Management Adapting to a Changing World
In these difficult and quickly changing times, HR professionals and other managers need to stay on top of a variety of issues. Below are some items that may warrant your attention.
ITEM 1: LEADING IN A TIME OF CRISIS
Recent events have sorely tested the abilities of many of today's corporate leaders. "Nothing that I am doing is the same as before," said Kim S. Fennebresque, chief executive of the SG Cowen Securities Corporation, a brokerage company in Manhattan. "There are no answers to this in the CEO manual," she's reported as saying in the New York Times.
After talking with various leaders, the Times distilled their wisdom into four basic principles: stay calm, tell the truth, put people before business, and get back to business as soon as you can. In addition, virtually all of the chief executives who were interviewed cited two crucial qualities: strength and availability. In hard times, people need access to leaders who can and will provide reassurance.
ITEM 2: REACTING TO HARASSMENT OF MUSLIM WORKERS
"The backlash against Muslims and Arab Americans is hitting home in the workplace," reports USA TODAY. Though it's hard to find data specifically about the workplace, there have been various reports of people being harassed as a reaction to the terrorist attack. The FBI is investigating more than 40 possible hate crimes since last week, including arsons, assaults and at least three slayings. "Anything employers can do to help should be done, because the climate is so dangerous," says Ibraham Hooper of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
In the U.S., there are an estimated 4 million to 7 million Muslims. Charges filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission involving discrimination against those of the Muslim religion have increased from 133 in fiscal year 1992 to nearly 300 this year as of August 22. A September study by the nonprofit Council on American-Islamic Relations found a 15% rise in total religious discrimination complaints by Muslims since last year, according to HR-Today. In the face of the current crisis, those numbers could rise quickly over the coming year.
Some companies are trying to be proactive about preventing harassment and discrimination aimed at Muslims, Arab Americans, and anyone who is mistaken for a member of those groups. The CEO of specialty chemical company PolyOne, for example, sent out a message to all employees that read, in part, "Do not blame the innocent for the crimes of the guilty. Nothing else is acceptable, now or ever."
ITEM 3: COPING WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUNDS
In the aftermath of the attacks, many employees are psychologically wounded, suffering from a range of sometimes overwhelming emotions such as sadness, depression, and rage. Some may experience a variety of symptoms, such as nightmares, emotional outbursts, difficulty concentrating, and poor judgment. There may also be physical symptoms such as headaches and gastrointestinal pain.
There is no one right response. Some corporations may wish to conduct grief-counseling sessions like those General Motors Corp. started last Friday at both its midtown Manhattan office and its Detroit headquarters. The sessions, which are voluntary, cover topics such as how to talk to a child about the tragedy. The workshops and sessions also give people a chance to vent their feelings.
Obviously, there will be an increase in employee assistance program (EAP) participation in many companies. Typically, about 5% to 8% of a workforce uses EAPs, but that percentage rose last week. Some EAPs reported call volume increases of 20% or more.
ITEM 4: DEALING WITH THE MASSIVE CALL TO DUTY
In response to Tuesday's attacks, President Bush signed an executive order giving the military the authority to put as many as 50,000 civilians into uniform. Pentagon leaders expect to call up just 35,000 National Guard and reserve members for now. The largest number, 13,000, will come from the Air Force. The call-up will also involve the Army (10,000), Marines (7,500), Navy (3,000) and Coast Guard (2,000). The rules for employers regarding military duty are covered under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which clarifies military leave rights for employees. Anyone who is in the uniformed services, either voluntarily or involuntarily, is covered under the act. Employers should also review any additional state laws that may apply.
ITEM 5: LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES TO TRAVEL
Even before the attack, the slowing economy had prompted companies to cut back on business travel. Now, many employees are afraid to fly or, in light of added security measures, unwilling to spend the time necessary at airports. The result is that just 19% of corporate travel managers plan to maintain current travel levels, according to a survey conducted Sept. 18 by the National Business Travel Association. Another 23% said they are not sure, and 58% said they will reduce travel. The result will be an increase in videoconferencing, phone calls, and other meeting strategies. Yet, some experts warn that making drastic cuts in travel may harm companies economically over the long run, because bonds of business trust often depend on personal relationships.
