I recently found a great article containing many valuable tips for supervisors and managers (but applicable to anyone) from the Purdue University EAP (Employee Assistance Program). Included are tips for identifying, assisting and supporting troubled and/or grieving employees; evaluating employee performance; and even some common pitfalls supervisors tend to fall into.
The full article is at the following link: https://www.purdue.edu/hr/pdf/tipsForSupervisors.pdf
I especially like the advice offered for when a tragedy occurs, including:
- Acknowledging the loss and asking how you can help.
- Asking what the employee would like you to share with others (if anything).
- Staying in touch with an employee who has not yet returned to work.
There’s also some sound advice for when the employee returns to work, including:
- Asking if they want to talk about it when they return, or if they’d rather focus on the work.
- Finding out if they have any special needs, such as increased privacy or reduced hours for a while.
By remembering our human duties in times of crisis, while still attending to our job duties, we show we care, which can be a giant step toward helping everyone cope.
What great advice. As someone who recently received devastating family news while at work I could well-relate. One of my co-workers immediately offered a hug which was sorely needed at the moment. He also asked what he could do to help, then check in with me over the weekend. That was powerful. And after a few days to digest my news I wrote my boss an update and gave permission for her to share it with the staff. This way when I returned to work I didn’t have to go over all the details again and again. And instead was able to focus on work while knowing I had a wonderful group of people around me offering full support.