Natural Disasters and Business Continuity: HR’s Critical Role in Planning, Response, and Recovery
August 13, 2025 1:00 PM EDT
When natural disasters strike, whether hurricanes, wildfires, floods, or severe storms, HR professionals are on the front lines of protecting employees and helping businesses remain resilient. This webinar examines the crucial role HR plays before, during, and after a disaster, including how to prepare the workforce, maintain critical operations, and support employees throughout the recovery process.
We’ll explore strategies for creating effective emergency policies, managing leave and payroll during disruptions, communicating with employees in times of crisis, and ensuring compliance with legal obligations. Real-world examples will illustrate how HR departments have successfully navigated natural disasters, and attendees will walk away with actionable tools to strengthen their organization’s preparedness and response efforts.
Key takeaways:
- Understand the critical responsibilities of HR in natural disaster preparedness, crisis response, and recovery planning.
- Learn how to build and implement employee-centered emergency policies and communication plans.
- Discover best practices for managing pay, leave, and staffing during business disruptions.
- Gain insight into legal compliance considerations (e.g., FLSA, OSHA) during and after a disaster.
- Explore case examples that highlight successful HR strategies in real-life disaster scenarios.
SHRM Knowledge Advisors will join the live webinar to answer your questions in real time—right in the chat. If we don’t get to your question during the session? No problem, SHRM members can head to SHRM Connect after this webinar to keep the conversation going with advisors for 30 extra minutes. This benefit is only for members who join the live webinar and not included later on demand.
Meet the Presenters
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Patti Cuthill
Patti Cuthill, SHRM-SCP, is Vice President of People and Culture at Verve where she helps build and nurture a positive work environment valued by all Verve employees. Since joining Verve she has lead culture transformation efforts that has resulted in Verve achieving Top 10 Best Places to Work by the San Diego Business Journal for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, Fortune Best Small and Medium Workplaces 2020, 2022, and Great Place to Work Certified 2020-2025. Prior to joining Verve, Cuthill held leadership roles in HR for CPU Medical Management, Rock Cancer CARE, CliniComp International, Rock Church & Academy, and Comic-Con. She also served in the U.S. Navy. She is a Certified Clifton Strength Coach. She is also instructor for Designing Exceptional Organization Cultures at UCSD Extended Studies.
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Stephanie Conn
Stephanie Conn, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, is a results-driven human resource professional with over 20 years of experience spanning the healthcare, banking, and hospitality sectors. As Chief Human Resources Officer at PanCare of Florida, Inc., she oversees all aspects of the organization's human capital strategy, ensuring alignment with its mission to provide comprehensive, accessible healthcare services. She holds the SHRM Specialty Credentials in Total Rewards, Workplace Investigations and California Law. Conn is the Immediate Past President of Bay County SHRM and currently serves as a District Director with SHRM Florida. In 2019, her chapter received a SHRM Pinnacle Award for their efforts supporting the HR community after Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 Hurricane, devastated her hometown. In 2021, she was honored to receive the HR Florida State Council President’s Award.
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Yvette Lee
Yvette Lee, SHRM-SCP, is an HR Knowledge Advisor at SHRM, the world’s largest HR professional society, representing early 340,000 members in more than 180 countries. Lee possesses over 25 years of human resources experience. Her expertise includes talent management, benefits, compensation, diversity and inclusion, employee relations, ethics and compliance, and employee development. She holds the SHRM California Law HR, Talent Acquisition, and Inclusive Workplace Culture Specialty Credentials and the People Manager Qualification. Lee enjoys spending time with her family and doing community service. She loves working for SHRM and helping members advance the HR profession.
SHRM certification has approved this webinar for 1 PDC toward SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP recertification. A program code will be provided at the end of the webinar.