HOW TO CHARACTERIZE A TRAUMATIC EVENT?
This is an extreme event occurring in an unusual way. It can take many forms and affect the lives of people as well as the organization. The event may be a threat to the preservation of people’s physical, mental and psychological health. Faced with such an intense stressful situation, it is important to provide employees with psychological support as soon as possible after the occurrence of the event. A regulation of emotions is also put in place to avoid possible post-traumatic reactions.
THE CAUSES OF A TRAUMATOGENIC EVENT IN THE COMPANY ARE GROUPED INTO SEVERAL MAJOR CATEGORIES:
– Those concerning staff: sudden death, suicide or attempted suicide, violence, kidnapping, etc.
– Those relating to internal material or technical conditions: fire, explosion, toxic leak or spill, collapse of structures, fatal or serious work accident
– Those relating to natural disasters: floods, storms, lightning, earthquakes
– Those relating to external violence: robbery, hostage-taking, vandalism, physical or verbal violence, terrorist violence.
These traumatic events, of varying intensity, put the organization, the collective and the individual in complex situations, often difficult to live with, which can generate real discomfort for the people who are confronted with them.