the motivation behind them sometimes might be political and economic. Also, these initiatives while considered important—due to the investment of valuable organizational resources-time, money and personnel—are not integrated into the business strategies. They are viewed as being ancillary commitments with an expectation of an indirect benefit for the organization.

It is time to move an organization’s responsibility to the environment and the society from secondary to primary business focus. This can be achieved by approaching the environment and the society as key stakeholders. Many organizations already have some form of formal or informal programs that contribute to the environment and the society. These programs need to be closely aligned with the core business areas/practices for it to be a mutually beneficial relationship.

Research within academic and professional settings have consistently demonstrated that businesses that make the society and the environment a part of their core decision-making processes have observed an increase in their long-term value, even if it might be painful in the short-term.

Dick Sporting Goods’ announcement in 2018 to restrict gun sales had the predictable outcome of hurting its sales and lowering its yearly revenues ( by nearly 2 percent); however, the company’s stock climbed 14 percent in a little over a year following the decision.[2]

It’s a good sign that CEOs of major U.S. corporations have recognized the need to bring the corporate responsibilities to stakeholders such as customers, employees, suppliers, society and environment on par with the shareholders. As more organizations recognize the value of integrating social and environmental outcomes in their strategic decision making processes, they will experience a better overall outcome in the mid-to long-term.

[1] Pfeffer, J. (1981). Power in Organizations. Marshfield, MA: Pitman Publishing.

[2] Henisz, W., Koller, T., & Nuttal, R. (2019). Five Ways that ESG Creates Value. McKinsey Quarterly, Nov. 14,

2019. Retrieved from

https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/five-ways-that-esg-creates-value

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5 Ways in Which Organizations Can Enhance Employee Emotional Well-Being

Tulika Varma — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 01:17:46 +0000

5 Ways in Which Organizations Can Enhance Employee Emotional Well-Being

The conversation about mental health is never an easy one. In the COVID-19 era, these conversations can no longer be ignored as organizations must grapple with re-integrating employees into the workplace after an extended period of remote work and social isolation. Organizations that support the emotional well-being of their employees are more likely to see improvements in employee engagement, productivity, recruitment, and retention.

Although mental health is characterized by good behavioral adjustment and an ability to cope with the day-to-day demands and stresses of life relatively free from anxiety, people often conflate it with more serious mental disorders or illnesses. Therefore, communicating about it to the employees in more neutral terms such as “emotional well-being” might help to remove some of the negativity and the blocks associated with the expression “mental health.”

Following are some strategies and tactics that organizations might find useful in enhancing employee emotional well-being.

Tailoring employee communication to the needs and styles of the employees—The best health policies and programs will be rendered useless if the employees are unaware about it. The employees of an organization are not a homogenous group; and therefore, strategies that are broadly tailored can be ineffective in addressing their emotional well-being. Segmenting the employees by demographic characteristics like age, gender, race, sexual orientation, and SES (Socio-Economic Status) might prove to be more effective in facilitating conversations about emotional well-being. For instance, Millennials and Gen Zs with the highest turnover rate are also the most likely to talk about emotional well-being at work. Creating a webpage on the Intranet that lists useful information and resources about emotional well-being is a good starting place to organize information for different demographic groups of the employees. Both the PR and the HR department would need to collaborate to make the resources public and accessible.
Creating resources for emotional support that can be accessed privately or anonymously— Talking about one’s emotional well-being is an extremely private matter and most people, understandably so, would be unwilling to discuss it within the organizational setting. Employers might consider engaging certified counsellors or coaches from reputed organizations to provide support in an anonymous manner. This would encourage more employees to seek advice in a timely manner. This could be a stand-alone initiative or a part of the employee wellness program or employee health benefits plan.
Increasing investments in wellness programs that promote holistic well-being— Initiatives such as mental health days or week at work are effective in raising awareness about emotional issues that employees face at work. Organizations should consider investing in additional resources for enhancing emotional-well-being, such as creation of clubs for the pursuit of sports or hobbies. This can have two-fold advantage—first, the employees can channel their unexpressed emotions into their interests such as biking, hiking, volleyball, gardening, dancing, yoga, meditation, painting etc. and transmute it into positive emotions and outcomes; second, when people connect with their colleagues through other ways besides their work, it will change the dynamics of the relationship and bring positivity even in their professional interactions. Instituting changes in organizational policy that provides extra-paid time off or yearly paid family vacation will also help to promote emotional well-being. It would also be advantageous to explore unique solutions based on the nature and type of the organization to provide support that improves positivity at work.
Identifying and minimizing common stressors—The pandemic has brought to the surface issues of emotional well-being at work, which were otherwise overlooked or dismissed. Emerging evidence on the effects of COVID-19 on people’s emotional well-being suggests that employees need coping resources to deal with four common stressors related to: (i) Personal; (ii) Financial; (iii) Social; and (iv) National situations to lead a more stress-free life. Stressors related to personal circumstances elicit anxieties and stress from the likelihood of being infected, being hospitalised or the possibility of infecting loved ones or in rare cases of dying; stressors related to one’s financial situation cause worry about an individual’s financial stability both in the short and the long term; for instance, housing rent/mortgage payments in the event one partner has lost his/her job, This, of course, will differ based on the socio-economic position and the sectors/industry in which they are employed; the third group of stressors as it relates to the social situation create anxiety about the health and safety needs of children and elderly parents for whom the employees might be responsible; and the fourth group of stressors relates to the economy of their country, vis-à-vis the inflation rates, unemployment rates, travel restrictions, vaccination status, housing market etc. Organizations based on their financial position may be able to alleviate some of the anxiety or stress related to the personal, financial and social stressors at least temporarily by providing some financial support for child care, rent payment, student loan repayment, tuition reimbursement, providing assistance in planning for financial security, or providing more flexible work hours, reassigning responsibilities and roles etc. These are some suggestions and are not meant to be exhaustive.
Role of Leadership—The top leadership within an organization play an important role in how an organization handles matters of employee emotional well-being as they are the ones who influence and shape policies. It is becoming imperative that they begin prioritizing emotional well-being of their employees, not only from an empathetic perspective but also from a business perspective. According to one estimate millions of workdays and billions of dollars are lost in productivity due to mental health issues. Efforts should be made to create cohesiveness and a sense of community within the employees to improve the workplace environment. When employees feel valued, are given autonomy, that is, a sense of control, experience a sense of optimism and have access to social support, it builds resiliency in them and assists them in successfully coping with the stressors. The top management should ensure that these coping resources are provided to the employees to improve their emotional well-being. Everyone in the organization–top management, middle managers, supervisors and all the other staff and employees–can also benefit from training in mindfulness. Most people are facing some challenge in their lives related to the pandemic, which makes them more sensitive their environment. Little gestures of kindness can create positivity in the work environment helping to improve the emotional well-being of both the givers and receivers. Research into pro-social behavior suggests that small and even insignificant acts of kindness had the power to increase the levels of job satisfaction as it made the givers feel more in control at work. An important point to note, however, is that the gesture should be genuine in its intent.

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The Fabindia Ad Debacle: Mixed Messages or Missed Opportunities?

Tulika Varma — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 11:32:20 +0000

The Fabindia Ad Debacle: Mixed Messages or Missed Opportunities?

Organizational communications are an important component of the corporate brand identity.

Today corporate brand identity has grown from embodying visual identification and amplifying organizational visibility to becoming synonymous with symbolism and to signifying corporate strategy. It has also become a medium for providing consistency to all marketing and promotional communications.

The public perceives the corporate image through the organizational actions, communications, and through symbolism. A strong cohesive corporate brand identity can be a source of power, competitive advantage, and brand equity. Given the increasing importance of corporate brand identity as an asset, the task of responsible leadership is to manage the organizational communications in such a way that it aligns with the overall corporate brand essence.

The Fabindia Ad Controversy

When an organization takes a stance on issues that are divisive in nature, caution must be exercised in how it presents its position. If the message is not conveyed clearly and thoughtfully, it can hurt the corporate brand identity. Recently, Fabindia the Indian clothing and furnishing brand found itself in the middle of a controversy after the release of an ad with an ambiguous message exhorting people to “celebrate traditions/customs” (rough translation). The company hastily withdrew the ad after leaders of the ruling BJP party joined the ranks of people demanding boycott of the Fabindia brand on Twitter. The public outrage centered on the use of the Urdu word “Jashn” in the caption “Jashn-e-Riwaz,” and the outfits of the models, who were not wearing the traditional bindi.

