Blindsided is the authoritative guide to crisis management. This "how to" handbook gives essential advice that every manager needs to know when a crisis hits. Written by CMI Founder/CEO Bruce Blythe, it's a fascinating, easy-to-read guide that draws on Blythe's 20+ years of experience as a pioneer in crisis management.

  Firms Work to Keep Anxiety in Check
by Julie Fishman October 19, 2001 The Stamford Advocate



The workplace has become a new terrorist target, and every workday since Sept. 11 frightened employees have been forced to confront their fears when they go to the office.

Now, with the recent anthrax incidents, workers have become even more anxious.

In lower Fairfield County anthrax scares have forced the evacuations of high-profile operations like the global headquarters of Stamford-based Pitney Bowes, down to the more anonymous offices of Darien's Huntoon Hastings Capital Corp.

The incidents have caused employee anxiety to reach unprecedented levels.

According to national studies, alcohol consumption is up, as well as the use of sleep inducing and anti-anxiety medication, said Bruce Blythe, chief executive officer of Crisis Management International, Inc., an Atlanta-based organization that has assisted more than 200 companies during the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy.

Eve Rothbard, the co-owner of the Liberty Army Navy Surplus stores in Norwalk and Westport has seen an influx of customers looking to protect themselves at the workplace.

Gas masks have sold out, and the two stores have received calls for chemical suits and gloves. They have even received a few requests for working parachutes after people witnessed the horror of workers jumping to their deaths from the World Trade Center towers.

"People have said they want (these items) merely for peace of mind," Rothbard said.

But peace of mind is difficult to attain, especially as people are bombarded daily with news of additional threats and hoaxes. And while the business world faces a harsh new reality, so do business leaders as employees are turning to them for reassurances and comfort.

"Employees have a new sense of expectations for management," said Blythe, whose company helps businesses deal with the human side of crisis.

Managers must pay attention to how their employees are dealing with the recent traumas, especially as many workers may not be as comfortable as they appear on the surface, Blythe said.

"Employees do their very best to put their best foot forward," Blythe said. In the workplace people want to prove themselves, to show that they are capable of coping with pressure. So instead of voicing their anxiety, many people will suppress it.

That's not a good thing, especially because it puts a person at higher risk of exhibiting emotional difficulties and post-traumatic stress disorder, Blythe said.

Managers need to be aware of aberrations in an employee's behavior, he said. They must be proactive and take concrete actions to make employees feel secure.

Education is also a powerful way to combat fear, Blythe said. Companies can do many things to inform employees about the dangers they fear, such as providing information about the biological and chemical risks that have emerged, and letting employees know what to do if exposure is suspected.

Another key way to lessen anxiety is keeping workers informed about what steps a company is taking to keep them safe, he said.

"People need to feel connected," Blythe said. "Fear is a very isolating feeling."

Managers should offer opportunities for work groups to eat lunch together, as well as provide forums for people to discuss current issues that are on their minds, he said.

Communication and staying connected is the way Stamford-based Xerox Corp. has dealt with the crisis.

The copier giant took immediate steps after Sept. 11. and continues to make efforts to keep employees informed and updated on everything from security to new mailroom procedures, said Xerox spokeswoman Kara Choquette.

There is information related to the tragedy posted daily on the company's intranet, said Choquette. For example, Xerox posted an article about travel-related fears, letting employees know that if they are concerned about their safety they can contact Xerox security, which is studying all international travel itineraries to make sure there are no relevant travel advisories or warnings.

Xerox has had experience dealing with a crisis situation. In 1999 seven Xerox workers were shot and killed by a former employee at the company's Honolulu, Hawaii, location.

"If nothing else it helped us be better prepared this time around," said Choquette.

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