Leading in a post-disaster setting: Guidance for Human Resource practitioners

Venkataraman Nilakant, Bernard Walker, Kylie Rochford and Kate van Heugten

New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations, 38(1):1-14 2013

Abstract

Based on a qualitative study of four organisations involving 47 respondents following the extensive 2010 – 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, this paper presents some guidance for human resource practitioners dealing with post-disaster recovery. A key issue is the need for the human resource function to reframe its practices in a post-disaster context, developing a specific focus on understanding and addressing changing employee needs, and monitoring the leadership behaviour of supervisors. This article highlights the importance of flexible organisational responses based around a set of key principles concerning communication and employee perceptions of company support.

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