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Something distressing has happened at work. How should we respond in the first few days?

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Last updated 10 November 2026

Someone is strugglingFor Champions, Leaders

Need help now? Call 1771 (national mindline) · 1767 (Samaritans of Singapore) · Danger to life 995

In short

Make people safe, tell them what has happened and what will happen next, offer practical support and keep checking on people over the following weeks. Do not push anyone to talk about it.

A serious incident, a sudden death or a violent customer can affect people deeply, including those who only saw or heard about it. Most people recover over a few weeks with support from those around them.

What to do

  1. Make people safe first Deal with any immediate danger and medical needs. If there is danger to life, call 995.
  2. Tell people what has happened and what will happen next Share the facts you can, say what you do not know yet and say when the next update will come.
  3. Offer practical support, such as time off, a quiet space, help getting home or someone to call their family.
  4. Listen if people want to talk, without pushing Some people want to talk straight away. Others do not.
  5. Help people reach support Share your EAP details and the national helplines, and remind people more than once.
  6. Keep checking on people for about a month If someone is still struggling to sleep, work or cope after that, encourage them to see a doctor or counsellor.

Watch out for

  • Do not make people go through the event in detail in a group session soon afterwards. NICE, which sets clinical guidance in the UK, recommends against this kind of psychological debriefing, as it does not prevent later problems and may slow recovery.
  • People who were not directly involved can be affected too, such as colleagues of someone who died or staff who dealt with the aftermath.
  • The People Leaders and Safety Leaders leading the response need support as well, and are often the last to get it.

Good to know

We suggest planning before anything happens. Agree who leads the response, who updates staff and who contacts families and support services, and practise it once a year.

Discover more

CourseIntermediate Psychological First AidSee dates and fees on Wayfinder →

Kaleidoscope Labs manages the Network and provides some of these courses and workshops for a fee.

Read more

GuidanceNICE: Post-traumatic stress disorder (NG116)ArticleTrauma at Work: What It Looks Like and How Organisations Can RespondArticleAdvanced Crisis Response: Building Resilience in the WorkplaceRelated questionWhat do I do when a colleague is struggling?Related questionAn employee is coming back after mental health-related leave. How do we plan their return?

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Next in Someone is struggling →Someone’s work has slipped and I think they’re struggling. How do I raise performance without making it worse?

See all questions. This is general guidance, not legal or clinical advice. Can’t find your answer? Email hello@wellbeingchampions.sg.