Nearly Quarter of CEOs Firefighting Sexual Misconduct Crises

Nearly a quarter (23%) of UK business leaders are having to deal with sexual harassment allegations or sexual misconduct.

That’s one of the startling findings from a new survey of UK business leaders attitudes to crisis management, conducted by communications and public affairs consultancy FGS Global.

More than 85% of senior business leaders surveyed have experienced a crisis, with the consensus that crises are becoming more prevalent and unpredictable. 

Just over half of businesses cite ransomware attacks as their biggest fear (51%), followed by the economy crashing (45%) and unexpected Government policies and regulations (41%). 

Indeed, over a third of businesses polled (36%) have already faced a cyberattack.

Yet despite this, only 40% of companies have implemented technological updates, while even fewer have strengthened cyber security measures (33%) or enhanced data protection initiatives (31%).

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the global cost-of-living crisis and Covid-19, one third of companies polled have suffered from economic crises (33%) and over a quarter (27%) have suffered from crises related to unexpected changes to regulations and government policies.

Fighting the culture wars

And 13% of companies polled have faced challenges with divisive social and political issues, such as the Palestinian/Israeli conflict and gender debates. Scaled up nationally, this would equate to 728,000 businesses. 

The biggest concern of companies in a crisis remains the financial impact (73%), followed by loss of customers or customer trust (68%). Surprisingly, losing the trust of their employees is their least concern.

FGS Global’s UK Crisis Practice and Research & Insights team polled 506 senior decision makers from UK businesses to understand businesses’ experience of crises and perceptions towards crisis management.

In-depth interviews were conducted with leading business figures including former John Lewis chair Dame Sharon White, ASDA chairman Lord Stuart Rose and ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall. 

7 ways to keep on top of a crisis

The vast majority of companies will experience a crisis at some point. Corporates should be thinking about crises as a “when, not if” and taking steps to prepare themselves. FGS Global has suggested eight ways CEOs can keep on top of a crisis if it blows up:

#1 - Have the right people around you

Having the right people around you to give you sage advice – including taking counsel from your board and trusted external advisers can – help you scope the crisis and what may happen next. 

#2 - Have the right values

Values are everything. Most crises are caused by behaviours and that starts with making sure you have a positive culture, where every day as a business you are doing your best to do the right thing.

#3 - Communication is critical

Informed, consistent and timely communications are the frontline of a proportionate and effective crisis response. Communicate with those who matter to you. And remember, a company’s public response to a crisis is the only window employees and the outside world get into how seriously a company is taking an issue.

#4 - Your people matter

Employees are the lifeblood of most companies – ignore them at your peril. Don’t push them down the list of priorities in a crisis. Employees and talent decide which companies they want to be associated with and they will shun those they think are immoral or in the wrong.

#5 - The buck stops with the CEO

Being brave, visible and leading in a crisis is essential. Take advice, but leaders need to make big judgement calls on what they think is the right thing to do. 

#6 - Get the best legal advice you can

Legal advice is rarely clear cut – it’s usually grey, so take it into account but companies which emerge best from crises are those who lived by their values and were on the side of their colleagues and customers. 

#7 - Preparation is essential

Having the right systems, processes and, most importantly, people around you in a crisis can be the difference between success and failure.

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