4 Strategies for Dealing With a Crisis at Work

Dealing with a crisis in your workplace can be an unenviable task. But with a little guidance, it's entirely possible to keep your cool, show up for your employees, and maintain your business. Here are four strategies you can use to handle a crisis at work:

Communication during a crisis

When a crisis happens at work, it's crucial that the people involved stay calm and act quickly. While the last thing anyone wants to do is deal with the media, it's important to understand the role of the media during a crisis. It's the doorway to the community, and if your organization is not properly prepared, it could make itself the primary victim. In such cases, you need to create a plan for communicating important information.

First and foremost, you must provide instructive information to employees. You should clearly state what safe behavior means, as well as how you plan to address the crisis. Major media outlets, governments, and companies have all focused on this aspect of crisis communication. However, if you can't enforce a strict One-Voice policy, your employees are likely to vent their frustrations to their friends and family. That could lead to criticism of the management's handling of the crisis.

In the same way, effective crisis communication relies on consistency of message. It's important for employees and management to be aware of each other's role in the crisis and understand what each other's roles are. In the case of a crisis, the organization must develop a crisis-management mindset to minimize the damage and maximize the opportunity for change. During a crisis, communication can help allay fears and help the organization move forward with the transition.

A solid crisis communication plan considers the safety of the employees, visitors, and customers. The workplace should be safe, and the safety of employees, visitors, and anyone on the premises should be the top priority. The best communication plan will include a crisis plan and crisis management tools to address all aspects of a crisis. It will also include guidelines for the health and safety of employees, visitors, and customers. It's essential that all staff members understand their role and what to do in a crisis.

During a crisis, effective communication is key to a successful company's reputation and competitiveness. Employees feel uncertainty and immense pressure during a crisis, and it's crucial to communicate effectively with all stakeholder groups. Companies that fail to recognize the importance of effective employee communication will experience significant economic losses, lack of trust, and low morale, and lose one of their most valuable assets. So, prepare yourself for a crisis at work by preparing ahead of time.

Assemble a crisis management team. This way, your employees will know exactly what to do when disaster strikes. Make sure that you're not putting up roadblocks to social media communication. Instead, you'll want to help shape the message and act fast. In any event, don't be afraid to say what you know to be true. That way, you'll be able to keep the people on the team updated.

Taking care of yourself during a crisis

Responding to a COVID-19 or crisis at work is like running a marathon. Pacing allows you to notice your own needs and those of others. When your COVID-19 runs out of gas, you can start to feel low and disconnected. Deep breathing exercises are good ways to lift your spirits, and there are many free digital health tools you can use. Set reminders and check your health metrics to ensure you're getting enough rest.

Recognizing your own limits and setting boundaries is a form of self-care. While you may feel overwhelmed and frustrated during a crisis, you need to stay aware of your limitations and don't put yourself under too much pressure. Don't overthink the crisis, as this will only make it worse. Keep your hands clean at all times and avoid touching things that can potentially transmit viruses. If you're not comfortable sharing personal space or talking to others, ask for help.

Take some time every day to take care of yourself. It's tempting to ignore your own needs and put everyone else's ahead of your own. However, neglecting yourself can lead to a greater crisis, as you will become exhausted and unable to function effectively. So schedule some time each day to relax and enjoy the present moment. Taking time for yourself is important for your mental and physical health.
Showing up for employees, partners, and customers

While there is no single "right" way to deal with a crisis, the best way is to be present for everyone involved. Being present, engaged, and focused on organizational values is key to defusing tensions. Regardless of your level of expertise, it is vital that you remain present for your employees, partners, and customers during a crisis. Despite the difficulties of the situation, there are ways you can show up for your employees, customers, and partners, while still achieving your goals.

Acknowledging a crisis and offering your support to employees is a great first step. Your employees can rely on you for updates if they haven't already done so. Also, encourage your employees to communicate with one another - you may not have heard the latest developments in the first place. Employees will be more likely to share information with each other during a crisis, so encourage them to do the same.

Responding to a crisis puts a huge strain on your focus and energy levels. While your top priority should always be your employees' safety, it will be imperative to show up for your team members during recovery periods. Your employees are likely dealing with a roller coaster of emotions and a lack of sleep. If you can't be available to help them out immediately, it will be best to find someone else to step in.

If the crisis affects many customers, public communication is crucial to restore trust. A mistaken message can lead to unreasonable expectations and damage trust in the company. If you fail to show up for your team and employees, you're risking damaging the company's credibility. So, be accurate when communicating with your team and publically. If a mistake has negatively impacted the company's reputation, make sure to apologize.

Communicating the importance of being visible and transparent is essential to showing up for employees, partners, and customers during a crisis. Communicate the importance of your actions and explain why they matter to the stakeholders. This way, they can help others feel confident about their roles. You can even host a virtual happy hour to celebrate the team's efforts after the crisis has passed. Just make sure to stay in touch with your team during the crisis.

A recent PwC survey found that 30 percent of respondents surveyed did not have a crisis response team in place when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. This lack of leadership and understanding could lead to detrimental consequences for the business and its customers. A shortage of emotional support during a crisis will affect employee morale, customer loyalty, and bottom line. If the disruption is not handled correctly, employees will perceive this lack of empathy as lackluster and will be less likely to return to the company.