Managing a crisis.
Face-to-face interaction should occur regularly, but HR professionals emphasize that it is even more important in times of crisis, such as in the wake of a natural disaster, business merger or layoffs. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, United Rentals took an unusual step to reach out to its employees. Since banks and ATMs were closed, employees had no way of getting money. So the company dispatched an HR leader to the Gulf Coast carrying cash to give to employees so they could buy essentials. “Under extraordinary circumstances, you do extraordinary things to take care of your team,” Pintoff says.Having informal chats with employees can also help reduce anxiety over impending mergers and layoffs and provide information to help them plan.