My heart is breaking for our friends stuck in the cold for yet another day in the south. Feeling very helpless. Has anyone sorted out a way to aid from a distance?

Ok, crickets so far. Let’s start compiling some ideas.

1) If you are in HR & have workers living in the south & haven’t expressed permission to take time off, do so immediately. Emergency PTO is critical for anyone working under extreme conditions. Do not count as vaca or sick.

2) Be mindful of communication with your people. *Battery life is incredibly precious in emergencies.* Stop calling, texting, tagging, emailing them about non-critical things. Every ping drains battery life.

3) Share the load. Rebalance work on teams to help your colleagues feel less pressure to dial in. Be proactive and specific with your actions. Simply asking “how can I help?” is a hard question to answer when the person is worried about surviving.

4) The biggest thing we can do for our colleagues from afar is extend grace and compassion. Until power and water are restored, they’re focused on the unknown gap — meals, warmth, and survival. Work can wait.