Six Employee Communication Strategies During Times of Crisis

Communication with our teams is always important, but in today’s environment, effective communication is vital. I know all aspects of our lives and the world have been affected. From a business perspective, we have some businesses that are doing well, and we have some that are struggling to just hang on and everything in between. But regardless of where you fall on that spectrum, my guess is that your relationships with customers and employees have been impacted.

Now, obviously, the role of a leader has changed significantly – almost overnight – due to the challenges that the world is facing following the coronavirus pandemic. Just the way leaders interact with their employees is changing for most organizations. Effective leadership has probably never been more important than it is right now. But even in these strange times, we can take comfort in knowing that sound leadership principles

by Dennis Snow

are still effective. The execution of those principles might be changing, but foundational principles don’t change.

When I reflect on my 20 years working at Walt Disney World, one of the leadership principles at the heart of my Disney experience was this: Be relentless in communicating your vision with the team.

There is a photo of Walt Disney at a storyboard that is one of my favorites. He always made sure everyone knew the vision. Communication with our teams is always important, but in today’s environment, communication is vital. In this time of uncertainty, your people are hungry for information. I’m sure you’re all staying in touch with your people. I think we’ve learned more about Zoom in the last few months than we ever wanted to know.

Here are six communication strategies that might be helpful for you right now. that might be helpful for you right now. 1. Communicate with your team regularly.

Make sure you are communicating with your team regularly, at least twice a day, if not more. Whether it’s through virtual or in-person team huddles – socially distanced, of course – or any other approach, employees appreciate regular interaction with their leader. Just morning and afternoon Zoom check-ins can provide the connections that people crave during uncertain times. Err on the side of too much communication rather than too little. People naturally fill in communication gaps with their own speculation or information from the rumor mill.

2. Be a storyteller.

Stories provide a wonderful way of engaging the hearts of your people. Share stories that you’re hearing about team members that have gone above and beyond. Share customer success stories. Or, even better, have your people share stories. One way or another, be a storyteller.

3. Be upbeat, but realistic.

People appreciate optimism. They want to hear good things that might be happening, but at the same time, they want to know that you understand the challenges, which leads to point No. 4.

4. Be transparent.

Not all news might be good, and you might not have all the answers. But people appreciate honesty. It’s OK to say, “This is the best information I have right now, but it could change tomorrow.” What really frustrates employees, especially during tough times, is when they have no idea what’s going on. 5. Be empathetic.

Your folks might be worried about their jobs, and they are definitely worried about their families. If people need to vent or express their concerns, let them do it. Again, you might not have all the answers to their issues, but at least demonstrate that you care.

6. Be appreciative.

Always, always, always let your folks know how much you appreciate their hard work during this difficult time. They are likely dealing with highly stressed and frustrated customers, and those customers are taking their frustrations out on your people. Let them know that you know that. Everyone loves to feel appreciated, especially now.

Are you communicating with your employees in a way that builds their trust in you as a leader during these extra challenging times? S

DENNIS SNOW is the president of Snow & Associates Inc. Dennis worked with The Walt Disney Co. for 20 years and now consults with organizations around the world, helping them achieve their customer service goals. He is the author of “Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service” and “Lessons From the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World’s Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your Life.” You can reach Snow at 407-294-1855 or visit his website at www.snowassociates.com.

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