Challenges in emergency management: Insights on stress and retention
CRJ’s Advisory Panel Member Beverley Griffiths analyses ‘Surveying mental health stressors of emergency management professionals: factors in recruiting and retaining emergency managers in an era of disasters and pandemics’
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When the notification for this article first crossed my desk, I immediately found it and read it. As an experienced practitioner and academic, it piqued my own research interests. Moreover, it echoes the sentiments of many conversations within the UK emergency management profession. Although based solely on US emergency management professionals, the paper recommends future work in other countries, and the author has been in touch with them to consider UK emergency management professionals.
The researchers with the Journal for Emergency Management recognised that emergency managers within the US were and are still: "Experiencing growth in demand, scope, and professionalisation" (p375). Interestingly, the most recent Emergency Planning Society Conference in Manchester recognised the same issues. "Over the past decade, additional pressures, including technological and communication advances, have created a demand for instantaneous information and action. Disasters and emergencies have also increased in scope, pace, scale, and concurrent nature" (p375).
The research identified that during Covid-19, emergency managers faced increased burnout and fatigue, causing challenges in recruitment and retention similar to those in the UK (p376). It emphasised that shifts in work/life philosophies, communication/IT challenges, and shortages heightened demands on emergency managers. An unexplored aspect is the potential talent drain to the private sector. This author has observed this in the UK due to increased pressure on organisational resilience, though without empirical evidence, relying solely on anecdotal observations.
The study acknowledges emergency managers as a blend of highly trained professionals, undervalued for their extensive skills. It falls short of highlighting the fiscal consequences of losing them. Notably, it recognises a lack of research on mental health stressors and preventive health in emergency managers, with alarming rates of experienced professionals leaving the field in the US, resulting in a: "Shortage of adequately trained [emergency managers] to respond to future disasters'' (p376).
There were 153 questions in the survey, split into two parts: the first measured mental health, and the second established the disaster personality type, with further work and social life questions. This mix enabled the researchers to attain a precise representation of their participants’ stressors and mental health stability. The results of 908 respondents illuminate this profession, illustrating age, gender, ethnicity, and length of service. It also offered insight into how said professionals felt about pay, stress levels, politicalness, and the high number of people who considered or were considering leaving their positions (p378). Interesting were the age ranges of those who were considering leaving, a reason to read the article itself.
This research sheds light on retention and turnover intentions in the US emergency management profession. The suggestion to replicate the study globally, considering different cultures, particularly in the UK, is noted. The hypothesis that barriers in emergency management impact ethical decision-making requires further exploration, especially in the context of the UK. It emphasises the need for dedicated support for EM professionals, encompassing stress management, cultural changes, fair compensation, and adequate resources. The paper underscores the constant demands on emergency management, operating 24/7, 365 days a year, and highlights the additional pressures from technological and communication aspects.
With the added pressure from technological and communication advancements demanding instant information and action, coupled with the expanding scope, pace, scale, and simultaneous occurrence of disasters and emergencies, the field of emergency management is experiencing its own crisis, requiring an emergency plan for the profession. This paper is essential for anyone involved in or supporting emergency management, and the reviewers hope for its replication within the UK context.
- Patel SS, Guevara K, Hollar TL, DeVito RA, and Erickson TB (2023): Surveying mental health stressors of emergency management professionals: factors in recruiting and retaining emergency managers in an era of disasters and pandemics, Journal of Emergency Management, doi.org/10.5055/jem.0820