𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Employees will likely be exposed to conflicting information and feel anxious or confused about the best course of action. Be sure to communicate policies promptly, clearly, and in a balanced manner. Furthermore, communicate contextual information and the reasoning behind policies so that employees can deepen their own understanding and also take initiative in unanticipated situations, such as employee holidays in a restricted location or how to handle contractors.

𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀: Restrictions on travel and congregation will trigger employee needs for access to education, health care, daily provisions, and the like. You should anticipate and develop solutions to these and create an information hub where employees can find all the information they need. Many of these needs will be locally specific, requiring a multi-tiered approach to policymaking.

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹: Make sure that travel policies are clear in terms of where employees can travel to, for what reasons, what authorizations are required, and when the policy will be reviewed.

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: Be clear on your policies — where they apply, how they will work, and when they will be reviewed. Homeworking is rare in some geographies, like China for example, and the need for additional explanation should be anticipated.

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Attempt to stabilize supply chains by using safety stocks, alternative sources, and working with suppliers to solve bottlenecks. Where rapid solutions are not possible, co-develop plans, put in place interim solutions, and communicate plans to all relevant stakeholders.

𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: It’s likely that the crisis will create unpredictable fluctuations. Put in place rapid-reporting cycles so that you can understand how your business is being affected, where mitigation is required, and how quickly operations are recovering. A crisis doesn’t imply immunity from performance management, and sooner or later markets will judge which companies managed the challenge most effectively.

𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: As a corporate citizen, you should support others in your supply chain, industry, community, and local government. Consider how your business can contribute, be it in health care, communications, food, or some other domain. Focus on the intersection between acute social needs and your specific capabilities, in other words, live your purpose.

#COVID19 #CoronaVirus #BeYourBest #WorldsFinest #HavardBusinessNews