Don’t assume it’s a communications issue
COVID has obviously changed everything about the way you do business. But employers must still comply with evolving recommendations, they risk being held liable for not upholding existing health and safety laws
Employment lawyers are scrambling to help businesses keep up with the latest guidances from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You should check them out at their online resource center at https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus.
When an employee notifies an employer that he or she has been diagnosed with coronavirus, businesses must disclose enough information to maintain a safe work environment under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, without sharing employees’ health conditions, which must be kept confidential under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
For specific guidance, it’s a good idea to check with your attorney or HR professional.
If you do have a communications crisis, then the same approach applies as if it weren’t centered around COVID.
Those are outlined below:
Have a plan in place
Make sure that you have a plan in place that includes a chain of command, contact information for key players, and clear identification of roles in the event of a crisis.
Account access and passwords to social media channels should be accessible to appropriate staff with instructions for messaging. Be sure that any pre-scheduled messages are canceled or paused.
Make sure that you update your hours, if necessary, on your website, Google My Business, and Facebook pages.
Train your team
Make sure that all staff members know their roles. Identify who is authorized to speak to media. Everyone else should be taught this simple phrase: “I am not authorized to speak on behalf of my employer,” and then be given a copy of the chain of command and appropriate contact information.
Refer to appropriate authorities
No one expects you to be an expert on public health, but they do expect you to follow the advice of those who are:
- US Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- State Health Department Websites
- Local Health Departments in US
- Local Health Departments in Canada
Keep Messaging Succinct
Working in customer service as you do, you’re accustomed to communicating with your audience frequently.
In crisis communications, however, it is more important to be accurate than quick.
Follow these guidelines:
- No matter the communications issue, it’s always critical to state only verifiable facts. Don’t guess or make conjectures or predictions.
- Keep message focused
- Provide clear, actionable instructions and details as it pertains to your stakeholders (will your store be closed? how can they complete transactions? are their items okay?)
- Give Context: Include what is known, what is not known, and what is being done to fill in the gaps.
Download our free guide:
We’ve put together a free PDF download that features sample text for various situations that may arise as a result of COVID. Grab it by clicking HERE.
