HR Planning for Crisis Management

Seif Athamneh

doi:10.5772/intechopen.75233

Abstract

The role of HR in the modern-day corporate world has changed significantly to accommodate various developments and needs in the workplace. HR involvement in crisis management is one such development, and this has led to the HR taking an active role in planning and training for crisis management. Contemporary studies have indicated that organizations that incorporate employee welfare into the crisis management plan are more likely to be successful compared to those that are only concerned about protecting systems, processes, infrastructure and public relations as was traditionally evident. The HR is considered a vital partner in crisis management planning due to their understanding employee needs and their role in organizational survival. As one of the major roles of HR, training is considered paramount when it comes to crisis management. The role of HR is to ensure that employees are well informed about potential crises that may affect the organization and that they are aware of their role in dealing with the crisis. The HR provides skills and knowledge necessary in ensuring that employees can contribute to the organization's sustainability by participating in the crisis management process. This chapter explores the HR's role in planning and training for crisis management.

Highlights

Modern literature establishes that the traditional human resource (HR) role has evolved significantly to include other responsibilities based on the changing work environment [1, 2]
As the department is responsible for promoting employee welfare in the organization, HR can enhance the crisis management planning process by incorporating employee contribution, which in turn promotes the ownership of the plan by employees
This chapter focuses on the relevance of HR in crisis management, with particular focus on planning and training for crisis management

Summary

Introduction

Modern literature establishes that the traditional human resource (HR) role has evolved significantly to include other responsibilities based on the changing work environment [1, 2]. This means that HR has moved beyond the common roles of hiring and firing to more complex roles that directly influence the performance of the organization [2]. This chapter focuses on the HR’s role in planning and training for crisis management It addresses the HR function as a crisis management function and strives to establish the role played by HR in ensuring that the organization is well prepared and that personnel are well trained to deal with crises when they occur

Crisis management

Crisis management process

HR’s role in crisis management

Crisis management planning

Training and talent development

Vulnerabilities and threats communication

Promoting employee involvement

Employee motivation

Influencing organizational culture

Small-scale crisis plan

Relevance of HR crisis management

Planning for crisis management