How to support your Remote team members during disruptive world events

During emergencies such as natural disasters, geopolitical conflict, or social unrest, the health, safety, and security of your team members must always come first. These situations can be unpredictable, but being prepared helps you respond with care, flexibility, and empathy.

In this article, we explain how employment may be affected during a crisis and how you can support impacted team members.

During an emergency or crisis

Emergency situations can disrupt normal work arrangements in many ways. Team members may be willing to work but unable to do so because of circumstances beyond their control. It’s important to approach these situations thoughtfully and in good faith.

Why team members may not be able to work

During a crisis, a team member may be unable to work for reasons such as:

• They do not have access to a safe or suitable workplace.

• Movement restrictions or safety concerns prevent them from reaching their workplace (for example, road closures, damaged buildings, or evacuation orders due to flooding or tsunami risk).

• They or someone they care for is sick or injured.

• Essential infrastructure is disrupted, such as power, internet, or water supply.

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Each situation is different. Avoid negative assumptions and approach conversations with openness. We encourage you to talk openly with your team and listen carefully to individual circumstances.

Paid or unpaid time away from work

Time away from work during a crisis is not automatically considered paid or unpaid. 

• All parties should review the Employment Agreement, local laws and any applicable workplace policies to understand whether emergency situations are already covered. Please reach out to us if you have questions.

• If the agreement does not address the situation, customers and team members should decide together, in good faith, whether the time away from work will be paid or unpaid.

Important: Team members hired through Remote’s Employer of Record (EOR) have the right to stop working if it is not safe to do so because of health or safety concerns.

How you can support affected team members

You can support your team during a crisis by taking the following steps:

• Prioritize safety above all else. If a workplace is unsafe, do not require the team member to work.

• Be flexible with working hours and availability, especially when infrastructure issues such as power outages or transportation disruptions are present.

• Communicate clearly and regularly. Keep team members informed about the workplace situation and your expectations, even if they are not currently working.

• Show care and empathy. Crisis situations can cause additional emotional stress, so regular check-ins and reassurance matter.

• If a team member needs to relocate for safety or security reasons, contact us so we can help assess next steps and provide support where possible.

Next steps and support

Every crisis is unique, and local laws and circumstances can vary.

For specific questions about your situation or to request assistance for impacted team members, please reach out to us. We’re here to help and will respond as quickly as possible.

Important: For support during mental health crises or well-being issues, please visit Remote Cares: Crisis support - who to contact and where to find help