HRM after 9/11 and HRM after 9/11 and KatrinaKatrina

Gerald R. Ferris, Gerald R. Ferris,

Wayne A. Hochwarter, Wayne A. Hochwarter,

& Timothy A. Matherly& Timothy A. Matherly

Catastrophic EventsCatastrophic Events

Natural phenomena (i.e., Natural phenomena (i.e., earthquakes, floods, tornados, earthquakes, floods, tornados, hurricanes) hurricanes)

Technological events (computer-Technological events (computer-related, industrial, toxic spills) related, industrial, toxic spills)

Terrorism/warTerrorism/war Internal catastrophes (e.g., violence Internal catastrophes (e.g., violence

and physical threats such as robbery) and physical threats such as robbery)

Pervasiveness of TraumaPervasiveness of Trauma

Up to 70% of the population will Up to 70% of the population will directly suffer a catastrophic event directly suffer a catastrophic event during their lifetime, while over two during their lifetime, while over two million Americans will experience million Americans will experience nature-related (i.e., tornado, floods, nature-related (i.e., tornado, floods, brushfires) trauma in a given year brushfires) trauma in a given year

HR ResponsibilitiesHR Responsibilities

HR managers will be increasingly HR managers will be increasingly required to actively plan for, and required to actively plan for, and respond to, the many traumata respond to, the many traumata capable of affecting their workplace capable of affecting their workplace organizations organizations

ResourcesResources

Natural disasters often devastate Natural disasters often devastate distribution channels (i.e., roads, distribution channels (i.e., roads, railroad, airports, shipping), causing railroad, airports, shipping), causing the flow of goods and services to be the flow of goods and services to be delayed or completely unachievable delayed or completely unachievable

Technology may be destroyed or Technology may be destroyed or impairedimpaired

The flow of funds may be impairedThe flow of funds may be impaired

How Disasters Affect the MarketHow Disasters Affect the Market

The number of companies The number of companies contending for market space may contending for market space may change if a particular firm either change if a particular firm either suffers more distress than others or suffers more distress than others or is inadequately prepared is inadequately prepared

How Disasters Affect the Market How Disasters Affect the Market ContinuedContinued

Multinational organizations may find Multinational organizations may find that a market has emerged for their that a market has emerged for their products and services if domestic products and services if domestic firms are unable to address the firms are unable to address the needs of their existing customer base needs of their existing customer base

Human ResourcesHuman Resources

Catastrophes cause individuals to Catastrophes cause individuals to refocus priorities, replacing the refocus priorities, replacing the energy directed toward the job to energy directed toward the job to other life domains, including family other life domains, including family and social activity and social activity

Consequences of TraumaConsequences of Trauma

Employees who experienced Employees who experienced traumatic events are prone to suffer traumatic events are prone to suffer from a variety of physical and from a variety of physical and psychological maladies, all of which psychological maladies, all of which have the potential to impede the have the potential to impede the restoration effort restoration effort

Consequences of Trauma Consequences of Trauma ContinuedContinued

Trauma victims are hindered in their Trauma victims are hindered in their ability to think, learn tasks that promote ability to think, learn tasks that promote reparation, and develop creative reparation, and develop creative responses to challenging situations responses to challenging situations

Those experiencing post-traumatic anxiety Those experiencing post-traumatic anxiety typically experience immune system typically experience immune system deficiencies, causing increases in deficiencies, causing increases in absenteeism and benefit costs. absenteeism and benefit costs.

Consequences of Workforce Consequences of Workforce ChangesChanges

Individuals are required to “pick up Individuals are required to “pick up the slack” for others, causing the slack” for others, causing disproportionate levels of workload disproportionate levels of workload

A sense of powerlessness often A sense of powerlessness often developsdevelops

Trauma and ConflictTrauma and Conflict

Interpersonal conflict, both at home Interpersonal conflict, both at home and on the job, intensifies and on the job, intensifies

Conflict increases the potential for Conflict increases the potential for disputes between employees, disputes between employees, prompting immediate concerns prompting immediate concerns related to workplace aggression and related to workplace aggression and violence violence

Trauma and Conflict ContinuedTrauma and Conflict Continued

Employees are more prone to Employees are more prone to disregard the needs of the disregard the needs of the organization, as well as those of co-organization, as well as those of co-workers, to focus on their own, when workers, to focus on their own, when resources are scarce resources are scarce

How Firms are PreparingHow Firms are Preparing

Pre-crisis strategies to preparePre-crisis strategies to prepare Post-disaster steps aimed at Post-disaster steps aimed at

minimizing the impact of trauma, minimizing the impact of trauma, focusing on stress-related focusing on stress-related repercussions on the remaining repercussions on the remaining workforce workforce

Pre-Crisis StrategiesPre-Crisis Strategies

Lines of communication are likely Lines of communication are likely widened because of the need to widened because of the need to discuss issues pertinent to the discuss issues pertinent to the organization’s survival organization’s survival

Increasing employee control will help Increasing employee control will help workers deal with day-to-day workers deal with day-to-day stressors stressors

Pre-Crisis Strategies ContinuedPre-Crisis Strategies Continued

Examining and communicating Examining and communicating benefit offerings may serve to reduce benefit offerings may serve to reduce turnoverturnover

