Hurricanes like Helene and Milton, can disrupt business operations, threaten employee safety, and inflict stress, and financial losses for both employers and employees. Corporate leaders must not only prepare in advance but also implement operational and employee relief measures swiftly when natural disasters strike. HR plays a vital role in safeguarding employees and ensuring business continuity during these difficult times.

The following is a checklist of actions you can take today to support your employees and communities in their recovery:

1. Activate your (remote) emergency response team and plan

   • Assess vulnerabilities: Collaborate with the executive team to evaluate the vulnerability of critical infrastructure (e.g., physical assets like data centers, offices, production facilities) to inform recovery plans, workforce and supply chain distribution, and disruption and recovery timelines
   • Implement remote operations: Initiate remote access for critical business functions as planned. If this isn’t feasible, explore additional contingency options (e.g., communication notification and access)
   • Backup production plans: Activate backup production plans with essential workforce teams. Encourage employees to work from home or other safe locations as determined by your company
   • Establish a secondary team: If the primary emergency response team loses access to power or necessary resources, transfer operations to a secondary team located outside the danger zone
   • Stay informed: Monitor updates from reliable sources such as local authorities and emergency management organizations

2. Deploy the emergency communication plan

   • Use multiple channels to connect employees and the community with information on shelters, relief stations, emergency services, and support networks
   • Use daily check-ins: Require employees to report their safety status and any assistance they may need
     • Track employee status: Maintain an active list of employees’ locations — those who remain in place, have evacuated, are in shelters, or have not responded

3. Manage HR data and operations

   • Maintain remote data backup and recovery methods to ensure HR leadership has access to employee data, health care plan information and emergency contact information
   • Provide a digital resource hub: Offer a one-stop platform (e.g., digital or physical pop-up hub) for employees to access medical benefits, emergency savings plans, and home/auto and life insurance policies

4. Prioritize health and wellbeing

   • Provide immediately available employee assistance program (EAP), trauma counseling, virtual healthcare and mental health resources
   • Access to medical benefits: Inform employees on how to access their medical benefits, especially if they lack physical or technology access to their insurance details
   • Assess impact on essential workers: Evaluate the effects of increased workloads, overtime, stress and safety concerns of essential employees working through the crisis. Communicate the workplan and schedule
   • Consider additional leave options: Offer extra paid time off (PTO) or implement an Employee Leave Sharing Program for those in need or displaced
   • Create a safe place (with managers and HR) for employees to share their concerns and express their fears, worries and challenges. By prioritizing support during uncertain times, managers can foster trust, maintain belonging and navigate through challenges more effectively

5. Collaborate with risk management team and insurance brokers

   • Review employee benefits: Work with your risk management team and insurance brokers to understand the extent of employee benefits available for:
     • Food assistance or living expenses (stipends or lump sums)
     • Temporary housing for employees who lose their homes (or access to home)
     • Temporary housing for essential employees relocated to an operational site out of the impact zone
     • Evacuation travel costs
     • Dependent care stipends for impacted family members

Together, we can create a supportive path for employees during crises, helping them regain a sense of security and wellbeing.