When a crisis hits, what will your company do? This question is one worth considering for all HR practitioners. Although the likelihood of an emergency may be low, it is important to be prepared to handle any event that could impact the workplace — even the unexpected ones.
Not only should the plan cover what will happen to employees and individuals, but it should also factor in other parties that need to be informed about what is going on. However, communications during a crisis will only be as good as the plan that has been laid out to deal with them beforehand. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, it is a good idea to start by identifying the top potential threats to your organization. From there you can narrow down what essential functions your business will need in order to continue operations, and how to protect these functions.
It may also be a good idea to assemble a team to handle the communications in the event of a crisis. Establish emergency contact lists and an evacuation plan. During a critical time it will not only be essential to communicate with the people inside your organization, but with other parties who deal with your business including, vendors, suppliers and clients. Having a plan in place will help your business prepare to deal with any situation.
Crisis plans will vary depending on your unique business, how many employees you have, location, industry and a multitude of other facts. A plan will help keep your business running smoothly in the face of an emergency, and a comprehensive HR software solution helps you keep track of all the details.