It seems like 2020 was just one huge crisis after another, right?
First, there were the bush fires. Then there was covid-19. (Honestly, do I need to say anything more?)
And for you small-medium businesses out there, I’m sure you’ve had your work cut out for you. From figuring out how to transition online to holding the fort at home, it certainly hasn’t been easy.
So, now, after a year of dealing with the unprecedented, what’s our takeaway from this? One is that no matter how much we think we’ve figured out, there’s actually very little that’s under our control. Another is that there really is no clear-cut blueprint for dealing with a crisis.
However, it helps to have the right guiding principles or core values in place:
1.) Clarity.
One of the most unsettling things about a crisis is the uncertainty it brings. How long will it last? When will things get back to normal?
Sure, those questions are easy enough to answer when your server is down or a popular item is out of stock. But when a worldwide crisis like covid-19 hits your company, the way forward isn’t exactly clear.
So, how do you deal? You communicate. With as much transparency as you can.
A crisis presents an opportunity for you to re-evaluate your company’s priorities and to reassure your customers that you’ve still got their best interests at heart. The same goes for your employees too.
A lot of them will likely worry about the future of the company and their jobs. Be sure to keep a conversation going so that you can also learn about what matters them, so you can respond accordingly.
2.) Empathy.
This is especially important in the midst of a crisis. The ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and to imagine their pain is critical to effective leadership. How else can you come up with policies and messaging that have the right amount of heart?
Take note that actually having empathy is different from expressing it. It’s one thing to tell your employees that you’re there for them, and another to cut them extra slack during a difficult situation.
Between those two, which one do you think is more sincere? And more effective in demonstrating empathy?
3.) Service.
As with empathy, it’s one thing to express the need for action and another to act on it. Even the best intentions count for nothing if they’re not accompanied by the right actions.
Acts of service should be the culmination of clarity and empathy. What can your company do to truly uplift its stakeholders and clients?
For some, this can mean giving back to their client base. Even small perks like free shipping or waiving processing fees during a crisis can help. If your company can afford it, you can also offer a bit of extra support to your employees. Free online counselling services, a few more days of paid leave, and the like will go a long way.
And in case you’re fretting over how all this seems more like acts of charity than marketing, remember this. People will never forget how your company responded during a crisis, and you can bet that this will reflect upon which companies they’ll continue to patronize once things go back to normal.
Lastly, don’t be scared to make use of technology. Outsourcing certain tasks, for instance, can help your company survive during a crisis as this lowers your overhead costs. A distributed team also allows you to offer 24/7 customer support and enables you to tap into a wider range of talent.
Remote Staff has had more than a decade of experience in recruiting and onboarding top Filipino remote talent. Let us give you a helping hand in experiencing the benefits of outsourcing and getting started on the right foot.
Click here to give us a call or here to schedule a callback.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home.
