Blog

Carol Hill, FEI Operations Specialist, Crisis Management

With groups of people exiting simultaneously, mass evacuations during crisis events can lead to unexpected gridlock. Staying calm allows for smart decision-making when you find yourself stuck in a potentially hazardous situation.

Ted Uczen, FEI President and CEO

As 2017 comes to a close, FEI President and CEO Ted Uczen reflects on how preparing his children for safe journeys home during the holidays isn’t so different from preparing businesses for the potential consequences of crisis.

Whether it’s a large-scale situation or a small-scale challenge, rigor and consistency must be part of planning, preparing, reacting and following-up. In the same way one takes the proper steps to prepare family, one should also prepare the organization and its employees to assure a
resilient 2018.

Jackie McGee, Work-Life Specialist

As 2017 winds down, many of us are preparing for the holidays—and a little time away from work. But that doesn’t mean the work itself stops.

Ensuring job responsibilities are covered while key staff are on vacation requires coordination between employees and management as well as cross-training on the skills needed for
business continuity.

Vivian Marinelli, Psy.D., FEI Senior Director Crisis Management Services

‘Tis the season, which means shopping both online and off. With hackers stepping up their game and opportunists scouting mall parking lots for easy scores, maintaining vigilance during the holidays is the best way to keep yourself, your personal information and your purchases safe
and sound.

Amara Lang, Junior Account Manager

From communication to document storage, the information age has allowed workers to maximize efficiency. Even so, many continue working eight-plus hours a day.

As ongoing advances in technology continue to subtly shift workplace practices, the dominant trend of the 40-hour workweek—as well as its impact on workforce resilience—is called
into question.

Daniel J. Potterton, FEI Chief Operating Officer

Traumatic experiences are often unintentionally diminished by those who misunderstand the harmful effects on the brain. Brain science tells us that trauma can lead to a range of psychological challenges if not properly acknowledged and treated.

FEI’s assistance programs are designed to meet the needs and recovery efforts of individuals, community groups and families as they deal with the immediate and long-term aftermath of traumatic events.

Sumaya Kroger, FEI EAP Counselor

The attitudes and expectations of 21st century workforces have changed from those of past decades. Today’s employees emphasize engagement, fulfillment and a balance between work and life—and organizations must follow suit if they want to retain talent.

Raquelle Solon, FEI Business Solutions Engineer

November and December are widely regarded as festive, holiday-influenced months of family gatherings and annual celebration. They’re also known to be incredibly stressful.

With a year like 2017, the added anxiety of the holidays can seem overwhelming and negatively affect physical, emotional and behavioral well-being. We share stress-reduction strategies you can implement to remain resilient throughout the year and into 2018.

Sabrina Lowe, FEI Employee Assistance Representative

RIF, or reduction in force, is not a pleasant experience. Employers and employees alike must navigate the emotions associated with losing a job, impact on workplace morale and sense of responsibility for what comes next.

Tapping into an EAP benefit can alleviate some of the difficulties of an organizational RIF, including the provision of an on-site counselor who will work alongside management throughout the process.

Katie Moser, FEI Network Operations Specialist

One can never be too diligent with cybersecurity. As the internet evolves, so too do the skills of malicious hackers.

How can the everyday employee protect themselves both at work and in the home? Believe it or not, a little awareness and occasional effort goes a long way to building cybersecurity know-how.

Randall Kratz, FEI Senior Account Manager

An employee assistance program (EAP) is a formidable tool for assisting employees with the stressors and crises in their lives. Working alongside law enforcement, Senior Account Manager Randy Kratz breaks down the essentials of understanding how best to utilize an EAP for a specific workforce—and how that workforce can see the EAP as a true benefit to resilience.

Michael Bugenhagen, FEI Business Development Manager

With the recent spate of crisis events rocking the world, FEI asks when an organization should consider utilizing an emergency inquiry center. The answer? More often than you might think, and for crises ranging from large-scale situations to smaller, intimate occurrences.