EAP support for critical incidents

A critical incident can be defined as an event that has a stressful impact sufficient enough to overwhelm typical coping skills. Some examples of critical incidents include threats of violence, natural disasters, accidents, and employee deaths or suicides.

In our last article on Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services for supervisors, we introduced critical incident response. We described the impacts traumatic events can have on employees, and we gave an overview of the EAP’s critical incident response services. In this article, we go more in depth on what these services are and how they can help you move your workplace through response and recovery.

Start by checking in with your employees

A common misconception is that talking about the incident will make the issue worse, but actually, the opposite is true.

When communicating with employees after an incident occurs:

• Consider how and to whom you make an announcement. Consult with your HR, executive management, team leads/supervisors, and communications.
• Acknowledge the loss, pain, or trauma. Be aware that “cascading” incidents or sustained trauma make recovery more difficult and can leave people more vulnerable to future impacts.
• Avoid comparisons to your own loss. Grief experiences will be different for each person.
• Check in with employees. This could simply be asking, “How are you doing on a scale of 1 to 10?”
• Meet with staff regularly. Tips for helping staff cope and support each other are available in our Critical Incident Response Guide for supervisors.
• Recognize typical reactions to traumatic incidents. It’s important to consider whether problematic behaviors could be a reaction to the incident. Read our one-pager on supporting employees after loss or trauma to learn more about typical reactions to traumatic events.

Often grieving employees are too numb or overwhelmed to communicate what they need. Ask whether an employee has specific needs such as privacy, reduced work hours, or help catching up on their workload.

Identify critical issues, next steps, and potential risks

When a critical incident happens, supervisors and managers are responsible to maintain a productive work environment where employees can navigate emotions and reactions. The EAP can help by providing incident stress management, including management consultation, de-escalation, debriefing, and follow-up.

To request EAP help with critical incidents, use our organizational consultation request form. During the consultation, you and the EAP counselor will:

• Identify the primary concern.
• Discuss the concern’s impact on the employee, the workplace, and you.
• Discuss resources and referrals.
• Identify next steps to support you in your efforts.

The best way to determine if EAP’s critical incident response is needed is to ask staff directly about their needs. If appropriate, the EAP can facilitate a debriefing or an educational group about grief or trauma.

Supportive tools and resources

It’s important for supervisors and managers not to manage employees’ emotions, but to point them to resources and support. We provide resources for increasing awareness of EAP benefits, improving well-being, and knowing what to do during crises.

• Webinars (live and on-demand)
• Brochures, handouts and guides
• Informational resources
• Community resources
• Suicide prevention

Employees can visit our employee webpage to request EAP counseling.

A little history

The Washington State EAP has been responding to critical incidents for the better part of the last three decades. We recently talked with Scott Turner, assistant director from 1991–2017, to learn more. During Turner’s tenure, the program developed and promoted workplace consultation and critical incident response services.

A plane crash. A landslide. A bus accident. A death of a well-loved department director. “Almost every critical incident I was involved with, I could share a story,” Turner said, recalling the wide variety of incidents the EAP responded to during his time with the program. “Every time, people stayed after to express gratitude for helping them normalize their feelings and learn how to move on,” Turner said. “You talk about what comes of the event. People walk away encouraged, not discouraged.”

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The Washington State Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free, confidential program created to promote the health, safety and well-being of public service employees and their household adult family members. The EAP is available to provide confidential and expert consultation in a variety of areas. Reach out to EAP online or by calling 877–313–4455. To find out if the Washington State EAP serves your agency or organization, contact your supervisor or human resources department.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience. The Employee Assistance Program and the Department of Enterprise Services do not endorse the content, services, or viewpoints found at these external sites. Information is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the counsel or advice of a qualified health or legal professional. For further help, questions, or referral to community resources for specific problems or personal concerns, contact the EAP or other qualified professional.