Chapter 7
Restabilizing Yourself and the Organization

This chapter describes 10 actions you can take to help you get back on your feet and the organization back to profitability.

Overview

When the ground shifts—either literally or figuratively—you may find it difficult to regain your balance, much less move forward in a deliberate, planned manner. Yet getting back to business may be just what employees and the organization need. Business as somewhat usual can be a welcome distraction as well as serving as a rallying cause and source of hope for the future. There are also practical reasons—the company needs to make up for lost time in meeting customer needs and demands, keeping competitors at bay, and fulfilling shareholder expectations.

10 Action Steps

Following are 10 actions you can take—in any order—to accelerate the recovery process for you, employees, and the organization.

1. Recognize That There Is No Getting Back to Normal

Getting back to work and getting back to normal are two different things. You can do the former but not the latter. It’s important to acknowledge this fact as soon as possible. Just as you cannot step in the same river twice, you cannot go back to the way things were before a disaster. Your life and the lives of others have been permanently altered.

Delete the phrase “getting back to normal” from your vocabulary, and encourage others to do so. Instead, talk about creating a new state of normalcy that recognizes and builds on the changed circumstances.

To help people move forward rather than remain stuck in the past, address the need to work on mission-critical tasks such as serving customers and helping fellow employees cope. Also, encourage people to get professional help as needed.

2. Make Life a Little Easier

Look for ways to provide employees and their families with support that fosters peace of mind. The littlest things can mean a great deal at times like this, especially if they relieve anxiety and help people get through trying times.

Examples include toll-free numbers that people can call to get updates and other information and to leave messages; special websites with messaging boards; new cell phones, laptops, and briefcases to replace those destroyed or left behind; whistles for people concerned about getting stuck in an elevator; prepaid calling cards; reissued ID cards; flashlights and other battery-operated equipment; water; and food, lots of food.

Having breakfasts, lunches, and frequent snack breaks with other employees can aid in the healing process. The togetherness provides solace and gives people the opportunity to share their tales as well as offer tips for coping.

Also consider arranging for exercise classes, yoga, chair massages, and group walks; this will encourage people to take care of themselves physically too.

3. Expect the Unexpected in the Healing Process

Keep in mind that the healing process is nonlinear, very personal, and extremely complex. Individuals take different amounts of time to heal, based on their personal situations and past experiences, including prior traumas that may be unrelated to the disaster that just happened. It’s also fairly common for people to take three steps forward followed by two steps back.

Don’t be surprised if, five or six months (or even several years) after a disaster, some employees suffer a relapse or become uncomfortable with certain routines—such as flying, staying in a hotel, 104 riding an elevator, or driving a route associated with an evacuation. These activities and others may bring back painful memories.

Some employees may prefer to avoid situations that remind them of the unpleasant event; this is a natural reaction that can help them heal. In any case, make sure that you as well as other managers are sensitive to these issues, and work to accommodate the needs of employees and their families. The goal is to provide a supportive environment without sacrificing business requirements. This can be achieved with some creativity and flexibility.

Encourage affected individuals to get screening and then, if needed, counseling and other support. Help them develop effective coping strategies working with the EAP or other community resources. Also support their participation in follow-up counseling services, especially if they have experienced multiple trauma events. Be aware that some individuals may develop post-traumatic stress disorder, in which case they should receive professional help. (Chapter 8 covers this situation in more detail.)

4. Communicate Often, Even When There Isn’t Much News

People seek answers during a time of crisis, and they want to get information straight from the source, not just from all-news radio, TV, blogs, newspapers, or the grapevine, so make every effort to communicate frequently through a variety of channels.

Also, strive for a balance between messages that are inspirational and those that are practical yet honest. You don’t want to distort reality. But when people are feeling uncertain, anxious, and impatient, they don’t need to feel hopeless at the same time. Look for encouraging signs and convey confidence about the future while showing your support for employees’ current day-to-day needs. Confidence, as long as it is grounded in reality, can give people the courage to carry on today and maintain hope for the future.

5. Be Visible and Persuade All Company Leaders to Do the Same

When leaders are visible, they send three key signals that are critical to recovery:

• They are aware of the impact of the disaster on people as well as on the business.
• 105 They are taking measures to restore the business and the confidence of customers, investors, suppliers, and employees.
• They consider disaster recovery and business continuity top priorities.

Being visible also sends the message that the leaders are approachable and thus understanding and compassionate about the difficult times their employees are experiencing. And as leaders meet with employees in the cafeteria, hallways, and meeting rooms, they’re able to get firsthand information from employees about their experiences. By gathering unfiltered information, the leaders will gain a better sense and appreciation of what’s happening on the front lines.

If possible, during such times leaders should increase their face-to-face time with employees exponentially, especially compared with the amount of time spent sending e-mail and voice-mail messages. Technology is a faster and more efficient way to communicate, but it doesn’t relay the powerful motivating messages that the personal touch does. For leaders to be most effective after a disaster, employees need to see and hear them in action.

6. Find Symbolic Actions That Will Build Credibility as Well as Engage and Inspire Employees

By being the first to move back into the building after a disastrous fire, as explained in the Prologue, the most senior managers at First Interstate Bank made a solid statement about safety. After the Des Moines Register recovered from a flood, the newspaper’s management made T-shirts that said, “We survived the flood of ‘93.” The shirts and the newspaper’s later book, Iowa’s Lost Summer, became treasured souvenirs of a shared ordeal.

