September 11, 2001

The Situation

Just a few hours after the collapse of the twin towers, the auxiliary human and fiscal costs began to become apparent. Forward thinking organisations quickly recognised the need to provide physical and psychological support for their workers. Human concern guided action on the part of these companies, but there was also an acute realisation that unless positive steps were taken to help their employees, they would be counting the cost of the tragedy for years to come.

A major UK bank, with offices in New York and Miami, took the welfare of its workers very seriously. The first priority was to ensure that people made contact with their families and found their way home safely or had somewhere to sleep for the night. With basic needs met, John Caravello, Senior Vice President Administration, then looked to find professionals who could help him with the emotional welfare of his people.

The Consequence

Treatment for physical injury is unquestioned. Conversely, psychological injury is often dismissed; yet it can have devastating effects if ignored. As might be expected in a large organisation, people responded individually to events. Some just needed to communicate their experience, understand their reactions and how they could address them, whilst others were more deeply affected. Often people found themselves responding in unexpected and/ or uncharacteristic ways. They lost their tempers with little provocation, felt wracked with guilt, found themselves unable to concentrate on the simplest of tasks or make decisions. For people who rely on making astute business judgments, there were concerns about performance and the company losing productivity.

The Approach

Everyone from mailroom employees to regional directors was invited to participate. Sessions were intentionally organised around existing working groups, so that colleagues who would need to understand and support each other could continue with ‘business as usual’.

Dr Perman-Kerr and her colleague explained the psychophysical human response to trauma and outlined the range of symptoms and reactions. People were reassured that their responses were completely normal and were given advice on how to manage themselves and those close to them, including their children.

Because the bank employs people of different nationalities, mixed groups allowed people to appreciate how different cultures respond to trauma. Some responses were culturally specific or modified by background and this resulted in people behaving in ways that their colleagues may not have understood. Recognising the varied range of equally valid responses to trauma defused misunderstandings and facilitated the continued harmony of work relationships so crucial to successful business.

The Result

John Caravello was pleased that the programme was able to assist so many. “Value and productivity from our staff is paramount and loss here would have been significant. By using professional intervention, we ensured the rapid recovery of our workforce and therefore our business. Calculating a return on investment in such a situation is difficult. What our staff generates for our company is probably 10 times what it costs us to employ them. When seen in this light, any loss of productivity is potentially costly and it was the right business decision is to ensure their well being.”

September 11, 2001

The Situation

The Consequence

The Approach

The Result

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		September 11, 2001 The Situation Just a few hours after the collapse of the twin towers, the auxiliary human and fiscal costs began to become apparent. Forward thinking organisations quickly recognised the need to provide physical and psychological support for their workers. Human concern guided action on the part of these companies, but there was also an acute realisation that unless positive steps were taken to help their employees, they would be counting the cost of the tragedy for years to come. A major UK bank, with offices in New York and Miami, took the welfare of its workers very seriously. The first priority was to ensure that people made contact with their families and found their way home safely or had somewhere to sleep for the night. With basic needs met, John Caravello, Senior Vice President Administration, then looked to find professionals who could help him with the emotional welfare of his people. The Consequence Treatment for physical injury is unquestioned. Conversely, psychological injury is often dismissed; yet it can have devastating effects if ignored. As might be expected in a large organisation, people responded individually to events. Some just needed to communicate their experience, understand their reactions and how they could address them, whilst others were more deeply affected. Often people found themselves responding in unexpected and/ or uncharacteristic ways. They lost their tempers with little provocation, felt wracked with guilt, found themselves unable to concentrate on the simplest of tasks or make decisions. For people who rely on making astute business judgments, there were concerns about performance and the company losing productivity. The Approach Everyone from mailroom employees to regional directors was invited to participate. Sessions were intentionally organised around existing working groups, so that colleagues who would need to understand and support each other could continue with ‘business as usual’. Dr Perman-Kerr and her colleague explained the psychophysical human response to trauma and outlined the range of symptoms and reactions. People were reassured that their responses were completely normal and were given advice on how to manage themselves and those close to them, including their children. Because the bank employs people of different nationalities, mixed groups allowed people to appreciate how different cultures respond to trauma. Some responses were culturally specific or modified by background and this resulted in people behaving in ways that their colleagues may not have understood. Recognising the varied range of equally valid responses to trauma defused misunderstandings and facilitated the continued harmony of work relationships so crucial to successful business. The Result John Caravello was pleased that the programme was able to assist so many. “Value and productivity from our staff is paramount and loss here would have been significant. By using professional intervention, we ensured the rapid recovery of our workforce and therefore our business. Calculating a return on investment in such a situation is difficult. What our staff generates for our company is probably 10 times what it costs us to employ them. When seen in this light, any loss of productivity is potentially costly and it was the right business decision is to ensure their well being.”