A

 Manager’s

 Handbook 

 

 

Handling 

Traumatic 

Events 

United States 

 Office of 

Personnel 

Management

Office of 

Workforce 

Relations 

Theodore Roosevelt Building

1900 E St. NW 

Washington, DC 

 20415-0001 

OWR-15 

December 1996 
Foreword
 

Many of us are ill-prepared to handle the traumatic events discussed in this handbook-­

suicides, assaults, threats, natural disasters, etc. And yet these events can and do occur in 

our workplaces. They are events for which preparation helps, and this handbook tells us 

how to prepare. 

In addition to using this handbook for preparation purposes, it is an invaluable guide to 

follow should a traumatic event occur at your workplace. It is a good idea to keep it 

handy just in case. It will give you practical ideas on what to say to your employees and 

approaches to take to facilitate recovery . 

The handbook was written by Mary Tyler, Ph.D., of OPM’s Employee Health Services 

Policy Center, who is a preeminent expert in the field of workplace violence and trauma. 

She is well recognized in the United States and Europe for her research on trauma in the 

workplace, and has provided technical assistance to many organizations. 

The information in this manual reflects Dr. Tyler’s extensive experience in helping Federal 

managers cope with traumatic situations. In addition, Chapters 1, 3, and 5 rely on 

research studies conducted by Dr. Tyler with Colonel Robert K. Gifford, Ph.D., U.S. 

Army, for the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. The findings were published in 

the Journal of Traumatic Stress, Disaster Management, Military Chaplains' Review, and 

Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut der Bundeswehr Forum. 
Table of Contents
 

1. When Tragedy Strikes at Work ..................................... 1
 

2. How to Listen to Someone Who Is Hurting ............................ 5
 

3. Recovering from the Death of a Co-Worker ............................ 9
 

4. Supervising an Employee with Suicidal Concerns ....................... 13
 

5. Helping an Employee Recover from an Assault ........................ 17
 

6. Managing After a Disaster ........................................ 21
 

7. Managing When the Stress Doesn't Go Away .......................... 25
 

8. Workplace Violence: Stopping It Before It Starts ...................... 29
 

9. When Domestic Violence Comes to Work ............................ 33
 

A Final Note: Tips For Coping With Extreme Stress .......................... 38
 

Appendix: Form for Emergency Phone Numbers ............................ 39
 
Chapter 1
 

When Tragedy Strikes 

at Work
 

I

magine that you, as a manager, are busy with your many daily responsibilities, when

tragedy strikes: 

!	 You hear a commotion down the hall, respond, and discover that an employee has 

swallowed a lethal dose of drugs in the presence of his coworkers. 

!	 An irate individual storms into your section's work area and shoots an employee 

while you and other employees look on, shocked and helpless to intervene. 

!	 A dazed-looking employee walks into the work area, bruised and disheveled, 

collapses at her desk, and reports that she was attacked while conducting a routine 

business call. 

Initially, your responses will probably be almost automatic. You will notify the proper 

authorities and take whatever steps are necessary to preserve life and safety. 

After the paramedics and the investigators leave, the hard questions begin for you as a 

manager: 

!	 How do you help your employees recover from this event, so their personal well 

being and professional effectiveness will not suffer long-term effects as a result of 

trauma? 

!	 How do you get your staff moving again after employees have suffered from 

injury, bereavement, or emotional trauma? 

As you would expect, there are no easy answers, and each situation presents its own set of 

challenges. However, there are some general guidelines to help you in most situations: 

Stay firmly in charge. Let all employees know that you are concerned and doing all you 

can to help them. You represent the organization to your employees, and your caring 

presence can mean a great deal in helping them feel supported. You don't have to say 

anything profound; just be there, do your best to manage, and let your employees know 

you are concerned about them. Be visible to your subordinates, and take time to ask them 

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how they are doing. Try to keep investigations and other official business from pulling 

you out of your work area for long periods of time. 

Ask for support from higher management. Relief from deadlines, and practical help 

such as a temporary employee to lighten your burden of administrative work can make it 

easier for you to focus on helping your employees and your organization return to normal 

functioning. 

Don't "keep a stiff upper lip" or advise anybody else to do so. Let people 

know, in whatever way is natural for you, that you are feeling fear, grief, shock, anger, or 

whatever your natural reaction to the situation may be. This shows your employees you 

care about them. Since you also can function rationally in spite of your strong feelings, 

they know that they can do likewise. 

Share information with your employees as soon as you have it available. Don't 

be afraid to say, "I don't know." Particularly in the first few hours after a tragedy, 

information will be scarce and much in demand. If you can be an advocate in obtaining it, 

you will show your employees you care and help lessen anxiety. 

Ask for support from your Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The EAP is 

available to offer professional counseling to those who wish it, and to provide debriefings 

to groups affected by trauma. Encourage your employees to take advantage of the EAP as 

a way of preserving health, not as a sign of sickness. 

Encourage employees to talk about their painful experiences. This is hard to do, but 

eases healing as people express their painful thoughts and feelings in a safe environment, 

and come to realize that their reactions are normal and shared by others. You may want 

to have a mental health professional come in to facilitate a special meeting for this 

purpose. Or your group may prefer to discuss the situation among themselves. Don't be 

afraid to participate, and to set a positive example by discussing your own feelings openly. 

Your example says more than your words. 

Build on the strengths of the group. Encourage employees to take care of one 

another through such simple measures as listening to those in distress, offering practical 

help, visiting the hospitalized, or going with an employee on the first visit to a feared site. 

The more you have done to build a cohesive work group, and to foster self-confidence in 

your employees, the better your staff can help one another in a crisis. 

Build on your work group's prior planning. If you have talked together about how 

you, as a group, would handle a hypothetical crisis, it will help prepare all employees, 

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A Manager’s Handbook 
mentally and practically, to deal with a real one. Knowing employees' strengths and 

experience, having an established plan for communication in emergencies, and being 

familiar with EAP procedures can help you "hit the ground running" when a crisis actually 

strikes. 

