Sebastien Bedu, General Manager – Middle East, International SOSDuring the time of high risk uncertainty, there will be a major shift in leadership routines from regular operations to crisis readiness. This shift must be coordinated, swift and based on verified information.
Maintaining business stability, protecting employees and being prepared to act in a state of escalating geo-political issues – are the top priorities for the UAE-based organisations. The following must be followed by leaders in order to preserve clarity and confidence:
Leadership during crisis
Effective leadership is the primary factor that stabilises an organisation during times of crisis. In order to preserve organisational trust, executives need to:
- Provide fact-based, well-written updates that filter out unverified news and misleading material.
- Make sure staff members are aware of the resources for assistance. Uncertainty and confusion in times of crisis can be avoided when the communications are kept open.
- In any situation where an evacuation or a relocation is needed to take place, the employers must clearly communicate the ‘how’ and ‘why’.
- The safety protocols and escalation mechanisms layout needs to be laid out in advance.
Non-negotiable leader actions
As conditions change, senior leaders in the UAE must prioritise employee well-being and cross-functional readiness. This comprises:
- Putting business continuity plans into official action to show a prepared response to the uncertainty, a process known as ‘activating continuity plans’.
- Using real-time people accountability to make sure all employees are present.
- Ensuring quick access to evacuation, security, and medical partners to guarantee help is accessible when needed.
- Leadership teams should aggressively assess and test air, land, and sea contingency and evacuation routes even if mobility is still prohibited.
Preserving clarity in the face of operational disruption
In order to address uncertainty, leaders must give a clear picture of possible disruptions. Planning and communication should account for:
- Communicating alternate transport routes or possible congestion, as well as anticipating disruptions across commercial aviation and regional hubs.
- Keeping tabs on regional alerts, aircraft suspensions, and changing airspace status to make sure every step is done with due diligence.
- Make sure to encrypt and secure communications where there is sensitive data.
In case the airspace opens the evacuation plan along with welfare support must be provided. Leaders should evaluate the probability of an evacuation on a daily basis by checking with official government guidelines.
Cybersecurity and operational risk
In times of crisis, cyberattacks like scams, disinformation are common. Geopolitical or security instability often correlates with upsurges in phishing and social engineering attacks, the disruption of communication and decision-making chains and an increased possibility of false information when coordinating emergencies.
To ready against this:
- Make sure that safe channels of communication are established for coordinating emergencies and evacuations.
- Limit sensitive employee travel, health, and movement information to only those systems that are approved.
- Coordinate physical crisis and evacuation procedures with cyber event response plans.
Mapping operational dependencies is essential. The following should be identified by any organisation:
- Which systems are essential for coordinating evacuations?
- Which platforms or suppliers are single points of failure?
- How continuity is preserved in the event of a disruption in digital access
Employee welfare and safety
Duty of care encompasses a comprehensive strategy to worker protection in addition to physical evacuation. Employers are obliged to provide proactive employee protection rather than focusing solely on emergency reaction.
Preventive security and safety
The following security measures should be put in place by organisations in order to uphold a strong duty of care:
- Make sure that workers are moved safely during unstable times.
- To ensure the continuity of decision-making, provide senior leadership with specialised security.
- Manage site security and event planning.
Emotional and mental health
In times of crisis, employees experience immense stress, and uncertainty, which can affect their productivity and decision-making. Without proper support anxiety, burnout, emotional exhaustion are likely to increase.
Organisations must ensure that professional counseling and telepsychological support are available to the staff. For those working remotely, it is equally important to provide adequate online support. This will help the employees remain resilient, manage stress and carry out their job role much better.
Strong in-country resources and expertise are equally critical to the success of crisis management. By utilising vetted security partners and local assistance centers, organisations can:
- Act quickly when movement is restricted.
- Observe safety precautions which adhere to UAE local laws.
- Minimise reliance on cross-border coordination during active regional crises.
While the UAE is currently at a ‘preparatory’ evacuation monitor level, meaning operations continue normally, readiness must be established now. In crisis situations, leadership must look beyond the immediate horizon to preserve operational integrity and employee wellbeing.
By Sebastien Bedu, General Manager – Middle East, International SOS
