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Supporting employees during times of social unrest, such as the recent far-right riots in the UK, is crucial for a healthy, inclusive, and cohesive workplace. Disruptive events can happen in any country and while local laws may differ, certain principles hold true for organisations.
Whether or not an employee has reported being affected by disruptive events, employers must be proactive in offering support and flexibility – not only is this crucial for maintaining a person’s psychological safety, but duty of care is often a statutory legal obligation and an ethical responsibility. People may feel frightened and vulnerable with talk of riots and racism rife in headlines and on social media and expecting business as normal is naïve at best and legally negligent at worst.
Dan Robertson, Global MD, FAIRER Consulting, says, “The physical and psychological safety of employees is something that organisations who are on top of their DE&I strategy, and who understand what a truly cohesive workplace is, will always prioritise.
“Not only is this an ethical obligation, but it is also a legally binding one – employers have a duty of care towards those who work for them and they should check with their legal department to ensure they are complying with health and safety regulations of their region or country and be ready to lead from the top, showing allyship and understanding and demonstrating a clear stance of practical and psychological support and empathy.”
Here are six factors employers should consider in times of crisis and social unrest:
Keep communication channels open
Encourage employees to express their feelings, concerns, and experiences in a safe space, if they wish to do so. This can be done through town halls, one-to-one virtual or in-person meetings, or via anonymous surveys – whatever the method used, keep the language sensitive and empathetic.
Acknowledge the situation and openly recognise the impact of social unrest on your employees’ wellbeing – even if they do not want to share their experiences or views – and validate their feelings and concerns. Leaders should be visible, approachable, and willing to engage in conversations about race and social justice.
Support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which will be of particular benefit in tumultuous times.
Offer mental health support
Provide access to mental health resources, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), counselling, mental health first aiders, or mental health days. Equip managers at all levels with the skills to pre-empt and recognise signs of distress and guide employees to relevant support resources.
Don’t wait for employees to raise their concerns – help proactively. And be aware that employees may be distracted, upset and likely to find it difficult to focus on work during periods of social unrest, especially if they belong to the group being targeted.
Offer flexible working
Make it clear that employees can work flexibly or remotely to accommodate those who may need time to process or deal with personal or family concerns. Commuting to and from work, or to an event, may incur risk. And people may need to travel through, to, or from areas affected by unrest – or they may simply be concerned at being caught up in a situation – whether or not they belong to a specific demographic. If employees belonging to a certain demographic are in a public-facing role, consider that this may also place them at increased risk.
Keep the workplace safe
Prioritise keeping the workplace somewhere that does not tolerate language or behaviour that is inflammatory, inappropriate or discriminative, but remember that employees are legally allowed to express ‘protected beliefs’ under the Equality Act 2010, even if they are inflammatory.
On a practical note, if a business closes early so it can be boarded up, or so that employees can leave the workplace early, they should be paid in the usual way, unless their contract specifies otherwise.
Remember your duty of care
Employment law firm Lewis Silkin states that UK employees have certain rights to refuse to work in dangerous circumstances – and an employer must not subject an employee to any detriment for leaving work in circumstances where they believe they are in serious and imminent danger. This is set out in UK law. If you are based in another part of the world, check your legal obligations with your HR department. If someone who is in a group that is being targeted is refused the choice of working at home, this could give rise to a claim of indirect discrimination.
Regularly review and adapt policies
Regularly review the effectiveness of your DE&I initiatives and be open to making necessary changes. Ask employees and ERGs how the organisation can better support them during challenging times. Ensure that your company’s policies and practices promote inclusivity and do not tolerate discrimination or racism.
If you would like to discuss this article or see how your organisation can work with FAIRER Consulting, please get in touch.
