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Crisis Communications: It’s Not Just for Businesses

January 4, 2019Lori Rohrbach

It’s inevitable that at some point, your business or organization will face a crisis.  You can’t predict it, you don’t know what or how it will happen – but you better be ready to communicate about it.  A crisis can take any number of forms – a cyber attack on your IT infrastructure, a fire, an unexpected management change – you just don’t know.

I recently was reminded of the importance of crisis communications when a Nor’easter dumped several inches of snow in the middle of the day and I was at the receiving (or, to be honest, non-receiving) end of communication from our school district. Normally, our school district is a little too good at communicating – I get email blasts about fundraisers, voice mails about special events, newsletters from school, even text alerts– it’s a regular barrage of information.

But when the weather went bad, it was evident that our school district did not have an established crisis communication plan.  The decision was made to close the schools two hours early – and the information was sent out via text and email.  Great.  And then it wasn’t.

The roads were treacherous and buses were delayed.  But there were no status updates.  Calls to school offices went immediately to voice mail.  Parents had no idea if their children were on a bus or still at school.  My children ended up getting home at approximately the same time they get home on a normal day.  The two hours I waited for information were nerve-wracking.  The only information I found was on Facebook – from other parents posting in reply to the school district’s initial closing post. 

Once my children were home safely, my communications “Spidey-sense” started to tingle.  I realized not only did our school not have a plan, but the entire school district had no established communication protocols in place in the event of an emergency.  From what I read on Facebook, some principals were incredibly pro-active with outreach.  Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case from our school.  The communication should have been clear and consistent across every school in the district. And in the case where the safety of children is involved – there’s no such thing as too much information.

It’s not that the school district didn’t have the tools to communicate … they didn’t have the procedure. Here is what I plan to recommend to our superintendent in the event of another unsuspecting weather event (or worse).

  • Send a blast communication from the superintendent announcing the school dismissal and anticipated schedule.
  • In the event the schedule is delayed, school principals send targeted voice/emails to parents informing them of current school status, the location of the children, and the updated schedule.
  • Once buses leave the school, principals send another update alerting parents to bus departures.
  • When the last bus returns from bringing the last child home, the superintendent sends a final status report.
  • Of course, during this time – social media should be active with updates as events occur –it’s a fast, effective way to get a message out.

If this recent event reminds me of anything, it’s the importance of having a solid crisis communications plan in place BEFORE a crisis occurs.  Establishing a message cascade, assigning targeted messages from key spokespeople, and follow-up will get your information to the people who need to receive it.  People who will be grateful for your efforts and who won’t be filling your email and voicemail boxes with frustrated, angry messages once the crisis has passed.

Author: Robin Imbesi

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Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

 

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

 

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources.  Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

 

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

 

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

 

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

 

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

 

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

 

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

 

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

 

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

 

 

Author: Erin Alderfer

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