Corporate Risk Management: Emergency & Term Paper

These plans must also be communicated in as simple a way as possible. People are more likely to remember the steps they need to take when these are presented in a clear, easy to remember style. A summary of the contingency handbook should therefore be displayed prominently around the workplace at all times. In this way, a combination of written and oral communication during pre-crisis training underscores oral communication during the crisis itself.

During the recovery period after the crisis, communication helps to mitigate future crisis events. Once again, trust is the key to success for such communication. This trust is most effectively established prior to a crisis situation. If the crisis was handled effectively and calmly via communication, post-crisis communication and trust should not present any problems.

Post-crisis communication should then entail an examination and assessment of the crisis that occurred. This assessment is measured against the existing contingency plan and its effectiveness to mitigate the crisis and help people remain calm. The written plan can then be mitigated according to the findings of the assessment.The assessment can occur both in spoken and written language, while the existing contingency plan can be modified in writing. It is important to include all personnel members and obtain their input regarding the effectiveness of the contingency plan. This will be helpful in establishing trust for future crisis situations.

In all three stages of crisis communication; prior to, during and after the crisis situation, trust is central to effective communication. In order to establish such trust, personnel must feel that they are part of the communication process in terms of input and contingency plan creation. Most of this trust is established before the crisis situation. It is therefore vitally important that pre-crisis communication occur at the highest level of two-way input between management and personnel members......