Abraham Maslow provides a psychological framework that reminds us of how important it is to meet human needs, thus allowing people to achieve a level of self-actualisation, efficiency and productivity. When individuals are unable to have their very basic needs met, it becomes quite challenging for them to live out their best existence.

Teachers, even in our local context, have proven this true. For on countless occasions they try to successfully engage students who have not enjoyed the necessary food and water intake.

Every employer expects individuals to present themselves whole and complete for work each day. They expect them to be physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually grounded, so that they have the capacity for a productive day’s work.

Here, though, is our challenge. Life often throws curve balls that derail the normal stability and emotional well-being that, under normal circumstances, we experience. When death, loss, divorce, natural disasters or some other traumatising event occurs, we are often scrambling to regain our composure. The last thing on our minds is workplace efficiency.

Hurricane Matthew has disrupted the normal psychology for many in the workforce, resulting in reduced productivity and self-actualisation. The dimensions in Maslow’s ‘hierarchy of needs’ that are most affected are physiological and safety needs.

We have long regarded the basic human needs as being food, water and shelter. When there exists a threat to any of these, persons have good cause to raise the alarm and allow their actions to slip into survival mode.

The large number of displaced individuals in our various workplaces results in real fears that they will never replace the many things that they have lost.

Additionally, the issue of safety - and our natural human need for it - is front and centre for many post-Matthew. The chief concern is a fear of job insecurity. As a tourist destination, and with as many as 20,000 jobs severely impacted as a result of the storm, anxiety has begun to set in.

In addition to the thousands who will not work for some time as a result of Matthew, there are many thousands who realise that their promotion, pay increase, company bonus and other benefits are on hold as a result of the devastation.

These fears are real because the needs are real. Those employers serious about helping employees regain a strong sense of self-actualisation will acknowledge where the staff are, and offer support to ensure they get on the road to recovery.

Here is a quick three step plan to beginning this process:

1. Acknowledge that employees in your company have been affected.

2. Ascertain the severity of the concerns and needs that employees have as a result of the storm.

3. Provide a variety of interventions, ranging from loan assistance programmes to employee counselling, to address these concerns.

NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com