Supporting employees through times of uncertainty

HR’s business continuity checklist

Times of uncertainty can be overwhelming for organisations. HR departments play a key role in policy creation and employee communication, which is why it’s critical to effectively coordinate response plans, take extra safety measures, and above all, help employees feel secure during major business disruptions. Use this checklist to ensure you are a source of trust and comfort for your employees during times of crisis.

Am I communicating as frequently and effectively as the situation allows?

• Employees rely on you for facts and next steps, so make sure you’re reaching them through the channels that matter most.
• Enable frontline managers to trust their people, encourage them to set clear work expectations, establish regular check-ins, and keep performance and development conversations a priority.
• Encourage teams to use virtual methods to recognise achievements and celebrate milestones, and don’t forget about things like birthdays and anniversaries. Don’t be afraid to celebrate success.

Am I doing all I can to leverage technology and keep my organisation’s systems available?

• Check you have disaster recovery plans to protect your data and support your employees.
• Establish specific incident/leave categories around emergencies and essential, nonessential, or high-risk roles so you can manage those groups accurately.

Above all, how do I support employees and ensure their well-being?

• Help employees feel secure about your business continuity plans through training and certifications.
• Monitor and support employee mental wellness by expanding employee assistance programs, clearly defining resources available, allowing technology use for reasonable social interaction, and giving employees the autonomy to complete tasks.