Too many companies forget that internal communications to current employees and customers is just as important, if not more important, as what you say to external audiences. It’s your staff that create the culture that your customers see every day, and who your customers will turn to for answers if something goes wrong.
The first group of people you need to win over during a crisis is your own employees.
When and how are you going to tell them what went wrong? Are you going to send out a memo? Host an employee town hall? Wait to the rumor mill reaches them or they get asked by a reporter?
If possible, you need to carefully script out how you’re going to inform your employees because it will have far reaching effects on how the crisis is treated outside your company walls.
Why? Because when a crisis hits, the first emotion an employee is likely to have will be about how it will effect them, personally. This fear reaction is justified if you think about it. They want to know if they are going to get asked lots of questions by angry customers. They will want to know if their job is safe. They’ll want to know if this crisis will result in them needing to work extra hours or do harder tasks under stressful conditions. They’ll also want to know how long those new conditions will last.
Employees will also follow your example during a crisis. They need to feel confident that you have the crisis under control- even when you don’t. They need your instructions of how they’re supposed to behave, and what they’re supposed to say to others to get everyone through this crisis.
We’ll help walk you through your options, and will help you implement the communications plan to improve internal employee buy-in to help you navigate the crisis more smoothly, and quickly.
Other times, the crisis might be the staff itself. We know how to launch internal employee campaigns to change staff behaviors and develop a new company culture. These cultural changes take time and commitment, but few other successful actions will have as much of a profound impact on your organization.
We’ll help ensure your internal efforts influence and empower your desired action and reaction.