The contention was that the company was tainting the spirit of Diwali by incorporating elements that were symbolic of the Muslim culture; specifically, the use of the Urdu word and the absence of the bindi from the women’s forehead. Although the use of bindi is a personal preference, it is still widely viewed as being symbolic of a Hindu woman.

The message seemed like an attempt to blend two cultures to increase harmony and camaraderie; however, the execution left the viewers with conflicting opinions. Even if one were to make an argument about creative license in expressing the message, one cannot overlook the lack of forethought in the execution of the message.

The FabIndia brand is perceived as being traditional and having its roots in rural India. Rural India is viewed as the repository of the long-established techniques and skills used in creating traditional handicrafts and clothes that highlight the core of the Indian culture.

Fabindia’s Response

Fabindia’s sole response to the controversy was a knee jerk statement, which stated that the ad in question was not its Diwali ad, and it would soon launch a new advertisement for Diwali with the tagline “Jhilmil Si Diwali” (rough translation “Twinkling Diwali). Neither their Facebook page nor their website had a statement on the whole issue. Interestingly, the website and the Facebook page had the same visual from the controversial ad with the new tagline “Jhilmil Si Diwali.”

Fabindia had a great opportunity to position itself as an advocate of unity. Its ham-handed approach, however, sabotaged its attempt and hurt its corporate brand identity and reputation. The Fabindia brand will now be recalled as a brand that stoked conflicts, even though the intention might have been admirable.

Best Practices

Consult with local experts on cultural sensitivities, symbolism and artefacts when crafting messages that target an audiences’ religious sentiments and/or beliefs to avoid misrepresentation
Copy test the message with focus groups
Organizational messages should tie into its corporate social responsibility practice. In the absence of a clearly defined CSR program, company philosophy, value statements should serve as the guideposts
When the message is purposely ambiguous (due to the creative conceptualization/ creative license or freedom of expression, to name a few), questions need to be asked about how the message will be received by the target audience and how prepared is the organization to handle the fallout

During the crisis

Clearly state or clarify the organization’s position (stance) on the issue causing the controversy
Acknowledge mistakes made in the execution of the message (if that’s indeed the case) and reiterate the organization’s position on the issue and clarify the objective of the message
Engage with digital and mainstream media to counter prejudices and false rumors
Create a page on the website or Facebook that highlights the actions that are being taken to address the issue
Engage with the hostile individual or group to understand the point of contention
Partner with/hire outside experts or professionals with expertise in crisis management
Highlight the organization’s previous or ongoing efforts that support religious harmony and social cohesion
Reach out to religious and civic leaders who are respected in the community to promote unity

Post-crisis

Develop and/or support initiatives that promote unity and harmony
Provide training to the professionals responsible for managing internal and external communications for the organization
Clarify and update guidelines on messaging strategies as it relates to sensitive topics

The post The Fabindia Ad Debacle: Mixed Messages or Missed Opportunities? first appeared on Strategic PR Insights.

Make Sustainable Growth and Development the New Vision Statement

Tulika Varma — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:02:50 +0000

Make Sustainable Growth and Development the New Vision Statement

The use of natural resources has tripled in the last 50 years and could double again in the next 30 years. At this rate, we would need 1.5 Earth to sustainably support our current natural resource use.

Everyday…almost everyday, it’s in the news how our environment is sending out distress signals to stop the indiscriminate growth and development; whether it is the death of hundreds of manatees off the coast of Florida, or the heat wave that engulfed the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia and more recently the floods in Germany and Belgium. These calamities can no longer be dismissed as natural and cyclical. Natural disasters have been a part of the fabric of human existence on this planet; however, their frequency is unprecedented and the effects have been devastating. The recent sinking of the ship off the coast or Sri Lanka that flooded the beaches with micro plastics and the steadily declining Amazon forest cover are man-made disasters with real and serious consequences for our entire planet and these are just two recent examples from a long list that is sadly growing.

So, what does this mean for businesses in general? A shift in outlook is necessary to move beyond sustainability as an initiative to sustainability as a vision. And what does that entail? Business growth strategies should be planned and executed in synergy with the environment. A rudimentary example of a sustainability initiative would be the case of restaurants/restaurant industry developing creative and innovative ways of reusing or recycling the food waste. A business strategy grounded in the sustainability vision would focus on reducing the use of natural and man made resources through better planning and designing to eliminate waste and reduce carbon emission.

