How did your team react to last week’s workplace terrorist attack in San Bernadino? What did you hear at the watercooler? Over lunch? In your one-on-ones? What will you hear in your next team meeting? Your next emergency drill?
Your team members have thought about, and maybe talked about, how they would react if there was an attack at your office. They have wondered if and how emergency plans would work out (You do have them, right? And you do practice them, yes?). Some may scoff at the very idea of a local attack while others think if it can happen in San Bernadino, it can happen here in (fill in your town).
On Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, personal safety is a basic need, right after physiological needs like oxygen, food and sleep. Unresolved workplace safety fears can negatively impact morale, job satisfaction and productivity. Don’t take any safety concerns lightly. And, remember, how they feel may be different than how you feel.
Listen to your people. Hear what is said and notice what is not. Be open to impromptu conversation. Review emergency plans so you can readily answer questions. Become familiar with your company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for those who might need extra help managing their fears.
Don’t fan the flames of fear. Instead, be the calm and steady leader your team needs. Are you up to the challenge? I think you are. To help you prepare, click the links below for useful and expert advice on terrorism fears in the workplace.
Shootings Will Change Response to Violence in the Workplace, Experts Say (Kenneth Gosselin, Hartford Courant) addresses the impact of the most recent attack in San Bernadino which “crossed workplace violence with domestic terrorism.”
Terrorism: Implications for the Workplace (Karol Wasylyshyn, Psychology Today) includes an important list of questions for leaders to consider for proactive preparation.
Terrorism Threats – The Emotional Affects On Your Workplace (Aaron Burke, Inspired Business Consulting) provides useful bullet point lists of both physical and psychological responses to fear.
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Photo credit: GotCredit with Creative Commons license.
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