The Covid 19 pandemic has created serious physical, psychological, and financial
complications around the world. Organisations are relying on their HR departments for the
wellbeing of their employees like never before. HR professionals are facing challenging
trade-offs and decisions about communicating complex issues to diverse audiences. This
article explores ways to communicate with employees amidst crisis.
Provide right information at right time:
During crisis people need more information. Thus, HR professionals should provide different
forms of information based on what matter most for the employees at the moment. It
helps employees to remain safe and overcome psychologically.
Provide simple and clear updates frequently:
A Crisis impedes employee’s competency to process complex information. Thus, keep
crucial information messages simple, apposite, viable, and positively framed.
According to research, health risk related messages should be communicated 9 to 21 times
to maximise people’s understanding of that risk (Lu Liu, Xi Lu, Xiaofei Xie, 2015). So keep
repeating the messages and use rhyming or alliteration to make it more effective.
Be honest:
When you are uncertain refrain from hard and fast estimates. Be univocal, acknowledge
uncertainty, and explain what decides your course of action.
Be transparent:
Transparency is very essential for building trust. “Transparency is ‘job one’ for leaders in a
crisis. Be clear what you know, what you don’t know, and what you are doing to learn more
( Amy Edmondson, 2020).” Transparent operations increases employee’s perception of
trust. Explain employees how you have prepared for and are addressing such crisis.
Meet employees where they are:
Communicate with employees on their preferred channel of communication. It will ensure
that employees are reading messages irrespective of their location or work situation.
Empower managers:
Empower managers at every stage to handle tough conversations by equipping them with
the messaging and resources. It helps in facilitating supportive conversations with every
employee.
Give people a voice:
Involve stakeholders while making operational decisions. Develop a culture of listening,
where employees feel that their feedback is taken into consideration and acted upon.
Demonstrate vulnerability:
Have courage to exhibit vulnerability by sharing personal anxiety, concerns, and
uncertainties. Genuine feelings about impact of disruption on employees, helps in building
trust.
Set a good example:
During crisis your action matters as much as your words in building trust among employees.
Build resilience:
Appreciate and share positive stories about how people are adapting to new ways of
working. Express gratitude to frontline employees who face threat to their safety.
Encourage employees to participate in virtual book clubs, competition, or celebrations.
References:
Amy C. Edmondson, “Don’t hide bad news in times of crisis”, Harvard Business Review,
March 6, 2020, hbr.org.
Lu Liu, Xi Lu, and Xiaofei Xie, “Inverted U-shaped model: How frequent repetition affects
perceived risk,” Judgment and Decision Making, 2015, Volume 10, Number 3.
main challenges encountered by HR professionals and suggestions to overcome them.
Communication:
The pandemic present HR professionals with very complicated challenges and no easy
solutions. They are facing challenging trade-offs and decisions about communicating
complex issues to diverse audiences. During such crisis leader’s behaviour leaves a lasting
impact on their organisations and employees. Following are the ways to communicate well
amidst crisis.
Provide right information at right time:
During crisis people need more information. Thus, HR professionals should provide different
forms of information based on what matter most for the employees at the moment. It
helps employees to remain safe and overcome psychologically.
Provide simple and clear information frequently:
A Crisis impedes employee’s competency to process complex information. Thus, keep
crucial information messages simple, apposite, viable, and positively framed.
E.g. Wallmart’s 6-20-100 guidelines.
“Whether at work or elsewhere, practice six feet of social distancing whenever possible.
Regularly wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds. And if you have a temperature of 100
degrees or higher, stay home”.
According to research, health risk related messages should be communicated 9 to 21 times
to maximise people’s understanding of that risk (Lu Liu, Xi Lu, Xiaofei Xie, 2015). So keep
repeating the messages and use rhyming or alliteration to make it more effective.
Trust:
People are encountering major disruption due to pandemic in their homes as well as at
workplace. During such crisis, employee’s trust is oscillating. There is a high need of
reaffirming employee trust because it shapes organisation’s post pandemic future.
Following are the ways to earn trust amidst crisis.
Be honest:
When you are uncertain refrain from hard and fast estimates. Be univocal, acknowledge
uncertainty, and explain what decides your course of action.
Be transparent:
Transparency is very essential for building trust. Transparent operations increases
employee’s perception of trust. Give employees an inside on how you are considering
different options.
Give people a voice:
Involve stakeholders while making operational decisions. Develop a culture of listening,
where employees feel that their feedback is taken into consideration and acted upon.
Demonstrate vulnerability:
Have courage to exhibit vulnerability by sharing personal anxiety, concerns, and
uncertainties. Genuine feelings about impact of disruption on employees, helps in building
trust.
Set a good example:
During crisis your action matters as much as your words in building trust among employees.
Workforce management changes:
Following are the employee related policies that hr professionals should be discussing.
Remote work: