According to results from a new survey, 95% of business leaders say that their organization’s crisis management plans and capabilities “need improvement.” Only about a third (35%) say their plans were “very relevant” to the pandemic.
To ensure that teams are prepared to manage a crisis across settings, offices, and departments, consider the following:
- Encourage and enable agility. Make sure employees are trained to be inventive and adaptive in an emergency. Run drills and even games to give them chances to flex their creative muscles and problem-solving skills.
- Create redundancy with technology. Make sure that team members can find the latest information, documents, and project files they need at any given time, even if some connections or avenues of communication are disrupted or shut down.
- Build crisis response into structures and processes. Ensure that there are always multiple people who have information and knowledge necessary to navigate and survive a crisis.
- Promote team trust and connectedness. This will help ensure that there are no gaps in communication, protocols that aren’t followed, or conflict or misunderstandings that arise in the midst of a crisis.
- Practice over and over. Drills, tests, trials, and training throughout the year for new and existing employees will help ensure everyone has the confidence and skills they need to navigate a crisis. These exercises also will keep people fresh and prepared at all times.