Be aware of the healing value of work. Getting back to the daily routine can be a 

comforting experience, and most people can work productively while still dealing with 

grief and trauma. However, the process of getting a staff back to work is one which must 

be approached with great care and sensitivity. In particular, if anyone has died or been 

seriously injured, the process must be handled in a way that shows appropriate respect for 

them. 

This gives you a general model for management in a traumatic situation. Later chapters 

will deal more specifically with different types of traumas and the specific managerial 

challenges they present. 

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A Manager’s Handbook 
 

 

Chapter 2
 

How to Listen 

to Someone Who Is Hurting
 

Whenever people face bereavement, injury, or other kinds of trauma, they need to

talk about it in order to heal. To talk, they need willing listeners. 

Unfortunately, many of us shrink from listening to people in pain. We may feel 

like we have enough troubles of our own, or be afraid of making matters worse by saying 

the wrong thing. 

Sometimes we excuse ourselves by assuming that listening to people who are hurting is 

strictly a matter for professionals such as psychotherapists or members of the clergy. It is 

true that professional people can help in special ways, and provide the suffering individual 

with insights that most of us aren't able to offer. However, their assistance, although 

valuable, is no substitute for the caring interest of supervisors, co-workers, friends, and 

others from the person's normal daily life. 

It is natural to feel reluctant or even afraid of facing another person's painful feelings. But 

it is important not to let this fear prevent us from doing what we can to help someone who 

is suffering. 

Though each situation is unique, some guidelines can help make the process easier: 

! The most important thing to do is simply to be there and listen and show you care. 

! Find a private setting where you won't be overheard or interrupted. Arrange 

things so that there are no large objects, such as a desk, between you and the 

person. 

! Keep your comments brief and simple so that you don't get the person off track. 

! Ask questions which show your interest and encourage the person to keep talking, 

for example: 

"What happened next?" 

"What was that like?" 

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!	 Give verbal and non-verbal messages of caring and support. Facial expressions 

and body posture go a long way toward showing your interest. Don't hesitate to 

interject your own feelings as appropriate, for example: 

"How terrible." 

"I'm so sorry." 

!	 Let people know that it's OK to cry. Some people are embarrassed if they cry in 

front of others. Handing over a box of tissues in a matter-of-fact way can help 

show that tears are normal and appropriate. It's also OK if you get a bit teary 

yourself. 

!	 Don't be distressed by differences in the way people respond. One person may 

react very calmly, while another expresses strong feelings. One person may have 

an immediate emotional response; another may be "numb" at first and respond 

emotionally later. Emotions are rarely simple; people who are suffering loss often 

feel anger along with grief. Unless you see signs of actual danger, simply accept 

the feelings as that person's natural response at the moment. If a person is usually 

rational and sensible, those qualities will return once their painful feelings are 

expressed. 

!	 Don't offer unsolicited advice. People usually will ask for advice later if they need 

it; initially it just gets in the way of talking things out. 

!	 Don't turn the conversation into a forum for your own experiences. If you have 

had a similar experience, you may want to mention that briefly when the moment 

seems right. But do not say, "I know exactly how you feel," because everybody is 

different. 

!	 It's natural to worry about saying the "wrong thing." The following is a brief but 

helpful list of three other things not to say to someone who is suffering: 

DO NOT SAY: 

Anything critical of the person. 

"You shouldn't take it so hard." 

"You're overreacting." 

A Manager’s Handbook 

5 
 

 

 

Anything which tries to minimize the person's pain. 

"It could be a lot worse."
 

"You're young; you'll get over it."
 

Anything which asks the person to disguise or reject his/her feelings. 

"You have to pull yourself together."
 

"You need to be strong for your children's sake."
 

These are helpful guidelines, but the most important thing is to be there and listen in a 

caring way. People will understand if you say something awkward in a difficult situation. 

Once you have finished talking, it may be appropriate to offer simple forms of help. 

Check about basic things like eating and sleeping. Sharing a meal may help the person 

find an appetite. Giving a ride to someone too upset to drive may mean a lot. Ask what 

else you can do to be of assistance. 

After you have talked to someone who is hurting, you may feel as if you have absorbed 

some of that person's pain. Take care of yourself by talking to a friend, taking a walk, or 

doing whatever helps restore your own spirits. Congratulate yourself on having had the 

courage to help someone in need when it wasn't easy. 

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Chapter 3
 

Recovering From 

the Death of a Co-worker
 

The death of a co-worker is a painful experience under any circumstances, and all

the more difficult if it is unexpected. Recovery of individuals and of your work 

group itself depends to a great extent on the effectiveness of the grief leadership 

provided by you--the group's manager. Effective grief leadership guides members of the 

work group as they mourn and memorialize the dead, help their families, and return to 

effective performance of their duties. The following guidelines have proved helpful: 

Provide a private area were co-workers can mourn without public scrutiny. 

Initially, close friends and associates will feel shock and intense grief. If the loss is to be 

resolved, it is essential for all affected employees to spend time talking about the deceased 

person, sharing memories, and discussing the loss. This "grief work," which is essential 

for recovery, is intensely painful when done alone, but much less so when it can be shared 

with friends. Providing a private area where co-workers can talk together and shed tears 

without public scrutiny will ease this process. 

Share information. Employees will feel a particularly strong need for information at 

this time. Managers can show their concern by making a concerned effort to get that 

information, and share it in a timely manner. Until you get the information, simply 

admitting honestly that you don't know is more comforting to employees than not being 

told anything. 

Contact employees who are temporarily away from the office. Ordinarily, people 

in a small work group are aware of friendship patterns, and will take steps to ensure that 

those in particular need of comfort are given support. However, problems may occur if 

co-workers are on leave or travel. The manager and group members may need to reach 

out to those temporarily away from the office to make sure they don't get left out of the 

grieving process. 

Serve as a role model. Managers need to serve as role models for appropriate 

grieving. If you show that you are actively grieving, but still able to function effectively, 

other employees will realize that they can also be sad without losing their ability to 

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perform their duties rationally. You should avoid hiding your own feelings, as this often 

leads employees to misperceive you as not caring. 

Consider offering a "debriefing." Often, a cohesive work group can go through the 

grief process without help. However, if members do not know each other well, or for 

whatever reason have difficulty talking, a professional person may need to come in and 

facilitate a "debriefing," or meeting in which grief is discussed. 

