Picture courtesy of Intergraph Corporation
Tales of the unexpected
Kate Nowlan, CEO of CiC, warns that businesses which face higher levels of threat, such as nightclubs, public transport and those in landmark buildings, are failing to take account of the needs of their management and workforce. Often the effects of a threat or an incident are felt by people for a very long time, leading to prolonged periods of trauma-related sickness
Headlines hit news-stands on a daily basis bringing tales of the unexpected – widespread flooding, terrorism, threats of avian flu, death ….. the list goes on. But while businesses invest millions of pounds in IT and database recovery systems each year, they are failing to take account of the needs of their management and workforce – a much more valuable asset - in developing continuity protocols in the event of terrorist threats and critical incidents.
As much as we all like to establish some form of stability in our lives, unexpected events can derail businesses in ways never imagined. Critical incidents such as those seen in recent months with attempted terrorist car bombs in London, attacks on Glasgow airport and severe flooding throughout the UK, can have a profound effect. These incidents have demonstrated that post-traumatic stress and other psychological effects are experienced far beyond those unfortunate enough to be directly involved – these include friends and colleagues at work as well as staff working for businesses located near to the incident.
In the past few months there have been reports that certain types of businesses face higher levels of threat, such as nightclubs, public transport and businesses based in landmark buildings. It is important that businesses in these higher risk categories question whether they and their management are properly prepared to deal with an incident – both practically and psychologically.
Trauma can have a ripple effect throughout a company, so it is important that managers act quickly after an event. Procedures and policies should be established which are clear and quick to implement, and which are designed to safeguard staff both in the event of an incident and, of equal importance, in the aftermath.
Neglecting a vital issue like this means that some companies could face meltdown – managers not properly trained to deal with an incident, nor to recognise symptoms of trauma and post –traumatic stress will not be able to help or support staff. Often the effects of a threat or an incident are felt by people for a very long time, leading to prolonged periods of trauma-related sickness, where common symptoms include an inability to view the workplace or journey to work as sufficiently safe and simply being unable to function in the office environment. It is important for managers and staff alike to be properly prepared and to be familiar with the support mechanisms their company has in place in order to be able to deal with the situation as best they can and with minimal disruption.
But what can companies do to deal with the unexpected? Key preparation issues for organisations should include:
- Psychological inoculation - Preparing staff for the psychological effects of a major crisis plays a vital part in the prevention of stress disorders, and increasing awareness of the emotional needs of employees during an emergency can reduce the fall out after an incident
- Train managers in such issues as breaking bad news – Few businesses train managers in how best to communicate bad news, which is often the very first stage in what can be a difficult and prolonged challenge for businesses in helping staff to adapt to changed circumstances and to return their business to normality.
- Educating staff about managing trauma – It is imperative that staff and managers are able to recognise what the 'normal' effects of a traumatic event are. Common stress symptoms may last for several months after the event – and sometimes several years. Staff may become much more irritable than usual, may be unable to communicate with colleagues and may be very inclined to stay away from the workplace. Other symptoms can include depression, sleeplessness, anxiety and mood swings. Managers who have been trained to recognise early symptoms of trauma-related stress and strain will be able to help their staff more quickly and more effectively, eventually encouraging them back to work and to normality.
- Ensure a Managerial Consultancy programme is in place (through EAP if available) so that managers of organizations have a key 24 hour contact in times of crisis
- Risk assessments. Ensure risk assessment protocols are in place for staff who may have been traumatized. This can be carried out internally or by trauma response experts. If staff have been exposed to major trauma, implement the risk assessment programme with a follow up after six weeks
- Contingency plans. HR /OH/ Health & Safety departments should liaise with Business Continuity Department, to ensure that 'people' aspects of contingency plans are in place. Ensure that this plan is revisited on a six monthly basis – and that new entrants to the company are always aware of this and briefed fully
- Ensuring an employee assistance programme is in place with 24/7 cover with a freephone confidential helpline number for all staff
In today's society we live in a world of uncertainty. Whether the unexpected is trivial or catastrophic, it can strike at any time and often with devastating effects. Organisations have to ask themselves can they really afford not to be prepared?
Kate Nowlan CEO CiC
CiC www.cic-eap.co.uk is one of the UK's leading Employee Assistance Programme providers and trauma specialists. They work with a broad range of organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors, offering core services of crisis management, critical incident support, Employee Assistance Programmes and Learning and Development programmes.
