Office restores balance in lives

It’s clear that the world has changed dramatically in the days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A war continues in Afghanistan, the U.S. economy is uncertain and anthrax is in the mail.

But what is only beginning to emerge is how these intensely stressful and emotionally charged events affect people in their everyday lives, says Kathleen Holt, of the campus Employee Assistance Office.

Holt says that she and her colleague Steve Pearson are prepared to help UW–Madison employees deal with personal problems, workplace issues or any other effect of the crisis. This help could come in the form of an individual session or a group discussion such as ones held across campus.

Among the most common reactions to the national crisis could be feeling frightened about personal safety, preoccupation with the potential of harm (sorting out the difference between “could happen” and “is mostly likely to happen” is a helpful strategy), an inability to focus on daily tasks, the reawakening of trauma experienced in an earlier time, an urgent need to hear the news or a polarization of reactions and solutions to the event. Knowledge of the normalcy of these reactions may help people to respond thoughtfully, she says.

In such cases, people are advised to talk to friends, family or co-workers about their feelings, engage in frequent exercise and make sure they eat and sleep properly. A break from the news also can be helpful.

However, warning signs of more serious problems may include abuse of drugs and or alcohol, frequent irritability, anger or withdrawal from social situations or difficulty being alone. In those cases, employees may want to contact the EAO to schedule an appointment to talk to a professional counselor.

Now more than ever, the EAO mission is to promote a respectful and supportive work environment, Holt says. Although people may have a difficult time focusing on their jobs, kindness and sensitivity toward people’s feelings and a tolerance of views different than your own can help ease the stress for everyone.

“We can’t afford to be treating each other with disrespect with all that’s going on at the national level,” she says. “People need to think of what they can do personally to contribute to calm and balance.”

In addition to helping employees cope, the EAO can assist with a wide range of personal issues. Although the history of employee assistance work began with drug or alcohol counseling, the EAO has made workplace environment a major focus during the last six years, a focus that supports Chancellor John Wiley’s emphasis on improving campus climate.

Holt says she’s often called on to help facilitate conflicts between employees and supervisors, improve morale and even analyze organizational problems that can cause stress among employees.

“We really want to expand our focus so we can have a positive impact on more people,” she says. “Paying attention to workplace climate is smart business and the right thing to do.”