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Katherine Verducci began her public relations career in Silicon Valley. Working in the high tech capital of the world, she found herself among startups and eventually moved into medical devices, serving on the communications teams at one of the world’s largest healthcare companies. After ten years filled with the toxic American corporate culture that demanded employees work 60+ hour weeks, compete with peers to climb the ladder, and even compromise their ethics for the sake of keeping clients happy, she’d had enough. She dreamed of starting an organization that would break free of that toxic culture, and she accomplished just that in 2019 by founding 1903 PR.
When the pandemic began before 1903 even reached its first birthday, Katie immediately, and without hesitation throughout the next year, prioritized the wellbeing of her team. The pandemic was a terrifying time to own a business, not knowing what the future held for the world. Public relations, specifically, is often one of the first programs cut when businesses need to slash budgets. Katie knew she would have to work hard to prove 1903’s value to its clients in a time of ever-present uncertainty. However, true to her mission in leading an employee-first workplace, this did not translate into a more demanding, unsympathetic work environment. By prioritizing mental health for employees, Katie proved the effectiveness of empathetic leadership.
1903 has been a remote agency since its inception, but without the chance of any in-person meetings for a long while, Katie made sure 1903 was a safe space for employees to talk openly about how they were coping with the new normal. Quarantine and social distancing left many feeling isolated, depressed and without motivation. While many workers felt they had to pretend they were doing okay while they were on the clock, Katie created space for everyone to check in with one another and be open about their feelings and mental health. This openness helped employees feel less alone with their struggles, knowing others were going through the same ordeal. Staying in-tune with what everyone was going through also allowed Katie to manage employees’ workload in a way that prioritized wellbeing and reduced stress.
Childcare was a major issue for millions of families in 2020. Half of 1903’s employees were suddenly thrust into caring for young children and/or managing online schooling during the workday — Katie included. Unfortunately, many parents in the workforce, especially mothers, experienced moments of unkindness during this difficult time — for example, being told during a Zoom call that a happy toddler babbling in the background was a distraction, or feeling like they weren’t doing enough at work or for their families. Recognizing that full time work was untenable for some employees, Katie encouraged reduced hours for those who needed more time to care for, and enjoy time with, their growing children. Prioritizing employees’ needs in their personal lives showed employees how much Katie valued them and their happiness, at a time when so many parents felt underappreciated, burned out, and struggled with low self-esteem. 1903 did say goodbye to one senior-level employee who needed to take on childcare full time, but Katie has made sure this employee knows they are still supported and will be welcomed back with open arms (and a parade!) when they are ready to return.
By leading 1903 with empathy and open communication, Katie made 1903 a safe, healthy place to work for all employees, from new interns to the senior level, at a time of ongoing crisis. It’s through this unwavering support that employees were able to grow professionally during a turbulent time, knowing there was always a landing pad beneath them whenever they needed it. Katie’s leadership is concrete proof that putting employees first is ultimately good for a company’s bottom line — with a healthy team, 1903 PR more than doubled in size, retained all existing clients and gained new ones.
