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My client’s engineering business has a team of people who are sent abroad to repair and maintain specialist equipment on clients’ sites. Some of them are soon to be visiting areas affected by recent conflict and others are currently working in areas close to where there have been bombings. They also have employees with friends and relations in areas affected. They want to know what they can do to support their team members, both in the field and in the UK.
Offering support to employees
Your client should consider who may need support at this time and speak to them individually. This starts with a conversation; talk to employees and encourage managers to do so, to find out who needs what. In an unprecedented situation it is impossible to know how individuals will react, and therefore what their support needs will be, without having these conversations. This can include, for example, signposting employees to sources of help such as an Employee Assistance Programme or other mental health provisions within the workplace.
Employees already in an area when conflict arises
As your client has staff working in affected countries, they should keep in regular contact with them and follow Foreign Office advice for those in these areas.
The employer’s duty of care applies to these employees so discussions need to be held as a matter of urgency around how they are affected and what support can be provided. This could include making arrangements for them to leave the area before their work is finished.
Travel to areas affected by world conflict
Your client may need to reconsider their plans to send employees to areas affected by conflict and to make other arrangements, to avoiding putting them in very unsafe conditions. Referring to government advice on travel to the areas is recommended for an up-to-date assessment of the situation.
Flights into areas of conflict may well be cancelled, sometimes at short notice.
Even if employees find a way to travel to these areas may find that their way back is closed and they become stranded in a potentially unsafe situation. A safer option may be to delay the travel and try to identify solutions that can be delivered remotely, such as supporting clients remotely.
Employees with family in areas of conflict
Employees with family and friends in areas of conflict will naturally be concerned for their loved ones’ welfare and are likely to want to keep in regular contact with them. Your client should consider how they can support affected staff to do this. Relaxing personal phone rules can help with this, as employees may wish to make/accept personal phone calls during working time.
Allowing them to move their breaks, slightly adjust their working hours or have more frequent breaks, may also help them more easily keep in contact with friends and family.
Employee relations
Employees may have opposing views on what’s happening, which can cause tensions to flare in the workplace. If there is a risk of arguments between employees about the world conflict, highlighting to staff at this time any policies on bullying and harassment can be beneficial and reminding all employees of the organisation’s zero-tolerance stance on bullying and harassment may be necessary, and urging all to be considerate of others’ views should the topic of the conflict come up.
Many employees may feel powerless and want to do something to help. Your client could enable this by arranging collections of clothing and other essential items or allow their employees to do so themselves within the workplace, whilst ensuring that this is done in an inclusive and non-discriminatory way. Partnering with local charities can ensure what is needed gets to where it is needed most.
