Episode #43: Layoffs are Never Easy, but Bell Canada Shows How Atrocious PR Can Make it Much Worse

Talking Shop Podcast

Traditional media companies around the world were facing tough economic circumstances before the pandemic started, and are now in an all-out struggle just for survival. It's in this context that Bell Canada, one of the country's largest media conglomerates, laid off hundreds of people across the country. Layoffs happen, but they shouldn't happen like this -- a series of poor decisions left many outraged and vowing boycotts of several of the company's products and services. We dive into how it all went down, and how it could have been done much better.

Then Ewan looks at the prickly issue of vaccinations and news that some companies may foot the bill for their staff to get the COVID-19 shot. Like everything to do with the pandemic and employment law, what seems simple is anything but.

Then the hosts debate some tone-deaf remarks of a UK executive and discuss the movie Mank. Cam then recommends a podcast that might seem dry based on the topic, but ended up being not only helpful but genuinely interesting.

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Links and Show Notes

• Vancouver's TSN 1040 Pulled Off Air as Bell Canada Continued with Cuts - The Province
• Should employers give workers paid time off or other incentives to get vaccinated? - USA Today

Check This Out

• Mank Film Review - RogerEbert.com
• KPMG Boss Forced to Resign - Daily Mail
• The Ezra Klein Show: The Senate is Making a Mockery of Itself - The New York Times

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.