Need to know basis = Crisis management?

[Pacion]

If you were in a potential "situation/crisis", would you like to know about it?

The security departments at some large companies have not been informing staff of the "incidents" in London until several hours after. I feel, this is appalling! By the time an email has been made, people have already heard "through the grapevine" that something has happened.

Personally, I would like a short email along the lines of: "There are reports of an incident at x location(s). No futher news is currently known at this time."

Someone I was talking to said it maybe a "need to know basis" and the companies not wanting to cause a panic amongst staff BUT if I am sitting there working, I would much rather an email coming from the company's security team than getting a panic phonecall from a family member saying "I have been trying to reach you for the last hour or so". :roll: For me also, it is "visibility" - the security team making themselves "visible" to the rest of the employees (even if it is only via cyberspace) so that the employees known that the security team are aware (which they obviously are!) and are monitoring the situation.

What do you think you would like in such situations?

(There have been numerous debates about a patient's right to know when it comes their health and their doctors. I think this is a similar scenario - treat people as if they are intelligent!)

 

[africana]

there is such a thing as too much information which can result in "crying wolf" unintentionally

for example the color code alert systems in the US. who pays attention anymore?

 

[Pacion]

True, but where there has been an actual incident, and few details are known, I would prefer to learn about it asap rather than as mentioned, a panic phone call or someone shouting out ... "another bomb has gone off in Central London" when the authorties are not yet saying that - all the good reporters are saying "an incident has occured".

It is like putting people on alert like when a fire alarm goes off and security announce on the public address system - an alarm has gone off in x location, we are currently investigating...

 

[africana]

This sounds more reasonable because it is very specifc to an event, as opposed to the WIDE and intensive media coverage that attempts to feed the public every single bit of information that the authorities have

 

[Pacion]

This sounds more reasonable because it is very specifc to an event,

You think I would ask for something "unreasonable"? :roll: :roll: :roll: :raisebro: :lol:

In the words of the late great George Bernard Shaw

...an unreasonable man wants to adapt the world to suit him. A reasonable man adapts to the world. Therefore all change depends on the unreasonable man.

8)

Oh, did I mention :lol: that I called security (because I was disgusted with how other alerts in the area I am working in were handled) and "innocently" asked: I heard there have been some further incidents. Are you aware of this and planning on sending out an email? Response: Yes ma'm. We are aware, are following the news and there are no plans to send out an email at this time.

What happens? Fifteen minutes later, an email goes out saying... we are aware there are incidents etc etc. I guess the security office was being inundated with calls/emails from fellow "unreasonable" people like myself! :lol:

Look, I don't want to give the impression that I am becoming trival about this. I do believe in being proactive and managing a situation which involves communicating with the people. Not that I was around, but from what I gather from the old movies, when London was under act or thought to be under attack from the German Luftwaffe, a siren was sounded and people headed for basement areas/closed their curtains to block out light, etc etc. The email (and public address system) can be the modern day equivalent of the air raid sirens.

Since 7 July, there have been alerts/bomb scares in the area where I am working. My colleagues and I only found out about it AFTER receiving calls from other colleagues returning from meetings to say that they could not get back into the office due to the area being cordond off. Through the grapevine, we discovered that the cordon had been in place for sometime and we were in ignorant bliss. Discovering this, I was everything else but blissfull about my ignorance. The organisation where I am working is in a prime area AND a multinational organisation with some exceptionally high IQs and strong links with the US. Therefore, it is only reasonable that myself and my colleagues are treated accordingly.

Another international organisation I used to work for, at the slightest whiff of trouble would alert us with emails and extra visable security presence so that you knew security were around to look after you. A balance is needed between visable and stealth security.

rant over

 

[africana]

you perfectly good right to be disgusted and concerned in your predicament

I was being general int alking about how information gets distributed and to whom

but ultimately someone has to decide all that, and someone else will be pissed off no matter the final decision
So maybe there is no optimal balance, it's all a bunch of tradeoffs

 

[Pacion]

So maybe there is no optimal balance, it's all a bunch of tradeoffs

You are right. (When are you not :wink: ) Which ever way you look at it, there is going to be chaos or pissed off people. Sigh! So much for my resolution to be fluffy and pink this year!

 

[pygmalion]

I think that there's a fine balance. For a governmental agency to make "need to know" judgment calls in the light of potential crises is one thing -- perfectly justifiable in a lot of cases.

But for a private employer to withhold information? Uh... that smacks of paternalism to me. Give people the information they need and trust their maturity in dealing with it. My two cents.

I remember the days of both the Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 bombings. I was at work. And, as the news broke, the company management set up big-screen televisions in the cafeteria and all the break rooms, so that people could stay informed. There was no misbehavior and no lack of professionalism, on the part of the employees. We didn't get much work done that day, no. But we were a community, and we got updates along with our management. I think that's a much better way of handling things.

(Okay. Three cents. :lol: )

 

[Pacion]

(Okay. Three cents. :lol: )

I hope you are not expecting change from the dollar bill you handed over... :roll: :wink: :lol:

 

[pygmalion]

:lol: :lol: Silly girl.

 

[Pacion]

:banana: :banana: :banana: :lol: