After an impactful event

Immediately after an incident, those involved mainly need practical support. Safety must be restored and any injuries must be treated immediately. Facilitate contact with family, colleagues and other victims. In addition, prevent more stress among involved employees through good communication, both internally and towards relations and family. If necessary, organize group care. Evaluate the events with everyone involved still in the same shift, so before they go home. If necessary, involve the peer support in this evaluation.

This animated video from Erasmus MC shows what a major event can do to someone and that it is good to talk about it with colleagues. If you want to know more about how you can organize peer support in your umc, ask your occupational health and safety advisor.

During and immediately after the incident, you provide practical support to all employees. You then monitor the stress reactions of employees with an increased risk of psychosocial complaints. Monitoring is important with regard to any delayed or long-term reactions and the effects of an accumulation of major events. If necessary, call in the support of your peers. In case of serious complaints or if more support is needed, they, or you as a manager, can refer employees to the company doctor. He or she can refer you to specialized assistance.

Encourage employees to return to work. The workplace and any adapted work must also make this possible. Give understanding and recognition and be proactive in making concrete agreements about the goals and the steps to be taken. After a major event, there may be a need for reflection. Sometimes individually, sometimes collectively. Let the employees develop these initiatives themselves and give them space where possible.

Not every manager is trained to provide shelter and aftercare after an incident. It requires knowledge and skills and it is therefore not strange to need help with that. Especially in departments that do not often have to deal with crisis situations. Therefore, do not hesitate to be supported by experts.

In some professions, managers are just as exposed to profound experiences as their employees. This puts you in a double role of both the person involved and the support worker. Make sure that you also consider any request for help yourself.