CRISIS RESPONSE FOR LEADERS
Who is this for?
This guide is designed for:
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CEOs and senior leaders
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People & Culture / HR teams
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Health & Safety leaders
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Site managers and supervisors
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Organisations operating in high risk environments
What this guide covers
This is a practical, action focused resource, not a counselling document.
Inside the handout you will find clear guidance on:
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Immediate actions (first 2–4 hours)
– Securing the site
– Coordinating with authorities
– Identifying those most impacted
– Managing internal and external communication -
Critical “what not to do” guidance
– Avoiding speculation
– Avoiding premature “business as usual” messaging
– Avoiding assumptions about how people should respond -
Supporting your team in the first 48 hours
– Immediate support needs
– Practical staffing and operational decisions
– Allowing for shock and cognitive impairment -
Hidden safety risks after traumatic events
– Reduced concentration and poor decision making
– Slower reaction times
– Increased safety risk in high hazard environments -
When standard EAP is not enough
– Why traumatic workplace events require team level response
– When specialist crisis response is indicated -
When to call a specialist
– Clear triggers for escalation
– High risk scenarios
– Situations requiring immediate guidance
Why this matters
Traumatic workplace deaths don’t just affect individuals, they affect teams, safety, making decisions, and organisational risk.
Getting the response wrong can result in:
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Increased safety incidents in the weeks that follow
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Staff disengagement or withdrawal from support
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Loss of trust in leadership
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Key employees leaving
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Heightened scrutiny following subsequent incidents
This guide exists to help leaders respond calmly, clearly, and appropriately during an extremely vulnerable period.
About the author
This resource was created by Judi Johnson, a workplace grief specialist providing crisis response support to New Zealand organisations following traumatic incidents or employee deaths.
Judi works with organisations to support leaders and teams through the immediate aftermath of critical incidents or workplace loss, with a focus on safety, psychological wellbeing, and organisational stability.
Need immediate support?
For urgent workplace crisis response
(within 48 working hours):
📞 Phone: +64 21 357 674
✉️ Email: judi@embraceyourfuture.net
“When a workplace incident or death occurs, organisations need more than individual support — they need expert guidance on protecting their people and their operations during an incredibly vulnerable time.”
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