Hurricane Preparedness Good for Employee Morale
Wayne A. Hochwarter
Florida State University, August 2006
Available
online (*book chapter on multiple forms of trauma on the job)
Hurricanes have ravaged the U.S. Gulf Coast for the past several years, and the trend is predicted to continue over the next decade. In response, a number of organizations in the region have developed plans to deal with hurricanes before, during, and after their onset.
In light of these developments, a Florida State University (FSU) researcher has studied how the implementation of such plans affects employee health, well-being and willingness to participate at work. Wayne A. Hochwarter, an associate professor of management in FSU's College of Business, conducted a study one month prior to the 2006 hurricane season in which he asked over 600 employees from a variety of organizations to discuss their organization's hurricane-preparedness program. He found that more than 50 percent of employees thought that their organization was prepared and had a plan in place if a hurricane was to hit. In addition, almost 40 percent indicated that their organization would not suffer much down time after a hurricane, and approximately 45 percent knew their role in the restoration process.
The effects of hurricane preparation on employee attitudes were substantial, Hochwarter noted, including:
The author suggests that planning is important because it opens lines of communication, increases employees' feelings of importance and builds camaraderie. Involving employees in the process also goes a long way toward reducing the "us versus them" mentality that pervades many organizations, Hochwarter said.
*Dr. Hochwarter's research is being prepared for publication. Special thanks to him for supplying the book chapter.