Communicate efficiently and candidly in times of crisis. Here it is important to not only keep considering your own employees on site, but also your principal – be it the parent company, private equity or owner. The EWS report ensures that your principal is always kept informed
of essentials.

EWS stands for "Early Warning System". It is an early information practice in precarious situations. The EWS report regularly informs your principal about the latest developments – ideally once a week. He will then not be taken by complete surprise if major changes are imminent.

Bad news and good news in brief

The EWS report is a one-pager. Even if you could tell your principal a whole lot about the current situation of the company – one page with the essential information is enough. Itemize good news and bad news, for example by using bullet points. Thus, the EWS report enables the principal to quickly get an overview of the situation.

A clearly structured EWS report

Always start your report with the bad news, then go into the good news and outline progress achieved. What stays in the mind of the reader is what you have already achieved in the course of the crisis, leaving him positively attuned. If negative issues predominate, your principal will get the impression that you are not in control of the situation. The good news in your EWS report will help to generate optimism.

Communicate candidly during corporate crises

That which applies to employees, applies similarly to the principal: Close to people, closer to success. My experience shows that principals want to be kept informed – and truthfully so. In times of crises, dishonesty and incorrect numbers cause people to act independently without involving others. Earn trust by disclosing the actual state of affairs.

And please remember: Life is a give and take – also when exchanging information. The EWS report is the ideal medium for you to communicate regularly with the principal in a crisis. Ultimately this will also have a positive impact on the flow of information towards you.