It's Important to Manage Workplace Fear
The American way of life has changed so dramatically since September
11, 2001, that it literally defies description. However, if you asked
most Americans what they have changed in their lives since the terrorist
attack, you would find they personally have changed very little. They
still go to work. They still take their kids to neighborhood sporting
events, and they still go to their places of worship.
What has changed is that we as Americans are no longer as naive
and innocent as we once were. We now understand that, at anytime and
anyplace, it is possible for someone to hurt us for no apparent reason.
As a consequence, businesses need to be sensitive and prepared for increased
employee fear in the workplace. This fear could be a genuine concern
for one's own safety or for the safety of a loved one while the employee
is at work.
How important is it to manage workplace fear? Fear is a distracting
force that robs employees and businesses of their potential. There is
no such thing as "healthy" fear. Workplace fear erodes work
satisfaction, limits communication and stifles innovation. According
to the American Institute of Stress, 40 percent of worker turnover is
the result of job stress, and some one million workers are absent each
workday because of stress-related complaints.
How do businesses manage this kind of fear in the workplace? First,
employers must meet or exceed employee expectations in workplace safety.
This training goes beyond typical OSHA-type safety training. Employees
expect employers to make significant security changes. Employees expect
tighter physical security, and they expect the employer to train them
on potential bomb and fire disaster situations. Disaster evacuation
plans need to be updated, and employees need to be trained with the
urgency that they might have to use them. Employers who provide high
quality training in these areas will be rewarded with a workforce that
is less apprehensive and more productive in the long term.
Second, and just as important, there must be open two-way communication
in the workplace. Management must implement policies that encourage
employees to report unusual and suspicious things in the workplace.
In the short-term this may result in false alarms and some work stoppages.
However, in the long term, it will promote an environment that will
reduce fear through increased confidence in a safe workplace. Rumor
control in the workplace is also critical. Unfounded rumors that
spread though the workplace can result in management distrust if not
dealt with in a forthright and timely manner. Bioterrorism issues and
associated rumors have the potential to destroy workforce cohesiveness
and management trust if not dealt with in an effective manner.
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Authored by: Virgil Woolridge, Business and Industry
Specialist, University of Missouri Extension
Source: Creating Quality Newsletter, Volume
10, Number 11, November 2001
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