The role of management in reducing workplace stress for first responders

The Role of Management in Reducing Workplace Stress for First Responders Name Institution The Role of Management in Reducing Workplace Stress for First Responders Abstract The management is an essential part when it comes to creating strategies for alleviating stress in the workplace for first responders. This paper discusses these roles in regards to offering pre-planning techniques that first responders require to have a stable working environment. The importance of education and training is discussed, as well as peer support systems. The paper also discusses the management role in enhancing self-care for the responders and ensuring that professional help is acquired on time. The Role of Management in Reducing Workplace Stress for First Responders Stress refers to the heightened state of arousal in a person when it is caused by some stimulus or demand. When stress reaches a maximum effect it results in deterioration of health (Marmar et al., 2006). The first responders are the first people who reach a scene of crisis such as accidents, emergencies or crimes, they encounter people who have experienced traumatic events. This makes the first responders susceptible to extreme emotional and physical reactions to the stress involved in dealing with traumatic events. From fear, anxiety, sadness, and even anger, these stressful emotions occur throughout the job and one goes with them home at the end of the shift. Whether it is the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), firefighters, or police officers, proactive measures need to be in place to alleviate or manage stress. In this way, the management plays a crucial role in putting up these measures in the workplace to ensure that the first responders have a system of coping and dealing with stress (Marmar et al., 2006). The management can help in reducing workplace stress for the first responders through pre-event planning, education and training, support systems, self-care measures, and also linking them with professional help in a way that creates an environment of support. The management needs to have pre-event planning for first responders to reduce workplace stress. There are various preventive measures that the management can enact before a crisis or event to reduce stress. This means a thought-out planned communication strategy can be put in place to lessen the impact of stress when first responders reach the scene of a disaster (Chen, Sharman, Rao & Upadhyaya, 2008). For instance, the first responders should be aware of where and how they will respond once at the scene without having any confusion. The management should ensure that there is a clear understanding of the roles and procedures that the first responders need to adhere. When these are in place, it enhances the preparedness of the individuals so that they know what they are likely to face and how to react to each situation. The management ought to have protocols, processes, and procedures that all the first responders are to use when responding to a crisis. The importance of these protocols and procedures is to have a clear line of instructions that allow the responders to be organized and avoid a chaotic scene of response (Chen, Sharman, Rao & Upadhyaya, 2008). When a scene is disorganized or chaotic, ...