Natural or man-made disasters can have lasting effects long after the event has passed. Employees may experience emotional stress, physical exhaustion and ongoing recovery challenges, which can hinder their job performance. Organizations should prioritize employee wellbeing to foster resilience and maintain productivity. Addressing individual needs empowers your team to return to work ready to rebuild.
Ways to Support Employees After a Disaster
Employers have several options to support their workforce following a disaster.
Modify Workplace Policies
Depending on the extent of the disaster, employees may have suffered severe losses. Implementing flexible workplace policies can create a supportive environment.
- Relaxed dress codes. Easing attire policies can relieve stress for employees managing personal recovery tasks alongside work responsibilities.
- Increase flexibility. Offering adjustable work schedules allows employees to address personal matters such as insurance claims, family needs or home repairs.
- Temporary leave options. For employees severely impacted, consider providing paid or unpaid leave to help stabilize their situation.
Offer Technology Assistance
Following a disaster, some employees may have lost personal devices or face connectivity challenges.
- Loaner devices: Provide temporary laptops or mobile devices to help employees stay connected and productive.
- Connectivity support: Offer stipends for internet access or mobile data plans for remote workers.
- Temporary workstations: Establish workstations in unaffected areas for employees to utilize if their home offices are compromised.
Establish a Crisis Communication Plan
Clear communication is essential during and after a disaster to ensure employees are informed.
- Centralized communication channels: Create a dedicated hotline, app or website to provide updates on the company's status, recovery efforts and available resources.
- Consistent updates: Provide employees with regular and transparent updates.
- Multi-lingual support: Ensure that communications are accessible to everyone by providing updates in multiple languages as needed.
Expand Remote Work
If infrastructure or transportation is disrupted, allow all nonessential employees to telecommute.
- Improve remote work options. Strengthen the ability for employees to work from home or another safe location.
- Adapt work schedules. Some employees may need to manage childcare or other family responsibilities with work. Offering flexible hours can alleviate stress.
Address New Workplace Hazards
Post-disaster environments can introduce various safety hazards including building structural damage, compromised roadways or air quality concerns.
- Revise safety protocols: Identify new hazards and educate employees about them. Provide training to manage these threats effectively.
- Provide protective gear: If employees must return to an environment with potential hazards (e.g., debris, compromised infrastructure), ensure they receive appropriate safety equipment (e.g., masks, gloves, first-aid kits).
- Review workspace safety: Perform ongoing assessments to ensure the office or worksite is safe and sanitary before employees return. Consider engaging a third-party safety consultant.
Avoid Burnout & Fatigue
Employees juggling work-related and personal recovery may experience exhaustion, leading to fatigue and impaired decision-making. Preventing overwork is essential for maintaining safety and productivity.
- Set realistic work expectations. Temporarily modify workloads and expectations to reflect staff shortages or decreased productivity. Prioritize urgent tasks and postpone non-essential projects.
- Encourage breaks and rest. Ensure employees take regular breaks and avoid extended working hours. Consider implementing mandatory time off to support rest and recovery.
- Monitor employee wellbeing. Schedule check-ins with employees to ensure they’re managing the pressures of recovery. Offer access to counseling services or Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to help with stress management.
Offer Ongoing Support
Disaster recovery often requires a sustained effort beyond the immediate aftermath. It’s crucial to extend support assistance to employees.
- Career counseling: Offer guidance to workers whose roles may have shifted or been eliminated due to the disaster.
- Retraining programs: Provide retraining or upskilling for staff impacted by business restructuring from the disaster.
- Gradual return-to-work: For severely impacted employees, establish a phased return-to-work program to help them transition back to their roles.
Additional Strategies for Enhanced Support:
- Financial assistance programs. Explore the possibility of offering financial aid or connecting employees with community relief resources to alleviate immediate recovery costs.
- Temporary accommodations or childcare. If possible, assist with temporary housing or emergency childcare services, especially for employees whose homes suffered major damage.
- Mental health support. Disasters often take a significant emotional toll. Facilitate access to mental health services or counseling to help employees coping trauma and stress.
- Open team communication. Maintain clear and regular communications. Regularly update employees on business recovery efforts, office reopening timelines and available support services.
- Community engagement opportunities. Motivate employees to participate in relief efforts or volunteer opportunities. Consider partnering with local organizations to support broader community recovery efforts.
- Expand health and wellness programs. Provide stress management workshops, temporary gym memberships or onsite health consultations to help employees manage physical and mental health.
- Legal and administrative assistance. Assist employees with filing insurance claims, FEMA applications or replacing lost documents.
We’re Here to Help You Support Employees Post-Disaster
Disasters disrupt business operations and the personal lives of workers. Promoting a strong work-life balance and providing the right support can ensure your team remains resilient. For more personalized disaster recovery strategies, connect with a member of our team.