Trauma in the Aftermath of Organizational Catastrophe: : The Short‐ and Long‐term Impact on Employees and their Supervisors

Abstract

Literature of trauma in the workplace after an organizational catastrophe often focuses on various aspects of a critical incident where data are more readily available because of organizational “pressure points” – public relations, technology and the financial impact of a disaster on a corporation. Highlights the fact that external public rarely express concern or even interest in the mental health of workers in an organization perceived as being responsible for a catastrophe. Provides results from recently published studies that reveal workers experience some trauma after a critical incident, ranging from mild depression, to the onset of manic disease, to suicidal thoughts. Scrutinizes the impact on departmental and organizational morale, production and sustainability of key projects to comprehend the organizational behaviour dimension of critical incidents in an appropriate context. Overviews the relationship of organizational behaviour to crisis management and analyses the impact of trauma upon workers at one department of large oil exploration company operating in Alaska. Reaches beyond anecdotal surveys to include an analysis of employee turnover in the immediate department of that company after four workers had been badly injured in a serious industrial accident. Results suggest attention must be paid to stress and trauma by employees who witness organizational catastrophes.

Citation

Barton, L. (1994), "Trauma in the Aftermath of Organizational Catastrophe: : The Short‐ and Long‐term Impact on Employees and their Supervisors", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 18-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/09653569410064985