Special Feature Story: Dealing with the Effects of September 11th on Your Employees

(Story courtesy of the Schechtman Group)

Our nation has experienced a cataclysmic trauma, and the aftershocks are still being felt. To see the truth of this statement, just look around your office. Chances are, your company is functioning at a lower level than it was on September 10th. Even if some of your employees seem to have "bounced back," others are likely having trouble concentrating, exhibiting signs of anxiety, anger or depression, or simply not acting like themselves.

According to Morrie Shechtman?chairman of The Shechtman Group, a consulting firm that specializes in corporate cultures?these responses are normal in a time when our view of the world has been not just shaken, but redefined.

"There has been a fundamental shift in our culture," he says. "Basically, Americans have been living in a bubble, and now the bubble has burst. I think there is a sense among many people that we're going to catch the terrorists and then it will all be over, but unfortunately that's not true. We're like the rest of the world now. Our belief that our institutions will somehow protect us has been shattered. That includes our nation, our local communities and yes, our workplaces."

With a loss of such magnitude comes grief. It¹s unavoidable. And if a corporation does not see to it that employees have a forum to express their feelings, if it does not force them to move through the five stages of grief, it's likely that many will be distracted and unproductive for a long time to come.

Here¹s how you can hold "grief forums" for your employees:

Step 1: Realize that grief is a communal event.
Some companies have given emotionally traumatized employees time off to recuperate; others have brought in grief counselors for individuals who want to talk. While such actions are taken with good intentions, they are not always productive. In a case like this, grieving is a communal event, not an individual one. By having your employees gather in manageable groups for grief forums, you set the stage for group recovery?and enable your employees to get past their distractions and get back to work. (It is possible, even healthy, to work and grieve at the same time.)

Step 2: Leaders, take the initiative.
Once you¹ve gathered everyone into groups, it's up to the company's leaders to get the ball rolling. Talk about September 11th and subsequent events, not just in the narrow sense of how your company has been affected, but in personal terms. Candidly share with your employees how this tragedy has impacted your life. Although it may seem difficult, keep in mind that most people have great respect for leaders who are strong enough to express their true feelings.

Step 3: Encourage your employees to talk.
After CEOs and top-level managers have initiated the discussion, it's time for everyone to share their thoughts. You'll be surprised at how fast the floodgates open. "We recently facilitated a grief session for a group of about 75 employees," Shechtman relates. "I would estimate that 70 of them opened up and talked about their feelings. Before the meeting, people were wandering the halls, lost in a haze. After the meeting, when everyone went back to work, our client told us he was amazed at how focused everyone was. These sessions really do help."

What employees must ultimately come to terms with is the fact that, although our world has changed, we don't have to let that change rule our lives. "We will never get back to the illusion of a completely safe society," Shechtman says. "But we must learn to distinguish between concern and anxiety. We must be able to live with the concern without feeling overwhelmed by anxiety. We cannot let our new reality paralyze us. And rebuilding the institutional cultures that were shattered on September 11th is a good starting point. It's probably the best thing you can do for your employees."

• Subscribe
• RSS

• Editorial
• Specials
• Community
• News
• Tech and Tags
• Views
• Reviews
• Techniques
• Security
• Best of ColdFusion Talk
• Knowledge Base
• Blog Watch

• Tipical Charlie