Storms are becoming more frequent and severe in our changing climate; it’s time for business leaders to protect their teams. Here are eight ways to help your team in the aftermath of hurricanes.
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Two weeks after Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern United States, leaving more than 230 people dead and billions of dollars of damage in its wake, another historically catastrophic hurricane is making landfall in Florida. With recovery efforts for Helene only just beginning, leaders are already preparing for recovery ahead of Hurricane Milton.
While the human cost is incalculable, the economic cost of Helene is currently estimated at $225 billion to $250 billion. And before making landfall, Hurricane Milton had already cost Florida businesses millions of dollars.
In our changing climate, employers need to be prepared well before specific threats emerge and take steps to protect their most valuable business assets: their employees.
Within a matter of days, Hurricane Milton intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane. (Before making landfall, Milton was downgraded to a Category 3.) Hurricane Helene followed a similar trajectory, transforming within three days from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane that moved several hundred miles inland and left a wake of destruction across six states.
In our changing climate, extreme weather and storms have become more deadly and more frequent. Since the 1980s, the number of billion-dollar weather disasters in the United States has drastically increased. In 2023 alone, there were 28 distinct weather and climate disasters (compared to only three in 1980), resulting in a total cost exceeding $92.9 billion.
Many of the conditions that made Helene so intense are now fueling Milton, including unprecedentedly high water temperatures, which result in stronger wind, heavier rainfall, and more flooding. These elevated ocean temperatures are 200 to 500 times more likely to occur, due to climate change.
In our new climate reality, businesses and communities need to adapt and prepare, especially as hurricane and storm zones continue to expand.
In natural disasters, employers are called upon to show leadership, flexibility, empathy, and support. Here are some ways you can help your team during times of crisis:
Your employees trust you to share accurate, up-to-date information. Create a centralized hub for storm-related resources, including emergency contacts, evacuation routes, and local assistance programs, and update it as more resources become available. Be sure to include tips on helping your team avoid consumer scams, which often increase after a natural disaster.
We’ve curated some helpful tips and resources in a free one-sheet you can share directly with employees impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. These resources can supplement guidance from local officials. You can download the one-sheet here.
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Your team may be spread out, with some affected by disasters while others are not. Keep managers informed of weather events that could disrupt work and offer guidance on managing absences.
Establish a company-sponsored fund to provide quick financial assistance to affected employees. This can cover immediate expenses like temporary housing, food and water, or essential supplies.
Work with your insurance provider to ensure employees can access pharmacy benefits, even if they’ve been displaced. Also, offer access to virtual care and telehealth services so employees can access care wherever they are. Make sure your benefits include mental health services.
Coordinate with your 401(k) plan administrator to allow affected employees to access their savings through hardship withdrawals if needed.
Offering additional paid time off, remote work options, and flexible schedules to give employees time to focus on recovery or family needs. In some cases, extended leave may be required for people who are severely impacted by a storm.
Invest in employee assistance programs (EAPs) and remind employees how services like counseling or financial aid can help them recover after a natural disaster.
Consider organizing company-wide volunteer opportunities to help the affected communities. This also fosters unity among your team.
For more ways to support your team after a disaster, check out these additional recommendations from our partners at Mercer.
In the coming weeks, many communities across the United States will be working together to recover and rebuild. For leaders, it’s a chance to step up and support your employees as you all navigate these disasters, together.
The World Health Organization (WHO) now recognizes our changing climate as the “single biggest health threat facing humanity.” But there’s a disconnect when it comes to business leaders responsible for employee health and safety; only 17% of global CEOs have implemented strategies to protect employees from the impacts of climate risk.
The National Commission on Climate and Workforce Health is a group of business, health, and climate leaders with a shared mission to address the health risks posed by extreme weather and provide the tools companies need to protect their workers.
It’s time for leaders to understand the risks, adapt to today’s climate conditions, and invest in human and business resilience.
Learn about the Health Action Alliance's climate commission and download The Increasing Risks to Our People-Powered Economy to get started.
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