Building resilience and trust in crisis preparedness

The recent independent report on Australia’s COVID-19 response presents a valuable opportunity to examine why businesses and organisations should strengthen trust, resilience, and transparency in challenging environments.

Whether navigating complex stakeholder relationships or meeting heightened public expectations, there are key insights that can be applied for future crisis preparedness and to help build community confidence. A reminder too – trust, clarity, and adaptability are not just crisis management tools; they should be key principles for sustained growth and connection.

1. Embracing transparency – it is the foundation of trust

Overwhelmingly, the inquiry highlighted the need for transparency in decision-making, especially when significant impacts are at play. Specifically, there is a need to communicate the rationale behind strategic decisions, especially when people’s lives or livelihoods are affected. Major policy shifts or operational updates alike will benefit from an open approach that fosters trust and highlights respect for stakeholder interests.

2. Keeping communication consistent and unified

When critical decisions need to be communicated, the bottom line is that inconsistency creates confusion and erodes confidence. From managing regulatory landscapes and coordinating cross-state operations to addressing diverse stakeholder groups, public messaging always needs to be aligned. Clear, unified communication will help to reassure stakeholders, prevent misunderstandings, and ultimately, support a stable brand presence.

3. Sustaining trust as a strategic priority

The findings emphasised that trust, although invaluable, can easily be lost and requires ongoing methodical commitment. Communicating how your organisation is accountable and demonstrating ways in which you are delivering on those commitments are just a couple of ways to build and sustain trust and credibility through challenging periods. The key take-away is that investing in trust-building efforts over time will help establish reliability, even in unpredictable environments.

4. Leveraging credible voices to strengthen messaging

The report flagged the critical role of credible voices in ensuring clear communication. Using trusted spokespeople or community leaders for major communications can help deliver messages effectively and empathetically. Engaging credible voices, whether it be department heads, well-regarded partners, or scientific leaders in your sector, will give weight to key messages and show that diverse perspectives and stakeholder concerns are genuinely valued.

5. Adapting to new insights

The inquiry also recommended adapting and pivoting as needed, using evidence-based tools, and highlighted the importance of investing in flexible planning and agile response structures. Daymark, for example, has Industry Watch and Policy Platform to help provide special insight and intelligence to support critical decision-making. Cultivating a culture of adaptability and establishing mechanisms or platforms that can quickly respond to new information allows organisations to stay on top of evolving scenarios. This approach not only builds internal resilience but also promotes constructive, proactive engagement with external stakeholders.

The COVID-19 inquiry findings reinforce how foundational principles — trust, transparency, consistency, and adaptability — can make or break a crisis response. Preparing for the unknown requires more than planning; it’s about committing to values that will build confidence over time. Ideally, our aspiration should be not only to weather the storm, but emerge stronger and better prepared to support the communities we serve.