McLane Global, the Department of Agriculture and other organizations are working together to deliver over 1 million meals a week to rural and farm families. "Companies big and small have a role to play in helping our nation through this difficult period, and we're honored to work with our partners to help meet this challenge for kids across America who would otherwise go hungry," said McLane Chairman Denton McLane.

Replacing laid-off workers can be costly in part because of the paperwork, recruitment and training required when hiring resumes, writes Cheryl Carleton. Studies show replacing workers can cost one-third of what they'd make in a year, says the Society for Human Resource Management.

Distributors should hold virtual meetings to revise their annual plans, writes John Gunderson. Manufacturers will want to know about distributors' financial stability, sales forecasts and digital capabilities.

Greg Sterling points to various studies that may give marketers contemplating next moves some hope and may indicate the economy "isn't as severely damaged or won't be down as long as many of these grim predictions suggest." These studies show improving consumer sentiment, an e-commerce spending burst following the first round of household stimulus checks, a partial stock market recovery and a study in which 73% of marketers reported plans to boost their promotional spending.

Annual plans aren't relevant right now, with rolling quarterly planning a better fit during the pandemic, writes Dave Coffaro. "Leaders can use this unfortunate disruptor like they would an industry challenger -- to examine their business models and reimagine their operating paradigms," he writes.

Every meeting with a remote team should have an agenda and only the necessary participants, along with ground rules for how people interact, writes Alli Polin. Leaders also need to keep in mind how they'll check in with individuals and how they'll bring teams together for updates and gathering.

Did you miss the April 9 webinar with Alan Beaulieu: "Distribution Industry: Navigating the Crisis," where he provided a short-, mid- and long-term financial outlook for wholesale distribution along with other leading economic indicators? The webinar recording and slide deck are available for purchase for only a few more days. Order here.

Get access to a special webinar from NAW Trusted Partner, Emerge, that focuses on how to better manage the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This 30-minute session with Emerge CEO Michael Leto will help you learn how to utilize the latest technology to mitigate risk, reduce cost, increase visibility and keep your supply chain intact.