It is impossible to avoid learning about tragedies happening in our world every day. All media outlets scramble to be the first to announce and inundate their target audience with stories of such disasters. Examples of recent catastrophes and heartbreaks include:

  • The Russian-Ukraine war
  • The mudslides in California
  • Officer-involved homicides
  • Mass shootings
  • U.S. political unrest

Since we spend so much time in the workforce, what can or should be discussed sometimes needs to be clarified. However, it is difficult for individuals not to be impacted by horrible events. Leaders may not be aware that members of their teams might be affected personally by some of the horrific events. In addition, some employees may have relatives in the areas affected by national and global circumstances.

In reviewing how leaders should manage this in the workplace, I came across a highly informative article created by the Forbes Human Resources Council that will make addressing these issues easier to navigate. The report can be found here, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2020/09/23/14-suggestions-for-discussing-thorny-current-events-in-the-office/?sh=70639d193389.

An important takeaway for me was that ignoring disturbing events might, in the long run, work against morale, and leaders might miss the opportunity to bond with their staff.