International crisis management: Practical tips for L&D managers

For international companies based in the UK every crisis has the potential to have an impact on staff. How should you handle the situation? Should it be business as usual or are there steps you should be taking?

Hannah McNamara interviewed international leadership consultant and trainer Patrick White of HRM Global to get his tips on what you can do to minimise the impact of a crisis overseas.

What impact is a crisis likely to have on my company and my department?

• Any business operating in a risk area needs to have scenario plans in place to cover everything that could happen and the impact of it. Employees may need to leave the country or be relocated very quickly and they will need support and practical help in doing this.
• Usual communication channels may be interrupted - phones could be jammed or internet services such as Google and social media sites could be shut down, so have a plan in place for how you communicate under those circumstances. Even if the mobile phone network works, people might not be able to charge their phones as has happened in Japan.
• If your company doesn't have a base in those areas you may have suppliers or customers there, so plan for what would happen if your supply chain went down or your business lost a major customer. This could mean there are training needs for your buyers or sales people on how they should communicate with suppliers and customers. This needs to happen quickly before they start making calls or sending emails which could be taken the wrong way by the recipient. For example, buyers need to be mindful that when they call to chase a delivery from a Japanese electronics brand they will need to show some understanding. It sounds obvious, but it's easily overlooked when the person they are communicating with is just a name on an email list and they may have no idea where they are based. You don't necessarily need to go as far as organising a course, but communicate with managers to make sure they aren't taking anything for granted and offer your support and any training resources you have in-house.
• UK offices or bases of companies head quartered in risk areas will most likely be affected. There will be uncertainty around what will happen to jobs and people will naturally be concerned. Keep the lines of communication open and be honest. Don't allow gossip to start or spread and avoid speculating. Employees generally assume that everyone in the HR function knows what's happening about their job, so any speculation will be taken as fact and passed on.

How can I best support people who have loved ones, friends and colleagues affected by the crisis?

• You probably already have a list of pre-screened counsellors who can help employees to talk through their feelings and concerns, and deal with what is happening in the region. If you don't, strongly consider contacting peers for recommendations on someone they have used. You may not need to use their services, but at least you will be prepared should someone need emotional support later. After the initial shock and denial as they try to carry on, some people can take days or weeks to feel the effects of the crisis. Be sensitive to changes in people's mood and behaviour. This applies just as much to you and your colleagues. The emotional burden of helping others through a crisis can be considerable and unexpected.
• You also might want to relax any policies for blocking use of social media for employees who are waiting to hear news about loved ones. Their only means of communication might be to post an 'I'm ok' message on their Facebook page from someone's smartphone and your employee will be anxious to get news immediately and be given the chance to respond.

How can I keep my other employees focused and productive?

• Communicate, communicate, communicate. If people don't acknowledge what has happened your managers risk being seen as callous and unfeeling.
• People who are not personally impacted by the crisis may still be traumatised by what they see on TV and there may be a strong sense from employees that they want to 'do something' to help. Whether it's a fund-raising activity or sending supplies to the region, make sure this is properly co-ordinated. It goes without saying that it's much better to work with or through a charity with experience than try to handle it all in-house.
• The company may want to make a corporate donation to the relief fund. Talk to your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) person/department, if you have one. It might be tempting for the marketing or PR departments to publicise the donation. This could back-fire if you are seen to be 'cashing in' on the crisis for the company's own ends. Publicise the donation internally, but be discrete publicly.

What practical steps can I or my colleagues take to be an effective leader?

• While it can be awful to deal with the impact when a crisis happens, life does go on. Yes, this may sound harsh. On the other hand it gives people something else to focus on and you'll find many people want to throw themselves into their work.
• When you do have people directly affected by the crisis, take care that they aren't forgotten. The repercussions can last a long time. For example when the Japanese tsunami hit, people quickly forgot about Christchurch until Prince William made a visit to the area.

Hannah McNamara is managing director of HRM Coaching (www.hrmcoaching.com) and Patrick White is executive chairman of HRM Global (www.hrmglobal.co.uk). Patrick is a leadership consultant and trainer working in the UK with clients in the Middle East and Asia and has a PhD in organisational behaviour. He can be contacted on 020 7939 9910.