The recent devastating wildfires in Los Angeles have impacted countless lives, leaving many employees facing uncertainty and hardship. In times of crisis, employers play a crucial role in supporting their workforce.
In this week’s HR Query, Karishma Patel Buford, Chief People Officer at Spring Health, shares her insights on how employers can best support their employees during and after a natural disaster.
Here’s what she had to say.
What should employers’ first step be in situations like the LA fires?
KPB: The first step is showing your team that you care. Reach out with clear, empathetic messaging, acknowledging the situation and offering immediate support. It’s crucial to provide resources like mental health support and flexible work options. Beyond messaging, leaders should actively check in with affected employees, offering space to share how they’re doing and what they need.
Should messaging be different for those in impacted areas vs. those in other parts of the country or world?
KPB: Yes, messaging should be tailored. For those directly impacted, there will be basic questions around not being able to work or needing time off. It is important to provide clarity as quickly as possible on addressing some of these tactical questions with clarity and empathy. For employees outside the affected areas, it’s important to acknowledge the crisis and provide resources, while encouraging them to support their colleagues—whether by sharing resources or just being there to listen.
What steps would you recommend that organizations take to support their employees?
KPB: Organizations should focus on both emotional and practical support. You can offer open office hours with people teams, giving employees a safe space to talk through their feelings and concerns. This helps them feel heard and supported. ERGs can also play a key role in building community, connecting people who may be going through similar experiences.
For those directly impacted, make sure to address basic questions around time off, paid leave, and how to handle finding safe housing. Offering flexibility and clear communication about paid time off can help ease the stress of those needing time to recover or relocate. By combining emotional support with practical assistance, organizations can ensure employees feel genuinely cared for during such a difficult time.
Anything else I didn’t ask that’s important to mention?
KPB: It’s essential to provide ongoing mental health support, not just in times of crisis but as a regular part of your workplace culture. The long-term impacts of events like this can be significant, and employees need to know they have resources in place to navigate personal or global challenges as they arise. For those directly impacted, the priority will be potentially physical stability for themselves and their families, with emotional and mental health concerns often emerging weeks or even months later. That’s why continued communication about available mental health resources is so important. It helps reduce the stigma around reaching out and sets realistic expectations about the toll these events can take. By making mental health care accessible and part of the ongoing conversation, you help employees feel safe, supported, and ready to face whatever comes next.
The post <strong>HR Query: Supporting Employees’ Mental Health During Times of Crisis</strong> appeared first on HR Daily Advisor.