Consider holding a memorial service, especially if co-workers cannot attend 

the funeral. A memorial service can be very helpful and is often a turning point in 

restoring a work group to normal productivity. This is not to imply that the deceased is 

forgotten; rather people find after a point that they can continue to work while grieving. 

Consider the following points in planning a memorial service: 

! The memorial service should honor the deceased and provide an opportunity to say 

goodbye. Unlike a funeral, a memorial is not a religious service, and should be 

suitable for employees of all faiths. Friends may speak about the qualities they 

admired in the deceased, the person's contributions to the work and the morale of 

the group. Poetry or music reminiscent of the deceased might be shared. 

! The most common mistake in planning memorials is to plan them at too high a 

level. Senior officials may want to take charge, to show that they care, and to 

assure a polished product. This approach usually "backfires," for example, "The 

managers don't care about Sam; they just want to put on a show for the 

executives." 

!	 Memorial services are most effective when the closest associates of the deceased 

are given key roles in planning and carrying them out. Including the "right" 

people, i.e., the best friends of the deceased, makes the service more comforting 

for everyone. If the best friends are too upset to speak, they can take non-verbal 

roles such as handing out programs. 

Reach out to family members. Reaching out to the family of the deceased can be 

comforting for both employees and family members. Attending the funeral service, 

sending cards, visiting the bereaved family and offering various forms of help are all 

positive healing activities. 

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Support informal rituals. Informal rituals in the office can ease healing. A group of 

friends might join together to clean out the deceased person's desk, or organize a 

campaign for contributions to an appropriate charity. Sometimes employees may want to 

leave a particular work station or piece of equipment unused for a time in memory of the 

deceased. If possible, this wish should be honored. 

Get back to the work routine in a way that shows respect for the deceased. 

Returning to the work routine can facilitate healing if the work group makes an effort to 

uphold values held by the deceased and strive toward goals that he/she particularly valued, 

for example, "I want to show the customers I care, because Sam was such a caring 

person." 

Don't treat a new employee like a "replacement" for the employee who died. 

It is important that new employees not be made to feel like "replacements" for employees 

who have died. Reorganizing responsibilities and moving furniture can help spare the new 

employee and others the painful experience of having somebody new at "Sam's desk" 

doing "Sam's job." 

Remind employees about the services of the Employee Assistance Program. 

Group members should be reminded that normal grieving can produce upsetting responses 

such as sleeplessness, diminished appetite, and intrusive thoughts of the deceased. 

Ordinarily, these will subside with time, particularly if the individual receives strong group 

support. However, some individuals may find these reactions especially troubling or long 

lasting, and may need to turn to the Employee Assistance Program for professional help in 

getting over the experience. 

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Chapter 4
 

Supervising an Employee 

with Suicidal Concerns
 

Suicide is a significant cause of death among Americans, and government personnel

are not exempt from the problem. Though there are differences in suicide rates 

based on such factors as age, gender, and ethnicity, a person from any background 

can commit suicide, or go through a period of seriously contemplating it. 

People considering suicide often have been "worn down" by many stresses and problems. 

Actual or expected loss, especially a love relationship, is often a contributing factor. The 

suicidal person is frequently lonely and without a solid support system. Sometimes this is 

a long-term characteristic of the person; in other cases a geographic move, death, or a 

divorce may deprive an individual of personal ties that were formerly supportive. 

Listen carefully to what your employees say--people thinking about suicide often give 

hints about their intentions. Talking about not being present in the future, giving away 

prized possessions, and making funeral plans are examples of possible hints of suicidal 

intent. If you hear such talk, question it, kindly but firmly. You won't make the situation 

worse by clarifying it, and an open conversation with you may be the person's first step 

toward getting well. 

Be alert to changes in behavior. A deterioration in job performance, personal appearance, 

punctuality, or other habits can be a sign of many problems, including suicidal concerns. 

If an employee admits thinking about suicide: 

You'll want to get your employee to professional help, and the way you do this is very 

important. The way you approach the issue can have an impact on the employee's 

willingness to receive professional help. Your respect and concern for the employee can 

contribute to the healing process. 

! First offer your own personal concern and support. Let the person know you 

care--the employee is both a unique human being and a valued member of your 

team. 

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!	 Show understanding of the employee's pain and despair, but offer hope that, with 

appropriate help, solutions can be found for the problems that are leading the 

person to feel so desperate. 

!	 Ask whether any of the employee's problems are work related, and, if so, take 

initiative in attacking those problems. For example, the employee may feel 

improperly trained for key responsibilities, or may be having difficulties with leave 

or some similar issue without having made you aware of it. If you can act as an 

advocate in remedying some of these problems, you will help in three ways-­

removing one source of pain, showing concretely that someone cares, and offering 

hope that other problems can also be solved. 

!	 Do not question the employee about personal problems, as the individual may wish 

to keep them out of the workplace, but listen with empathy if the employee 

chooses to share them. 

!	 Do not offer advice, but acknowledge that the problems are real and painful. 

!	 Protect the employee's privacy with regard to other employees. This will require 

thought and planning, as questions are sure to arise. When dealing with higher 

management, you need to think clearly about what they actually need to know, 

e.g., that the employee is temporarily working a reduced schedule on medical 

advice--as opposed to what they don't need to know, e.g., intimate personal 

information that the employee may have confided in you as the immediate 

supervisor. 

!	 Without hovering over the employee, show your continued support and interest. 

Make it clear that the individual is an important part of the team, and plays a key 

role in mission accomplishment. 

Get Help 

As a general rule, anyone feeling enough pain to be considering suicide should be referred 

to a mental health professional, at least for evaluation. Make it clear that you want the 

employee to get the best possible help, and that some types of assistance are outside your 

own area of competence. 

Usually, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is the referral source for mental 

health assistance. If the employee consents, call the EAP yourself, emphasizing 

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C 
C 

that the situation is serious and needs timely attention. 

If for some reason the EAP is not immediately available, turn to your community's 

Crisis Intervention or Suicide Prevention resource. These are normally listed with 

other emergency numbers in the telephone book, and available on a 24 hour basis. 

