The coronavirus has caught everyone by surprise. Some smaller nonprofits that didn’t already have an emergency response plan may be scrambling. Still, everyone’s crisis plan is evolving, because the situation is changing daily.
How are you communicating about your evolving plan with your employees?
Internal communications in response to COVID-19 have to go way beyond “wash your hands and stay home if you’re sick.” A few informal conversations with a few nonrepresentative nonprofit leaders suggest to me that some leaders have not yet realized how anxious their people are.
Sure, people are afraid of getting sick. They’re probably even more afraid for their children or their elderly parents.
But they’re also worried about a suite of issues that come down to “Will I be paid?”
Your HR policies cover sick leave. But if COVID-19 becomes a crisis, your people want to know:
- Can I get more sick leave than I’ve accrued?
- Can I work from home?
- How long can I be quarantined (sick or not) and still get paid?
- Will I be paid if events are cancelled or the organization shuts down? This question is particularly relevant to hourly and contingent employees.
- Will I get my credits? Remember the concerns of volunteers who are “paid” in school credits or with third-party stipends that are dependent on their hours.
If these questions don’t suggest others that apply specifically to your staff, ask them. Be sure to include part-time, contingent, and volunteer staff as well as full-timers. Here’s why:
- They do have questions. Guaranteed.
- Not knowing the answers is making them anxious.
- Being anxious makes it hard for them to attend to their work (or anything else).
- Having answers that are as full and honest as possible will make them better able to bring their whole selves to their work.
Even if you’re still figuring out your crisis plan, tell people that’s what you’re doing. Tell them who’s on the planning team and how to share input. In fact, consider setting up a mechanism for involving everyone in planning.
As the plan evolves, continue to communicate as much as you can.
“As much as you can” may not be everything. You have to be realistic about the possibility that what you say to staff may also get to outsiders, especially when it’s in writing.
If you are struggling with the fine line between honest internal communication and prudent external communication, contact me for a free consultation. Though crisis communication isn’t my field, I can help you think through the issues.
How is your nonprofit dealing with internal communications? Share your ideas and questions below.