This might sound similar to the circular economy approach. The circular approach emphasizes economic development that benefits business, society and the environment, i.e., it advocates a triple bottomline. It is restorative and regenerative as it recommends reusing, recycling remanufacturing and repurposing of products, components and materials so that they are circulating in the economy. I am suggesting that the focus should expand beyond managing end products of the key business process to include usage of raw materials in the manufacturing process so that there is less wastage and more importantly reduction in the use of finite natural resources.

When businesses start integrating sustainability into their vision, future business decisions, both major and minor, would inevitably be evaluated within the purview of its impact on the environment. Initially, the decision-making process would certainly require a conscious effort and later over several decision choices, it would become the established norm. As these decision choices permeate the culture of the organization, even minor choices such as installing water saving faucet or a solar powered light would become natural first choices. This approach does not require rethinking previous established practices at your business as it relates to the environment and pollution control but expanding on it. The maxim would need to change from let’s curb the pollution to let’s start conserving.

Since making sustainability a part of the vision does require commitment of resources, few suggestions to get you on the path

Develop a blue print

Start with a cost benefit analysis

Create a position or a department (based on the size and structure of your organization) that has the prime responsibility for doing the groundwork and effecting this change

Form partnerships with academics/academic institutions, which work in the area of environmental sustainability (Sponsor or support research that investigates innovations in the areas of production or manufacturing processes, sustainably sourcing natural resources, improvements in transportation and supply chain management)

Learn from your peers or leaders in your industry (If not, be the first ones to lead) through trade associations, conferences, seminars etc.

Share your knowledge, experiences, challenges with others through shared media

Organize or attend conferences

Create a repository

Access knowledge contained in government databases, white papers etc.

Businesses and industries in all sectors need to challenge themselves on how they can reduce their dependence on natural resources while simultaneously continuing to reduce carbon emission.

We only have one earth…

Please share the challenges and paybacks of adopting sustainability practices, so that others might benefit from your experiences.

The post Make Sustainable Growth and Development the New Vision Statement first appeared on Strategic PR Insights.

Recovering After A Crisis

Tulika Varma — Sun, 30 May 2021 03:58:54 +0000

Recovering After A Crisis

Decisions often are made swiftly in the face of a crisis to manage the immediate and the near-term disruptions with the expectation that things will return to pre-crisis conditions soon. In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, few had foreseen it to last as long as it did. In addition, the fragile stable state that was achieved between the two waves of the pandemic created a false sense of control over the situation. The decisions that were made while in the middle of managing the crisis, in all likelihood, did not have a long-term orientation to them. Now, when the worst of the crisis appears to have been overcome, the attention needs to shift to recovery. This is a good time to take a closer look at the events of the past several months to make course adjustments.

When things begin to return to pre-crisis conditions, it is advisable to take a brief pause before making changes. This provides greater clarity in terms of the actions to be undertaken and their probable outcomes mainly because more and better quality information becomes available. Also, as there is relatively less dynamism in the external environment, the pause will provide time to gather all the information related to the management of the crisis and synthesize it into actionable plans. It thus contributes in better decision-making, which in turn leads to better strategies. A time period of a week-to-10 day might be optimal but this could very well vary with the type, size and the complexity of the organization. Longer gaps might result in organizational inertia.

Following are some recommendations for the key business documents:

Strategic /Business Plan

Crises vary in their magnitude and duration. A crisis of the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic would make it necessary for organizations to re-visit its business or strategic plans. Even if some organizations fared better than the others, it would be difficult to avoid the ripple effect due to the interconnectedness of the global economy. Therefore, regardless of the size, type and geographic locations of these organizations, changes to the strategic/business plans would be imminent.

Business strategies that were implemented as a short–term arrangement during the peak of the crisis would either need to be scaled back, discarded, or in some cases made permanent. For instance, one of the most commonly observed trends during the lockdown was working remotely from home. Organizations that choose to make these changes permanent or the dominant way to conduct future business would be required to make changes to the strategic business plans. Such major business decisions have implications for the entire organization. This would entail concomitant changes in other areas such as hiring contracts, work culture among others.

In the case of smaller enterprises, more fundamental decisions about survival or continuation might be the major business decision. In yet other cases, doing business the same way might no longer be an option. In those instances, finding a new strategic direction should become a top priority.

