Amazon, Google, Snap, Nvidia and other firms scrambled this week to protect employees across the Middle East after escalating conflict forced companies to activate emergency protocols.
According to CNBC, Nvidia temporarily closed its Dubai offices. Amazon instructed all corporate employees in the region to work remotely and follow local government guidelines. Snap told staff at its four Middle East offices to shelter in place or depart. Dozens of Google employees were stranded in Dubai after a sales conference, unable to leave as commercial flights were grounded across the Gulf.
Amazon Web Services confirmed drones struck three of its facilities in the UAE and Bahrain over the weekend, causing fires and power outages. “Even as we work to restore these facilities, the ongoing conflict in the region means that the broader operating environment in the Middle East remains unpredictable,” AWS said in a statement reported by CNBC.
The incidents are raising urgent questions for HR leaders well beyond the tech sector. When conflict moves this fast, is the org’s duty of care response adequate?
According to SAP Concur’s 7th Annual Global Business Travel Survey, 37% of travel managers are expected to fulfill duty of care obligations without full visibility into where their employees are. Another 38% say travelers don’t use company-approved booking tools, leaving them effectively invisible during a crisis. Meanwhile, 53% of CFOs believe travel managers should be doing more on safety.
Nearly all business travelers (92%), per SAP Concur, say they are willing to decline a trip for safety reasons. Forty percent would refuse outright over concerns about a destination.
A risk expert’s recommendations
Georg Winter, CEO of risk advisory firm GrECo, published guidance this week identifying the immediate risks employees face in the region.
He points out cascading flight disruptions, elevated danger during routine movement between hotels and offices, and misinformation spreading through social media that can push employees toward bad decisions, like heading to an airport before flights are confirmed operational.
His firm’s recommended actions include establishing daily check-ins for employees in affected areas, designating a single internal point of contact for updates and steering employees away from social media toward official government and embassy channels for information. On the ground, employees should minimize movement, stay in stable accommodations and keep essential items ready for rapid departure, according to Winter.
“In times of geopolitical uncertainty, attempting to predict events is less important than preparing for rapid change,” Winter wrote.
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