Helping the Abused Employee

Knowing the impact of abuse on work performance and developing policies to make your workplace free from harassment and assaultive behaviors are important steps in preventing and dealing with abuse. But, the real test comes when employees show up in your office bruised and battered and tell you they are afraid to go home.

It is important to have some practical ways of responding to the needs of abused employees. Your response needs to take into consideration the situation at hand and stay focused on the primary goal of safety. This may mean putting your own preconceived ideas about abuse aside. Although the majority of victims are female, it is not uncommon for males to be victims of abuse. In short, both the victims and perpetrators of abuse come in all shapes, sizes, genders, religions, cultures, and professions. The first thing to do to effectively help abused employees is to not become judgmental when they admit to being abused.

The following guidelines will help you assist abused employees. Employees will present their own set of circumstances so you will need to use your discretion on how and when recommendations are implemented.

• When employees tell you they are being abused, resist the immediate temptation to minimize or fix the problem. Rather, focus on listening and asking questions that will help you get more information about the situation. The information you get will likely be very helpful in providing for their safety and determining if a safety threat exists for other employees.
• In cases where an employee admits to having recently been sexually or physically assaulted and has not already sought medical attention, make arrangements for him to get to an emergency room (E.R.) for an evaluation. If necessary, approve time off, make arrangements for someone to cover the job, and provide for safe transport to an E.R.
• If you suspect that an employee is being abused (e.g. bruises, black eyes, red marks, comments to co-workers, etc.) hold a private meeting with the individual. State your concerns, listen to responses, and indicate your desire to help her be safe and able to perform the job.
• In situations where an employee is not at immediate risk of further abuse (e.g. already in a safe house, restraining order in place, perpetrator in jail etc.) and there are no apparent job performance issues, an informal referral to the EAP may suffice. Indicate to the employee that the EAP counselors work with victims of abuse and can help. Provide The Village EAP phone number (800) 627-8220 to make it easy to make contact.
• In situations where an employee is not at immediate risk of further abuse, but job performance issues could be attributed to being in an abusive situation (e.g. absenteeism, safety violations, difficulty attending to work, etc.), it may be necessary for you to make a formal referral to the EAP. Remember the referral can only speak to, and be based on, job performance issues.
• When an employee indicates he is at risk of further abuse or is unsure of his safety, it may be necessary to take some or all of the following steps:
  1. Call a shelter and make arrangements for the employee and/or other family members to have a safe place to stay. Call your county social services or local police department for the phone numbers of local shelters.
  2. If employee’s emergency contact person is not the abuse perpetrator, contact that person. This person may be able to provide for or help make arrangements for the employee’s safety.
  3. In any situation where there is imminent risk of harm to an abused employee, her family, and/or co-workers, contact the sheriff’s department immediately.
  4. Remain in contact with the employee and make arrangements to ensure safety at the work site (e.g. offer flexible work hours to reduce perpetrator’s ability to pattern behavior, provide security escorts to her car or other transportation, don’t allow perpetrator on company property, give time off to attend court hearings or go to counseling, etc.)
  5. Regardless of the particular situation, remind the abused employee of the EAP benefit and the availability of free help.

It is also very important to take care of yourself. As a manager, H.R. professional or supervisor, you may begin to feel the strain. The risk of “vicarious traumatization” leading to physical and emotional stress reactions can and does happen to managers and supervisors who have to deal with the trauma experienced by their employees. The Supervisor HelpLine, Crisis Intervention Stress Management (CISM), Counseling Services, and Executive Coaching are all tools managers and supervisors can use to help cope with distressing situations.

For more information on helping abused employees contact us.