How to Keep Communication Fluid and Free of Misinformation in a Crisis

How fast should companies react in times of crisis? Faster than the speed of misinformation. Unfortunately, for countless numbers of times, gossip and rumors proved they can outrace the truth.

Doubt, fear, and false hope are quick to infiltrate themselves seamlessly and plant decay. Groups of people are turning against each other. Criticism is corrupting the foundation of our very society. Businesses are shutting down their doors.

He turned away, and suddenly she thought about the old children’s story, where the stupid girl opens the box that God gave her, and all the evils of the world fly out, except Hope, which stays at the bottom; and she wondered what Hope was doing in there in the first place, in with all the bad things. Then the answer came to her, and she wondered how she could’ve been so stupid. Hope was in there because it was evil too, probably the worst of them all, so heavy with malice and pain that it couldn’t drag itself out of the opened box.

― K.J. Parker, Sharps

The problem is, it’s hard to fast-track deception. Especially during a pandemic, there’s no time for reflection. Businesses have to act quickly and contain problems before they reach damaging proportions.

Communication has this special ability that glues pieces of reality together. Your opinion might contain a synthetic seed. But others armed with their own perspective and sources can surgically remove it. The key is to let honesty prevail, no matter how uncertain the situation is.

Keep the channels of communication clear, unclogged by any impediments. In the following lines, we’ll talk about the main crisis communication directions.

1. Assign colleagues responsible for internal communication channels

Crisis communication might be needed now and then. It’s never a full-time job. However, its existence is crucial whenever companies hit a hurdle. Therefore, it requires a special team of its own.

First of all, this team should be kept small. Any more than seven people and communication might get murky and unclear from the very beginning. The selection should also cover a variety of departments: management, Human Resources, and, of course, an expert in crisis communication, if available.

Their regular meetings should be the headquarters of crisis information. Any official update should leave from this appointed team. Lastly, the discourse should be succinct, without any room for interpretation or ambiguity.

2. Internal communication

What is the most important resource in a company? I hope there is one conventional answer which is employees. To do their job well, they always need to know where their organization is heading.

In times of crisis, the internal compass invariably changes its North. Naturally, employees seek guidance from their leaders. It is important for any committed professional to hear words of reassurance from their managers or CEOs.

Now more than ever, leaders have to be vocal about their decisions. Employees have to know why certain decisions were made, what the new expectations are of them, and what measures are in place to consolidate their future in their company.

As long as each notification remains timely and relevant, there’s no reason for doubt to take root. Even though leaders themselves aren’t aware of the full details and implications of their decisions yet, it’s better to have a talk now than to postpone it indefinitely.

3. Communication with clients

When the day of tomorrow is uncertain, customers expect companies to deepen their commitment to their community. Therefore, a slew of actions must take place:

• Tell them the truth. Use your channels of communication with your clients to inform them of the new stand the company is taking to tackle a crisis. It’s better for them to learn the news from the source than to hear it through external means.
• Sign creative partners in the conversation. A crisis implies that brands take on a committed voice. However, certain partners can wrap the message in layers of empathy and expressiveness with a calming effect on the public. These can be social media influencers who are already fully involved in comforting their followers.
• Adjust offerings with the goal of providing relief. A change in terms and conditions can go a long way. Those who comforted clients at their worst will be remembered when the public rises again. So far, plenty of brands announced some new rules catered to all those consumers impacted by sudden isolation. For instance, Coursera offered support to universities whose campuses were closed indefinitely by making online courses free for their students.
• Adjust marketing campaigns. The intrusive tone that online ads were generally adopting feels quite at odds when all news talk about is a global health concern. Companies should strive for relevancy, and that includes their advertising plans. It’s safer in challenging times to empathize than to take advantage of the situation for profit.

4. Communication with investors

Another group that needs companies’ close attention is that of investors or shareholders. They are a vital part of the organization and their doubts should be dispelled from the beginning. Not by hopeful reassurances, but by revealing the full scale of the crisis, strategy adaptations, and actions to be taken to address the issues.

Breaking down communication in times of crisis with the investors:

• Notify business partners immediately of the start of difficult times;
• Reorganize the relationship to accommodate the new situation. During a pandemic, when people have to stay home to prevent a major spread, companies are holding their meetings online. Given these conditions, companies should set up new programs to secure quality digital meetings with their business partners;
• Keep investors updated on the latest decisions regarding the future of the company.

Communication is paramount in any crisis

When faced with a crisis, the first thing that happens is that the self-preservation instinct kicks in. This innate drive is telling us to take care of us first.

However, the collective nature of companies and their two-way relationship with customers will always promote communication at the basis of any solution. Companies can’t save themselves without taking care of employees, clients, and partners first.