Accidents. Judgment errors. Cyber attacks.

Nothing tests your organization quite like a crisis.

And unfortunately, no business is immune. Regardless of your location, size or industry, your company WILL be forced to deal with major problems.

So consider this question:

If disaster were to strike today, how prepared is your organization to handle it?

Not surprisingly, the businesses that weather disasters best are the ones that anticipate crises and have clear plans for effectively managing them. Start before disaster strikes! Use these tips to create a crisis management plan that will help your business survive an upheaval:

Assess your vulnerabilities.

Determine the most likely crises your organization may face. For each potential crisis, map out the best-case and worst-case scenarios. Consider the resources you have to address each crisis, as well as those you might need to acquire. Finally, detail plans to address each type of disaster – including keeping the lines of communication open and maintaining “essential” business functions, whenever possible.

Create crisis communication plans.

Designate a “crisis communicator” to share internal information with employees, keeping up-to-date throughout a crisis. In addition, appoint a “crisis spokesperson” who will serve as the primary point of contact between your company and the media. Then:

• Gather accurate, up-to-date contact information for each employee, as well as at least one emergency contact per employee. Update the information at least once per year.
• Detail your plan for “talking in” – so employees can get important information, share critical information with you, and get questions answered quickly.

Audit your communication channels.

If your organization is like most, you use multiple social media accounts, websites, contact lists (e.g., customer, vendor, media contact, etc.) and other public-facing communication channels. As part of your crisis communication plan, compile a list of all these communication channels, including key contacts for each. Then, detail steps for “talking out” – so you can proactively communicate with the media, monitor social channels and release coordinated, consistent information.

Once you’ve completed these steps, commit to regularly reviewing and updating your plan. As your company and the threats to it evolve, so must your response plans.

Ensure the safety of temporary and contract workers when crisis strikes.

When it comes to protecting temporary and contract employees, your staffing partner can be a tremendous resource. Contact your local Exact Staff office today to schedule a location tour and discuss how our national employment agency can keep contingent employees safe at your location.