International Expatriate Crisis Management Planning.

Across the world incidents that can threaten or harm your employees working abroad are continually occurring. These include:

• Acts of terrorism, war and political unrest.
• Piracy
• Hostage taking
• Natural disasters including earthquakes, erupting volcanoes, forest fires, floods and hurricanes.
• Personal Illness and injury
• Pandemic and epidemic diseases.

What plans do you have in place to manage a major incident that had a direct effect on your employees living abroad?

Since emergency situations will occur, pre-planning is necessary to prevent possible disaster. An urgent need for rapid decisions, shortage of time, and lack of resources and trained personnel can lead to chaos during a crisis. Time and circumstances in a crisis mean that normal channels of authority and communication cannot be relied upon to function routinely. The stress of the situation can also lead to poor judgement resulting in additional casualties and potential for greater loss.

Although emergencies by definition are sudden events, their occurrence can often be predicted with some degree of certainty. Incidents pose a threat to the business (finance and reputation) and/or the ability of the employees involved to carry out their duties.

Typically, significant incidents fall into the categories: man made or induced, natural or personal:

Man made or induced:

• Fire
• Explosion
• Building Collapse
• Major Structural failure
• Accidental or deliberate release of toxic substance or biological agent
• Terrorist activities
• Political activity

Natural:

• Flood
• Earthquake
• Severe or freak weather conditions
• Disease or pandemic illness

Personal:

• Accident, severe illness or death of employee or accompanying family
• Accident, severe illness or death of close relative at home
• Breakdown of marriage or relationship
• Pregnancy or child birth
• Arrest, detention or kidnapping of employee or accompanying family member
• Burglary or loss of money or personal belongings.

Many factors determine what procedures are needed in a crisis such as:

• The degree of emergency
• The number of people affected
• The capabilities of the organisation in a crisis situation
• The immediacy of outside aid
• The geographical location or physical layout or structure of the premises

Common elements to be considered in all crises include pre-crisis preparation and provisions for alerting and evacuating staff, handling casualties and for containment of the emergency. Phased states of alert with defined levels of authority should be initiated to enable management and control of the situation.

Beyond basic survival employees needs following an emergency incident are:

• Immediate aid and assurance of safety
• Information and reassurance
• Understanding and ongoing support

Associates, colleagues and family members also have variations on these same needs.

In the aftermath of a traumatic incident employees expect management to provide services that demonstrate caring and compassion.

Crisis Management Team.

A Crisis Management Team (CMT) should be set up. The role of the CMT would be to coordinate crisis activities and decisions in the event of an emergency.

HR Management Support can help you to develop a Crisis Management Plan. This will include an assessment of the nature, degree and likelihood of threats to corporate interests (personnel, facilities, information and other assets) to determine the vulnerability of company personnel, facilities, or assets to those threats.

Don’t leave it until an incident occurs. Put a plan together now which will help to protect your employees and your business should the worst happen.