Be careful out there

In a time of year that many relate to happy things, we need to keep in mind that so many people are not in that same mode.  With the most recent unemployment numbers out for November,  the picture is dire.  According to the Department of Labor, the number of job losers and people working temporary jobs increased by 390,000 to 9.5 million in November.  There are over 6.3 million people who have been jobless for over 27 weeks.  These people struggle with worry about how to keep a roof over their heads, the heat on, and food on the table.  Add to that the pressure I’m sure they feel about how to provide a little “extra” for a child or family member during the December holiday season.

While most people who have been laid off or terminated handle the situation, we’re hearing about  more people who snap.  Just this week, a man walked into a school board meeting in Florida and opened fire because his wife had just been laid off.  Watch the video for a look at how quickly this could happen in any of our lives.

*Warning, it’s graphic

Just remember, as simple as my message seems, the risk is very real.

Be alert

Watch for signs of people who are acting strange (whether at work, a store, or anywhere in public)

Be aware of your surroundings and always have a plan of how you can get out of a situation

Talk with your security team at work, with HR, or with EAP to ask for more information on how to protect yourself.

Black Friday Crowd

This sales strategy has begun to backfire in recent years though as crowds tend to lose control as they enter the store which can cause great harm to employees or fellow customers.  Last year, for example, a security guard at a Walmart store in Long Island, NY was trampled and killed by the crowd as they rushed into the store.  There were many other incidents of fights and shootings associated with the Black Friday sales across the country.

This year, retailers are taking note and have begun planning months in advance for today.  They are talking to experts on crowd control, customer flow in the stores, and staging practice for the employees in order to be better prepared. Walmart specifically kept stores open 24 hours so that it would avoid this type of incident again.  So far, in early reports, all seems to be going well as no reports of deaths have been broadcast.

What lesson can HR take away from this?  Be prepared.

There are too many missed opportunities where HR can be better prepared.  Here are a couple examples that jump to mind:

• Annual Benefits Enrollment- We know this is coming.  It’s annual.  But, how many companies do a good job of making sure the entire HR department is well versed in the changes and nuances of the benefits plans?  Mine does, does yours?  It is also critical to have people on the ground who are prepared to answer basic benefit enrollment questions, otherwise, the employees “stampede” from a phone call and e-mail standpoint.  HR needs to anticipate the questions, come up with a solid communication plan (both in writing and scripts/training for people to deliver) and dedicate people to be available during annual enrollment to make it run smooth for the employees.
• Workplace Safety- Some companies do a great job of being prepared for safety issues.  This can include things like evacuation procedures in case of fire or other disasters, earthquake preparedness, workplace violence procedures, keeping unauthorized people out of your workplace, safely using machinery, etc.  This topic should be one that all employees are trained on annually with small “check up” reminders throughout the year.  Is your company on track?  Or, are you waiting for a disaster to strike so you can then figure out a response plan like Walmart had to do in the case of the guard that was killed?  Message here- be proactive.

What are other ways that HR can be more prepared?  Add them to the comments and keep the conversation going.  And, if your company is proactive and doing something great to be prepared, share that to so we can all learn from it.