====================================================
For more information on leadership in a crisis, registered users of the New York Times Web site can see
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/16/business/16CEOS.html?searchpv=past7days
For the Employee Assistance Professionals Association, see
http://www.eap-association.com
For information on the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, see
http://www.dol.gov/asp/programs/handbook/userra.htm
or http://www.osc.gov/userra.htm
For more on the increased harassment threat to Arabs and Muslims, see
http://www.hr-today.com/dcinsider.html
For an article on how anti-Muslim violence is up, see
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-000074972sep18.story?coll=la%2Dnews%2Da%5Fsection
For a government statement regarding the treatment of Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, or Americans of South Asian descent, see
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2001/September/468cr.htm
For a press release from the United States Commission on Civil Rights, see
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010914/dcf041_2.html
For "100 Questions and Answers About Arab Americans," please see the Web site of the Detroit Free Press at
http://www.freep.com/jobspage/arabs.htm
The Web site of the Council for American-Islamic Relations is at
http://www.cair-net.org/
The Web site for the Muslim Public Affairs Council is at
http://www.mpac.org/
For remarks by Pres. Bush at the Islamic Center of Washington, DC, see
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010917-11.html
Registered users of the NYT Web site can read the article "Victims of Mistaken Identity, Sikhs Pay a Price for Turbans" at
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/19/national/19HATE.html
Information on Arab Americans and Islam can be found at
http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_tol.jsp?id=280
The Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee is at
http://www.adc.org/
A variety of information sources about terrorism are found at
http://www.terrorism.com/terrorism/links.shtml
AMA information about disaster relief can be found at
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/3216-5286.html
Information about disaster and trauma responses can be found at
http://www.medscape.com/Medscape/features/ResourceCenter/DisasterTrauma/public/RC-index-DisasterTrauma.html
ITEM 1: LEADING IN A TIME OF CRISIS
Recent events have sorely tested the abilities of many of today's corporate leaders. "Nothing that I am doing is the same as before," said Kim S. Fennebresque, chief executive of the SG Cowen Securities Corporation, a brokerage company in Manhattan. "There are no answers to this in the CEO manual," she's reported as saying in the New York Times.
After talking with various leaders, the Times distilled their wisdom into four basic principles: stay calm, tell the truth, put people before business, and get back to business as soon as you can. In addition, virtually all of the chief executives who were interviewed cited two crucial qualities: strength and availability. In hard times, people need access to leaders who can and will provide reassurance.
ITEM 2: REACTING TO HARASSMENT OF MUSLIM WORKERS
"The backlash against Muslims and Arab Americans is hitting home in the workplace," reports USA TODAY. Though it's hard to find data specifically about the workplace, there have been various reports of people being harassed as a reaction to the terrorist attack. The FBI is investigating more than 40 possible hate crimes since last week, including arsons, assaults and at least three slayings. "Anything employers can do to help should be done, because the climate is so dangerous," says Ibraham Hooper of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
In the U.S., there are an estimated 4 million to 7 million Muslims. Charges filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission involving discrimination against those of the Muslim religion have increased from 133 in fiscal year 1992 to nearly 300 this year as of August 22. A September study by the nonprofit Council on American-Islamic Relations found a 15% rise in total religious discrimination complaints by Muslims since last year, according to HR-Today. In the face of the current crisis, those numbers could rise quickly over the coming year.
Some companies are trying to be proactive about preventing harassment and discrimination aimed at Muslims, Arab Americans, and anyone who is mistaken for a member of those groups. The CEO of specialty chemical company PolyOne, for example, sent out a message to all employees that read, in part, "Do not blame the innocent for the crimes of the guilty. Nothing else is acceptable, now or ever."
