Navigating the sudden death of an employee, either outside of work or through a traumatic incident in the workplace, is challenging. As your EAP, we are here to support you.
We follow a resiliency approach to critical incident responses and provide several different types of responses based on the nature of the incident (death of a colleague, traumatic loss, or critical incident).
Most responses/debriefings will not occur on the day of the event or the day employees learn that a colleague passed. Critical incident responses and grief groups are most effective and received once the initial shock and disbelief are felt. We recognize that employees, upon hearing of the death of a coworker, are initially seeking information, which is often not available. While not having information is uncomfortable, it is normal. Critical incident responses are not substitutes for information and have better outcomes if offered after employees have time to process on their own.
When you learn about the death of an employee, reach out. We are going to ask questions that will assist us in providing a response that is best practice and will support your team members most effectively. We know that you may not have the answers to all the questions, but getting the dialogue started is part of the process.
If there was a critical incident, we will ask questions to understand the nature of the event. While the incident may have some effect on the whole company, the needs of those employees who were directly affected or witnessed the event will be unique.
When you call, we recognize that you, too, are navigating the stress of the loss/incident. We can offer support in communicating the loss to the employees, providing information on grief that can be shared, and supporting your team, including scheduling a grief group or critical incident debriefing.
Preparation is important to your company’s response to a traumatic workplace event. EAP can support you before an event occurs, such as helping to develop protocols to support the psychological needs of employees should a traumatic event occur. For more information on our Critical Incident Response, call us at 215-257-6556.