During these tragic times, we hope that the HRPA community can be a source of guidance and connection. 

By now, many of us have seen the headlines of the terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel and the resulting horrific loss of innocent civilian lives. We condemn these terrorist actions. Our thoughts go out to those who have been affected.  

We feel tremendous empathy and compassion for both Israeli and Palestinian civilians impacted by this conflict worldwide and expect the impact of this human tragedy to reverberate in Ontario workplaces for weeks to come. 

As leaders and HR professionals, it is important to be prepared for the impact world events may have on our workplaces and the wellness of our teams.  In support of our community, the following are some words of guidance and a few resources that can be used to support your employees during this difficult time. We thank our partner Feminuity, who is helping us to design HRPA’s future inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) strategy, for sharing resources.

Supporting employees directly impacted:

  1. Show compassion by checking in and offering support. Be available to employees who seek support from HR, or from their leader.
  2. Prepare and equip managers and leaders to respond to employee requests and calls for support. Be lenient and willing to deprioritize work in favour of personal well-being.
  3. Remind employees of resources available through your company’s EAP.
  4. Arrange for virtual counseling or an Ask the Expert session, at the company’s expense. Tap into personal crisis and trauma experts if/as needed.
  5. Provide individuals paid time off from work if needed, so they can focus on their personal situation.

Resources:

  1. Leading in Times of Trauma 
  2. How to Manage Your Team in Times of Political Trauma
  3. Addressing World Events at Work
  4. Inclusive Language Guide
  5. Addressing Anti-Muslim Sentiment, Islamophobia, and Anti-Islamism at Work
  6. Antisemitism and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – Supporting Jewish Team Members at Work
  7. Leading During Times of Political and Social Uncertainty
  8. Name it Tool

Note to Readers: The post above has not been produced to the exclusion of the many crises and conflicts occurring across the world.