Posted September, 2001

Following a traumatic incident, everyone has some type of an emotional response. Each person will recover at his or her own rate. Recovery can be a long and difficult process, but it is important to remember that these are normal reactions to an abnormal event and they will get easier with time. Following are some suggestions for helping your employees through that process.

1. Avoid statements like "I know how you feel" or "Everything will be all right" or "You shouldn’t feel that way." These statements make some people think their feelings are not understood. Tell your employees how you feel and express your own sorrow.



2. Be willing to say nothing sometimes. Just being there is often the most supportive thing you can do to help. Be visible to your employees. Circulate among them and be available to those who do want to talk.



3. Keep a normal workday routine, but be flexible. Employees will generally be most comfortable when things feel familiar, but some may need special consideration.



4. Attempting to explain why this incident happened is not usually helpful. Your explanation may not be believed and trust may be damaged.



5. Be aware that employees may need to talk among themselves. One way we adjust to a crisis is to talk it through in an effort to make some sense of the event.



6. Encourage people to ask for help from the Employee Assistance Program. If an employee seems willing, offer to help them make an appointment. Allow them to attend sessions during the day if the workload permits.



7. Be alert to signs that an employee may be having an especially hard time. If the employee seems depressed, withdrawn or unusually silent, or if he or she is tearful or extremely anxious, and you are not sure how to approach that employee, call the Employee Assistance Program for consultation. A counselor will help you think the situation through and come up with a plan to help that employee.



8. Last but not least, recognize that you are also human and are experiencing an emotional response. Managers are usually focused on assisting their employees through a crisis, and in the process they may overlook their own needs. Find someone you trust—a friend, another manager or family member, and let them know that you need to talk. Or call the EAP and talk it through with a counselor. Don’t try to be everything to everybody. Remember that you can support your employees through this crisis, but you cannot take away their pain.