The anniversary of September 11 will trigger a range of emotions among workers and public relations practitioners should carefully consider how their companies acknowledge the lasting impact of the terrorist attacks. The National Mental Health Association suggests taking the following actions:
- Mark the day in some way and make sure all employees are invited to participate.
- Work in the weeks leading up to the anniversary to educate supervisors and managers about the signs of emotional distress and available mental health resources.
- Be sensitive to religious and cultural diversity in all communications and encourage corporate leadership to state clearly the company''s position on dealing swiftly with allegations of intolerance.
- Encourage communication among employees by providing a comfortable environment for them to gather.
- Host a community event such as collecting clothing for a shelter in order to do something positive for others, which will help everyone feel they have some control over what happens to them.