Like an insurance policy, a communication crisis plan is indispensable because it enables you to retain control of what‘s being said, ensuring that media damage is minimised and your reputation never comes into question. 

What can happen without a communication plan

If you fail to communicate effectively around a crisis, whether it’s to employees, the media, the community, or stakeholders, this can be just as disastrous for your business as not responding appropriately to it.

Crises have the potential to ignite adverse or negative media attention and widespread panic in the general public. They can seriously affect your company’s reputation.

You can’t plan for a crisis while you’re having one. When you and your team are undergoing all sorts of emotional stress, worry and pressure, at the same time faced with difficult decisions that need to be decided quickly, and perhaps lacking complete information, it isn’t the time to pull together a communications plan.

Without a set process for reporting a crisis, you and your staff will be unclear what information you need to gather and share, who is responsible for saying what and to whom, and what channels are best used for each message. 

An operational response can break down, and stakeholders and staff can become confused and concerned. 

The business may be perceived as at best inept, and at worst criminally negligent. That’s why risk management and communicating effectively the first time is so important – you won’t get a second chance.

What a business continuity plan should include 

The primary goal of risk management strategies and a business continuity plan is to minimise damage or fallout caused by the crisis. It’s important to employ consistent and transparent communication initiatives that protect the business’ integrity and reputation. 

Start by doing a Business Impact Analysis (BIA), which predicts how your company would fare in the aftermath of a disruption. Use an impact analysis template to speed up the process as you consider different scenarios that could affect your business (such as natural disaster, software failure, devastating media coverage). 

Through this risk assessment process, you can start to determine strategies and plans that will see you through a crisis should one occur. 

Develop a plan that has as its basis:

  • a crisis communication team 

  • an internal communications plan 

  • a media strategy 

  • a list of potential weaknesses and plans to address them 

  • current information on the organisation and its programs, particularly IT.

Your crisis communication team needs to develop an action plan. Each member is assigned a specific role to execute. Typically the team includes:

  • CEO

  • head of public relations 

  • vice presidents and managers of key departments

  • safety or security officer

  • company lawyers.

The spokesperson is the primary contact for media enquiries, issuing statements and handling interviews and press conferences. This person must be extremely knowledgeable about the organisation, a strong written and oral communicator, comfortable talking in public, and able to project calm and inspire confidence.

The internal communications manager is responsible for keeping the employees informed of what has happened and what will happen, while ensuring that they remain calm and safe and understand what’s expected of them. They are also responsible for keeping company intellectual property secure.  

Your pre-crisis action plan should:

  • List team members, responsibilities and contact details.

  • Maintain all employees’ contact information.

  • Implement an emergency notification system that reaches staff instantly. Have a current list of rosters and locations.

  • Draft scenarios of potential crises with best and worst case scenarios. Regularly rehearse with key people.

  • Maintain current organisational fact sheets with all processes and systems.

  • Meet regularly to double-check contingencies.

  • Ensure all team members are well trained in their roles.

Keep the business image and reputation intact

If you’re unfortunate enough to be hit by a crisis:

  • Activate the crisis communications plan at the first sign of a crisis.

  • Ensure the safety and security of staff and constituents. 

  • Ensure each team member is gearing up for, or taking, appropriate action.

  • Activate the emergency notification system to send information to employees and constituents about the crisis, what's being done to resolve it and what they should do in the interim.

  • Alert staff before external parties whenever possible. It’s important that employees don’t hear negative news from outside sources first, as it may alienate them and hinder the successful crisis response and recovery.

  • Notify the appropriate emergency authorities – police, fire, etc.

  • Prepare a statement with the appropriate message to address the emergency – the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’ of the crisis.  Remember your goals are to:

    • minimise damage or fallout

    • protect the business’ integrity and reputation

    • establish credibility and trust, and regain confidence with internal and external audiences

    • prevent or counter the spread of negative information

    • eradicate uncertainty.

  • Issue this statement(s) as a matter of priority. Be open, honest, and positive.

  • Maintain ongoing dialogue as necessary, and be prepared to address employees' concerns and questions.

Following a crisis

  • Establish an assessment group to determine which parts of the communications plan worked and which needs to be revised. 

  • Establish a separate assessment group to examine the disaster’s root causes and decide what steps are required to prevent future occurrences.