Follow Up 

Once your employee is involved in a treatment program, try to stay in touch with the 

program. This does not mean that you should involve yourself with specific personal 

problems that the employee is discussing with a therapist. What you do need to know, 

however, is how you can work with the treatment program and not at cross purposes to it. 

Does the employee need to adjust work hours to participate in therapy? 

Has the employee been prescribed medications whose side effects could affect job 

performance? 

Should you challenge the employee as you normally do, or temporarily reassign 

the person to less demanding duties? 

This kind of communication will occur only if the employee permits it, since mental health 

professionals will not, for ethical reasons, release information without the employee's 

consent. If you make it clear to the employee and treatment team what your goals are--to 

support them, not to delve into the employee's private concerns--you will probably have 

no difficulty getting cooperation. A meeting involving you, the employee, and the 

counselor can be particularly helpful in clarifying relevant issues and assuring that your 

supervisory approach is consistent with the employee's treatment. 

Take Care of Yourself 

Working with a suicidal person is highly stressful, and you should take positive steps to 

preserve your own mental health while you help your employee. You should not hesitate 

to get support for yourself, either from your own supervisor or from the EAP. 

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Chapter 5
 

Helping an Employee 

Recover from an Assault
 

Being assaulted on the job can lead not only to physical injury, but also to emotional

distress. Recovery with return to job effectiveness requires not only the assistance 

of professional experts such as physicians and psychotherapists, but also the 

enlightened support of supervisors and co-workers. 

The role of the immediate supervisor is especially important, because that person most 

powerfully represents the organization to the employee. The supervisor needs to convey 

personal concern for the employee as well as the concern of the organization, and a sense 

of the employee's unique importance to the work group and its mission. The following 

guidelines have proved helpful in these situations: 

If the employee is hospitalized, visit, send cards, and convey other expressions 

of concern. It is important that the employee not feel abandoned. The nursing staff can 

advise you of the length and type of interaction most appropriate. If the person is quite ill, 

a very brief visit and a few words of concern may be enough. As recovery continues, 

sharing news from the office will help the person continue to feel a part of the 

organization. 

Encourage co-workers to show support. At some point the employee will need to 

tell the story of the assault, probably more than once, and may find it easier to discuss this 

with co-workers who are familiar with the work setting and may have had similar 

experiences. Co-workers can help significantly by listening in a caring way, showing 

support and avoiding any second guessing of the situation. Being assaulted is not only 

physically painful; it can make the world feel like a cold, frightening place. Simple 

expressions of kindness from friends and co-workers--a visit, a card game, a funny book, a 

favorite magazine--can help the person regain a sense of safety. 

Help the employee's family. If the employee has a family, they may need support as 

well. If the situation has received media attention, the family may need assistance in 

screening phone calls and mail. Other kinds of help, such as caring for children while a 

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spouse visits the hospital, can go a long way in showing that the work group cares for its 

members. 

Plan the employee's return to work. The supervisor, employee, employee/labor 

relations specialist, and health care providers need to work together to plan the employee's 

return to work. Here are some important points to consider: 

! There is truth in the old saying about "getting back on the horse that just threw 

you," and it can be helpful to get back to the crucial place or activity in a timely 

manner. The sooner the employee can return, the easier it will be to rejoin the 

group, and the employee will have missed out on less of the current information 

needed for effective job performance. However, it is important not to expose the 

employee to too much stress at once. A flexible approach, for example, part-time 

work, a different assignment at first, or assignment of a co-worker for support, can 

often help the employee overcome anxiety and recover self-confidence and may 

allow the employee to return to work sooner than would otherwise be possible. 

! The employee's physical needs must be clarified with health care providers, e.g., 

the supervisor and employee should understand precisely what is meant by phrases 

such as "light work." If the employee looks different, from wearing a cast or 

having visible scars, it is helpful to prepare other employees for this in advance. 

Advance thought needs to be given to any new environmental needs the employee 

may have, such as wheelchair access or a place to lie down during the day. 

! Working out a flexible plan for a recovering employee may take time and energy in 

the short run, but that effort will be repaid in the long run by retaining an 

experienced employee as an integral part of the work group. 

Offer counseling. Counseling services should be offered through the Employee 

Assistance Program (EAP), and with the attitude that it is perfectly natural to use such 

professional resources in the aftermath of a traumatic experience. Supervisors and EAP 

personnel should work together to make the experience as convenient and nonbureaucratic as possible. However, individual preferences and differences should be 

respected. Some employees find that they can recover from the effects of the experience 

with the help of their friends, family, and co-workers. Others may not feel the need for 

counseling until weeks have passed and they realize that they are not recovering as well as 

they would like. 

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Make career counseling and other forms of assistance available if the employee 

decides to change jobs. Even with excellent support, employees who have been 

assaulted sometimes feel, "It just isn't worth it," and decide to transfer to a safer 

occupation. The employee should be encouraged not to make such an important decision 

in haste, but career counseling and other forms of assistance should be made available. 

Supervisors and co-workers who have tried to help the employee may need reassurance 

that their efforts contributed to the individual's recovery, and that the decision is not a 

rejection of them. 

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Chapter 6
 

Managing After a Disaster
 

Adisaster such as an earthquake or hurricane creates unusual challenges for

management. You and your staff may yourselves be suffering from its effects. 

Emotional stress, physical injury, bereavement, loss of property, and disruption of 

normal routines may limit the availability and energy of your work group. At the same 

time, the group may face new responsibilities - caring for its own members, and facilitating 

community recovery. Besides meeting customers' special needs for assistance following a 

disaster, agency personnel are often called on to support other Federal agencies in 

providing a wide range of community services. 

Plan ahead. You and your work group should be familiar with any disaster plans that 

affect you, and should have your own plans, however informal, for how you might 

function in a disaster. Involving employees in planning helps give them a sense of 

empowerment, and can improve the quality of your plan by assuring that everyone's 

experience and skills are brought into play. 

Despite the magnitude of the challenges, Federal Government agencies have a proud 

history of responding effectively to disasters. The following suggestions are general 

principles that can help you structure your disaster response (they are no substitute for a 

comprehensive disaster plan): 

Take care of your own people first. You need to locate your staff and assure that 

they and their families have necessary medical care, housing, food, and other necessities 

before they can be effective in serving the public. 

