Internal crisis communication: how to cope with emergencies

If something unforeseen takes place, smooth internal corporate communication processes and a clear course of action are needed. Fortunately, crises follow a clear pattern that you can use to guide your internal communication. These five steps increase the chance of successful communication in troubled times.

With this, you can start immediately: Define a concrete plan before a potential crisis. Written plans for emergencies are still the exception in internal communication. This is unfortunate because the situation can wreak terrible consequences without preventative action. Mistakes will occur if no one knows what to do, making the crisis worse.

The crisis plan for internal communication can be a stand-alone document. However, seeing it as part of the overarching crisis protocol is better. If you don't have a plan, start it today.

Remember that normal processes don't work in a crisis. After all, IT failures or cyber-attacks are responsible for more than half of business crises. So, there is no purpose in storing the crisis plan on a server. Print it out and have it ready! Think about independent communication channels such as an employee app. They will still work even if the company is paralyzed or the power goes out.

At the start of the crisis, make a statement as quickly as possible. And not only to the media and external stakeholders, but also to your team - from the very top and instantly. There are several reasons for this. For example, a crisis always triggers a certain amount of uncertainty in the team.

Let your CEO - if legally possible - report the crisis. Do not assign blame. Show ways out of the situation. Promise clarity and answers as soon as possible. Now is the time for good leadership, for looking ahead. This provides security and peace of mind to your employees.

As a negative example, consider this case: a company in the financial sector is targeted by the European Union, sends out a statement to the press minutes after it becomes known - and then the CEO keeps the company’s staff in the dark for half a day. Of course, that's not how it works!

You must also prevent the team from contacting the media and the public with different messages. A clear, consistent rule for external communication helps here. Therefore, once again, name the reasons for the crisis and stick to the truth - but not in depth, which could provide the media with further details and prolong the story.

In practice, this usually means using similar language to that used for the media and customers, concentrating your response on the consequences of what this means for the company and the employees. Then come quickly to the solution orientation, the way forward - and offer opportunities for follow-up questions (see point 4).

Very important: Show emotion if there are casualties or deaths, and express honest sympathy. In 2014, a chemical plant exploded near Dresden, one employee died, and many others were injured. The entire company has the death of the team member embedded in its identity to this day, partly because of the grief and care shown by the leadership. The tragedy has welded the team together more strongly.

After the CEO's communication, internal communication comes into play again. As part of the crisis response, make it clear to your company's staff that now, in crisis mode, only two people from the company speak to the outside: the CEO and the company spokesperson as part of the crisis team. Provide a crisis mode language policy for everyone who has customer contact.

Also crucial: explain why this regulation is so important. A certain siege mentality - us against the rest of the world - can't hurt in a crisis!

Announcements, circulars, and staff magazines are the classic internal communication tools. And yet they only offer one-way communication - precisely what is not needed during a crisis.

For three-quarters of employees, up-to-date and regular information is the most important thing in crises. Especially in stormy times, the acute challenges shape the conversations in the team. If you don't give these conversations space, they will happen anyway - just on WhatsApp or other channels where you cannot influence the narrative.

Dialogue with your staff is therefore essential. Criticism and uncomfortable questions are even encouraged in a crisis. This way, the concerns and fears of the employees can be better recognised and counteracted. Do not talk down fears but show empathy and understanding. Otherwise, employees who don't feel they are being listened to can undermine your whole team.

According to a Statista study, only 22% of companies use an employee app for this dialogue - although this option would be especially ideal during crises. The employee app also prevents important information from being passed on only verbally - which can be fatal in times of great uncertainty. Statistics show that out of 30 snippets of information passed on verbally to others, only three are received correctly.

Some crises drag on endlessly and fade into everyday life. Some have a natural conclusion. Don't miss the moment to declare the emergency over when the situation allows it! Following suit from the first CEO announcement of the crisis shows consistency and leadership. And it allows the team to pause momentarily and perhaps even celebrate.

This does not mean that the crisis should be forgotten or not learned from. On the contrary, every crisis is an opportunity to improve company processes and make emergency plans watertight. Affected employees are your most important asset here. They were right in the middle of it and could use their experience to improve the company.