Tips to Help Employees Cope with Disaster

While there is no catchall response a company can make to its employees in the aftermath of a workplace disaster, it is nearly always appropriate to allow each worker the necessary time to reflect, mourn, and cope with anxiety. Aside from being the right thing to do from a moral standpoint, doing

Any comprehensive plan designed to help employees cope with disaster should incorporate the following three actions:

1. Plan for anxiety and mourning.
2. Communicate clearly.
3. Give people options.

Plan for Anxiety and Mourning

Over the days, weeks, and months that follow a disaster, employees will almost certainly experience heightened anxiety, fear, and sadness. If not attended to, this increased preoccupation can lead to accidents or mishaps due to a lack of focus as well as continued emotional trauma. The following actions can help combat such troubles and prevent new ones:

• Provide counseling: Notify all employees (including managers) of grief or anxiety counseling options available to them through their benefits plan. If possible, provide anonymous counseling at a discrete location.
• Designate a leader: Select a human resources staffer to be the primary management contact for issues related to the event. Ensure that this person is qualified to lead such an important effort.
• Deal with productivity: Develop a “work allocation” plan in the event that some employees become less productive. Be tolerant.
• Prepare for the worst: Develop a worst-case scenario plan (listing possible problems and the way to handle each) for the unlikely event that a significant number of your employees undergo grief or stress.

Communicate Clearly

These actions can help you communicate with your employees in the aftermath of a disaster:

• Hold an event: Hold an all-hands event to provide employees with a forum to share their feelings.
• Answer questions: Develop a list of frequently asked questions with accompanying answers and distribute it to all company employees.
• Educate: Post information of the symptoms associated with anxiety and grief, including a checklist of what employees can do to help remedy these feelings if they are suffering from them.
• Send a message: Have the company president or CEO send a message to all employees recognizing the disaster and outlining your company's actions so that employees know you care.

Provide Resources and Options

The likelihood of continuing anxiety is significantly higher if your company loses one or more employees in the workplace. You might consider some of these suggestions:

• Close down: In times of intense personal trauma everyone needs time to get back into a normal life again. Closing the business for a day or two could be a good idea.
• Work at home: Allow employees to work at home for a set period of time.
• Take a holiday: Shift to a holiday schedule that allows workers to spend more time with their families.
• Show progress: Provide a progress report that highlights steps your company is taking to ensure its survival. Doing so will reinforce employees’ sense of job security by providing one less thing for them to worry about.
• Let them share: Provide a communication mechanism for people to communicate their respect to those directly impacted by the disaster.

Finally, take stock of how you are feeling. Realize that the feelings of distress or anger in yourself and other workers are legitimate and not the signs of professional weakness or lack of professionalism. As best as you can, pay attention to eating properly and getting some rest. And avoid using alcohol or drugs or engaging in other risky behaviors to deal with the stress and pressure. If you feel these are the only ways you can manage the pain, anxiety, rage, fear, or other emotions you are experiencing, ask for help.