!	 Consider setting up a relief center. Particularly if traditional disaster relief agencies 

are slow to mobilize, you may need to set up a relief center for your own 

employees, and provide food and other essential items to those in need. If 

necessary, assign a group of employees, preferably volunteers, to internal disaster 

relief, and relieve them temporarily of other duties. Their tasks might include 

staffing the relief center, taking inventory of unmet needs of affected employees, 

and locating resources to fit the needs. 

!	 Consider compiling resource information. Those most affected by the disaster are 

least likely to have functioning telephones, and may not be able to call around to 

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locate a new apartment, a child care provider, a rental truck, a place to board the 

dog, or any of the many goods and services they need to begin normalizing their 

lives. Compiling information in a booklet or card file can be very helpful, and can 

result in a document that is helpful to the public as well as employees. 

Modify office rules and procedures that are counterproductive after a disaster. 

Dress codes, rules about children in the office, and restrictions on using telephones for 

personal business, for example, may need to be temporarily adjusted in the post-disaster 

period. Agencies have the authority to grant administrative leave to employees who need 

time off to normalize their home and family situations. 

Work cooperatively with employee unions. Disaster situations encourage labormanagement cooperation, regardless of what the labor relations climate has been in the 

past. Labor and management share a deep concern for employees’ well being and 

recovery; working together in an informal way can lead to more effective, flexible 

responses to employee needs. 

Take steps to prevent accidents and illness. Much of the human suffering 

associated with a disaster happens after the event itself, and can be prevented through 

good management. It is particularly important to prevent the overwork and exhaustion 

that tend to occur as people throw themselves into disaster recovery operations. Postdisaster environments are often less safe and sanitary than normal ones, so that people 

living and working in them need to exercise special care. Exhaustion can lower resistance 

to disease, decrease alertness, impair judgment, and make people less careful about health 

precautions and more vulnerable to accidents. There are several strategies for assuring that 

people do not exhaust themselves: 

!	 After an initial crisis period, during which overwork may be necessary, develop 

procedures to assure that employees do not work too many hours without rest. 

!	 Be sure to provide adequate staffing for all new responsibilities created after the 

disaster, such as internal relief operations. 

!	 Set limits on work hours, if necessary, and train managers to monitor their 

subordinates and check for signs of exhaustion. 

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!	 Since leaders are especially prone to overwork, monitor each other and set a 

positive example for subordinates. 

!	 Take care to assure that no employee has an essential task that no one else knows 

how to do, or that person will surely be overworked. 

Communicate clear priorities for work. Since some normal operations may be 

suspended and new ones undertaken, this must be done carefully and consistently. 

Understanding priorities will not only help prevent overwork, but will also empower 

employees to make decisions about how to use their time most appropriately. 

Provide opportunities for employees to talk about their stressful experiences. 

To recover from severe stress, people need to talk about what they have gone through, 

and to compare their reactions with those of others. Consider the following suggestions: 

!	 Provide a group meeting organized by an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 

counselor or other mental health professional. 

!	 Remind employees of procedures for scheduling individual EAP appointments, 

since some employees may need more personal assistance in resolving problems 

arising from the disaster. 

!	 Offer opportunities for employees to share their experiences informally, for 

example, by providing a break area with coffee or other refreshments. 

Special considerations when employees are detailed out to other agencies 

!	 It is important that detailed employees remain in contact with their own 

organization. 

!	 They should, whenever possible, be deployed in small groups, so each employee 

will have a few familiar people to turn to for support. 

!	 Visits by agency managers can be very helpful in conveying information and 

boosting morale. 

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! Informal newsletters can be a valuable source of information. 

! Information can reduce the detailed employees’ stress from worrying about coworkers, while reassuring them that they are still a valued part of their own 

organization. 

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Chapter 7
 

Managing When the Stress Doesn't Go Away
 

Previously chapters have focused mainly on traumatic events that overwhelm us with

their suddenness. An employee is assaulted, or a tornado rips through an office. 

We are shocked and shaken by the enormity of the event and its unexpected nature. 

Sometimes, though, long term stress can assume traumatic proportions. Carl Dudley and 

Melvin Schoonover, researchers who interviewed clergy members in South Florida about 

six months after Hurricane Andrew, report, "They all agreed that surviving the storm was 

easy compared with surviving afterward." According to one pastor, "Stress-related deaths 

continue to haunt our congregation long after the storm....some people simply cannot get 

their lives together in this constant uncertainty." 

In recent years, Federal Government employees in several parts of the country have had to 

cope with rebuilding their homes and lives after a disaster while taking on new roles and 

responsibilities to help the community's recovery. Disasters are not the only source of 

long term stress that our employees may face. Threats of violence, whether from 

individuals outside the agency or from fellow employees, can lead to severe stress 

situations which go on for weeks, and affect many people. Harassment campaigns 

directed against employees can be nerve-wracking even when there is no apparent physical 

danger. The prospect of losing a group member to a slowly debilitating illness can 

produce a long period of stress for everyone involved. Organizational change can produce 

severe stress if employees feel uncertain and worried for long periods. 

Getting the job done and taking care of employees under conditions of severe, long lasting 

stress can be one of the most difficult challenges a manager may face. It's not easy to take 

charge, develop innovative approaches, and be sensitive to the needs of others when 

you're at least as uncomfortable as your subordinates. There are, however, some 

management approaches that have proved helpful in these situations: 

Take concrete steps to see that everything possible is being done to lessen the 

sources of stress. If danger is a problem, call the right law enforcement function 

immediately, and get all the advice and concrete support you can for them. If employees 

are overwhelmed by competing demands in the aftermath of a large scale emergency, set 

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clear priorities and make sure they are consistently followed. You probably can't "fix" the 

entire situation, but you can improve it. Your employees will feel better if they know you 

are working on their behalf. 

Keep open lines of communication with your employees. This is always important, 

but even more so when everyone is under long term stress. In most stressful situations, 

one source of anxiety is a sense of being out of control. Your employees will feel better if 

they have up-to-date information and permission to approach you with their questions. 

