Supporting Employees in a Crisis – What Do We Do Now?
Ann SanCartier, Firestorm Expert Council Member and Employee Crisis Planning Expert, discusses ways organizations can meet the needs of victims and families.
Examples include having group debriefings, setting up a Family Assistance Center, and making emergency preparedness part of the company’s culture.
(This article is part of a larger paper with contributions from Firestorm Principals and Expert Council Members)
Firestorm© understands that “Every Crisis in a Human Crisis”. For your employees, sympathetically (and empathetically) responding to a crisis event, while remaining in control of the situation, is extremely important. It is equally important to thoroughly understand the short- and long-term emotional and physical impact a crisis event has directly on victims and their families, as well as indirectly on the uninjured members of the community.
At the onset of a crisis event, Leadership must remember to follow the same course of action as they advise to their employees. Following a crisis event:
- As soon as possible, contact family and let them know your status. Connecting with a support system during a crisis can help reduce anxiety.
- Assure that visitors, vendors and others that may be unfamiliar with your building or grounds are located and assisted as quickly as possible.
- Encourage employees to put their Personal Preaction™ Plans in play. Take into consideration any instructions on evacuations, traffic routes and rerouting.
- Encourage employees to …Read the rest of this article and paper…