Crisis Management

Dealing with imminent or actual major events

Crisis management is a process for dealing with the threat, onset and ongoing consequences of imminent or actual major events that have the potential to harm the organization, its stakeholders or the general public.  A crisis usually results in a period where normal operations can not be continued in full and this period can be referred to as a period during which abnormal operations prevail.

Crisis management or organizational resilience planning

Crisis management planning describes the process where preparation is made for responding to and handling a potential crisis. A potential crisis can be identified during a risk analysis process where hazards and threats are analyzed and impact and consequences are assessed. Crisis management planning is an important management process as it not only identifies possible disruptive events but enables the management, supported as necessary by qualified specialists, to develop suitable strategies for reducing the likelihood of those events occurring, reducing the frequency of these events, reducing the likely impact from those events, increasing the effectiveness of continuity plans and increasing the level of protection against these events. This process is also known as organizational resilience whereby risks are identified and measured, suitable strategies devised and costed and cost effective risk treatment projects are introduced in order to avoid the more serious consequences and implications of these risks.

Open and consistent communication

The credibility and reputation of an organization is heavily influenced by the perception of their responses during crisis situations. There should be open and consistent communication throughout the hierarchy to contribute to a successful crisis communication process whilst protecting critical and sensitive data provided such protection it does not result in increasing the risk of causing injuries.

Framework for crisis management response

Crisis management activities should provide a framework for a structured response to both the reality and perception of an imminent or actual crisis; establishes the triggering of any necessary response mechanisms; and covers the communication and notification that needs to occur within the immediate response phase of emergency management scenarios. Crisis management involves dealing with threats after they have become imminent or have occurred. This management discipline consists of skills and techniques required to identify, assess, understand, and cope with serious situations, especially from the moment each situation first occurs to the point that recovery procedures start.

Crisis management phases

The first stage of crisis management can involve emergency management activities that require timely and decisive action such as evacuating an area of danger, calling the emergency services, or treating injuries. Where the disruptive event is likely to seriously impact on the business operations then a suitable continuity plan is likely to be triggered.

Coverage in the Organizational Resilience software

The ASIS Organizational Resilience Software provides a significant amount of functionality that supports crisis management planning and handling of disruptive events. The software has separate functions for incident management planning that focuses on the emergency management stage, the repair or replacement of affected assets or resources, recovery of affected components and the returning of operations to normality. The software has a further area for the continuity planning which concentrates on preparing for continuation of critical operational processes as far as possible in an attempt to meet contractual or other obligations during abnormal working conditions.