You may have never heard the term “crisis goodwill,” but you’ll recognize the concept: the helpful and compassionate actions and attitudes that arise during and after an emergency. It explains why so many give money to humanitarian organizations after natural disasters while volunteers rally to help survivors. Crisis goodwill is a blessing and, in our often-polarized society, it’s heartwarming to know that organizations and individuals continue to be compassionate and generous.

Insights for What’s Ahead 

How can your organization channel the goodwill to help with relief efforts related to the war in Ukraine? Here are some of the ways:

• Revisit your organization’s mission, purpose, and values. Determine if there is anything your organization can do to minimize harm to innocents involved in the conflict. Close offices, operations, plants, or stores to keep employees safe. With public pressure mounting for organizations to pull out of Russia, Ikea made the difficult decision to close all of its stores in Russia, its 10th largest market. But to support over 12,000 workers suddenly out of work, Ikea committed to paying their salaries for at least three months.
• Support workers with ties to Ukraine or Russia. Recognize that they may have extreme anxiety about the safety and well-being of family and friends. Respond to their concerns with empathy, that is, strive to understand their needs and be aware of their feelings and thoughts. (To improve your empathetic skills, check out our recent podcast.) Continually check in with these workers to reiterate both organizational and personal support.
• Extend support to workers without ties to Ukraine or Russia. Recognize that even workers without ties to Ukraine are also likely experiencing higher stress and anxiety levels, on top of already deteriorating employee well-being after two tumultuous years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through pulse surveys or focus groups, find out what employees need and are most concerned about—you might be surprised what you learn. And for those workers who want to respond proactively to the war, suggest sharing verified facts to combat misinformation, signing petitions, joining peaceful rallies, and taking a stand as consumers.
• Make a generous, tangible difference. Donate funds to international relief organizations and/or reputable Ukrainian relief organizations on the ground (e.g., Razom, Revived Soldiers), launch a fundraiser, and/or match employee donations. Contribute your goods and/or services that can help with relief efforts. For example, at the beginning of COVID-19, an outpouring of organizations halted their normal production and began producing ventilators and personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves. With the war in Ukraine, one of the first ways people ingeniously channeled money to Ukrainians was by paying for an Airbnb rental they never planned to use.
• Communicate internally and externally. Conduct an informational town hall to provide workers verified information and resources. The Employee Experience Committee of the Conference Board recently held a dynamic global town hall meeting where we heard from leaders and employees with families in Ukraine. Create a leadership communication strategy that can help workers experiencing potentially conflicting information. Announce publicly the steps your organization is taking. Our recent study showed that 99% of global workers expect their organization to respond in some way to social change issues.
• Ensure worker safety and well-being is part of your crisis management planning. Realize that there is a plethora of potential outcomes that can arise from the war in Ukraine, ranging from higher gas prices and disrupted supply chains to nuclear war—and they will all affect/are affecting your workers. Be sensitive about rising costs and inflation, and consider salary increases or spot bonuses. Create communications procedures to determine worker safety, e.g., sending an email or text. Be especially mindful of the situation when communicating profitability.

Finally, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said at Oberlin College in 1965: “The time is always right to do what is right.”

For more information on how organizations can help, see Employee Views on Corporate Responses to the War in Ukraine.