Core components
of a crisis management playbook
Below are the core components of a crisis management playbook, presented here with a reasonable amount of detail. The specifics will differ from employer to employer, but the steps, data, and processes covered here should form the core of your crisis management playbook.
Crisis preparation
Governance and accountability
At times of crisis, identify who is responsible for:
- Identifying, with vendors, possible destination countries for evacuation, including relating to visa-free travel
- Declaring a crisis and directing travel or evacuations
- Drafting and sending internal communications
- Tracking employee responses, travel/evacuation progress, and issues
- Coordinating with local and global leadership
- Coordinating with vendors
Know your population
Essential information:
- Name
- Nationality
- Date of birth
- Family member names, nationalities, date of birth
- Work email address and phone number
- Current location
- Home address
- Work address
- Role/job title
- Personal email address and phone number
- Family member email address and phone number
- Any planned or current travel
- Access to a car
Other recommended information:
- Passport number and expiration
- Any valid visas (including tourist or business) or work permits
- Any adverse criminal or immigration history
- The same information above for dependents
Employee communications
- Provide instructions on where to find information (such as embassy websites, government travel advisories, trusted sources of news, and any company resources).
- Advise employees to have a full tank of gas, an emergency bag packed, and access to cash.
- Include instructions on when and how you, the employer, will make information available.
Other preemptive tactics
- Business continuity planning, including knowledge transfer
- Individual crisis readiness planning and document procurement (identifying where an individual may need to travel to and, where possible, applying early for a visit visa, work permit/self-sponsored permit, or electronic travel authorization)
Recommended best practices
- A documented crisis management policy/protocols agreed and understood by all stakeholders.
- An annual audit or stress testing of evacuation policies.
When a crisis occurs
Employee communications pre-evacuation
- Instructions on where to find information (such as embassy websites, government travel advisories, trusted sources of news, and any company resources)
- Advice to employees to have a full tank of gas, emergency bag packed, and access to cash
- Instructions as to when and how you, the employer, will make information available
- Instructions as to what information you will need/expect from the employee
- Instructions as to how to share other information, report concerns, or seek assistance
Employee communications if an evacuation is called
- Evacuation instructions: where to go, what to expect, and any other considerations
- Instructions on where to find information (such as embassy websites, government travel advisories, trusted sources of news, and any company resources)
- Full tank of gas, emergency bag packed, access to cash
- Instructions as to when and how you, the employer, will make information available
- Instructions as to what information you will need/expect from the employee
- Instructions as to how to share other information, report concerns, or seek assistance
Travel and evacuation tracking
Who is impacted, where are they, how will you know when they are safely evacuated, how will you record the information, and how will they contact you if there are challenges.
As things change
- Regular bulletins to employees, relying on official/trusted sources of information only
- Regular bulletins to leadership, including status updates on individuals/employees as appropriate
Once in a safe location
Once your employees are in a safe location, either as a point of transit or a short- or medium-term options, you should:
- Evaluate short-term remote working options.
- Note any exit requirements from their home location.
- Process visa and permit applications in safe/alternate jurisdictions.
- Consider any crisis-related concessions.
- Support travel arrangements through liaising with relocation or travel vendors.
- Coordinate with employer of record (EOR) providers where necessary to support compliant employment.
- Assist and manage the document procurement/legalization process that may be required for visa issuance/work permits.
- Ensure tax, social security, and payroll compliance, once necessary.
Longer term
If it is no longer feasible for your employees to return to their original work location, you should:
- Evaluate long-term remote working options—for example, nomad visas.
- Process visa and permit applications.
- Consider contract and payroll position.
- Coordinate with employer of record (EOR) providers where necessary to support compliant employment.
- Ensure tax, social security, and payroll compliance, once necessary.
- Consider maintenance of their original status from their displaced work locations, such as maintaining any work permits/residency, if required.
Sudden changes in visa routes or economic instability
Review population
- Understand who is impacted.
- Map their grade/level and other biographical and visa data.
- Ascertain whether they have any family members accompanying them.
Where are your employees?
- Actions may differ depending on the location of the relevant employee and their family members.
- Understand risks and visa status based on location.
As things change
- Facts and circumstances related to the employee may change.
- The crisis or disruption or regulatory environment may change, leading to new restrictions or options.
- Facts and circumstances related to the employee may change.
- The crisis or disruption or regulatory environment may change, leading to new restrictions or options.
Prepare employee communications
- Work with the relevant stakeholders to communicate with the impacted population.
- Ensure there are ways for employees to reach out to relevant stakeholders for updates and information.
Review mobility policies
- How do the changes or disruption impact your policy?
- Is a temporary update or exception required?
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