United Minds Designs (Re)Boot Camp Experience to Help Companies Prepare Employees for "Day One" of the New Working World

NEW YORK, Aug. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Minds, a Weber Shandwick consultancy, today announced the launch of (Re)Boot Camp, a customized re-onboarding experience that prepares leaders, managers and employees for new ways of working. (Re)Boot Camp features virtual events, workplace walkthroughs and customized training modules on a core set of topics, including:

• Familiarizing employees with changes in strategic direction necessitated by COVID-19
• Introducing new operational protocols, like health screening and sanitation procedures, for those who are returning to the workplace
• Re-skilling managers to handle new responsibilities, such as fostering mental and emotional well-being for employees and building inclusive teams
• Helping hybrid (on-site and remote) teams learn how to work together effectively
• Modeling new employee behaviors to build personal resilience or learn new ways of serving customers or clients

Virtual tours provide employees with a see-for-yourself look at the new socially-distanced office environment and safety protocols in action, helping to assuage employee concerns before they return to work. Additional content includes "day in the life" video captures of employees who are first to return. During the first week back, on-site concierge teams can help reduce anxiety and improve the re-entry experience by directing traffic, answering questions and ensuring the seamless adoption of new protocols and processes. Throughout (Re)Boot Camp, participants have on-demand access to experts in organizational change, public health, workforce inclusion and more.

"Leaders across the globe are facing what is arguably the biggest change management exercise in history, and those who navigate it successfully alongside their teams will emerge stronger," said Kate Bullinger, president, United Minds. "Now is the time for leaders to carefully consider what the future of work looks like for their organization from the perspective of their employees first. Businesses are facing high expectations to lead through this crisis, channel their values and rebuild better."

Employee anxiety is running high, according to recent survey data from Weber Shandwick, United Minds and KRC Research. Nearly half of U.S. employees are concerned about the future of their companies and their jobs, and nearly half of those temporarily working from home are afraid their employer will bring them back to the workplace before it is safe. By proactively including leaders and employees in discussion and preparation, (Re)Boot Camp can help organizations acclimate teams to the new spaces, protocols and behaviors required for work going forward.

For organizations that are making changes to business strategy as a result of COVID-19, (Re)Boot Camp also helps businesses introduce new plans so that employees understand and invest in the path forward. As businesses continue preparing for the operational and logistical challenges of re-opening, or settle into longer-term work-from-home arrangements, ensuring both safety and emotional well-being will be crucial. According to the research, 80 percent of employees believe their employers need to make changes before they feel comfortable returning to work.

"Organizations and their people have experienced a dramatic disruption on many levels and risen to the occasion," said Sarah Clayton, executive vice president, United Minds. "By bringing together all of the 'day one' work – across facilities, operations, HR, communications and strategy – into one single, seamless program, (Re)Boot Camp helps employees more easily absorb all of the upcoming change and make the critical pivot from the past to the future. This may be the most important onboarding of their careers."

More and more consumers are paying attention to the employer-employee relationship, suggesting that internal actions also drive reputation. According to the research, a majority of consumers (78 percent) say they prefer to do business with companies that treat employees well during the pandemic and put safety first, which highlights the external stakes to a successful re-entry.

(Re)Boot Camp is part of the Workforce Re-entry specialty United Minds launched in partnership with Weber Shandwick and Powell Tate to help businesses manage the many dimensions of preparing employees for the future of work. For more insights on how businesses can manage teams through COVID-19, visit United Minds: https://unitedmindsglobal.com/workforce-re-entry/

About United Minds
United Minds is a management consultancy that specializes in transformation. Leveraging a deep bench of specialists, the company helps organizations deliver positive, lasting change by combining data-fueled strategy and creative communications solutions, engaging stakeholders in every part of the process. For more information, visit www.unitedmindsglobal.com

About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a leading global communications network that delivers next-generation solutions to brands, businesses and organizations in major markets around the world. Data-led, with earned ideas at the core, the agency deploys leading and emerging technologies to inform strategy, develop critical insights and heighten impact across sectors and specialty areas, including brand and B2B marketing, healthcare marketing, change management, employee engagement, corporate reputation, crisis management, data and analytics, technology, public affairs, social impact and financial communications. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit www.webershandwick.com

About KRC Research
KRC Research is a global full-service nonpartisan opinion research and strategy firm. A unit of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), KRC Research offers the quality and custom service of a small firm with the reach of a global organization. For over 30 years, KRC Research has worked on behalf of corporations, governments, not-for-profits and the communications firms that represent them. Staffed with multidisciplinary research professionals, KRC combines sophisticated research tools with real-world communications experience. For more information, visit www.krcresearch.com

Contact: Jill Tannenbaum
Company: Weber Shandwick          
Phone: 212-546-7815
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Weber Shandwick