Managing Trauma, Loss, And Grief In The Workplace

ManagingTrauma,Loss, andGrief in theWorkplaceUnderstanding this psychological experience,recognizing the signs, and addressing the situation. 2019 - Agility Recovery,All Rights Reserved.

Managing Trauma, Loss, and Grief in the WorkplaceIntroductionWhen an unexpected traumatic event occurs at abusiness or an employee experiences trauma, loss,or grief in their personal lives, it can be challenging tomanage the incident initially. It may also be difficult foremployees to cope and return to their normal lives afterthe fact.Traumatic experiences can evoke fear, shock, anxiety,depression, and other emotions for months to comeafter the event takes place. Everyone handles traumaticevents, loss, and grief differently. For some, this mightinvolve really immersing themselves into their work. Forothers, they might experience difficulty maintaining theirdaily routine.For business owners and management, knowing exactlyhow to manage a critical situation and its aftermath is acrucial part of business management. Regardless of theindustry, management needs to be knowledgeable inmanaging trauma.The only integrated business continuity solution in the market that helps you Plan, Train, Test, Alert, and Recover—all in one.Copyright 2019 - Agility Recovery, All Rights Reserved.2

Managing Trauma, Loss, and Grief in the WorkplaceTable of Contents1.Understanding Trauma, Loss, and Grief 42.How Employee Distress Impacts the Workplace 53.Addressing Trauma at Work 64.Holistic, End-to-End Business Continuity 7The only integrated business continuity solution in the market that helps you Plan, Train, Test, Alert, and Recover—all in one.Copyright 2019 - Agility Recovery, All Rights Reserved.3

Managing Trauma, Loss, and Grief in the Workplace1. Understanding Trauma,Loss, and GriefBusinesses need to be prepared to manage trauma thatoccurs both inside and outside of the workplace. Justbecause it didn’t happen on company property doesn’tmean you don’t need to worry about it. Anything thatimpacts business operations or your employees is yourresponsibility. The mental health of employees shouldbe a priority for employers.Types of TraumaMany people associate trauma in the workplace asstrictly workplace violence.Here are a few examples of trauma that can occur inthe workplace or negatively impact employees: Downsizing, layoffs, buyouts or mergers.disasters such as floods, hurricanes, Naturaltornadoes or volcanoes.whether at the workplace or outside of the Death,workplace.events such as robbery, violence of Human-causedany kind, explosions, fires or rape.trauma such as death of a relative or Personalfriend, relationship or medical issues or witnessing aHere are a few signs to look out for that indicate asituation with an employee needs to be addressed: Irritability, anger, or inability to control emotions.productivity or difficulty concentrating on Decliningdaily tasks. Absenteeism that is out of character.about headaches, loss of appetite, Complaintsor increased heart rate. Disorganization Lack of emotion Overworking Becoming tired after completing basic tasks Sudden lack of self-careTurning a blind eye to employee discomfort after atrauma or a major loss is ill-advised for employers.Just because the trauma isn’t a result of a significantincident, such as a shooting, doesn’t mean that it isany less traumatic. The University of Maryland definestrauma is “any experience that causes physical,emotional, psychological distress or harm. It is an eventthat is perceived and experienced as a threat to one’ssafety or to the stability of one’s world.”1traumatic event.Sign of Employee DistressKnowing the signs that employees are having adifficult time coping with trauma is the first part ofhelping your employees overcome their emotions.Failure to pay attention to or recognize signs thatemployees are struggling can negatively impact theemployee and the business.Trauma ChecklistUse this checklist as a guide to determine whether ornot management should assess a situation:Was an employee in danger, or feel like theywere in danger? Has the incident had any media coverage? Did an employee witness or experience astressful event in or outside of the workplace? Did an employee suffer a serious injury or die? Has an employee experienced a loss outsideof the workplace?1. t-Can-Adversely-Affect-the-Workplace.htmlThe only integrated business continuity solution in the market that helps you Plan, Train, Test, Alert, and Recover—all in one.Copyright 2019 - Agility Recovery, All Rights Reserved.4

