Emergency Communication

Clearly communicating with employees before and during an emergency is key to workforce safety and minimizing confusion.

Effective Two-Way Communication

Two-way communication with employees is critical before, during, and after an emergency. To maintain effective communication, employers should:   

• Include emergency preparedness information in newsletters, on company intranet, periodic employee emails and other internal communication tools.
• Set up a telephone calling tree, a password-protected page on the company website, an email alert or a call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency.
• Designate an out-of-town phone number where employees can leave an “I’m Okay” message in a catastrophic disaster.
• Provide all co-workers with wallet cards detailing instructions on how to get company information in an emergency situation. Include telephone numbers or Internet passwords for easy reference.
• Maintain open communications where co-workers are free to bring questions and concerns to company leadership.
• Ensure you have established staff members who are responsible for communicating regularly to employees.