Seven ways leaders can support employees and maintain trust, stability, and productivity during times of workplace crisis.

Crisis management is one of the most significant challenges that a leader can encounter at work. When leaders lack expertise, their organizations become more vulnerable to risks. Any actions taken during a crisis can inadvertently erode the leader's and organization's credibility, which can have lasting consequences for customers and employees.  Misinformation, disinformation, and confusion can all run rampant, undermining trust and creating a significant shift to a company's standard operating practices. Employees may feel that they are being left in the dark, leading to concerns about their future and feeling unsupported. This can prompt disengagement at a time when teamwork will be crucial to the organization's recovery. Employee uncertainty can lower morale, reduce productivity and even increase turnover. Ultimately, organizations attempting to operate without clear direction risk descending into circumstances where inefficiencies, misaligned priorities, financial losses, reputational damage, and potential legal issues can take hold. 

Whether the crisis is caused by an economic downturn, industry-wide disruptions, a natural disaster, or unexpected global events, the pressure to take decisive action can overwhelm an underprepared leader. Employees need clear guidance to feel confident in their well-being. They seek reassurance and support. The most effective crisis managers understand that navigating out of the turmoil is far more complex than holding a position that is merely focusing on survival. To lead during a crisis, leaders must confidently provide direction through uncertainty, provide clarity and demonstrate compassion. Expressions of trust and adaptability will help employees feel valued and more secure, even in turbulent times. Leaders can model resilience by focusing on key areas such as transparent communication, workplace flexibility, and employee well-being. This approach can help the organization emerge from crises stronger than before. 

This article explores seven essential strategies to help leaders manage crises more effectively, ensuring stability and supporting long-term operations while protecting the workforce. 

1. Understand crisis leadership 

Leading during a crisis is about far more than just damage control. Leaders need to be decisive, communicate clearly and demonstrate adaptability to offer employees stability and vision. Operating with emotional intelligence can help balance the need for rapid response by considering essential leadership principles such as "empathy, curiosity, bravery and kindness," often diminished during a crisis.1 Establishing boundaries for decision-making to determine what "needs to be escalated, by when, and to whom" will support action.2  While there is undoubtedly a need to consider the long-term implications of decisions, failing to act can be far worse.  

One leader who demonstrated this depth of understanding is New Zealand’s former prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. Her response during the 2019 Christchurch Mosque shootings led New Zealand to change its gun laws only two days after the attack because “that is what the public expected of us” and “it was [her government’s] responsibility to take action.”3   

2. Introduce stability – it’s the foundation for prioritizing employee well-being 

For organizations, the well-being of employees matters more during a crisis. Supporting staff's mental and emotional health from the damaging effects of stress and uncertainty can protect morale and productivity when it is most vulnerable. Leaders who create psychologically safe workplaces recognize that stability is essential. They are practical when offering support. They actively demonstrate trust and flexibility by offering choices for work arrangements, providing access to mental health resources, and conducting frequent check-ins as part of their communication strategy. A crisis is not the time for one-way communication from the top down. They need to listen to and observe employees to assess stress levels. 

3. Know the power of honest and transparent communication 

Many organizations and leaders operate with what they believe are people's best interests in mind regarding crisis communications. However, often, that includes withholding information, downplaying challenges, and failing to acknowledge employee concerns. Honesty and transparency can reduce anxiety and keep teams aligned with the approach during a crisis. Instead, leaders should plan to provide frequent updates, even when there is no new information to share, and admit what they don't know yet. At the same time, reassuring employees about the next steps and thinking about the best channels to leverage based on the circumstances is essential. The Canadian Government offers a checklist for crisis communications that promotes using “a low-prose, mobile first style [to make] the content more effective, and [take] less time for approvals and translation.”4 This approach makes a lot of sense as it allows leaders to direct employees to a central point and introduce additional communication channels, such as email, discussion forums, and Q&A sessions – conducted virtually or at a physical site.  

