When Disaster Impacts Work Plans

Hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, floods, and other disasters have the potential to significantly impact business operations.

Disaster recovery plans usually focus on employee safety, facility maintenance, and records retention—and rightly so. Nevertheless, in the aftermath of a disaster, there are many other issues to address. Among these is contacting any new hires and job candidates who are at various stages of the hiring or recruiting process.
It goes without saying that there are different degrees of disaster. The following recommendations assume your business is once again functioning, in some capacity.

Initial Communication

Keep in mind that new hires and job candidates may be among those who suffered devastating loss as a result of the event. They may have lost loved ones and/or their homes. The primary purpose of your initial contact is to see how they are.
Personal circumstances will determine when a new hire is available for work, and when a job candidate may be interested in pursuing an employment opportunity with your company. Individual reactions to the event are also a factor.
Not every person reacts to loss in the same way. While one person may need something positive to cling to and welcome your call, another may brush you off with, “I can’t think about that right now.”
No matter the reaction, show empathy for the individual’s circumstances and let the person know the company remains interested in continuing the hiring or recruiting process. Let the new hire or candidate know you will check back in a week.

Follow-Up Communication

If the new hire or job candidate has expressed interest in continuing the hiring or recruiting process, your second phone call or email should attempt to find out when he or she expects to be available. Answers may range from next week or next month to “I don’t know.”
If the person blew you off the first time, you are still checking in and trying to get more information.
How long should you wait?
In part, it depends on the new hire or candidate’s circumstances. If a person is living in a shelter, awaiting temporary housing, it is reasonable to want to be somewhat settled before focusing on a new job.
Another factor is how quickly you need to fill the position. For the short-term, is it possible for staff members to share the workload? Is a temporary employee an option?
Great employees are hard to find. If you think you’ve found one, it may be worth waiting for him or her. The same applies to job candidates.

Understanding and Support

As important as it is to address business issues following a disaster, it is arguably more important to respond to the needs of the community where you live and work.
In this regard, understanding and support can make a huge difference. A seemingly small gesture, like offering to keep a job open, may be the lifeline a person needs.
A new hire or job candidate will never forget your company’s kindness, and will likely tell others about it.
And yes, this has a positive impact on your employer brand. But even better, it has a positive impact on the community at large.

Paula Santonocito, Contributing Editor for Recruiting Daily Advisor, is a business journalist specializing in employment issues. She is the author of more than 1,000 articles on a wide range of human resource and career topics, with an emphasis on recruiting and hiring. Her articles have been featured in many global and domestic publications and information outlets, referenced in academic and legal publications as well as books, and translated into several languages.