DEALING WITH MANAGEMENT CRISIS
Just like people, strong companies are judged by their ability to withstand a crisis. The ability of a company to be resilient in the midst of a huge crisis shows the company’s grit. Crises come unannounced and cause disruptions in the normal functions of a company. Systems in a company cannot operate as normal in the event of a crisis dawning upon the company. No company has immunity to crises. It is, therefore, vital for any company to prepare for disasters. The anticipation of crises helps a company not to be extremely vulnerable to crises. The element of anticipation creates a level of preparedness for the company to deal with the crises. Crises come in every form, from natural disasters to cyber terrorism attacks. Company scandals to loss of goods and so forth. The current global coronavirus pandemic is an example of a crisis faced by all companies in the world today. Crisis management is, therefore, a critical component for any company.
Depending on the type of crisis, there are different ways of mitigating the crises. Responsive crisis management involves getting a plan ready that goes hand in hand with the crisis. Responsive management involves setting up actions that tackle the crisis as it is ongoing. This way of mitigating the crisis consists in directing actions towards the crisis as it unfolds within the company. Proactive management on the other hand involves anticipating for a crisis and preparing appropriately for the particular crisis in mind. This actions are usually informed by a previous occurrence of the crisis. This way of mitigating a crisis involves a company initiating actions towards the crisis before it befalls the company. An example is setting up a data protection system before data leaks occur or building earth quake resistant offices before an earth quake takes place. Lastly, recovery crisis management involves actions that deal with the aftermath of the crisis. In other instances, it is impossible to control a crisis before it causes damage, recovery management measures aim to mitigate the damage caused by the crisis. This type of management involves actions such as issuance of a public apology and so forth.
However, for any type of management of the crisis, setting up of particular measures place the company at a better position to handle the crisis. The first action for any company is to identify an individual within company with the skill set to manage the crisis. This individual will be in charge of the team chosen to handle the problem. A crisis management team mitigates the crisis better than the entire employee force. Any company should therefore always have a crisis management team in place to handle any crises that may erupt within the company. Trainings and drills for employees on crisis management are also paramount. Frequent occurrence of these actions help the company’s work force acquire basic skills that come in handy in the mitigation of a crisis. The frequency increases the level of preparedness of the company’s employees.
The crisis response team, is mandated to plan and prepare for any eruptions of crises. Planning involves setting up different approaches that can help solve the crises. This involves setting up of systems to boost the level of preparedness, such as systems that can detect a looming crisis and inform on the oncoming crisis. In addition, setting up a list of key persons to contact in the event of a crisis is vital. This list should be made accessible for any employee within the company. Planning also involves identifying a specific assembly area in the event of a crisis such as a fire. Apart from planning, the crisis management team for the company also has the responsibility to set up appropriate measures to handle the crisis. The team steers the company’s steps towards mitigation of the crises. These steps should be well informed and tested. These particular measures are key for any company in the event of a crisis. It is therefore paramount for every company to adopt and implement them for survival of the companies in cases of crisis. A lack of implementation can lead to disastrous outcomes for a company.