Sometimes, potentially morally injurious events can happen while someone is at work. Though some people may experience these events outside of work, they may also benefit from a supportive workplace environment. It is important to ensure your workplace is a safe, secure, and supportive environment for people to feel they can speak out, as well as know they will not be discriminated against for doing so. It is for the employee to notify you, the employer, of their problem. It is crucial that your HR team meet with the individual and discuss ways to support them. Try to work with the employee on what they want in a supportive and empathetic way to understand what the employee needs to feel supported.
Here are some tips to help support an employee who is experiencing moral injury:
- Checking in: Speak to the employee and ask about how they are. They may find it challenging to seek support – checking in may help create an open dialogue.
- Talking about what happened and operational debriefings: If the potentially morally injurious event happened while at work, it may be helpful to talk with the employee about what happened.
- Create a supportive and non-judgemental work environment: Encouraging a positive and supportive work atmosphere will be helpful.
- Make reasonable adjustments: It may be helpful to provide the employee with some adjustments at work (e.g., flexible hours or time off). Additionally, it is important to allow the employee time off for appointments and treatment sessions to ensure your employee is able to get the help they need.
- Do not blame or criticise their actions: It is important not to blame or criticise your employee’s actions. Allow them to express themselves if they need to in a supportive manner.
- Encourage help seeking: It may be helpful to support your employee by encouraging them to seek support. This website contains a list of resources that may be of use. However, it is important not to pressure them – they may not be ready to look for support.
