Put your people at the heart of your next crisis response – A book review by Jo Barrett

When I joined the CIPR’s Crisis Communications Network committee earlier this year, there was much talk about Alison Arnot’s blog on internal comms and crisis. It had resonated with our members and received hundreds of views, likes and comments. Something about this topic clearly struck a chord.

As someone who has experienced a slew of crises in recent years (haven’t we all!), I was keen to get stuck into Alison’s new book and hear her advice for anticipating, mitigating and surviving the next one.

Arnot’s premise in Internal Communication in Times of Crisis is that, in a crisis, effective internal communication is about much more than broadcasting updates. It is about maintaining – and often rebuilding – employee trust. It is about ensuring that people feel safe, valued, and well informed, even when the organisation itself is under immense strain. And, it is about empowering colleagues to continue their work with confidence and purpose, despite ongoing uncertainty. Trust is earned not through polished corporate messaging, Arnot argues, but through transparency, honesty, and humanity – qualities that can often slip under pressure.

What distinguishes this book for me, is its strong focus on people rather than process.

What distinguishes this book for me, is its strong focus on people rather than process. Arnot frames effective internal communication as rooted in understanding human needs, emotional responses, and organisational culture. She argues that employees do not experience crises uniformly; some may feel deeply traumatised, whilst others can be energised by the challenge. For communicators, being alive to this variety of emotions is critical. She reminds us regularly that a “duty of care” must underpin every message crafted, anchoring the book in a real-life appreciation of how most of us function in moments of extreme stress.  

Arnot builds on this employee-focused approach with a series of practical steps. She structures the book around a clear crisis-response arc: understanding the situation, creating messages, enabling action, evaluating impact, and learning for the future. The section on post-crisis learning is particularly good. She argues convincingly that a crisis does not end when the immediate threat has passed; it ends when the organisation has truly understood what happened, how people experienced it, and what must change going forward. Bringing employees back together to reflect, share, and create solutions is presented not just as a good practice, but as a necessity for rebuilding trust and strengthening culture.

Throughout, Arnot incorporates case studies and insights from organisations that have faced a range of crisis events – from cyberattacks to operational breakdowns and reputational challenges. Her examples illuminate a core theme: crises require both flexibility and innovation. One leader recalls that during a cyberattack, the communication team’s role was not only to share updates but also to empower employees to continue critical work despite the technical disruptions. Showing flexibility, Arnot says, is itself a communication strategy: employees need to be able to see that their organisation can adapt, improvise, and problem-solve under pressure.

Arnot champions internal communication research and diagnostics – tools that often get sidelined when crises hit. She advises communicators to gather data even when time is tight and people are overwhelmed.

Arnot champions internal communication research and diagnostics – tools that often get sidelined when crises hit. She advises communicators to gather data even when time is tight and people are overwhelmed. Doing so not only helps shape better messaging in the moment; it also signals respect for your audiences and an attempt to understand their needs. She provides guidance on encouraging staff participation during stressful periods: acknowledging the difficulty of the situation, explaining why feedback matters, and committing to act quickly on results. It is a good reminder that first-hand research is not a luxury but a lifeline in crisis communication.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its emphasis on opportunity. While acknowledging the immense stress crises can bring, Arnot reflects on their potential to spark innovation, improved collaboration, and positive change. Crises reveal where systems are fragile – but also that people are often resilient. Communicators have a unique role in capturing and amplifying these learnings, helping organisations emerge stronger.

Arnot recognises that most crisis breakdowns stem not from a lack of process but from misaligned expectations, emotional strain, unclear responsibilities, or communication missteps.

Readers looking for highly technical crisis frameworks may find the book more culturally focused than operationally prescriptive. But this is also its value. Arnot recognises that most crisis breakdowns stem not from a lack of process but from misaligned expectations, emotional strain, unclear responsibilities, or communication missteps.

Internal Communication in Times of Crisis is an excellent guide for leaders and communicators seeking to navigate uncertainty with integrity and purpose. Arnot’s strategic insight, practical advice, and compassionate leadership makes this book not only instructive but really quite inspiring.

Above all, she urges internal communicators to step into the heart of crisis response – to become not just messengers but sense-makers when everything feels worryingly uncertain.

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Alison Arnot is a consultant, trainer, speaker and author specialising in PR, internal communication and crisis communication. Her book, Internal Communication in Times of Crisis: How to secure employee trust, support and advocacy in crisis situations is available on Amazon.

Author: Jo Barrett, Climate Crisis Counsel, CIPR Crisis Communications Network Committee

Photo: AI generated