Realistic job previews can increase Realistic job previews can increase selection effectiveness, reinforce selection effectiveness, reinforce training and learning, and thus, training and learning, and thus, promote retention promote retention

The Emergency PlanThe Emergency Plan

The first objective of HR is to come The first objective of HR is to come up with a catastrophe plan, up with a catastrophe plan, supported by top management, supported by top management, which can be communicated and which can be communicated and understood by all employees understood by all employees

The Emergency Plan ContinuedThe Emergency Plan Continued

A cursory attempt to communicate A cursory attempt to communicate the plan may have harmful the plan may have harmful consequences because:consequences because:• It sends the message that employee It sends the message that employee

health and safety are unimportant health and safety are unimportant • Plans that are poorly understood will Plans that are poorly understood will

lead to a workforce that is ill-prepared to lead to a workforce that is ill-prepared to respondrespond

Common Themes of Emergency Common Themes of Emergency PlansPlans

All programs should have an implicit All programs should have an implicit list of priorities, which include, but list of priorities, which include, but are not limited to: are not limited to: • Protecting life/minimizing injury Protecting life/minimizing injury • Securing assets Securing assets • Outlining steps for a return to normal Outlining steps for a return to normal

operations operations

Common Themes of Emergency Common Themes of Emergency Plans ContinuedPlans Continued

All programs should have specific All programs should have specific evacuation instructions, particularly evacuation instructions, particularly for those with disabilitiesfor those with disabilities

Reporting channels should be clearly Reporting channels should be clearly articulated to promote articulated to promote communication efficiency communication efficiency

Employees need to know where post-Employees need to know where post-trauma information can be found trauma information can be found

Managers ResponsibilityManagers Responsibility

Managers should be trained to Managers should be trained to identify indicators of post-trauma identify indicators of post-trauma stress including:stress including:• Tiredness, inability to control emotions, Tiredness, inability to control emotions,

and loss of interest in activities once and loss of interest in activities once enjoyedenjoyed

• Lower levels of performance, incapacity Lower levels of performance, incapacity to prioritize tasks, increased agitation to prioritize tasks, increased agitation toward others, and absenteeism toward others, and absenteeism

HR Managers RoleHR Managers Role

HR managers should serve an advocacy HR managers should serve an advocacy role by identifying and communicating the role by identifying and communicating the sources of help available to those in need sources of help available to those in need

Managers need to familiarize themselves Managers need to familiarize themselves with the firm’s Employee Assistance with the firm’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which can serve the dual Program (EAP), which can serve the dual role of assisting both employees and their role of assisting both employees and their families with coping after trauma families with coping after trauma

BenefitsBenefits

HR managers should review benefit HR managers should review benefit plans plans

Examining the flexibility of time off Examining the flexibility of time off benefits is a logical first step benefits is a logical first step

Allowing employees to borrow Allowing employees to borrow against their retirement savings can against their retirement savings can ease the financial strain associated ease the financial strain associated with trauma with trauma

Conflict ResolutionConflict Resolution

Resolving conflict before it escalates Resolving conflict before it escalates can lessen the potential for violence can lessen the potential for violence

Conflict resolution can promote Conflict resolution can promote communication and address needed communication and address needed issues as well as build empathyissues as well as build empathy

Resolving conflict may assist coping Resolving conflict may assist coping by focusing on aspects of the job that by focusing on aspects of the job that promote anxiety promote anxiety

Offer Realistic Previews of DisasterOffer Realistic Previews of Disaster

Articulating an accurate Articulating an accurate representation of the post-trauma job representation of the post-trauma job expectations is essential for both expectations is essential for both new hires and existing employees new hires and existing employees

Previews may use videos, role Previews may use videos, role playing and computer simulationsplaying and computer simulations

HR After the DisasterHR After the Disaster

Ensure the healthEnsure the health and welfare of itsand welfare of its work force work force

Afford individuals the opportunity to Afford individuals the opportunity to manage personal and professionalmanage personal and professional resources resources

Maintaining ControlMaintaining Control

Have employees schedule the pace Have employees schedule the pace of work to match their peak times ofof work to match their peak times of effectiveness effectiveness

Put in place autonomous work teams Put in place autonomous work teams that are responsible for thethat are responsible for the completion of a particular taskcompletion of a particular task

Employees should be able to choose Employees should be able to choose break times during their shifts break times during their shifts

Work SupportWork Support

Support at work is important Support at work is important because:because:• Individuals often spend considerable Individuals often spend considerable

amounts of time at the job following the amounts of time at the job following the disaster disaster

• Much of the support that individuals Much of the support that individuals need post-trauma relates to specific need post-trauma relates to specific aspects of the job aspects of the job

Social SupportSocial Support

Formal programs including scheduled Formal programs including scheduled roundtable discussions and roundtable discussions and presentations by health care presentations by health care professionals professionals

Informal support, which consists of Informal support, which consists of water cooler discussions, lunches water cooler discussions, lunches with colleagues, and after-work with colleagues, and after-work social events social events

ConclusionConclusion

Crises will remain an important part Crises will remain an important part of organizational life of organizational life

Having a good plan is criticalHaving a good plan is critical More person centered approaches More person centered approaches

may help managers deal with may help managers deal with traumatic eventstraumatic events