Noriko Takasaki on workplace resilience in crisis

In the APAC region, where workplace stress and burnout are on the rise, employee health and safety have also taken centre stage due to ongoing risks. Employers must now explore innovative ways to address these dual challenges, ensuring that the well-being of their workforce remains a top priority.

In this context, People Matters recently connected with Noriko Takasaki, Security Director, Assistance-Asia for International SOS, who shared key strategies for building workplace resilience and ensuring employee safety in the face of unforeseen challenges, including those posed by climate change, geopolitical risks, and security threats like cyberattacks.

Read here the edited excerpts: 

Can you elaborate on the crisis response mechanisms in place for health and safety emergencies, particularly in remote or high-risk areas? 

Asia's diverse climate events and growing volatility are crucial considerations, as nearly half of the world’s natural hazards occur in the Asia-Pacific region. Last year, 70 per cent of these events were floods. The impact of these hazards varies widely across the region—whether in Japan, India, or Bangladesh—due to differences in infrastructure and resilience. This diversity makes it essential to understand risks within each specific context. For example, India, though it’s a single country, the differences between North and South, are so vast they’re almost like separate continents. It’s like India has 28 different countries within itself. The same is true for Indonesia, where the east and west are home to different tribes, languages, cultures, and religions. Assuming that Asia is homogeneous is a significant risk for organisations, especially those based outside the region.

Therefore, when assessing risk in Asia, it’s crucial to focus on specific locations and contexts, not just the country as a whole. This approach makes risk management strategies more complex but also more effective. 

Understanding the risks, the context, and having the right mitigation measures in place are fundamental principles. However, in Asia, the risk management cycle or threat assessment needs to be more granular.

There’s a common misconception that Asia doesn’t have many high-risk or extreme-risk locations, but this doesn’t mean there’s no risk at all. The nuances of each location, including tribal dynamics and cultural elements, play a significant role. In some areas, Westerners may face higher risks due to geopolitical tensions and shifting alliances, which can change rapidly, making it essential to stay informed. For instance, being from South Asia doesn’t guarantee that you can communicate effectively across the region. Finding a common language in India can be challenging, and the same applies to China and Indonesia. Building local support in Asia is no simple task, therefore, when selecting local partners, it’s essential to assess their coverage and whether they possess the site-specific expertise required. Integrating these capabilities into your response and risk management system is key to successfully navigating Asia’s complexities.

For organisations in APAC, what are the primary security challenges today, and how can they address them? How do these risks in Asia differ from those in other regions?

In APAC, the primary security challenges continue to be geopolitical tensions and climate change consistently. However, Asia's situation is unique due to the complexity of the actors involved. It’s at the forefront of geopolitical competition, with significant influences from countries like China and other regional powers. We’re seeing a shift in investments, with strategies like "friendshoring" becoming more prevalent. This geopolitical competition manifests in regions such as the South China Sea and mainland South Asia, particularly in countries like Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. These nations are influenced by the major players—India, China, the US—resulting in domestic political challenges.

Understanding the domestic actors and their alignment with broader geopolitical forces is crucial. This understanding helps us see how global competition can manifest locally. For instance, China’s role and its impact on the region need careful monitoring. For climate change, the increased volatility is leading to more extreme weather events in areas previously unaffected, such as Japan. Despite Japan’s advanced water management systems, they’re now facing significant flooding due to changing weather patterns. Adapting infrastructure takes time, and during this adaptation period, we’ll likely see more extreme events, including heat waves and flooding. 

Another important but often overlooked threat is cyber security. Asia is experiencing a rise in cyber incidents, both geopolitically and criminally motivated. Online scams and cybercrime are emerging as significant threats to organisations and their employees. For example, we've seen cases where travellers, unaware of the local context, fall victim to scams. High-profile cyber attacks, like those in Japan targeting hospitals and publishers, are becoming more common, with mitigation measures still playing catch-up.

Organisations need to look at multiple levels of risk, with geopolitical tensions, climate change, and cyber security being key areas to monitor. The recent global outage, where a software update from a cybersecurity provider caused widespread disruption, highlighted the importance of having robust backup and disaster recovery plans. 

Organisations must ensure that their employees’ safety, especially during travel disruptions, is prioritised. It's crucial to have a comprehensive backup plan, not just for technology failures but also for non-communication measures. In resource-limited settings, backup plans should account for scenarios where communication systems fail. For example, during a government-mandated shutdown in Bangladesh, headquarters were unable to contact in-country employees, creating a significant challenge. Pre-set procedures are vital, such as ensuring staff safety first and maintaining trust during communication blackouts. Lastly, reinforcing education around these plans is essential, not just for employees but for HR professionals as well. HR teams need to communicate these policies effectively to decision-makers and business stakeholders, ensuring everyone is aligned and prepared.

How can APAC organisations ensure business sustainability amidst geopolitical threats from other regions?

It's essential to emphasise the importance of reinforcing and maintaining a robust risk management structure. As geology and geography evolve due to climate change, geopolitical frameworks must adapt in response. It’s crucial to have the right expertise and capabilities to grasp how multiple, interconnected threats and challenges are emerging and impacting organisations. 

