DOES YOUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY HAVE A CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN?

It's difficult enough to plan for things that are happening, let alone the things that might happen. And yet, having a crisis communication plan is a vital element of any successful construction company. When the proverbial crisis does hit the fan (and statistics show your company will, at some point, encounter a crisis of some kind) preparation is key to weathering the storm (perhaps, literally...), responding effectively and maintaining a professional and responsive front for your clients and the public at large.

IMPLEMENTING A CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN IS VITAL TO YOUR COMPANY'S LONG-TERM SUCCESS
Crises come in many forms. On the small scale, it may be a major jobsite snafu or deal-gone-wrong that results in bad press. Without an effective communication plan in place, the wrong information can be released to the wrong people and the results can be disastrous for your brand. On the larger scale, a catastrophic event or jobsite fatality will require a similar plan so that actions taken are logical, organized and efficient.

Crisis communication plans are put in place as a foundation of action, a set informational resource and they also serve as a guideline for practice sessions, which should be used at least annually - bi-annually is better - to ensure everyone knows their role and can execute it proficiently.

There are a few, more specific, reasons why a crisis communication plan is important:

It gives employees a set plan. A minor crisis may be survivable without a set plan but a major crisis will send your employees running willy-nilly around the site, without anybody knowing exactly what should be done or who should do it. A crisis plan will provide an outline for employee actions, behavior and responses so the rumor mill is shut down early and/or organized action can be taken.
Your first statement and actions will be strong. Your plan gives your company the luxury of making a strong and accurate "first statement" so the public knows that things are under control from the outset.
Create swift steps for actions/response. Finally, your plan will outline the key players, their roles and who reports to whom so that swift action and responses can be taken and made without relying on the rushed decision making that occurs when adrenaline is pumping and management and personnel are acting purely on misaligned instincts.
STEPS FOR CREATING A CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN
There are several steps to creating a crisis communication, and you are best off setting a specific time frame for getting it done or you may find it is a lingering item on the "To-Do" list that never gets checked off. Construction Business Owner recommends adopting a feasible 10/30/90 day calendar.

Days 1-10: Assemble your crisis team. This would be a combination of players, perhaps the owner, construction managers and key employee and front-line (receptionist, security guards, etc.) point-persons.
Days 10-30: Begin assessing a variety of crisis scenarios and adopt a written plan of how each one should be handled. This plan should be as specific as possible, using members of your crisis team as points of contact. It's a living, breathing document that will be modified as your company evolves.
Days 30-60: Practice your initial plan, find the weak spots and make revisions and changes as necessary.
Days 60-90: Make your plan visible and educate employees about its existence. Have copies in the office, onsite job trailers and digital copies should be available via your construction project management software so it can be immediately accessed and implemented if necessary.
Here are some of the topics or subjects that should be highlighted in your company's crisis communication plan:

Who is the audience? Each crisis scenario would have a particular audience. This audience may consist of survivors, relatives, off-site employees, customers/clients, vendors, subcontractors, the public, company investors, government officials, etc. Once you've established your audience, contact lists should be compiled and stored so they are immediately accessible.

What message needs to be conveyed? When a crisis or incident occurs, the crisis team must ask itself, "How does the incident affect my order, job, safety, community…?" The answer(s) to these questions will help you create specific scripts that address individual scenarios. These scenarios include things like:

Jobsite accidents or fatalities
Damage to jobsite property or company facilities
Injuries, illnesses or toxic exposure by non-employees on or near your site
Potential liability as a result of an incident
Product quality issues
The ready.gov website is a thorough resource for outlining how a crisis communication plan/script can be created and implemented.

Are we well-practiced? Practice is essential to the success of your crisis communication plan. It can be a little uncomfortable for employees at first but they will value the security of knowing what to do in the event of an emergency - however small or large that may be.


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