HR Teams deal with various workplace
situations on a day to day basis. From employee relations to performance
management, HR professionals are expected to be adept in responding to
any issues or concerns that arise within the workplace that may have a
negative impact on the business itself. Issues such as these arise more
frequently than we would like, but as organisations tend to have policies
and procedures in place relating to these everyday challenges, the
situation is generally easier to manage. But how to you deal with the
unexpected?
Over the past decade the UK has experienced terrorist attacks, riots, an
ash cloud and extreme weather. HR teams across the country have had to
deal with the repercussions and effects of these unforeseen situations on
businesses with little or no planning. The impact these circumstances
have had on businesses generally relates to their operations and physical
facilities due to employee absence and property damage. Furthermore,
research suggests that extreme weather, high winds and floods are the top
cause of disruption to businesses in 2011.
Although predicting situations such as this is impossible, employers
should consider putting a business continuity plan together that
addresses these areas in order for the business to remain operational in
times of crisis. As every incident has a people element, HR professionals
should be heavily involved in the planning and preparation stage.
Organisations who expect their employees to be responsive and adaptable
under difficult circumstances should request the input of HR in terms of
communication, policy documentation, personal information and training.
Employee contact details should be kept up to date and checked regularly,
evacuation drills and role playing exercises should be organised and a
clear method of communication established in order to provide employees
with updates and details of what is going on. This is vital for any
emergency process to be effective as it eliminates potential scare
mongering and ensures employees remain as calm as possible in a
potentially stressful situation. HR professionals should also consider
the psychological effect on employees and how they can provide support in
terms of occupational health and employee assistance programmes.
As a minimal measure, organisations should be ensuring that they are
fulfilling their obligations in terms of duty of care and health and
safety regulations. These legal measures will go part way to providing
support and security for employees on a day to day basis, but
organisations looking to prepare for potential emergencies or unexpected
incidents will need to go much further and start formulating a plan.