What to do when your key player is suddenly out of action

Picture this: It’s Monday morning. You’re opening up for the day when your phone rings.

Bad news—your head chef has been in a car accident and is in hospital. No timeline for their return. No chance to handover their specials for the week.

Honestly, it’s a situation no business owner wants to face.

You’re worried about them personally (of course you are), but you’re also thinking:

• “Who’s going to handle the wedding party this weekend?”
• “What about the new menu launch on Friday?”

I’ve seen this happen recently and it’s tough. You’re juggling genuine concern with practical business needs.

The immediate don’ts

When crisis hits, even good intentions can lead you astray. Here’s what to avoid:

Don’t pressure for updates

Don’t bombard them, or their family, with messages asking when they’ll be back. Yes, you need to plan, but constant checking-in won’t speed up their recovery.

Don’t make promises you can’t keep

Don’t promise customers that everything will continue as normal. It probably won’t, at least for a while.

Don’t ignore the elephant in the room

Please don’t pretend nothing’s happened when talking to your team. They’ll see right through it and it creates more anxiety.

Your 4-step response plan

1. Prioritise tasks

Start by working out what simply can’t wait. List your absent employee’s main tasks and sort them into:

• Urgent: Things that will cause immediate problems if not done today
• Important: Stuff needed this week
• Can wait: Things that can honestly wait

2. Redistribute work thoughtfully

Then look at who could pick up each task:

• Who has the skills?
• Who has the capacity?
• Who could learn quickly?

3. Communicate with transparency

Next, gather your team. Be human about it:

“I’ve had some difficult news. Sarah’s been in an accident. She’s in hospital and that’s all we know right now. First, we’re all hoping she’s OK. Second, we need to keep things running while she recovers.”

Be clear about:

• What you know
• What you don’t know
• How you’ll distribute the workload temporarily
• Acknowledging that it won’t be easy

4. Take a breath before big decisions

Give it a bit of time. The first 48 hours of a crisis aren’t the moment for reorganising your entire business.

Focus on keeping the essential things moving while you get more information.

Know your legal responsibilities

Do check what legal obligations you have:

• Sick pay entitlements
• Absence record-keeping requirements
• Appropriate contact protocols
• Return to work procedures

It’s the right thing to do and it protects your business too.

Your response shapes your culture

Remember, your team is watching how you handle this.

If they see you prioritising business over wellbeing, they’ll remember that when they’re facing their own challenges.

Planning for next time

Let’s be honest – unexpected absences will happen again. Here’s how to make them less disruptive:

1. Document critical knowledge

Get key information out of people’s heads and onto paper (or digital). No one should be the sole keeper of crucial recipes, supplier contacts or production processes.

2. Cross-train your team

Why not try some skill-sharing? It’s surprisingly effective when your barista learns how to manage stock orders or your delivery driver understands the basics of customer service.

3. Identify vulnerability points

Take a hard look at your team structure. Which roles would bring production to a halt if empty tomorrow? Those need backup plans.

4. Keep documentation current

Keep your instruction manuals and process guides fresh. Nothing worse than discovering your equipment maintenance guide is three years old when you urgently need it.

5. Prepare for gradual returns

Have a flexible return-to-work plan ready. Coming back after absence isn’t an on/off switch.

Need a hand?

Has a recent crisis made you realise that your business is a bit vulnerable to unexpected absences?

I’d be happy to help you to build in some practical safeguards without creating mountains of paperwork.

I’m here if you’d like to talk about making your business more resilient – while keeping that personal touch that makes your team special.