For any organisation, large or small, your staff are your brand ambassadors and vital to your reputation and the success of your business.
Yet, while companies invest in their marketing and corporate comms, internal communication can be the poor relation – because responsibility for it is often poorly defined.
When a major issue or crisis hits – prompt and effective internal communication is essential to how you handle the matter and, crucially, how you are perceived to have handled it.
Communication in a crisis
Most organisations will have a crisis management plan and they should have a crisis communications plan too. If not, Mosaic’s experts – who include former police communications specialists and former journalists – can help you.
Don’t wait until a crisis looms – reputations take years to build and moments to destroy.
Does your plan define who has responsibility for internal comms? It can be extremely damaging if members of your staff clearly have no idea what’s going on, what they should say and do and where they should refer customers’ queries.
Managing your message
You may not be able to control what is happening in a crisis, but it is essential to show you are taking measured steps to regain control and manage the situation. That includes managing your message. Your staff should be an asset, whether on the front desk, answering the telephones or supporting those affected.
Their safety and wellbeing should, of course, be the highest priority, But they also need to know what information is in the public domain, what your organisation is saying and doing and who/where they should refer inquiries to. They shouldn’t have to get their information from unsubstantiated rumours or social media.
Don’t forget to thank, debrief and support them after the event – including getting their honest feedback so you can improve your processes.
Mosaic’s crisis communications training can help you to sharpen up and test your communications plans, as well as providing hands-on practice writing internal, external and media communications. We also provide crisis support to a range of organisations. Get in touch to see how we can help. Call us on 01206 841933 or email training@mosaicpublicity.co.uk