Depending on circumstances, you may want to adopt new communications strategies, 

such as having frequent meetings, publishing an informal newsletter, and keeping an 

updated notice board in a central place. As you consider your communication strategy, 

don’t forget your employee unions. Like you, union leaders are concerned with getting 

information to employees, and this may be an excellent opportunity for labor-management 

coooperation. Consider that-­

! Employees will have a greater sense of control if you are careful to listen to them 

with an open mind before making decisions that affect them. Even if your decision 

turns out not to be the one they would have wished for, they will feel less 

powerless if they believe that their ideas and preferences were given serious 

consideration. 

! Communicating with employees may be difficult for you if your own tendency, 

when under stress, is to withdraw from other people, or to become less flexible 

than you normally are. Both are common stress reactions, and can interfere with 

your leadership if you don't monitor yourself. 

Encourage teamwork and cooperation. Under long term stress, there is no 

substitute for a supportive, caring work group. Employees will find the situation, 

whatever it is, less painful if they are surrounded by co-workers who care about them, 

and will listen if they need to talk, or lend a hand if they need help. A group accustomed 

to teamwork rather than internal competition will usually be able to cover for members 

who are temporarily unable to function at 100% effectiveness. 

Ideally, your group has always been strong and cohesive. If not, do what you can to help 

it pull together under stress. Encourage and validate teamwork and cooperation. Avoid 

any appearance of favoritism and make it clear that there is opportunity for everyone to 

achieve and receive recognition. 

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Set clear work standards. Doing good work is always essential, but even more so in 

times of high stress, since success can bolster self esteem and group morale. Keep your 

standards high, but allow as much flexibility as possible in how the work gets done. If you 

set clear standards, but give employees some freedom in working out ways to meet them, 

they will probably be able to develop approaches that fit the contingencies of the stress 

situation. Check on how much flexibility you have with regard to such conditions as work 

hours, administrative leave, alternate work sites, etc. It's natural to assume that the way 

we have always done things is the only way, but you and your employees may have 

options that you haven't considered. 

Make it clear that this is a difficult period, and it's OK to share feelings of 

anxiety, fatigue, or frustration. If you set the example by letting people know you 

can do a good job even though you are not feeling your best, you can set a positive 

example. Define the situation in a way that emphasizes the strength of the group while 

acknowledging the challenges it faces. The tone should not be, "Poor us," but rather, 

"This is hard, but we're going to hang together and get through it." 

Acknowledge the value of professional counseling, and encourage your 

employees to get whatever help they need. Long term stress can wear down the 

coping resources of the strongest person, and it makes sense to get extra support in order 

to preserve mental and physical health. One strategy is to bring in an Employee 

Assistance Program (EAP) counselor to talk to the group about stress management. 

Besides learning from the presentation, your employees will develop a personal contact 

which can make it easier to turn to the EAP if they need it. 

Don't underestimate the impact of stress on you as an individual. Attend to your 

own stress management program, and use your resources for professional consultation and 

counseling. You will find it easier to take care of your work group if you also take care of 

yourself. 

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Chapter 8
 

Workplace Violence: Stopping It Before It Starts
 

iolence in the workplace is one of the more painful problems of modern life. If Vyou're like most people, you don't even want to think about it. What is at issue 

here is not danger from the general public, but rather the more painful possibility 

that our co-workers or people close to them could be a threat to others. 

Workplace violence is rare, and it would be a mistake to become overly fearful. But 

everyone needs to know something about it, and to keep that knowledge at the back of 

their minds, "just in case." What follows in this chapter is a summary of what you need to 

know. 

This problem needs to be approached at three levels: prevention, early identification of 

threats, and appropriate response to threats. This is not as complicated as it sounds. 

What you need to do requires basic management skills plus a willingness to turn to 

professional resources in a timely manner. 

Prevention 

When you look at what the experts have to say about preventing violence, their message 

boils down to what could be called simply "good leadership." The same approaches that 

create a healthy, productive workplace can also help to prevent crisis situations. There 

can't be too much attention to leadership basics, like keeping in touch with employees, 

making sure they have the skills and tools they need, helping them with obstacles, and 

showing concern and fairness to each one. 

Careful observance of personnel practices is a part of good leadership. If you set clear 

standards, note employee problems promptly, and use the probationary period, 

performance counseling, discipline, and other management tools conscientiously, your 

intervention can keep difficult situations from turning into major problems. 

The experts also recommend programs to foster effective communication in the workplace 

and help employees resolve stressful issues at work or at home. Federal Government 

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agencies are fortunate in having a number of fine resources for work groups and 

individuals. If you aren't up to date on what your training office, organizational 

development specialist, employee assistance program (EAP), and career counselor can 

offer, take a little time to inform yourself. 

With so many changes going on now, there's a tendency to think, "We don't have time for 

that." But if you bring in an expert facilitator to resolve tensions in the work group, or 

encourage an employee to seek counseling for personal stress, you will probably find that 

the investment pays off in productivity. 

Early Identification of Threats 

No matter how good a job is done, it may not be possible to prevent all potentially violent 

situations. An employee can be driven to the point of violence by factors outside the 

organization's control. Or an employee's family members, romantic partners, or other 

associates may bring their own violent impulses into the employee's workplace. So 

managers also need to be prepared for a second level of involvement: early recognition of 

possible threats. 

Managers don't need to be experts on violent behavior. What is needed is a commonsense recognition that, "Something seems wrong here," plus a willingness to seek advice 

from those who are knowledgeable about different parts of the problem. 

Your employees need to know that intimidation is totally unacceptable in the workplace, 

and that they should tell you if they feel threatened for any reason. And you must give 

them reason to believe that you will respond in a mature, constructive way if they do share 

their concerns. 

What are the warning signs to look out for? 

First, anybody who says or hints that they might harm someone. Like 

suicidal individuals, people contemplating violence often tell others, directly 

or indirectly, about their plans. 

Second, anybody who expresses fear of somebody else. An employee may 

report being stalked by an ex-spouse. Employees may be afraid of someone 

who talks repeatedly about weapons in a way that seems strange to them. 

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You, as the supervisor, may find yourself shrinking from the task of 

counseling an employee because you feel afraid of the person. 