ITEM 3: COPING WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUNDS
In the aftermath of the attacks, many employees are psychologically wounded, suffering from a range of sometimes overwhelming emotions such as sadness, depression, and rage. Some may experience a variety of symptoms, such as nightmares, emotional outbursts, difficulty concentrating, and poor judgment. There may also be physical symptoms such as headaches and gastrointestinal pain.
There is no one right response. Some corporations may wish to conduct grief-counseling sessions like those General Motors Corp. started last Friday at both its midtown Manhattan office and its Detroit headquarters. The sessions, which are voluntary, cover topics such as how to talk to a child about the tragedy. The workshops and sessions also give people a chance to vent their feelings.
Obviously, there will be an increase in employee assistance program (EAP) participation in many companies. Typically, about 5% to 8% of a workforce uses EAPs, but that percentage rose last week. Some EAPs reported call volume increases of 20% or more.
ITEM 4: DEALING WITH THE MASSIVE CALL TO DUTY
In response to Tuesday's attacks, President Bush signed an executive order giving the military the authority to put as many as 50,000 civilians into uniform. Pentagon leaders expect to call up just 35,000 National Guard and reserve members for now. The largest number, 13,000, will come from the Air Force. The call-up will also involve the Army (10,000), Marines (7,500), Navy (3,000) and Coast Guard (2,000). The rules for employers regarding military duty are covered under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which clarifies military leave rights for employees. Anyone who is in the uniformed services, either voluntarily or involuntarily, is covered under the act. Employers should also review any additional state laws that may apply.
ITEM 5: LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES TO TRAVEL
Even before the attack, the slowing economy had prompted companies to cut back on business travel. Now, many employees are afraid to fly or, in light of added security measures, unwilling to spend the time necessary at airports. The result is that just 19% of corporate travel managers plan to maintain current travel levels, according to a survey conducted Sept. 18 by the National Business Travel Association. Another 23% said they are not sure, and 58% said they will reduce travel. The result will be an increase in videoconferencing, phone calls, and other meeting strategies. Yet, some experts warn that making drastic cuts in travel may harm companies economically over the long run, because bonds of business trust often depend on personal relationships.
====================================================
For more information on leadership in a crisis, registered users of the New York Times Web site can see
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/16/business/16CEOS.html?searchpv=past7days
For the Employee Assistance Professionals Association, see
http://www.eap-association.com
For information on the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, see
http://www.dol.gov/asp/programs/handbook/userra.htm
or http://www.osc.gov/userra.htm
For more on the increased harassment threat to Arabs and Muslims, see
http://www.hr-today.com/dcinsider.html
For an article on how anti-Muslim violence is up, see
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-000074972sep18.story?coll=la%2Dnews%2Da%5Fsection
For a government statement regarding the treatment of Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, or Americans of South Asian descent, see
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2001/September/468cr.htm
For a press release from the United States Commission on Civil Rights, see
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010914/dcf041_2.html
For "100 Questions and Answers About Arab Americans," please see the Web site of the Detroit Free Press at
http://www.freep.com/jobspage/arabs.htm
The Web site of the Council for American-Islamic Relations is at
http://www.cair-net.org/
The Web site for the Muslim Public Affairs Council is at
http://www.mpac.org/
For remarks by Pres. Bush at the Islamic Center of Washington, DC, see
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010917-11.html
Registered users of the NYT Web site can read the article "Victims of Mistaken Identity, Sikhs Pay a Price for Turbans" at
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/19/national/19HATE.html
Information on Arab Americans and Islam can be found at
http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_tol.jsp?id=280
The Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee is at
http://www.adc.org/
A variety of information sources about terrorism are found at
http://www.terrorism.com/terrorism/links.shtml
AMA information about disaster relief can be found at
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/3216-5286.html
Information about disaster and trauma responses can be found at
http://www.medscape.com/Medscape/features/ResourceCenter/DisasterTrauma/public/RC-index-DisasterTrauma.html