Handling a crisis situation can be an incredibly stressful time for any business, no matter how prepared they are. Under pressure, it can be easy to overcomplicate the situation and forget some of the basic rules of good crisis management.
I recently attended an event where experts from government, charities, business, and specialist organisations shared their diverse experiences of crisis management – from international disasters to employee issues. While the specific escalation methods and internal approaches to handling crises and issues varied, there were naturally some common themes. One that everyone agreed on is the vital importance of remaining human during a crisis.
That might seem obvious – people expect genuine sympathy, action and a tangible response. They want to know you care, that you know they have been affected and that you are going to do something about it. If we were the ones impacted, we’d expect nothing less.
Yet, under the pressure of providing a response, businesses can risk forgetting about the human element. Internal sign-off processes, legal concerns or perhaps a slight defensiveness can all work together to water down the response, making it less effective and sometimes even a bit out of touch.
A simple statement shouldn’t always be the go-to reaction. As easy as it might be to write a sympathetic line, if this is the only response it can risk seeming faceless and impersonal. What else can you do to show that you’re genuinely concerned? Actions can often speak louder than words, and it’s important to remember this in any crisis or major issue situation.
These actions don’t have to be public – often you can be more effective when you target those directly involved. We recently worked with a client on a sad and sensitive issue involving the death of an employee. Whilst the death was not the fault of the business, it has still pledged a donation to support the family over the coming months. Actions such as this can speak volumes in showing the human face of a multinational corporation.
With every crisis response, businesses should always look at ways to show empathy and the human side of the business. Initially, they may want to hide from the limelight. But it’s important to consider that actions – however small – can make a big difference and help protect and even strengthen the business’ reputation.
Tommy Allez is associate director at Lexis
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