All of these should make the alarm bells go off in your mind. At this stage it's appropriate 

to listen to "gut level" reactions. You're not making any decisions yet; you're just 

identifying a situation that needs to be explored. 

Appropriate Responses to Threats 

If you discover that someone does seem to have threatened violence or to have a genuine 

fear of it, you need to move on to the third level of involvement, an appropriate response. 

The key to an effective response is to get all the help you need. This is not the time to be 

self-reliant. You need the objectivity of an outside point of view, and the expertise of 

professionals from several fields. 

One crucial point is sometimes overlooked. If at any time there seems to be immediate 

danger, drop whatever else you are doing, notify the authorities, and take whatever steps 

are necessary to protect safety. Usually, however, these situations develop more slowly, 

and there is time to respond before emergency measures are needed. 

An appropriate response is one that protects the safety of all concerned, while respecting 

everyone's legitimate rights. This can be a delicate balance, and situations are so varied 

that it is difficult to draw up a set of procedures that will work for all of them. 

What does work is a strategy rather than a procedure. Call in the experts, get them 

working as a team, and their combined expertise will help you come up with a solution. 

This strategy has worked in a variety of situations. They weren't all handled the same 

way, but they were handled in ways that made sense. 

As you assemble your team, you will probably turn first to your own management chain, 

the law enforcement function responsible for security in your office, your personnel 

department, and an EAP professional. Other specialists, such as union officials, can be 

important contributors, depending on the specific situation. 

Once you get your team together, you will have three major tasks: evaluate the problem 

more extensively, develop and execute a plan for responding to it, and address security 

concerns at every step of the way. 

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Sometimes, objective evaluation may show that there really isn't a serious problem. If this 

is the case, it's important that nobody be criticized for "over-reacting." If evaluation 

shows that a response is necessary, your planning will probably have short-term and longterm components. In the short term, you will be concerned with guarding against a 

possible immediate threat while a long-term solution can be developed. The long-term 

solution should address the root causes of the problem and prevent a recurrence of the 

threatening situation. 

Communication should be given special attention. It is essential that all team members 

share a common understanding of the plan and of one another's roles in it. Stress can 

interfere with listening and memory, so it is important to express yourself clearly and 

check to make sure you have been understood. 

Support for those affected, whether as potential victims or as problem solvers, is an 

important concern. Fear is a real source of stress, and responsibility for the safety of 

others is a heavy burden. You can help by establishing an atmosphere of acceptance and 

open communication. Your EAP can help by offering seminars, debriefings, or other 

group activities, and by welcoming individual employees to take advantage of its services. 

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Chapter 9
 

When Domestic Violence 

Comes to Work
 

he previous chapter focused on violence among co-workers. There's also another Tkind of violence that demands our concern--violence in an employee's personal life 

that follows the employee into the workplace. Sometimes it literally turns up on 

the doorstep of the building, with an irate spouse shouting threats, or a stalker lurking 

around the parking lot. Sometimes it's more insidious, infecting the workplace with stress 

without anybody's quite being able to pinpoint what's wrong. 

This chapter covers scenarios that a 

manager might encounter. A spouse, 

lover, or other personal associate 

might threaten, harass, or assault an 

employee in the workplace. An 

employee might confide in a 

supervisor about being victimized. A 

manager may suspect that an employee 

A note on gender: This chapter refers to the 

abused person as "she" because that's the 

pattern in the majority of abuse situations. 

But remember that men can be abused, and if 

they are, also need the support of their 

managers and friends. 

or co-worker is being victimized, but the person hasn't spoken out about it. 

Regardless of whether you observe the assaultive behavior or are told about it, the first 

thing to do is to define the situation correctly. 

If somebody is threatening, harassing, or injuring the employee-­

If somebody is threatening, harassing, or injuring another person, it is a criminal act. 

Forget all the polite rules about ignoring lovers' quarrels, because this is another kind of 

situation altogether. 

Never underestimate the possible dangerousness of someone who batters, stalks, or 

otherwise mistreats another person, whatever their relationship may be. The danger may 

extend beyond the one targeted employee to others in the workplace. Obviously, all 

situations aren't equally dangerous, but there's enough risk that you shouldn't try to 

evaluate dangerousness unless you're well trained in threat assessment. 

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If there appears to be an immediate threat, notify the law enforcement resource that 

can most readily provide security in the situation. For example, this might be a local 

police officer, an Inspector, a Special Agent, or a Federal Protective Service Officer. 

Everyone in the office should know who this is and how to find them. If it's really an 

emergency, any officer will provide assistance. 

If it's not an immediate threat, you need to think about the appropriate place to 

turn for law enforcement support. Federal Officers can't investigate a situation that is 

outside their jurisdiction. 

Jurisdiction is a complicated issue, but it's important to try and understand it. Otherwise, 

misunderstandings between law enforcement and other professionals can make things far 

more painful for everybody. Employees are sometimes disappointed if someone they 

know and trust, like the security officer in the next office, can't investigate their case. If 

you can help the employee understand why it isn't possible for the officer to do this, you 

may prevent unnecessary pain from feeling like, "They don't care." 

With regard to understanding jurisdiction issues, these pointers may help you start out in 

the right direction: 

!	 If the threats, abuse, stalking, or other harassment are happening at or around the 

employee's home, the law enforcement agency responsible for the employee's place 

of residence has jurisdiction. (If you are unable to find the appropriate law 

enforcement authority, your own security staff can be a resource for helping you 

get in touch with them.) 

!	 If threats or violence occur within the Federal workplace, or in direct connection 

with employee's duties, there may be a role for Federal law enforcement officers. 

But even if Federal Officers assist you with security in the workplace, local police 

will still have jurisdiction over the non-workplace aspects. 

!	 Even if the situation doesn't seem to be an emergency, you shouldn't delay 

reporting it to law enforcement officials and getting at least their initial take on the 

situation. Assessing threats is part of their profession, and they may see signs of 

danger that aren't obvious to an untrained person. 

!	 If there seems to be danger in the workplace, the law enforcement agency 

responsible for your office's security can help you in assessing the threat and 

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adjusting security measures. Maybe you should change the locks, or the security 

guard should be advised to be on the lookout for a particular individual. Maybe 

the threatened person should be assigned to a different office. 

