The media is full of coverage and social media is awash with speculation. No-one can have failed to seen and heard about the latest crisis situation that the BBC has found itself in. I am not planning to step into the hot water of the rumours as what is most important to consider how things are being handled.
Previous issues have led to the BBC being accused of being slow to respond and of not addressing difficult situations. At the moment it appears that they have learnt very little as the current issue goes back three months and it appears action is only being taken now. The mother at the centre of the allegations has also complained about a lack of contact from the BBC and the latest statements try to justify the action taken and the current position the organisation is in.
There is a lot to come from the current issue the BBC are facing but here are my thoughts on the top five things that matter most when staffing complaints and problems happen.
- Ensure the systems you have in place to address concerns relating to staff are robust, transparent and are non-judgemental. It is not a time to try and ‘protect’ any party but to demonstrate an openness in investigating or reviewing, or working with another agency to undertake that work.
- Provide support, or at least a contact, for the complainant. When things get difficult organisations can avoid direct contact in an attempt not to impact on an investigation or make the situation worse. In some cases they wait for the lawyers to step in. But having someone in the organisation who can make a connection is important. An organisation that avoids making contact appears to be failing to face up to the situation. With the right training and approach someone in the business can become a contact. They should be trusted to act independently, and to keep the complainant updated about developments in the situation and the management of it.
- A crisis is a crisis even before it is public. It should is not public knowledge or media coverage that makes a crisis. It is important to recognise you have a crisis at the earliest opportunity so that you can put the required steps to deal with it in place, and have a crisis communication plan ready to go.
- Take complaints seriously. It doesn’t matter who makes them or what they are they need to be considered carefully and the right steps taken. There is a robust system within policing but even that has been subject to challenge. Keep an open mind, be willing to listen, and don’t try to silence people who make complaints.
- Learn from your past problems and make sure that there are changes to how things are done. Every crisis situation has important learning and this needs to be actioned with relevant changes being put in place. If a similar situation happens again you should be more prepared and ready, and avoid the previous problems. This is the same for every crisis.
Every organisation and business needs to be ready to deal with any issues relating to staff and their behaviour. It is one of the most likely problems that will be faced and systems should be in place with effective communication being at the centre.
Behind all the hysteria and headlines is a family who have raised concerns and made complaints that need to be investigated thoroughly and properly by the appropriate authorities. It is important to allow a fair and objective investigation get to the truth of the situation so the right outcome can be reached. I hope the BBC remember that when they are considering what to say in the days, weeks and months ahead.
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