How should we respond to tragedies like Boston?
How should employers handle a tragedy like the recent events in Boston?
Sure seems like we live in an increasingly nasty world. Occurrences like the Boston bombings seem to be happening more frequently — or maybe the 24-hour news torrent just makes it seem so.
Whatever. The fact is that these tragedies affect us all, and they’re going to be a major topic of conversation in the workplace.
So how should employers — and more importantly, managers — handle these moments?
Chris Penttila, writing on the Workplace Diva blog, had some solid suggestions. Here’s a sample:
Do acknowledge the tragedy. Might as well get it out there — people are going to want to express their feelings about events like Boston, and it’s a good idea to make them feel it’s OK to do so.
Don’t delve into conspiracy theories. It’s entirely possible that somebody’s going to be sure that it’s all the work of right- or left-wingnuts, or maybe space aliens. Managers might respond to such talk like this: “Hold up, we don’t know all of the facts yet. Plus, we’re at work and this isn’t the time or the place to get into it.”
Do formulate a company response. When employees suddenly feel very worried, then management should say something, Penttila says. Companies should acknowledge the tragedy, perhaps through an organization-wide memo, express management’s shock and sorrow, and perhaps provide options for people to help (such as a donation to the Red Cross, for example).
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