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Incident investigation vs debrief? How they differ and why both matter

Three coworkers having a discussion sitting down.

Whether there’s been a robbery in your retail store, violence and harassment in your office, or a workplace injury or death in the warehouse, you are required to carry out an investigation under various provisions of the Occupational Health & Safety Act

While the type of incident and steps you take in the investigation may vary, the purpose remains the same: to identify root causes, ensure compliance with the law, and take corrective actions to protect employees and the workplace from similar incidents in the future. 

But how do you deal with the psychological impact of these incidents on your employees? “That’s where the debrief comes in,” says WSPS Consultant Shawn Chadwick.

What is a debrief?

“The focus of a debrief is very different from that of an incident investigation,” says Shawn. “It addresses the psychological harm left by the event on your employees. “Witnessing traumatic events at work can affect employees’ mental and physical health, behaviours and work performance,” notes Shawn. This, in turn, can impact productivity, morale, absenteeism, health care costs, and more.

While the law doesn’t require employers to carry out a debrief, they do need to address psychological injuries in the workplace. “The debrief is an essential part of this,” says Shawn. 

“Managers and supervisors are not expected to act as therapists during the debrief,” explains Shawn. But what is their role exactly? What skills do they need? How should the debrief be carried out? And how can a workplace prepare? Shawn provides answers below. 

5 tips for holding a debrief after a traumatic event

1. Ensure supervisors and managers understand their role during the debrief. We often think about a debrief as an opportunity for those affected to express their feelings and emotions about an event. But these kinds of debriefs must be facilitated by mental health professionals. 

“That’s not what we are doing during a workplace debrief by a manager or supervisor,” says Shawn. “Supervisors and managers should never take on the role of counsellors or therapists. They are not trained to do that and could make matters worse or become overwhelmed themselves. Their role is to link employees to resources and professionals who can help them cope with their feelings in the aftermath of a traumatic event.”

2. Have mental health supports in place ahead of time. These include:

  • A psychologically safe workplace. “Having a culture that already prioritizes mental health and well-being, where employees feel supported and valued, will go a long way if a traumatic incident arises,” says Shawn. For help developing a psychologically safe workplace, check out the WSPS Mental Harm Prevention Roadmap.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAPs), which provide employees with confidential, short-term counselling by professionals, as well as referrals for longer-term help if needed. EAPs can address issues like stress, anxiety, depression, anger, sleep disturbances and feelings of being overwhelmed, all of which can develop from witnessing a traumatic event at work.
  •  A list of community mental health resources, including confidential hotlines and support services that you can provide to employees  
  •  A list of mental health professionals that employers can call upon if required. “I know of a company that experienced a workplace fatality who brought in counsellors right away to talk to employees, listen to their concerns and provide coping strategies,” says Shawn. “It was very effective at healing their psychological wounds.” 

3. Hold the debrief in a group setting. This way individual employees won’t feel the discussion is aimed at them specifically. “There is still a stigma around mental illness,” says Shawn. During the discussion, review the incident, discuss the results of your investigation, and what actions the workplace is taking as a result. Acknowledge with empathy and compassion that some employees may be feeling distressed or upset, and outline all the resources you have available to help them. “Follow up with a staff email, or place information on your communications board.” 

4. Provide mental health first aid training to supervisors and managers. “It’s important for supervisors to have the soft skills they need to communicate with employees dealing with mental health issues. They also need to know how to recognize the signs of someone in distress, how to approach them, and how to provide effective support,” says Shawn. Sometimes employees may not react to a traumatic incident until well after the event. And it may show up in unique ways, such as irritability, aggression, difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or performing tasks.

5. Get outside help if you need it. WSPS workplace mental health consultants are on hand to carry out debriefs, or train supervisors on how to do it, and provide advice and recommendations on developing a psychologically healthy workplace.

How WSPS can help

WSPS mental health consultants offer a variety of programs and assessments, as well as Mental Health First Aid training. 

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Guides, toolkits & resources

The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.