An organisational safety net in an academic setting: An evaluation

In a disaster situation, employees may not be able or willing to come to work, or may be preoccupied about their families. Indeed, many employees, stressed and anxious about their personal and family needs, may wish to leave their workplace as soon as possible and stay home until conditions return to ‘normal’. It is therefore imperative to understand how an organisation’s response to crisis events can reassure employees that their safety and wellbeing will be protected. The Organizational Safety Net research project was developed to investigate models to enhance preparedness and response capabilities in high-threat urban areas. Respondents identified the following attributes as essential in maintaining a strong workforce: communication with family and loved ones; communication within the organisation as to what is happening; what plans exist to deal with the crisis event; pre-disaster preparedness and training; the competence and availability of senior leadership; the empowerment and training of mid-level decision makers; and clear, comprehensive approaches that can ensure that large complex organisations have comprehensive, coordinated and flexible systems that create safe environments. These attributes contribute to the creation of an atmosphere of perceived safety and are critical elements in the development of an organisational safety net.