4. Empower teams with autonomy and flexibility 

Employees who feel trust make better decisions under pressure. Leaders should provide clear guidelines but allow flexibility in application during a crisis. Allowing employees the option of working remotely, having flexible work hours, and shorter work weeks all help bring organizations and employees closer to achieving the elusive work-life balance. Workers who understand the boundaries and operate autonomously tend to be “more productive, healthy and loyal.”5 In contrast, employers who “enforce[d] strict work arrangements…could see productivity and job performance drop, and turnover and absenteeism increase.”6  When employees are trusted, it is also easier to encourage problem-solving at all levels of the organization --  a critical aspect of crisis response.  

5. Extend support to managers and help leaders learn how to lead during crises 

Middle managers often feel the most pressure as they are the bridge between employees and executives. They need training and tools to develop the necessary skills to be able to lead effectively during a crisis. Having leaders attend crisis management workshops provides opportunities to think critically and role play, which develops responsiveness and resilience. It can also create a peer support network where leaders can share ideas and experiences and learn from one another. To mitigate stress, equipping managers with mental health resources they can leverage but also use as a guideline with employees can be a game changer. It reduces stigma and intimidation, recognizing the additional challenges that crises introduce the workday for middle managers.

6. Create a resilient work culture that looks beyond the immediate crisis 

Encouraging adaptability, problem-solving, and teamwork as best practices for leaders to promote within the workplace will help bolster organizational resilience. It allows employees to “handle work stress better and develop protective factors against stress…to improve self-esteem, sense of control over life events, sense of purpose in life and improved employee interpersonal relationships.”7 It comes down to how leaders highlight, demonstrate, and reinforce behaviours contributing to long-term stability. Cross-department collaboration, rewarding initiative and creative solutions and encouraging adaptability provide on-the-job training so employees know how to operate under pressure and handle change effectively. 

7. Legal and ethical responsibilities – doing the right thing 

Employers must ensure safe and fair workplaces, especially in times of crisis. Ensuring that leaders are well-versed and compliant with workplace safety legislation and anti-discrimination policies and understand the responsibilities associated with maintaining fair labour practices helps to protect employees and ensure that decision-making is ethical and unbiased. Crises can introduce complexity into usual operating procedures and require actions to help preserve the company, which can introduce disruptions such as layoffs or restructuring. Treating employees with dignity and fairness should always be paramount for leaders.  

Leading through a crisis requires a thoughtful approach across multiple areas of focus. Now is the time to assess how prepared your organization’s crisis management approach is and identify any gaps so that you can take proactive steps to support your workforce, especially the leaders you will rely on so heavily. Implement training and contingency plans so leaders and employees can access the right tools immediately before a crisis happens. When something arises, focusing on leading with transparency and confidence – even in the face of the unknown – can make all the difference in holding on to employee trust and emerging as a stronger organization.  

References:

  1. Mayne, M. (2023 October 4). Jacinda Ardern: ‘ Simply being human is mor than enough for a leader’ People Management. Retrieved February 23, 2025 from https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1839573/jacinda-ardern-simply-human-enough-leader 

  2. Nichols, C., Hayden, S. and Trendler, C. (2020 April 2). 4 Behaviours That Help Leaders Manage a Crisis. Harvard Business Review.  Retrieved February 23, 2025 from https://hbr.org/2020/04/4-behaviors-that-help-leaders-manage-a-crisis 

  3. Mayne, M. (2023 October 4). Jacinda Ardern: ‘ Simply being human is mor than enough for a leader’ People Management. Retrieved February 23, 2025 from https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1839573/jacinda-ardern-simply-human-enough-leader 

  4. Government of Canada. (2021 December 21). Crisis communications content design checklist. Canada.ca. Retrieved February 23, 2025 from https://design.canada.ca/crisis/content.html 

  5. The Canadian Press. (2023 January 6). Flexible work schedules ‘win win’ for employees and businesses:  UN Report. Global News. Retrieved February 23, 2025 from https://globalnews.ca/news/9391623/work-life-balance-ilo-report/ 

  6. Ibid. 

  7. American Psyciatric Association Foundation. (2017). Resilience:  A Strong Workforce Needs It. Center for Workplace Mental Health. Retrieved February 23, 2025 from https://workplacementalhealth.org/mental-health-topics/resilience