ogue Valley Workforce Newsletter

Critical incidents are defined as extraordinary events which are so unusual that they overwhelm the usually effective coping skills of an individual or group. It was first identified with emergency services workers, but has since been applied to the workplace at large.

Within the workplace, these events would include such things as a death or serious injury on the job, robberies, assaults, significant loss of jobs, etc. They may also include events which affect the emotional state of employees such as the death of a coworker, or a disaster which affects coworkers.

These events can trigger a variety of immedicate or more long-term reactions which, in turn, can affect an employee’s ability to do his job effectively. Some of the reactions seen are increased anxiety, avoidance, physical problems, irritability, depression, and others. Often these symptoms may remain hidden for some time.

An effective method of coping with these traumatic events is through a process called a "critical incident debriefing." This process gives employees an opportunity to process the event, understand their reactions, and learn how to effectively cope.

If your workplace experiences a traumatic event, please do not hesitate to seek assistance. It could save you and your employees considerable time, money, and pain.

For more information, call the Asante Employee Assistance Program at (541) 608-4238.