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By Ashley McCown, Executive Vice President of Solomon McCown & Company
After Katrina and 9/11, one would imagine that businesses were shocked into understanding the significance of improved crisis communications planning. Yet according to a recent survey by the Conference Board, one quarter of companies worldwide lacked a pandemic flu preparedness plan. In the case of a pandemic, employers, universities, building managers and hospitals alike have an increased responsibility to ensure the well being of employees, students and the public. The difference between responsibility and liability is whether or not a company has a sound business continuity plan paired with a crisis communications plan.
Pick the Team, Plan, Then Practice
The moment when a crisis hits is not the time to decide who should be the face of the company and who should serve as a back up. Define the crisis response team (CRT) well in advance, then assign roles, inventory any vulnerabilities, and take the time to develop a crisis plan that accounts for every pandemic-related scenario. For example, experts estimate 35 percent absenteeism in case of a pandemic, so the CRT must pre-determine essential personnel and their responsibilities. Once plans are in place, have legal counsel review everything and assemble the CRT to test the procedures—this provides a chance to see if the protocols actually work and to identify any glitches that could arise in a high-pressure situation.
Whoever is in charge of the communications plan in the organization should reach out and bond now with their counterparts at first-responder agencies, such as police, fire, and city and state public health departments. Plan coordinated efforts with them, and establish means for reaching each other late at night and on weekends. The agencies are going to be an important source of information with the media, so it is advantageous to establish these relationships well in advance.
Employees in particular will look to their employers for what to do in case of a pandemic, so it is incumbent to let them know what the company is doing to prepare and what they should do to get ready. Consider crafting some template messages, and identify and test multiple communications channels—whether e-mail, a secure website, a recorded message, or conference calls—to ensure the rapid dissemination of accurate information to internal and external audiences.
Get Technical
During the initial days of a pandemic, businesses and organizations should prepare to be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours, as they should not expect help from city, state, or federal authorities. An organization that has been prepared for a catastrophic event will enhance its reputation for responsibility with employees, the public, and the media. Calm communications breeds calm responses, and so the organization will be remembered for how it responds in a crisis: Did it create chaos, or composure?
A flu pandemic may prevent employees from getting to the office, and yet clients and customers will still have high expectations that need to be met. The right technology should be set up and functioning, whether telecommuting or videoconferencing, to keep employees on the job—but not necessarily at the job, to avoid the chance of infecting clients or each other.
Then there is just plain common sense. Medical experts stress thorough hand washing, use of hand sanitization gels and sneezing into the crook of the arm rather than the hand as the most effective measures to avoid the spread of disease. No matter how simplistic this sounds, start communicating basic hygiene practices now.
Success in Healthy Communications
Communications professionals who are responsible for pandemic planning can also benefit from sharing best practices with colleagues. The higher education field is a guiding example: We know a number of colleges and universities that are jointly sharing the burden of learning how to protect students and employees, attending conferences together and bettering their preparedness by sharing information.
By considering all the potential impacts of a pandemic, selecting the right experts, shoring up vulnerabilities, and communicating simple messages, organizations can help protect their business and their people. An investment in preparation now has lasting value: Whether or not a pandemic strikes, most of the same protocols will prepare you for any potential crisis. Success here is not determined by who has the most resources, but by who has the most forethought.
Ashley McCown is the Executive Vice President of Solomon McCown & Company ( www.solomonmccown.com), which provides strategic communications and crisis management services to national and regional companies and to mission-based organizations. |
