As a leader, you’ll likely encounter several challenges throughout your time as a leader. Whether that’s being the business owner or as a CEO or some other C-suite level position.
How you handle those difficult moments can be a defining moment within your career, but one that also benefits you reputationally within the business.
Great companies respond to workplace accidents and problems by prioritising human wellbeing over everything else. With that being said, here are some key leadership behaviours that benefit the way you’re perceived and respected by the rest of the company and outside the business, too.
Table of Contents
Immediate action and care
When dealing with an accident in the workplace, it’s important to prioritise the safety and care of everyone within the workplace.
You’ll want to make sure that the scene is secure, medical assistance is provided, and care for the affected employee and their family is given, too.
It might be that you’re having to liaise with a personal injury attorney as part of the accident, which is where it’s important to be proactive, rather than to be on the defensive.
Be visible and present in the initial hours and days following the incident so that you can provide a calming and supportive presence.
Be sure to utilise employee assistance programs, as well as counselling services and trauma consultants, where necessary.
Transparent and frequent communication
Avoid silence because this only sparks rumours and initial judgements being made about the business or any decisions you’ve made or not made so far. Share known facts quickly to prevent rumours and also own the message when you’re communicating what happened, the actions taken, and the plans moving forward.
Be sure to use a ‘human-first’ tone when it comes to the emotional impact it is likely to have on teams, rather than focusing on technical or legal aspects.
A ‘just culture’ investigation
It’s beneficial for everyone that you’re not placing blame on any one individual or group. Focus on why the system failed rather than placing it on someone’s shoulders. As a result, this will encourage open reporting in the future.
After the accident, be sure to conduct thorough reviews to analyze what was supposed to happen versus the reality of what happened instead.
Try to learn from any near-misses that have occurred, and this will help to prevent future issues or accidents from happening again.
Supporting recovery and resuming operations
Trauma can affect performance, regardless of how severe the accident was for the individual or for anyone affected by it. Therefore, you want to allow for flexibility and adjusted or reduced workloads during the recovery period.
Reorient your team to a rebound direction or new safety goals that will help them feel better in themselves. Don’t forget to actively review safety protocols too, making sure to update policies and procedures in real-time. You want to make sure these are easily accessible to staff, too.
Facing difficulties in the workplace will be a common challenge faced as a leader. It’s how you react and act when faced with them that truly sets you apart.
