Has your business reviewed any automatic or pre-scheduled communications for appropriateness given current events? Do you have a solid plan in place for communicating with employees, customers, and the public should a quarantine affect your place of business? How are you communicating about alternative work arrangements, work from home, or business travel to your employees? How are you communicating about sick leave policies? Are you preparing for how to provide updates on upcoming and future events that may be canceled?
Every business should have a formal communication plan for business continuity and crisis situations like the one we’re experiencing with Coronavirus. Communicating accurate information is important, but we also need to address and consider the emotions of employees and customers.
Use Official Sources
Rely on official, accurate sources to provide information about the pandemic. You may link directly to official sources like the CDC and state government websites, but try not to quote or paraphrase those communications or news organizations that might be perceived to provide slanted information. Your employees and customers have access like never before to news and information. What they need from you now is how your business plans to proactively respond to and address what is happening locally.
Help Employees
If your business provides a benefit like an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), make the contact information readily available to employees who may be feeling overwhelmed emotionally or financially.
Provide information on (hopefully increased) cleaning and sanitizing schedules. Some businesses have even provided hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and facial tissue for use onsite at work.
Understand that productivity may suffer with employees distracted by news reports, and many want to discuss current events among themselves. Keep your communications short and easily understood to minimize additional distractions and make it clear what is appropriate to discuss with customers and what is not.
Consider Communication Channels and Messaging
Develop a multi-pronged, omni-channel communication approach. Use all appropriate communication channels at your disposal, including, email, texts, digital displays, voice messages, message points for supervisors and managers, bulletin boards, intranet, and intracompany social media channels and collaboration tools. And consider which messaging is appropriate for each channel. And again, keep communications short and easy to read.
Be Agile and Prepare in Advance
Depending on the size of your organization, you may need to involve several leaders in communication planning and distribution, including human resources, facilities, marketing, communications, legal, IT, and security. However, all involved should have a clear understanding of what approvals are needed, when, and for which types of communications. If your company does business in person with the public, specify who is authorized to speak to the media should the need arise and let employees know that only those authorized to speak on behalf of the company should do so. Plan in advance for as many scenarios as you can and finalize drafts well ahead of when situations might arise.
Providing timely and accurate information will go a long way toward reassuring your employees and customers, minimizing distractions and speculation.