Strong and Clear Social Work Framework
A series of tools and resources designed to guide improvements and support positive organisational development against this employer standard.
Learning from serious incidents and responding to organisational shock
Serious incidents happen in social care organisations and can greatly affect practitioners’ motivation, wellbeing, and work.
Even when we manage and learn from these incidents, a crisis can sometimes cause concern throughout the organisation.
This can create a combination of events or circumstances that may lead to significant challenges for the organisation. According to Mellor:
“Staff at all levels can feel bewildered and overwhelmed by a genuine sense of loss, fear of change and potential loss of job security. When a shock event happens, leaders need to be able to access emergency support that provides calm and expert advice on dealing with the practicalities and emotional impact of the immediate situation and those most closely affected by it”. (Mellor, undated)
Understanding and managing organisational shock
Organisational shock is similar to personal trauma and can deeply unsettle an organisation. When a sudden crisis hits, it creates emotional and operational challenges that affect everyone within the organisation. Recognising these shocks and learning how to manage them is essential for keeping the organisation stable and resilient.
Some of the ways you can identify organisational shock include:
- people experiencing emotions such as denial, fear, anger, and guilt, and needing time and support to work through them
- staff and management experiencing confusion, low morale and resistance to change
- panic or feeling stuck can occur, neither of which helps staff or the people they support
Some of the causes of organisational shock can include:
- changes to new policies
- budget cuts
- leadership transitions
- scandals
- unexpected crises
When organisational shock is managed well it can prevent harm to individuals and the organisation.
Clear planning, effective communication, and strong leadership are essential to guide everyone through difficult times. Statutory and legal processes and investigations may continue for an extended period, possibly years, prolonging organisational shocks. Mellor outlines three stages for managing a major event. The reference section shows where you can find more information about this research.
The three stages for managing a major event include:
- response
- resolution
- recovery
Response phase
Make sure you understand the seriousness of the issue and any immediate changes needed to your current practice. Pay attention to your own emotions and have a plan to manage the emotions of others. Focus on what needs immediate action and what can wait. Get specialist support for internal and external communications.
Resolution phase
Focus on understanding the situation. Practice compassion and curiosity, avoid jumping to quick conclusions, and listen with an open mind.
Recovery phase
Work on restoring normal operations. Reflect on what you’ve learned and consider how it can benefit the entire organisation.
Organisations that ignore the impact of a traumatic event and try to return to normal often rely on stress-driven responses, which can lead to burnout and missed opportunities for improvement. It’s important to set up systems to recognise the event, decide how to respond, resolve the issue, and allow time for recovery.
Treisman (details in reference section) offers practical advice on how organisations can become more informed about culture, adversity, and trauma, and warns against superficial efforts to address trauma without meaningful action.
Additionally, Research in Practice provides resources to support trauma-informed approaches within organisations.
Several frameworks are available to help leaders process and express their feelings. For example, the following questions can guide planning for a crisis response. More details are available in the reference section.
| Problem | Initial ideas | Who do I need to answer this question more fully? |
|---|---|---|
Here is what we are facing (assessment) | ||
Here is why (evidence base) | ||
Here is what I think we should do (option appraisal) |
References
Linsley, P., & Horner, N. (2011). Using emotional intelligence to navigate a critical incident. In J. Hurley & P. Linsley (Eds.), Emotional intelligence in health and social care: A guide for improving human relationships (1st ed., pp. 89–103). Routledge.
Safe Hands Thinking Minds. (n.d.). Trauma-informed & trauma-responsive organisations & systems.
Mellor, S. Organisational Shock (undated)
The resources have been developed by
Research in Practice
in collaboration with
DfE.
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 30 October 2024
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 30 October 2024