How Entergy's communication response to Hurricane Katrina boosted employee morale and sped service recovery

Abstract

Hurricane Katrina put New Orleans-based Entergy Corporation's crisis communications plan to the ultimate test. The challenge: Keep critical information flowing to thousands of its employees personally affected by the storm's destruction, and to its frontline crews working around the clock to restore utility services for more than a million Gulf Coast customers. The New Orleans-based energy company was faced with restoring service for customers even as thousands of its own employees experienced personal and professional stress. Yet despite disruptions to telephones and several other communications channels, Entergy succeeded in applying its crisis communication plan, using Web-based communications, and leveraging the communication style of senior leadership to boost employee morale and speed the restoration of services critical to the recovery of Gulf South communities. © 2006 by Entergy Services, Inc.