Once the shock of a disaster has worn off, find ways for employees to help others, which in turn will help them. One example is the foundation that Edgewater Technology established for the murder victims’ families. Another example is the action that leaders at BancFirst took after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. They organized the collection of needed items, such as bottled water and gloves, for the rescue workers toiling at the nearby Mur-rah Federal Building.

Also, regularly thank and recognize people for their contributions.

7. Encourage People to Talk and Tell Their Stories

It is human nature for people to relate what happened to them during a disaster to anyone who will listen. It’s also natural for others to ask about the incident. Edgewater Technology encouraged its employees to talk to one another after the murders at its Wakefield office, described in Chapter 4 . Managers at the Oklahoma City BancFirst did the same thing and suspended any ideas of productivity for the days immediately after the disaster.

Fostering two-way employee communication is an effective tool in all types of traumatic situations. For example, when Texas Instruments’ chairman died unexpectedly, other leaders encouraged employees at all levels around the world to remember their fallen leader by sharing personal stories. These emotional exchanges not only were cathartic on an individual level but also connected employees across cultures, countries, and job levels. This sharing helped everyone to deal with their grief.

Taking a hit on productivity by encouraging employees to share their stories in the immediate aftermath of a crisis can pay dividends later because talking is a healthy first step to recovery. Days, weeks, months, and even years after an event, some individuals continue to find solace in talking about what happened as well as what they’re currently doing, thinking, and feeling. They may also believe that others will better understand them and their point of view if they provide some context—that is, a description of what happened to them. While others may prefer to move on and not dwell on the past, it’s important that you not rush to silence those who are not ready to put the events behind them.

Also, think about including first-person accounts in your employee publications or on your intranet, even if this is not standard policy. Writing can be healing and other employees may take their peers’ advice more seriously if it’s in a printed record of some kind, especially if their author-colleagues share lessons learned. For example, Agilent Technologies assigned a communications staff member to work with several employees to record their stories of helping with the 9/11 rescue efforts.

8. Adjust Policies, Procedures, and Processes as Necessary

Be reasonable about keeping the business going, and consider adjusting the rules to help employees do their jobs and get on with their lives. For instance, years ago, before laptop computers were common, Liz (the co-author) worked for a consulting firm with an ironclad rule that employees could check out a company-issue laptop for no more than three days in a row. When Liz learned that she would have to live in a hotel room indefinitely while her apartment and the rest of the building were being cleaned of asbestos after an explosion—which meant not having access to her home PC—she asked the office manager for a special waiver. The office manager said no; rules are rules. However, the leaders changed the policy when a cost-benefit calculation indicated that they could recover the cost of a new laptop in about two weeks by allowing Liz to work evenings and weekends in her hotel room.

In addition, the company accounting department was allowing no deviance from the rule that employees must submit original receipts with expense reports. That was a problem because Liz’s original receipts were covered with asbestos dust on her dining room table, and she wouldn’t have access to them for months, if ever. Rather than argue with accounting, Liz asked the credit card company to send her duplicate bills. The call center agent was cooperative and sympathetic, especially when told that Liz was one of the people left homeless after a steam pipe explosion in New York City, which was a national news story.

BancFirst in Oklahoma City didn’t stick hard and fast to company rules concerning time off for attending funerals. The leaders there believed it was especially important for employees in the mortgage department to pay respects to their colleagues at HUD who had died in the 1995 bombing.

Being flexible and relaxing policies, procedures, and processes can go a long way toward helping employees return to productive work.

9. Redefine Professionalism to Fit the Situation

Professionalism does not mean being stoic or acting like a robot. Leaders should be able to express their own pain, grief, and other 108 feelings in the aftermath of a disaster, as long as they’re not contributing to the confusion. The leader who is able to reveal the individual behind the title is seen as more authentic, especially when he or she admits to not knowing all the answers and allows his or her own vulnerability to show. Employees can better connect with such leaders, not just mentally but also emotionally, and will be reassured and inspired by them.

This expression of feelings—especially being empathetic— should not be seen as conflicting with the need to remain dispassionate, which was discussed in Chapter 1 . Rather, it supports the goal of staying connected to those around you, and showing that you understand what’s happening.

10. Take Care of Yourself

Leaders are expected and obligated to safeguard their employees and the organization. But to maintain momentum and provide quality care, you need to look after yourself as well; this includes acknowledging your feelings and dealing with your own emotional state. See the sidebar, “Managing Yourself,” for some suggestions.

Planning the Restabilization

Practicing the actions recommended in this chapter can speed up the healing process, which in turn can improve everyone’s work performance and productivity. However, just as you cannot predict an emergency or disaster, you cannot anticipate exactly how you, other leaders, or your employees will react and recover.

If you regularly plan and practice simulations, you can at least get some idea of how people will respond. Nonetheless, the past, whether real or simulated, is a limited indicator of future performance. You need to be prepared for wide variations along the human dimension as you build your business continuity plan. Knowing the range of potential reactions and how to respond appropriately will go a long way toward helping you restabilize yourself, your employees, and the organization.

Action Steps

1. Consider how the contingent HR policies you have developed based on the discussion of Chapter 3 will support the recovery process. How flexible are they in meeting employees’ needs and enabling them to return to work and heal simultaneously?
2. Put together a list of people you can call or count on to help you personally when a disaster strikes. You may want to consult people you know who have already gone through a disaster to ask them about their experiences, including what they would do differently the next time.
3. When you practice simulations as part of your business continuity plan, be sure to take into account how people may be expected to react.