The term “crisis” is used to describe a series of unforeseen occurrences in the workplace that causes widespread disruption and unhappiness. The sudden onset of a crisis can instill a sense of panic and terror in the minds of workers. Simply said, a crisis creates doubt and does significant damage to the company and its personnel.
Employees must be able to recognize the onset of a crisis and forewarn their coworkers about the potential dangers it may pose. A crisis poses a threat to an organization’s reputation in addition to disrupting day-to-day operations.
The term “Crisis Communication” is used to describe an internal department that manages the company’s and its employees’ public profiles during times of crisis. Crisis communication is a strategy developed to save a company’s good name and preserve its standing in the eyes of the public. A company’s reputation can be damaged by a number of events, including criminal acts, governmental investigations, and media inquiries.
Crisis communication is the transmission of information by an organization in response to a crisis that affects the organization’s consumers and/or reputation.
While crisis communication can be largely reactive, it is advantageous to have a plan in place prior to needing to implement it to make the
process easier for team members.
Below are the 10 steps that need to be taken for crisis communication.
- Anticipate Crises
- Identify Your Crisis Communications Team
- Identify and Know Your Stakeholders
- Identify and Train Spokespersons
- Spokesperson Training
- Establish Notification and Monitoring Systems
- Develop Holding Statements
- Assess the Crisis Situation
- Finalize and Adapt Key Messages
- Post-Crisis Analysis
