HR has a responsibility to protect employees from harm, explained David D’Souza, the CIPD's director of profession.
Speaking to HR magazine, he said: “The profession plays a critical role in highlighting the legal and ethical duty of care organisations have to all people that work for them, helping with any changes that might reduce risk and helping people feel supported.
“Depending on the nature and location of your organisation there may be a risk to people at work or travelling to work, so decisions need to be made, where possible, about providing flexibility as to where, when or even whether people work. Situations such as these provide an opportunity for people teams to demonstrate how crucial their expertise is.”
More than 100 gatherings of unrest – including looting, arson and vandalism – were set to take place across the country yesterday evening (7 August), according to Sky News, a continuation of riots that broke out in response to the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport (29 July). The riots are reported to be motivated by anti-immigration sentiment. Mobs have targeted individuals and communities of black and brown people in the UK.
The expected scope of yesterday's gatherings did not materialise, with anti-racism protests instead taking place in areas where the violence was predicted. Disorder motivated by anti-immigration sentiment is expected to continue in the coming days, policing minister Dame Diana Johnson told Sky News (8 August).
Read more: Violence against retail staff escalates
D’Souza explained HR should identify employees directly at risk from the violence and protect their organisation as a whole.
He continued: “There are a number of reasons that people might be at risk. It could be because they live in or travel from an area that is impacted, or because they work in an area or organisation that is targeted.
“It’s clear there is a racial motivation to some of the worst acts of violence and that will be hugely concerning to people and families who feel at greater risk. It’s also clear that some of the violence and activity could be targeted at anyone.
“Employers need to plan and respond to direct impacts as well as more generalised risk. There is no place for racism in society or our workplaces.”
Leaders should speak out about the violence, to ensure that employees feel psychologically safe, emphasised Elliot Rae, founder of parenting platform Music.Football.Fatherhood.
Rae told HR magazine: "It’s really important that board members, CEOs and CFOs speak; it sets the tone for the rest of the organisation, and gives permission for other leaders and managers to speak up as well. Strong messaging is key. Use language like Islamophobia and riots: these are riots and they are Islamophobic, not protests. That messaging is really important. It’s vital to use the proper language.
“[Leaders should] seek counsel from people, their staff networks, their leaders of colour, or their mentors that can help them to gather their thoughts or their tone before communicating. At the same time they must be comfortable with not getting everything right."
A representative of the health and safety HR software BrightHR reported that there had been a 121% increase in downloads of its Employee Safety Handbook and an 118% increase in downloads of BrightHR’s Fire and Emergency Evacuation Record since the riots began.
Read more: Hiring ex-offenders: new guidance published by CIPD Trust
Lucy Cobb, advice operations manager at BrightHR, explained that employers should conduct an immediate risk assessment to understand the impact riots could have on employees.
She told HR magazine: "The physical and psychological safety of staff is an employer's number one priority during unrest. Immediate steps should be to conduct a risk assessment to identify and mitigate risks. This may involve adjusting working hours or temporarily allowing staff to work from home to prevent employees having to walk or travel through hotspots of unrest.
"Employers should also consider specific risks based on work location, employee roles, and if employees belonging to specific groups are being targeted by rioters. They should continually monitor the situation as it develops."
BBC News reported that more than 100 police officers have been injured in the unrest. The Association Of Convenience Stores, which represents 50,000 small retailers in the UK, urged shops to close early to avoid the attacks expected to take place yesterday.
Cobb added that wellbeing support could help employees deal with the emotional stress of unrest.
"HR should provide support by encouraging sympathetic and open communication between employees and managers, who should listen and offer further support if needed," she continued.
"Managers may also require support. Reminding staff about available resources, such as an employee assistance programme, is crucial. Employers should handle discussions sensitively and offer emotional support facilities to those impacted, tailored to their specific circumstances.
D'Souza pointed to the following resources for employers amid the crisis:
Navigating the riots in the UK as an employer
Standing against violence and discrimination - Employer advice during times of unrest
