A trauma plan limits the impact of workplace incidents. Dramatic events in the workplace can have a substantial impact on your workers. Trauma is characterised by the ongoing negative impact of such events, and will lead to reduced performance or long-term absenteeism among your workers. Providing proper psychological support, as well as training managers and supervisors on how to cope with workplace trauma, are just some of the steps involved in an effective policy on trauma prevention and management.
Facts
Trauma can present itself in any field or industry
Classic examples of high-risk professions when it comes to traumatic events are the police force, fire brigade workers, nursing staff and emergency service workers. However, traumatic events can occur in any profession, though not every critical event at work can be classified as a traumatic experience. It is only when one or more workers continue to struggle with a dramatic event after some time that the phenomenon is referred to as trauma.
Symptoms of a traumatic experience
There are several potential stress reactions to traumatic events in the workplace:
- memories, flashbacks, distressing dreams or nightmares of the incident
- avoidance: avoiding the place of the incident, the job, certain persons or shifts
- alienation: the event hasn’t sunk in, is being denied, or only parts of the traumatic event are recalled
- irritability
- sleeping problems and/or fatigue, concentration problems
- panic attacks.
Mensura will advise you
Implement an efficient trauma prevention and management strategy.
To be able to provide affected workers with the necessary support in a standardised manner, employers must ensure that their prevention policy encompasses a procedure for the training of internal (healthcare) workers and members of management.It is important to ensure that these procedures clearly set out the role of each and every person within the organisation in such traumatic or destabilising situations.
Establish contacts with external support agencies and networks.
Result
Developing an effective trauma management plan is best done in partnership with a certified professional such as Mensura.
We will help you:
- establish a common code of practice tailored to the needs of your company on how to deal with and effectively manage traumatic events.
- mitigate the detrimental consequences of such events as much as possible.
- guarantee support to affected workers in the event of trauma. By acknowledging the situation and providing support, you can reduce the risk of (long-term) worker absenteeism or the development of mental health problems.
Mensura will train your employees
Mensura also offers a dedicated training course for managers and supervisors on how to deal with traumatic events in the workplace.
Training courses on trauma management
Training course for supervisors and managers: Trauma management