Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) civil servants in Carlisle have alleged they were ordered to imitate answerphones between 12pm and 2pm on Monday, so that when callers got through, the workers would say: “Due to the high volume of enquiries we are currently experiencing, we are unable to take your call”.
No, this quote from Personnel Today is not a joke. Apparently the UK’s Public and Commercial Services Union strike is preventing the DWP’s business from moving at its usual pace, and in response someone at the department (allegedly) came up with this unethical and ineffective crisis management strategy. Panicked decisions like this, which are often fueled by a lack of preparation, can be prevented by taking the time to plan ahead for likely scenarios such as strikes.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/