Taj: A+ For Internal Communication

Raymond Bickson, the CEO of the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, wrote a short piece for the New York Times today. As you recall, the Taj Mahal Palace and Towers was a big target in the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November.

The piece struck me because of the emphasis on internal communications during that tragic time. Their first response was to the employees. We are constantly hearing about the need for strong employee communication, and the Taj Hotel people did a great job. Here is a quick list of some of the things they did right after the attacks:

+ Within 24 hours of the attack, they set up 5 outreach centers for associates and guests.
+ The families of the 15 Taj employees who were killed will continue to receive their salaries for the rest of their lives -- along with medical benefits and education for those up to age 24.
+ At the reopening, they had a staff-only event featuring spiritual leaders from all over the world. They read all 1,700 names of the employees.

The one that strikes me the most is the fact that the Taj Hotels is willing to pay the deceased's salaries (including some benefits) for the rest of their families' lives. They didn't have to do that. You can make the argument that the hotel should have had better security, but technically the attacks were not the Taj's fault. It's a huge gesture that says a lot about the organization.