Managing Trauma, Loss, and Grief in the Workplace2. How Employee DistressImpacts the WorkplaceIt is the employer’s job to be empathetic towardsemployees and caring about their overall well-being.A business’s success depends on employees and theirperformance. Based on a Work and Well-Being Survey2,less than half of working Americans reported that theyfeel their organization supports the well-being of itsemployees. If it’s common knowledge that happieremployees are more productive employees, why is thatpercentage so low?Impacts of Trauma in theWorkplaceHere are a few ways trauma can impact theworkplace: Low productivity The cost associated with missed workdays Poor customer servicedanger associated with untreated Theemotional issuesTo prevent these types of impacts, address all situationsin a non-threatening and non-judgmental manner.Whether it's a recent incident or a post-traumatic stressdisorder (PTSD) from an event that occurred yearsago, an employer must provide assistance to help thatemployee perform their job effectively.2. work-and-wellbeing-survey-results.pdfThe only integrated business continuity solution in the market that helps you Plan, Train, Test, Alert, and Recover—all in one.Copyright 2019 - Agility Recovery, All Rights Reserved.5

Managing Trauma, Loss, and Grief in the Workplace3. Addressing Trauma at WorkOnce you begin to recognize the signs of an employeewho might be struggling to cope with trauma or griefin the workplace, you must address the situation asquickly as possible. You need to make sure that yourbusiness has a plan on how to assist employees aftera traumatic experience. Addressing the situation willhelp ensure that your employees feel secure in theworkplace.Here are a few ways your business can assistemployees struggling after a traumatic event: Provide grief counseling for employees who need it.vacation days or implement a work from Offerhome policy to allow employees time to processsure to check on the employee often to Makeensure they are handling the event well.resources such as pamphlets or information Provideon how to handle traumatic experiences if needed.an employee’s workload needs to be adjusted for Ifa periodof time, consider having other employeeshelp to make sure deadlines are met.If ignored, trauma, loss, or grief can result in depression,which can lead to other, more serious issues such ashomicide or suicide. The quicker you take action whenan employee displays signs of discomfort, the easierthe situation is to mitigate.the traumatic event or loss in their own way beforereturning to work.patient with employees as they cope with Betrauma, loss, or grief.The only integrated business continuity solution in the market that helps you Plan, Train, Test, Alert, and Recover—all in one.Copyright 2019 - Agility Recovery, All Rights Reserved.6

Managing Trauma, Loss, and Grief in the Workplace4. Holistic, End-to-EndBusiness Continuity1. BEFORE2. DURING3. AFTERPlanning & RiskManagementIncident ManagementRecovery Management1. Onboarding1. Bi-directional Messaging2. BC Plan Assessment &Refinement2. Conference Calling1. Recover‡ Space, Power, Data,Communications, Technology3. Incident Management2. Bi-directional Messaging, Analysis3. BC Plan Organization4. Automated BC Plan Management3. Conference Calling4. Testing5. Confirmation of BC Plan4. Post-Incident Management5. Data BackupWe are the leading provider of business continuity and disaster recovery solutions.After a business interruption, we deliver the resources that make recovery andresilience simple. Our customers have guaranteed access to temporary power,1601 Wewatta Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80202furnished mobile office space, communications equipment, and technology, aswell as planning and testing resources. In the wake of the unexpected, we ience simple by providing the expertise and resources your organizationneeds to recover quickly. Whether you’re a seasoned continuity professional orcreating your company’s emergency plan for the first time, we’re ready to supportCopyright 2019 - Agility RecoveryAll Rights Reservedyou and your team.

Managing Trauma, Loss, and Grief in the Workplace 1. Understanding Trauma, . Just because the trauma isn’t a result of a significant incident, such as a shooting, doesn’t mean that it is . It is an event that is percei