In addition to law enforcement, your employee is likely to need a number of other 

professional services, ranging from psychological counseling to legal advice to a safe 

shelter to live in for a while. Many communities now have comprehensive victim 

assistance programs with a wide array of coordinated services. The employee may 

appreciate it if you make the initial phone call to locate the resources. If you don't know 

where to call, ask your Employee Assistance Program for guidance. 

As a conscientious manager, you know to leave the counseling to professional counselors. 

But you need to remember that there's a lot you can do to help the employee without 

abandoning your own role. The normal things good managers do to make the workplace 

productive and harmonious for everyone can be especially meaningful to those employees 

whose personal lives are in turmoil. Having a chance to be productive and feel part of a 

team can do wonders for the battered self esteem and sense of isolation that often go 

along with being a victim. 

If you suspect, but do not know for certain, that an employee is being 

victimized-­

You may find yourself with a more complicated scenario. What if the situation isn't clear? 

The employee seems tense and upset. Maybe her work is suffering, or other employees 

are beginning to find her tension getting in the way of teamwork. Maybe the employee 

hasn't talked about abuse, but behaves in ways that lead you to worry about it. She might 

come in on Monday mornings with fresh bruises, or seem frightened whenever her 

husband/boyfriend phones her at work. Co-workers may be coming to you with concerns 

that she is being victimized, but nobody wants to bring up the subject with the employee. 

As a manager struggling to do the right thing, you may be asking yourself, "Should I get 

involved at all? Is this a personal problem or a workplace problem? What will happen if I 

don't do anything?" 

This is a complex situation, and the way you handle it will depend on your own judgment 

and your working relationship with your employees. Here are some suggestions that 

might be helpful: 

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!	 Don't assume it couldn't happen to your employee. Even when an employee's 

behavior causes concern, it's common to think something like, "It must be my 

imagination because Susan is a mature professional person who wouldn't be 

involved with anything like that." The fact is that anyone can become a victim. 

But those who don't fit the stereotype--older women, highly educated women, or 

men from any walk of life--may find it especially hard to let anyone know what is 

going on. 

!	 Don't ignore the situation. Work may be the only resource an employee has left, 

particularly if the abuser has succeeded in cutting off other sources of support. 

The earlier you learn about the situation, the quicker you can bring in professional 

resources. Then you will have a better chance of aiding the individual employee 

and preventing an incident of violence that could devastate the entire workplace. 

!	 Put aside your thoughts about what may be happening at home, and focus on the 

employee's behavior at work. It's always appropriate for a supervisor to show 

concern for an employee who seems seriously distressed, and to support the 

employee in getting professional help. As you probably know, you shouldn't try to 

diagnose the employee's problem, and should make it clear that the employee can 

choose whether or not to confide in you. 

"Susan, I have to tell you that I'm concerned about you. You're 

doing the same good work you always have, but you seem tense all 

the time, and this is the second time this week I've seen you crying 

at your desk. You don't need to tell me what's going on in your 

life, but if there's anything our EAP could help with, I wish you 

would go talk with them. We can adjust the schedule to fit your 

meeting times, and nobody else in the office needs to know where 

you are. And if I can be of help with anything, I hope you'll let me 

know." 

!	 If the employee's performance or conduct is deteriorating, then document the 

deficiency and discuss the matter with your personnel office. Whether or not formal 

action is appropriate at this time, it is essential to counsel the employee about the 

deficiency and refer the employee to the EAP. It may seem cruel to confront a person 

who is obviously suffering, but sometimes this is the only way to help. Reminding 

the employee how essential she is to the organization may actually help boost her self 

esteem. 

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If you suspect a co-worker is being victimized-­

If the person is your friend or co-worker rather than your subordinate employee, you have 

more latitude about how to approach the situation. If you decide to confront the problem, 

you may want to ask whether the person "feels safe at home," rather than asking directly 

about "abuse." This wording, based on first-hand experience, can make it easier for the 

person to open up about the problem. 

If your friend denies that there is a problem, or gets angry at you for suggesting that there is 

one, don't give up or take it as a personal rejection. Your friend may be so beaten down 

emotionally that she isn't ready to face the reality of what's going on in her life. She may be 

telling herself that she deserves what she's getting, or that her husband will change if she only 

does things better. She may be terrified that any action, even admitting the problem, may lead 

to greater danger for herself or her children. Even if she seems to reject your concern, you 

can still be a friend, let her know you are there for her, and remind her that you believe she 

deserves to be safe and happy. 

It can always be helpful to get confidential professional advice before you try to intervene. 

You might want to talk with an EAP counselor, or contact a community organization 

specializing in domestic violence. 

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A Final Note: 

Tips For Coping With Extreme Stress
 

! Concentrate on caring for yourself. 

! Talk about it with other people in the same situation. Compare reactions, reassure 

yourself that you are not alone in the way you are feeling. 

! Talk about it with friends and relatives who care about you. It's normal to need to tell 

your story over and over. 

! Keep your schedule as routine as possible, and don't overdo it. 

! Allow time for hobbies, relaxing activities, being with friends, even if you don't quite 

feel like it. 

! Participate in whatever physical fitness activities you normally enjoy. 

! Utilize whatever spiritual resources are part of your normal lifestyle. 

! Beware of any temptation to turn to alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and sweet foods. They 

may make you feel better momentarily, but can cause more problems in the long run. 

Concentrate instead on a healthy diet. 

! If you can, postpone major life decisions until you have had a chance to get yourself 

back onto a more even keel. 

! Don't hesitate to accept help from friends, co-workers, and others. If you can, offer 

help to others affected by the event. 

! Sometimes good self-care and talking with friends are not enough. You may want to 

seek professional counseling through your Employee Assistance Program. This does 

not mean you are "sick," but rather that a counselor may be able to help you get your 

recovery process on track. 

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Appendix 

Emergency Phone Numbers 

Police: 

Fire/Rescue:
 

Security Guards:

Federal Protective Service:

Health Unit: 

Employee Relations: 

Employee Assistance Program: 

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