When a workplace crisis hits, employees don’t turn to a flowchart or an operations manual. They turn to people.
They look for clarity, reassurance, and leadership, often finding it in the HR team.
Whether it’s a public health emergency, a natural disaster, or a reputational threat, HR plays a uniquely human role in organizational response. It's not just about policies and procedures. It’s about trust. The ability to guide people through uncertainty, support leaders, and help the entire organization regain its footing.
“HR professionals must be equipped to handle emergencies, whether it's a natural disaster, workplace accident, or a public relations crisis.”
— Day Off
That readiness, both operational and emotional, is what makes HR essential before, during, and after a crisis.
Understanding the Types of Crises HR May Face
Crises come in many forms, and each requires a slightly different response. HR professionals who understand the range of possible disruptions can prepare more effectively. This goes beyond having a written protocol; it requires the mindset, communication strategy, and support systems to help people navigate uncertainty.
While no single plan fits every situation, the most common types of crises fall into four broad categories. Understanding these categories helps HR leaders tailor their training, preparation, and response strategies more effectively.
1. operational disruptions
These crises often involve damage to infrastructure, systems, or the physical work environment. Examples include natural disasters like hurricanes, snowstorms, or earthquakes, as well as fires, power outages, or IT infrastructure failures.
While operations may halt temporarily, the human impact is often immediate: missed paychecks, disrupted routines, and safety concerns. HR must be ready to communicate clearly, coordinate remote work or alternate arrangements, and ensure employees feel supported even when systems are down.
2. health and Safety threats
This category includes events that affect employees' physical well-being, such as workplace accidents, public health emergencies (like COVID-19), or even active shooter situations.
These crises require HR to act quickly and in coordination with legal and safety teams. Responses may involve navigating compliance with OSHA or public health regulations, communicating changing safety procedures, and making sure affected employees receive appropriate care and accommodations.
3. Reputational Risks
Reputation-related crises often unfold in the public eye. These may include social media missteps, high-profile misconduct, or other incidents that bring negative attention to the organization.
Although they may seem more like PR issues, reputational crises can have a deep internal impact. Employees may feel uncertain, scrutinized, or disconnected from company values. HR must support leadership in restoring trust while ensuring internal communications are honest, timely, and emotionally aware.
4. internal conflicts
Some of the most disruptive crises stem from inside the organization. Allegations of a toxic workplace, including harassment or discrimination, ethical violations, or the sudden resignation or misconduct of a senior leader can shake employee morale and trust.
HR must lead with integrity in these moments, balancing transparency and confidentiality, enforcing policies consistently, and making space for employees to voice concerns. The way HR responds to internal crises often shapes the culture far beyond the moment itself.
Leading During a Crisis
Once a crisis begins, HR steps into an active leadership role, helping to stabilize the organization while keeping employees informed, supported, and safe.
Communication becomes the first priority. HR must ensure messages come from credible voices, are delivered through multiple channels, and strike the right tone. Even without all the answers, timely updates provide clarity and help reduce speculation. Transparency, paired with empathy, goes a long way in maintaining morale.
At the same time, HR must navigate compliance and fairness. Emergencies often bring shifting legal requirements, especially around leave, workplace safety, or accommodations. By staying informed and ensuring consistent application of policies, HR protects both the organization and its people.
Support for frontline managers is just as important. These individuals serve as the primary point of contact for most employees and often absorb the emotional weight of the situation. HR can help them succeed by:
- Providing message templates and quick-reference guides
- Scheduling short check-ins to keep managers aligned and supported
- Acting as a resource for questions that arise in real time
Strong manager support ensures that leadership remains steady across all levels of the organization.
Supporting Recovery and Building Long-Term Resilience
The end of the crisis is not the end of HR’s role. Recovery offers a critical opportunity to reflect, re-center, and strengthen the organization’s capacity for future challenges.
learning from the experience
Once stability returns, HR should lead efforts to review what happened. This includes facilitating after-action conversations, gathering employee feedback, and updating plans based on lessons learned. Honest evaluation of communication gaps, leadership challenges, or policy blind spots creates a blueprint for smarter responses next time.
Improvements don’t have to be large-scale. HR might refine notification protocols, revise training materials, or clarify responsibilities for key teams. Even small steps can make a significant impact when the next crisis hits.
reconnecting to culture
Crises can create disconnection. HR can help rebuild by reinforcing shared values, recognizing acts of adaptability or teamwork, and facilitating opportunities for teams to reconnect more personally. A few well-placed acknowledgments or team debriefs can help employees move from survival mode back into a shared sense of mission.
At times, recovery also requires rethinking policies or practices. HR should work with leadership to ensure the organization’s systems continue to reflect the evolving needs of its workforce.
Supporting Long-Term WEll-being
Crisis stress doesn’t vanish when business returns to normal. Employees may still be dealing with fatigue, anxiety, or grief, especially if the crisis involved personal loss or extended disruption.
HR can support recovery by continuing to promote mental health resources, offering flexibility when possible, and encouraging managers to check in with empathy and attentiveness. These actions build loyalty and trust that last long after the immediate disruption is over.
In some cases, recovery efforts may require more structured mental health strategies. For example:
- Partnering with employee assistance programs to offer group sessions or one-on-one consultations can help normalize conversations about emotional recovery.
- Creating optional peer support groups allows employees to process the experience together, reducing isolation.
- Reinforcing boundaries around time off, workload expectations, and availability helps prevent burnout during the transition back to routine.
When HR takes an active role in emotional recovery, it sends a clear message: the organization values its people, not just its productivity.
Is Your HR Team Crisis-Ready?
While no two crises are the same, the foundation for an effective response is remarkably consistent. HR teams that prepare thoughtfully—before pressure mounts—are better positioned to protect both people and the organization.
Here is a 6-STEP checklist to assess your current readiness:
- Do you have an up-to-date crisis plan that includes HR-specific responsibilities?
- Are communication roles and internal channels clearly defined for emergencies?
- Have you conducted drills or tabletop exercises to test your response strategy?
- Are mental health resources and support systems accessible and well-publicized?
- Do managers have basic training in crisis leadership and communication?
- Is there a process in place to debrief and learn from past disruptions?
Even if you can’t answer “yes” to every question today, reviewing this list regularly can help identify gaps and prioritize next steps.
When you partner with Ulliance, our Life Advisor Consultants are always just a phone call away to teach ways to enhance your work/life balance and increase your happiness. The Ulliance Life Advisor Employee Assistance Program can help employees and employers come closer to a state of total well-being.
Investing in the right EAP or Wellness Program to support your employees will help them and help you. Visit https://ulliance.com/ or call 866-648-8326.
The Ulliance Employee Assistance Program can address the
following issues:
• Stress about work or job performance
• Crisis in the workplace
• Conflict resolution at work or in one’s personal life
• Marital or relationship problems
• Child or elder care concerns
• Financial worries
• Mental health problems
• Alcohol/substance abuse
• Grief
• Interpersonal conflicts
• AND MORE!
References:
5 Tips for Communicating with Employees During a Crisis; Harvard Business Review
https://hbr.org/2020/07/5-tips-for-communicating-with-employees-during-a-crisis
6 Steps for HR Leaders to Navigate Crises; Society for Human Resources Management https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/6-steps-hr-leaders-to-navigate-crises
HR’s Role in Crisis Management: Preparing for the Unexpected; Day Off
https://day-off.app/2024/01/01/hrs-role-in-crisis-management-preparing-for-the-unexpected
The Role of HR in Crisis Management; LinkedIn; Avelia S.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/role-hr-crisis-management-avelia-stewart-cphr-shrm-scp-1fchc/