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This article examines the impact of catastrophic events, such as natural disasters and terrorism, on human resources management. It highlights the necessity for HR managers to proactively prepare for and respond to trauma in the workplace. With up to 70% of individuals experiencing trauma, it is crucial for HR to establish effective emergency plans, prioritize employee well-being, and communicate clearly during crises. Additionally, the article discusses strategies for managing the workforce's psychological and physical needs, ensuring organizational resilience in the face of adversity.
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HRM after 9/11 and Katrina Gerald R. Ferris, Wayne A. Hochwarter, & Timothy A. Matherly
Catastrophic Events • Natural phenomena (i.e., earthquakes, floods, tornados, hurricanes) • Technological events (computer-related, industrial, toxic spills) • Terrorism/war • Internal catastrophes (e.g., violence and physical threats such as robbery)
Pervasiveness of Trauma • Up to 70% of the population will directly suffer a catastrophic event during their lifetime, while over two million Americans will experience nature-related (i.e., tornado, floods, brushfires) trauma in a given year
HR Responsibilities • HR managers will be increasingly required to actively plan for, and respond to, the many traumata capable of affecting their workplace organizations
Resources • Natural disasters often devastate distribution channels (i.e., roads, railroad, airports, shipping), causing the flow of goods and services to be delayed or completely unachievable • Technology may be destroyed or impaired • The flow of funds may be impaired
How Disasters Affect the Market • The number of companies contending for market space may change if a particular firm either suffers more distress than others or is inadequately prepared
How Disasters Affect the Market Continued • Multinational organizations may find that a market has emerged for their products and services if domestic firms are unable to address the needs of their existing customer base
Human Resources • Catastrophes cause individuals to refocus priorities, replacing the energy directed toward the job to other life domains, including family and social activity
Consequences of Trauma • Employees who experienced traumatic events are prone to suffer from a variety of physical and psychological maladies, all of which have the potential to impede the restoration effort
Consequences of Trauma Continued • Trauma victims are hindered in their ability to think, learn tasks that promote reparation, and develop creative responses to challenging situations • Those experiencing post-traumatic anxiety typically experience immune system deficiencies, causing increases in absenteeism and benefit costs.
Consequences of Workforce Changes • Individuals are required to “pick up the slack” for others, causing disproportionate levels of workload • A sense of powerlessness often develops
Trauma and Conflict • Interpersonal conflict, both at home and on the job, intensifies • Conflict increases the potential for disputes between employees, prompting immediate concerns related to workplace aggression and violence
Trauma and Conflict Continued • Employees are more prone to disregard the needs of the organization, as well as those of co-workers, to focus on their own, when resources are scarce
How Firms are Preparing • Pre-crisis strategies to prepare • Post-disaster steps aimed at minimizing the impact of trauma, focusing on stress-related repercussions on the remaining workforce
Pre-Crisis Strategies • Lines of communication are likely widened because of the need to discuss issues pertinent to the organization’s survival • Increasing employee control will help workers deal with day-to-day stressors
Pre-Crisis Strategies Continued • Examining and communicating benefit offerings may serve to reduce turnover • Realistic job previews can increase selection effectiveness, reinforce training and learning, and thus, promote retention
The Emergency Plan • The first objective of HR is to come up with a catastrophe plan, supported by top management, which can be communicated and understood by all employees
The Emergency Plan Continued • A cursory attempt to communicate the plan may have harmful consequences because: • It sends the message that employee health and safety are unimportant • Plans that are poorly understood will lead to a workforce that is ill-prepared to respond
Common Themes of Emergency Plans • All programs should have an implicit list of priorities, which include, but are not limited to: • Protecting life/minimizing injury • Securing assets • Outlining steps for a return to normal operations
Common Themes of Emergency Plans Continued • All programs should have specific evacuation instructions, particularly for those with disabilities • Reporting channels should be clearly articulated to promote communication efficiency • Employees need to know where post-trauma information can be found
Managers Responsibility • Managers should be trained to identify indicators of post-trauma stress including: • Tiredness, inability to control emotions, and loss of interest in activities once enjoyed • Lower levels of performance, incapacity to prioritize tasks, increased agitation toward others, and absenteeism
HR Managers Role • HR managers should serve an advocacy role by identifying and communicating the sources of help available to those in need • Managers need to familiarize themselves with the firm’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which can serve the dual role of assisting both employees and their families with coping after trauma
Benefits • HR managers should review benefit plans • Examining the flexibility of time off benefits is a logical first step • Allowing employees to borrow against their retirement savings can ease the financial strain associated with trauma
Conflict Resolution • Resolving conflict before it escalates can lessen the potential for violence • Conflict resolution can promote communication and address needed issues as well as build empathy • Resolving conflict may assist coping by focusing on aspects of the job that promote anxiety
Offer Realistic Previews of Disaster • Articulating an accurate representation of the post-trauma job expectations is essential for both new hires and existing employees • Previews may use videos, role playing and computer simulations
HR After the Disaster • Ensure the healthand welfare of itswork force • Afford individuals the opportunity to manage personal and professionalresources
Maintaining Control • Have employees schedule the pace of work to match their peak times ofeffectiveness • Put in place autonomous work teams that are responsible for thecompletion of a particular task • Employees should be able to choose break times during their shifts
Work Support • Support at work is important because: • Individuals often spend considerable amounts of time at the job following the disaster • Much of the support that individuals need post-trauma relates to specific aspects of the job
Social Support • Formal programs including scheduled roundtable discussions and presentations by health care professionals • Informal support, which consists of water cooler discussions, lunches with colleagues, and after-work social events
Conclusion • Crises will remain an important part of organizational life • Having a good plan is critical • More person centered approaches may help managers deal with traumatic events
