In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world, leaders must recognize that personal crises among employees — ranging from food insecurity, financial hardship, and family illness to relationship breakdowns and mental health struggles — are no longer rare disruptions.
They are becoming more common realities in the modern workplace. Leaders and HR professionals are facing increased personal concerns and challenges that, if not addressed, negatively impact employees’ well-being and performance.
As organizations strive to cultivate supportive cultures, more leaders are finding themselves walking a tightrope between sustaining performance and showing compassion. The root cause is employees openly and without notice reporting personal crises that negatively impact their capacity in some way.
Leaders are not expected to solve employees’ crises or provide therapy. Their role is to be empathetic coaches who support employees reporting personal concerns or crises toward a path to de-escalation and resolution.
Redefining the leader’s role: Support, don’t solve
Leaders are not therapists. But when an employee shares a personal struggle, their role becomes one of creating space, not fixing. They become facilitators of safety, trust, and movement toward resolution.
The CARE Framework offers a simple yet powerful mindset:
- Connect: Demonstrate authentic concern; create a psychologically safe environment.
- Accept: Acknowledge emotions without judgment or minimization.
- Respond: Listen actively without rushing into advice or conclusions.
- Empower: Encourage autonomy by helping employees identify next steps and available resources.
This framework strengthens leaders’ mindsets to support employees reporting personal or professional concerns or crises. The key is to create space for listening to help employees find paths to solve their issues.
Active listening is more than a skill; it’s a trust-building superpower. When a leader listens with intention and empathy, it signals that employees’ humanity matters.
Listening tips for leaders:
- Use reflective statements: “I hear this has been really difficult.”
- Summarize what you’ve heard to ensure clarity and understanding.
- Allow silence. Give the employee time to think and speak.
- Stay emotionally present with eye contact and a calm, open posture.
Never dismiss, minimize, or deflect an employee’s crisis. Doing so breaks trust; healing starts with feeling seen.
This model embraces a non-directive, employee-centered coaching style. It builds autonomy while fostering empathy—a powerful combination for resilience.
| Stage | Action | Sample Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Listen | Offer undivided attention | “Help me understand what’s happening?” |
| Inquire | Use open, curious questions | “What have you done so far?” |
| Support | Invite emotional reflection | “Do you have any supports in place to help?” |
| Translate | Reframe into practical terms | “What do you think I can do to be most helpful?” |
| Encourage | Promote ownership and reflection | “What might your next step look like?” |
| Navigate | Link to resources and options | “Are you aware of our EFAP supports?” |
The goal of listening is not to fix the issues but to create space to help employees think in a safe place. Leaders should establish boundaries, not make clinical judgments or recommendations for action. The primary goal for listening is to help employees feel heard, valued, and physically and psychologically safe.
How a crisis interventionist can coach leaders to support employees in crisis
A crisis interventionist can leverage the above coaching tips when supporting or coaching a leader dealing with an employee crisis. The message for the leader needs to be clear and straightforward: their primary role is not to fix; it is to help employees be safe.
During a SAFE conversation, the crisis interventionist must keep the focus on de-escalation and directing employees to the appropriate resources as quickly as possible, whether EFAP, a crisis intervention line like 988, a medical doctor, or an emergency department. In some cases, the crisis interventionist may suggest that the leader guide the employee to support if the risk level is deemed one that the leader does not feel comfortable addressing.
- Support their commitment to helping others. Affirm their intention.
- Ask open-ended questions to guide discovery and clarity.
- Focus on the employee’s needs, not the leader’s discomfort or assumptions.
- Empower leaders to engage with HR, wellness programs, or other supports.
Supporting employees in crises
When supporting employees in crises, leaders should set expectations and standards, such as:
- Set boundaries: Offer support without taking on the problem personally.
- Respect privacy: Keep details confidential unless safety is at risk.
- Be timely, not pushy: Offer help early, but respect emotional readiness.
- Use internal resources: Educate and encourage employees to access resources such as EFAP, benefits, flex time, or leave options when appropriate.
- Create space: Be open to creating quiet time for processing and accessing support.
- Check in: Follow up after any action planning steps to see how the employee is doing and determine if additional support is needed.
Being a crisis-ready leader isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being prepared to step up and be with an employee in a challenging life moment by being willing to listen and ask, “How can I support you right now?” The acronyms CARE and SAFE are mental models for leaders and crisis interventionists to focus on supporting employees to de-escalate crises and get the support they need to solve crises.