Business Continuity Plan

Organizations that have a well-defined Business Continuity Plan unquestionably fare better than those that do not have one. Modern and complex organizations nowadays are known to have more than one business continuity plan; for instance, one at the business unit level, one at the corporate level or one based on the geographic location. BCPs typically contain strategies that have a short-range orientation. However, with the increasing severity of the natural disasters and human errors and/or technological breakdowns, the focus now should be to include strategies that have a mid-to-long term orientation. Most businesses that have been in operation for several years, invariably, develop a certain level of resiliency adapting to the changes in the external environment. The future objective, however, should be building long-term resiliency. This can be achieved if done in smaller increments.

Crisis Communication Plan

A crisis communication plan is an invaluable aid in the overall management of the crisis as it contracts the decision-making time and helps to communicate key messages to both the external and internal stakeholders efficiently and effectively. A crisis communication plan is a living document and its usefulness lies in updating on a regular interval or as often as new information becomes available. After a crisis, is a good time to update it based on the experiences gained in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, organizations that do not have a crisis communication plan might consider developing one to streamline the communication process in the event of a future crisis situation. It is not always possible or even feasible to anticipate and prepare for all potential crisis situations but having a crisis communication plan that identifies key personnel, their contact information and the direction of flow of information would make managing a crisis situation in the future a lot less stressful.

The post Recovering After A Crisis first appeared on Strategic PR Insights.

Stewardship During a Crisis Critical for Successful Resolution

Tulika Varma — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 10:35:21 +0000

Stewardship During a Crisis Critical for Successful Resolution

During a crisis, unlike any other time, the attention of the stakeholders of an organization is focused on the top leadership, analyzing and judging their words and actions as the leadership team tries to steer the organization out of the tight corner. The current pandemic is proving to be a situation where the end appears to be within reach and yet remains elusive. Admittedly, the current crisis situation will have a differential impact on different organizations depending on its size, geo-political and economic environment among other factors; however, regardless of these factors, the role of leadership will come under close scrutiny of the internal public and the media for the values the leaders demonstrate in managing the crisis.

It is not unlike the analogy of a ship caught in a severe storm, the survival of the ship is dependent not just on the technical skills or the expertise of the crew or the captain but also on the psychological characteristics of the captain and the crew. The captain is expected to be in touch with his soft side and bolster the morale of the crew and at the same time the expectation is that the leader possess mental toughness/resilience to ride the ship and its crew safely to harbor.

In the current pandemic situation, good stewardship would prove to be the lynchpin in managing the crisis successfully and mitigating its long-term damaging effects. The top leadership might wish to consider revising key financial metrics that relieve the pressure on the workforce. This will signal to the employees that the top management is concerned with their well being. It also has the potential of creating an environment that increases motivation and productivity, as the employees feel valued.

Clear and direct communication from the top leadership is vital in addressing or assuaging (as the case may be) the latent fears and anxieties of the key constituencies. The workforce, for example, for whom job losses and attrition might be a real concern will grudgingly, if not unequivocally, recognize the earnestness of the efforts in resolving the situation. It will also convey that the top leadership is in tune with the issues impacting the workforce. Additionally, rumors and misinformation will not be able to take roots.

Taking a stance of cautious optimism (if the situation permits), will also improve the overall work atmosphere and ethos. This can be achieved by delineating concrete action plans with realistic time frames that has built-in flexibility to be tweaked (not altered). This will give the employees hope and something positive to look forward to in a situation that shows few signs of improving. In sum, set smaller goals and celebrate smaller milestones on the way to achieving bigger targets. It will keep the momentum going.

Blame might be less forthcoming in the current pandemic situation (at least initially)as the locus of control is perceived external to the organization. However, when key stakeholders, directly impacted by the pandemic, perceive or experience the adverse impacts of a lack of foresight in planning, negativity will start pervading the organization, and hurting internal homeostasis and the reputation of the organization. Leaders will be compared with other leaders in similar organization. The comparison might not always be favorable. Leaders looking to leave a legacy and looking for opportunities to make a difference can seize this opportunity to set an example for others in the industry. The goodwill earned during this trying time will continue to pay dividends well into the future.

The post Stewardship During a Crisis Critical for Successful Resolution first appeared on Strategic PR Insights.