They say that no publicity is bad publicity, but those who work within business will know that any bad press can result in serious and permanent damage to your brand. Something which will impact your revenue and your success. When a business is on the brink of a reputational crisis, it’s vital that they utilise a variety of reputation-management techniques and approaches, to soften the blow and to reduce the impact on their enterprise.
By putting multiple approaches and strategies in place, you can respond quickly and appropriately to any reputational crisis and still emerge with your brand and your customer base intact. In this post, we’ll explore how your business can avoid reputational damage. Read on to find out more.
Ensure Your Brand is Always Acting Legally
When your brand is aligned with legal regulations and obligations, it means a reputational issue is less likely to occur in the first place. As an employer, you have a responsibility to your employees to provide them with a legal, fair and ethically sound workplace. And one of the best ways to achieve this is by having your own team of employment law solicitors waiting in the wings.
Having a group of experienced TUPE lawyers, for example, means that if you’re in the process of transferring employees into a new contracts, terms and conditions or managing a consultation process as part of a large scale TUPE reorganisation, then having the right legal support means that every part of the process is kept legal and is aligned with your brand ethics. Maintaining adherence to your legal responsibilities throughout a TUPE process, through a redundancy consultation or when creating employment contracts can keep your business transparent, legitimate and keep your reputation safe from damage.
Apologise As Early As Possible
Whether an internal affair has been poorly handled, you can’t keep the promises you made to a client or you’re receiving backlash for a poorly timed social media post, you should never allow one mistake to undo years of positive brand management. Owning up to your mistakes as early as possible is always the best option. Employees and customers alike may be more understanding than you think. If you’re still concerned about the impact on your reputation, reach out to your legal team as soon as possible for advice.
Treat Your Employees Fairly
Your brand isn’t the only asset attributed to your business, your employees are the heart and soul of everything you do. They should represent your brand well and provide exceptional customer service experiences, every time. However, this relationship works both ways. And business owners should understand how closely employee satisfaction aligns with their reputational image. As an employer, you must provide a legal, fair and pleasant working environment that allows your employees to thrive and protects them from harassment, bullying and discrimination. They should also have the opportunity to succeed and pursue other career prospects within your company without prejudice.
By putting multiple policies in place to protect your employees’ welfare and your business, you can create happier employees who’ll be loyal to your brand and share your message. If you’re worried about your current policies, reach out to an employment solicitor.
In conclusion, when it comes to reputational damage prevention is better than cure. Consider the points above to protect your business reputation.
Photo credits: coworkinglondon.com