Caring for Workers After Hurricanes Irma and Harvey
By Alaina Lancaster on Oct. 13, 2017HOUSTON & MIAMI -- Hurricanes Irma and Harvey whipped through Florida and Texas in August and September, causing more than 140 deaths and an estimated $380 billion in combined damages, according to CNN.
After the storms passed, some members of the retail industry got busy finding ways to assist their workers. These employers didn’t just have a moral incentive to lend staff a helping hand but a business one, too.
A major hidden cost for this type of natural disaster is employee morale, Paul Fadil, chair and professor of management at University of North Florida’s Coggin College of Business, told The Florida Times Union. “At first, there’s a little bit of ‘Thank goodness we’re all OK,’ ” he said. “But then it’s obvious you’re coming back for triple the work. And you have people who don’t come back.”
Here’s how convenience stores and vendors helped workers get back on their feet and return to business as usual ...
Communicate in multiple forms
Irving, Texas-based 7-Eleven created a communications plan to reach out to every employee affected by the storms. If there were any team members who the c-store chain couldn’t get in touch with, a company representative did an in-person personnel check, according to a spokesperson for the chain.
Core-Mark Holding Co. also reached out to staff after the storms. The marketer of supply solutions to the convenience-retail industry called employees each day immediately after the hurricanes, and then weekly after it was established that they were safe. But the company didn’t rely on calls; with 30 distribution centers across North America, representatives met with team members face to face to make sure they were OK and ask if they needed additional support.
“Communication is key—constant face-to-face contact with your employees, as well as supporting through email, texts and phone calls,” Milton Gray Draper, director of investor relations for Core-Mark, told CSP Daily News. “Essentially, whatever it takes to get that information to those in need is key to a successful plan.”
Meet basic needs
Senior 7-Eleven executives toured stores damaged by the hurricanes to provide support, while store managers ensured associates had enough food and other means to enable them to head back to work. The retailer also delivered RVs full of food and beverages to corporate employees whose homes had been damaged and 500 care packages to employees in need, said a company spokesperson.
Be flexible
For workers whose homes were destroyed but who still wanted to work, 7-Eleven relocated employees to different cities and stores. Core-Mark gave employees extra time off if they needed to care for family members dealing with hurricane damage.
Provide financial aid
To offset the costs of the hurricane damage, 7-Eleven gave workers a cash bonus to help them through the relief process, and Core-Mark distributed “relief checks” to team members who faced property loss during the hurricane.
“We owe it to our employees to support them in a time of need,” Draper said. “It builds even stronger bonds between our team members and Core-Mark, and allows them to see that we truly care about them and their families.”