It is Imperative to Create Psychological Safety at Work Amidst ICE Raids
Physical safety is only a part of the equation
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Across the US, ICE raids are wreaking havoc. Violence, fear, outrage, and major mistrust are everywhere. And with ICE coming into workplaces, retailers, and restaurants, employees are feeling frightened at work.
With the broad racial profiling that is occurring, even those who are legal citizens are rightfully in fear of being wrongfully taken by ICE. And there is additional fear for family members and friends who may not be legal citizens at this time.
As employers, it is critical to not only have clear policies in place for handling these raids but also to ensure employees have safe spaces to raise their concerns. Physical safety is a concern here, and don’t forget that psychological safety is a major one as well.
Psychological safety is a term coined by researcher Amy Edmondson that describes a work environment where employees can speak up and show up as their full, authentic selves without fear of retribution or exclusion. Her research shows that psychologically safe teams outperform those that are not in terms of productivity, risk mitigation, safety, engagement, and innovation. Why? Because employees feel safe asking questions, speaking up, and/or challenging the status quo, this often leads to better solutions.
It is important to remember that psychological safety is situational. Related to ICE raids, an employee may feel safe in their day-to-day job, but not feel secure if they are unsure how their employer will respond if they are fearful of a raid due to the potential impact on themselves or their family.
Starting with communications acknowledging the reality of the situation and that you, as an employer, are committed to supporting your employees, will go a long way. From there, you can articulate your policies with examples of how they are applied in real-life situations. For example:
Do you have a hotline for voicing concerns?
For an employee to find out what they legally can do and who to reach out to if approached by ICE on your premises?
Do you have legal advisors available as part of your EAP that employees can contact if they or someone they know is detained?
What happens if they have to miss work or leave early because they were tipped off about ICE and are afraid to be in the building?
What happens to an employee who is wrongfully detained and misses days of work but is then released?
You also need to create go-to people and spaces for employees to air their fears and concerns so you can respond, and then compile that information and get it out to all employees.
We are in a chaotic and scary “new normal,” and therefore, the “norms” your employees operate under need to adjust. Your employees need to know you have their back, and they need to be reminded of that again and again. Equip your front-line leaders with the tools to not only provide the information above, but also how to de-escalate heated situations, as many of your employees’ nervous systems are on tilt right now.
Training employees on how to handle difficult conversations and de-escalate conflict is a great investment right now. Review your policies, including when employees can take time off, to make sure everything they need right now is covered. And communicate, communicate, communicate. Silence will only create a void that will get filled with assumptions, many of which can be wrong.