• Nothing happens in isolation—climate change, for example, will influence geopolitical dynamics, potentially causing islands to disappear and altering vital water sources, which in turn shifts geopolitical significance. Understanding how these threats are evolving and strengthening our forecasting and analytical capabilities is vital.
• For cyber threats, diversifying backup plans, information sources, essential supplies, and communication channels is critical, especially given the volatility faced. Diversifying the supply chain, as seen in France, is essential. But with the evolving geopolitical landscape and varying data protection regulations across countries, it’s also crucial to have the right infrastructure and operational posture to navigate these complexities.
• Given that organisations operate across multiple countries, collaboration with various stakeholders is essential. When considering sustainability, it’s important for organisations to work together to enhance or mitigate risks holistically. Climate change, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors all play a role in risk management.
• By collaborating, organisations can not only protect their workforce but also contribute positively to climate initiatives like net zero and social responsibility efforts. This proactive stance helps mitigate risks, as community acceptance can be a powerful risk management tool. A company that is valued and respected within its environment is better positioned to manage risks effectively.
• For risk management holistically, it’s vital to have an aligned strategy internally and foster collaboration with external partners. This collaboration supports the intelligence cycle, helping organisations gather the right information about the context and threat environment.

While these elements may seem extensive, they are critical to success. Above all, organisations must avoid complacency. There is no perfect structure, as the environment is constantly changing. The key is to continuously adapt and evolve with these changes.

How significant is digital fatigue as a concern for APAC workers, and how can it be mitigated?  

I believe it's essential for organisations to ensure a supportive work environment. This includes encouraging regular breaks and promoting physical activity. Simple practices, like setting a timer to remind employees to step away from their desks and move around, can make a big difference. It's also important to create opportunities for activities that encourage people to take breaks from the digital world, such as physical exercises or wellness programmes. For instance, some offices offer activities like Zumba, Yoga, and Meditation sessions. Such wellness initiatives are crucial, as they not only promote physical health but also contribute to mental well-being. Providing mental health support when needed is equally important because the stress of work can sometimes be overwhelming, making it difficult to bounce back without proper support.

Flexibility in work arrangements is another key factor, and its vital to ensure that employees aren’t confined to a single working environment, especially when working remotely. This flexibility helps maintain overall well-being, including the ergonomic aspects of work, like posture and seating, which can significantly impact long-term health. In essence, supporting flexible work arrangements and educating employees on maintaining well-being, even outside the traditional office setting, is crucial for a holistic approach to employee health and satisfaction.

Burnout is a serious workplace challenge in the APAC region. What are some effective ways to ensure employees have a healthy work-life balance while maintaining business productivity?

One of the key areas where we support organisations is in crisis management, especially during times of poly-crisis. For instance, during the ongoing geopolitical crisis, HR managers found themselves working around the clock to monitor the situation. At the same time, they may also have contended with other events, such as protests in Bangladesh or a typhoon in the Philippines, leading to multiple crises happening simultaneously. In such situations, organisations often rely on a single team to manage specific regions. However, this approach can lead to fatigue, which is a significant concern.

Crisis fatigue isn’t just digital; it's a very real issue within organisations. When employees are exhausted, the risk increases that the organisation might miss a crisis or fail to anticipate an upcoming one. That’s why it’s crucial for organisations to review their resource structures and avoid overly relying on individuals. Even if the organisation promotes work-life balance, crises don’t adhere to a schedule—they happen 24/7. Without the right structure in place, managing this becomes impossible. It’s essential to understand the workload, ensure proper support, and implement forced breaks. For example, if someone has been working non-stop on a crisis for a week, they need to be taken out of that environment to rest. Just as remote workers have rest and recreation time, we need to institutionalise these practices for all employees to prevent burnout, tailored to their specific work environment. These support measures are particularly vital for crisis managers operating in a poly-crisis environment. The importance of these practices cannot be overstated, given the increasing complexity of the crises they face.

How can organisations ensure the safety of their frontline employees, especially those in travelling roles, amidst security threats?

To ensure employees are fully prepared for high-risk or high-threat environments, it’s crucial to implement awareness training that goes beyond online modules. Practical, hands-on training, such as hostile environment training, is essential. While no training can cover every possible scenario, these programmes equip employees with the skills to anticipate and respond effectively to dangerous situations. For example, in Japan, earthquake drills start from kindergarten, becoming second nature over time. This muscle memory is critical in emergencies, allowing individuals to act without hesitation and potentially save lives. 

Crisis training isn’t just about checking a box; it’s about genuinely equipping your workforce to survive in challenging environments. Given the current global landscape—whether it’s the threat of attacks, civil unrest, or natural disasters like earthquakes—practical, scenario-based training is more important than ever.

Equally important is establishing robust communication channels and protocols. In an emergency, employees need to be able to reach out for help, whether to emergency services, family, international support, or their organisation. Clear communication protocols ensure that responses are coordinated, preventing confusion and delays in providing support. For instance, without a clear protocol, multiple reports of the same incident can lead to inefficiencies and delays in delivering necessary assistance.

An organisation must also have a detailed, flexible plan in place. This plan should be comprehensive enough to allow anyone in the HR team to step in and manage a crisis effectively, even if key personnel are unavailable. This ensures continuity and consistency in handling emergencies, reflecting a deep commitment to the duty of care.

Embedding duty of care into the organisational culture is crucial. When safety and well-being are seen not as costs but as investments, it strengthens the overall culture. This cultural shift empowers HR professionals to advocate for the security and well-being of all employees, fostering a supportive environment that enhances employee retention. By integrating these practices into the organisational fabric, you ensure that employees feel supported, safe, and valued, which in turn drives loyalty and long-term engagement.