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After the riots: How to lead people during a crisis

The police made more than 1,000 arrests in response to this summer's riots

The summer’s street violence tested HR leaders’ crisis management skills. But how effective was their response? And what lessons can be learned?

The flames and fighting of this summer’s civil unrest have died down as the justice system deals with hundreds of public order offences. HR leaders, meanwhile, were tasked with addressing immediate employer and staff concerns.

This work will continue for the foreseeable future. Given that unrest could erupt again, now is the time to reflect on effective organisational crisis management responses and what improvements can be made.


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On 29 July, three children were stabbed to death at a dance class in the Merseyside town of Southport. False online claims that the suspect was an asylum seeker and incitements to publicly protest against immigration spread quickly.

Between 30 July and 5 August, violence broke out across 21 towns and cities in England, including an attempt to burn down a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rochester. Almost 800 charges were made in relation to those events.

Fighting back

For employers, an immediate response was crucial, along with determining long-term strategies to help prevent further unrest. This included reviewing social media policies, and dealing with employees who were involved in the protests.

“The first reaction of responsible business leaders is to protect the health and safety of their employees,” says Keith Budden, managing director of the training provider Ensurety. “This could have been through physical measures, such as boarding up premises, or organisational measures, such as allowing staff to travel home safely before major protest erupts.”

According to HR consultant Lucas Botzen, the most effective leaders during the riots were those who were better able to create workplace environments of trust and stability. “Some business leaders were prepared, immediately taking steps to ensure safety and effectively communicating the facts with their people,” he says. “Others were caught on the back foot and were slower to respond, which tends to lead to mistrust and heightened anxiety among employees.”

Idris Arshad, head of people for the charity Asthma + Lung UK, advises that in a crisis HR leaders should involve all leaders, offer easily accessible information on how people can look after their wellbeing, and clearly communicate the advice, such as work from home. He also suggested encouraging staff to take the best course of action for their safety, rather than directly tell them what to do.

During the riots, reputational risk was a major consideration for organisations, especially if employees were publicly exposed as rioters. Organisations that took a public stance on diversity may have found themselves at odds with employees who hold anti-immigration views.

“A business should be clear in its mission, vision and values, and be authentic in its communication,” says Rachel Doherty, founder of Inspired Business Consultancy.

“Some organisations may choose to be public with their views because it aligns with their values. Others may choose not to be public but provide internal support and resources to staff who may be affected.

“In relation to staff being identified as rioters, clear policies should be in place. These should outline the potential for disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal for bringing the company into disrepute and/or engaging in activities that would call into question a breach of contract.”

Kate Palmer, employment services director for the HR consultancy Peninsula, says that in the immediate aftermath of the riots, employees who didn’t turn up for work because they had been arrested will likely be treated as having an unauthorised absence. “How that progresses will depend on when they get in contact, and their circumstances,” she continues.

“If an employee is involved in rioting it can be a very complicated situation. Employers will need to navigate this carefully,” adds Palmer. “It’s likely that having an employee who’s been arrested for potentially racially motivated violence will present challenges among colleagues.”

Diversity of views

Employers may also have to deal with conflict between employees who hold different political views, and support anyone who has been affected by the events: “Having a policy makes sure that employees know the expected workplace behaviours when it comes to political talk,” says Palmer.

But what about political talk on social media? A poll of 507 employers in August by employment law consultancy WorkNest showed that 45.8% of respondents took formal action against an employee because of their social media use, or considered doing so. Further, 35.1% felt that staff didn’t understand company expectations around social media use very well, or at all, and 25.1% felt their employer had no social media policy. The role of social media in the riots may spur greater action in this area.


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Botzen describes the role that employers can, and should, play when it comes to influencing or monitoring staff social media activity as complex, especially as employer actions perceived as censorship may stir resentment among employees. Through platforms such as X, Facebook and Telegram, deliberate disinformation about the Southport murder suspect led to a series of anti-immigration riots. However, there are limits to how employers can ensure that employees use social media responsibly.

Sarah Kerr, HR technical consultant for the HR tech firm AdviserPlus, says: “There can be a grey area in knowing what can and cannot be done if an employee is expressing views in a personal capacity, especially during their own time and on a personal device. The fear of overstepping boundaries often leaves employers uncertain about how to intervene, but it’s crucial for organisations to have clear and robust social media policy.

“This should outline expectations for employees’ social media conduct. It should also explain what will happen if the organisation deems that social media has been misused.”

Above all, workplace training on smart, responsible social media use is widely advised. Employers “should look to educate their workforce to take a cynical view of what they read on social platforms, and not take everything they read as factual,” advises Budden.

Looking ahead, Mary Macleod, chief executive of the responsible business network Business in the Community, highlights the important role that employers can play in being a positive influence on their wider communities after this summer’s distressing events. “In times of uncertainty, business leaders can be an important voice of hope,” she says.

“We encourage employers to listen to their employees’ concerns, and take appropriate measures to ensure their safety during times of social unrest. But employers can have an important role in working with other organisations and supporting their local communities to rebuild in challenging times, to build back stronger.

“Through collaboration with other businesses, community organisations and local government, business leaders can rebuild cohesion and economic prosperity for everyone. They can also ensure that people from across the UK have pride in where they come from.”

 

This article was published in the September/October 2024 edition of HR magazine.

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