Companies Get Serious About Crisis Management

The American Management Association recently announced the results of a survey of business executives that found 64 percent of their companies have a crisis plan in place, an increase from 49 percent in 2002. Eighty-seven percent said they have a contingency plan in place to handle crisis situations and 38 percent offer training on security issues.

Ruthanne Hill, executive director of Northwest Arkansas Crisis Intervention Center, said local firms can find plenty of security and crisis management resources locally. The center does some consulting with companies, but mostly “about the emotional mental health of the workforce and how it affects the bottom line,” Hill said.

The center also helps with crisis response following a workplace incident to help employees deal with the emotional trauma that follows. Businesses need to be aware that whatever kind of problem is going on in an employee’s life, “they bring it to work with them,” Hill said.

The center will also help businesses find local resources for crisis training and development of contingency plans. The AMA describes itself as a “membership-based management development organization” formed in 1923.