Internal communication in a crisis
Informing employees and managers about a crisis so that they do not learn of it from the media and know how to act.
Employees should not learn about a company's problem from news websites. They are its first ambassadors, they talk to customers, family and friends, and their social media posts are sometimes quoted by journalists. If they are not informed, the gap quickly fills with speculation.
Sequence is key. Managers should hear first and be given enough to speak to their teams. The message to employees should explain what has happened, what the company is doing, what is expected of them and where to direct external enquiries.
- one message for everyone, consistent with the external line,
- a clear request to refer media questions to the spokesperson,
- a promised next update, delivered on time.
For the board, this is as important a decision as dealing with the media. Any internal message should be assumed to become public and written so that it can withstand that.
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