3 Key Practices to Support Employees During a Natural Disaster
We recognize that some things impacting our workplaces are beyond our control. Natural disasters are a prime example. While organizations can't stop hurricanes, earthquakes, or wildfires from happening, what leaders can control is how they respond when their employees are affected. The key? Listening first, then taking swift, empathetic action.
The Numbers Tell A Compelling Story
Last month, Perceptyx’s Center for Workforce Transformation surveyed over 1,000 U.S. employees from across all regions of the country to find out what types of employee support and community assistance matter most in response to natural disasters. We found that a staggering one-third live in areas affected by natural disasters in just the past three months. Even more eye-opening? 4 out of 5 workers were at least somewhat personally affected by natural disasters during that time.
About half of the workers we surveyed said their organizations typically step up assistance after disasters strike. That commitment to employee support goes a long way to building an engaged workforce. Compared with companies that don't offer support for natural disasters, employees who work for those that do are:
- 3x as likely to intend to stay with the organization,
- 2x as likely to recommend the organization as a great place to work, and
- 2.1x as likely to be proud to be employed there.
The first step in building organizational resilience to natural disasters is developing a listening and action strategy for when disasters strike. We know that listening is critical for ensuring your response is adaptable to the unique circumstances employees are facing. However, when it comes to taking action, it can be challenging to prioritize and focus support efforts. Our research highlighted the three practices that make the biggest difference in helping employees feel supported when disasters hit.
1. Prioritize work-life balance first, and support productivity later.
There are many things organizations can do to support employees affected by natural disasters. For example, offering paid leave, flexible hours, or a reduced workload to give them time to recover. Providing remote work options, or even alternative physical work spaces can help employees stay productive during the aftermath.
Want to know what employees value most? Paid leave and flexible work hours — resources that are critical to balancing work and life responsibilities during tough times. They don’t necessarily want their workload to be reduced or to be given remote work options. They need time away to recover and then come back refreshed to hit the ground running.
When organizations implement these work-life balance-focused programs during the aftermath of a natural disaster, we see differences in employees' perceptions toward the organization — both specifically about the disaster and more generally about their experiences. For example, employees working for organizations offering paid leave for affected employees are nearly twice as likely to be "very satisfied" with the disaster response. In addition, these employees are:
- 1.5x as likely to feel the organization cares about their mental health, and
- 1.4x as likely to be fully engaged with their organization.
This preference for work-life balance makes perfect sense: natural disasters aren't just disrupting daily operations, they're upending people's lives, often in devastating ways. Our research shows that when organizations lead with empathy and prioritize these work-life balance supports, they're not just helping employees cope in the moment. They're building the kind of resilience that strengthens the entire organization.
2. Build a culture of caring.
An organization’s natural disaster response is not just about HR policy. Ideally, employees are also supporting each other with the help of company resources. Unsurprisingly, it’s fully engaged employees who offer the most support to co-workers affected by recent natural disasters. Specifically, fully engaged employees are:
- 1.3x as likely to help reduce the workload of affected co-workers (e.g., covering shifts, taking on projects),
- 1.2x as likely to offer emotional support (e.g., listening, expressing concern),
- 1.2x as likely to offer practical assistance (e.g., helping with clean-up, transportation), and
- 1.6x as likely to help financially (e.g., making donations, coordinating or hosting fundraisers).
This is great news because it means all your ongoing efforts to build an engaged workplace are already laying the groundwork for crisis resilience. But here's another key insight: the source of support significantly impacts its effectiveness. Our research shows that employees are more likely to feel their organization truly cares about their mental health and well-being when support comes from their closest workplace connections — team members, peers, and direct managers — rather than HR representatives or senior executives.
The takeaway? To build true organizational resilience and foster a genuine culture of caring, focus your efforts on empowering and supporting those employees and frontline managers who are already helping team members directly. This bottom-up approach to support creates more lasting impact than top-down initiatives alone.
3. Don’t forget to help the helpers.
Here's a critical point that's often overlooked: supporting those affected by disasters isn't just about helping direct victims, it's about the entire organizational ecosystem. Our research found that most employees, even those not personally affected, step up to support colleagues impacted by natural disasters, offering their time and money to help co-workers in need. This is a great sign, suggesting that most organizations are successfully fostering a caring culture when it matters most. However, the truth is that the stress and disruption of natural disasters can affect everyone's productivity and well-being, not just those directly in harm's way.
The good news? In organizations demonstrating a proactive commitment to disaster response and recovery, 73% of employees (including those both personally affected and not) agree that those employee assistance efforts (e.g., paid leave, flexible hours, remote work options) are working to minimize employee stress. This is a strong start, but given that many of these support efforts require reshuffling of work and responsibilities, it is critical that organizational response efforts are well-coordinated and don’t fall disproportionately on any one individual.
Managers in affected areas are particularly vulnerable. They're often in an impossible position: trying to manage their own recovery while simultaneously supporting their teams through a crisis. When you're developing your disaster response strategy, make sure to build in specific support mechanisms for these essential helpers, managers, and teammates who, while perhaps not personally affected, are carrying much of the emotional and practical burden of supporting others.
Ready to Build a More Resilient Workplace?
After a natural disaster, you need more than just an HR policy. You need an intentional, empathetic approach that prioritizes safety, emotional well-being, clear communication, and flexibility. These elements don't just help employees feel valued; they build the kind of resilience that carries organizations through tough times both natural and man-made.
At Perceptyx, we offer standard survey content to help leaders gain insight into the resources and support employees need to successfully navigate a crisis. Schedule a meeting with a member of our team today to learn more.