Your experiences in service as a National Guard member may change you in ways you
might not recognize until you are back in your workplace environment. With awareness
and preparation, you can ease your way back into the workplace. Below, these useful
tips from the Department of Labor will help you anticipate difficulties
and reintegrate in your office environment after you’ve deployed or served in a
disaster relief mission.
Expecting the Unexpected
Upon returning to your routine duties, you may notice changes in yourself, your
coworkers, or your work environment. The following are a few examples of potential
difficulties you may face and some tips on how to overcome them.
- Pace change: The disaster environment often moves at a pace that
is much faster than the normal workplace. After working in a disaster response environment,
this begins to feel normal. When returning to normal work, it may appear that people
are moving at a much slower pace than you remember. It is easy to misinterpret this
as laziness or lack of caring or motivation. Remember that it is probably you who
has changed, not them. Be slow to judge, criticize, or make assumptions.
- Unrelenting fatigue: Even with what seems like sufficient sleep,
you may experience chronic fatigue. This may be a result of several factors. You
may need more rest than you realize. Sometimes chronic stress results in never feeling
rested. Chronic fatigue may also be a result of a medical condition. See a doctor
if chronic fatigue persists.
- Cynicism: Typically, during disaster work you see the best and
the worst in individuals and systems and it is easy to become cynical. This is expected.
These feelings often diminish over time once you are able to focus on the positive
results of your work.
- Dissatisfaction with routine work: It is very rewarding to be involved,
directly or indirectly, in saving lives and protecting our fellow citizen’s health
and safety. Most work does not provide such dramatic and immediate reinforcement.
You might start seeing your daily work routine as lacking meaning and satisfaction.
These feelings are normal. To counter these feelings, incorporate the positive things
you have learned during disaster response into your personal and professional life.
- Easily evoked emotions: Sometimes the combination of intense experiences,
fatigue, and/or stress leaves you especially vulnerable to unexpected emotions.
For example, you may cry easily, be quick to anger, or experience dramatic mood
swings. These are normal reactions that typically subside over time. In the meantime,
be aware of your reactions, discuss your experiences, and be sensitive of comments
that might be hurtful or upsetting to others.
- Relating your experiences: While you may want to share your experiences
with others, you may be unsure if it is appropriate. This is normal. Exercise care
when discussing your disaster relief experiences, especially graphic and disturbing
topics while in the presence of children or others who are emotionally vulnerable.
- Difficulties with colleagues and supervisors: You may not experience
a welcome back from your colleagues and supervisors that meets your expectations.
Coworkers may resent having to assume additional workloads, may not understand the
difficulty of the work you did, or may resent the recognition that you are receiving
as a responder. In response to any negative feelings, express appreciation for their
support during your deployment and take care in relating your experiences.
- Cultural issues: Culture affects how an individual reacts to trauma.
For example, showing emotion, discussing problems with others, or touching is acceptable
with some groups and not with others. On the basis of this understanding, it is
important to appreciate and respect these differences.
If you are experiencing any of the issues above, signs
of distress, or other employment difficulties, the National Guard Bureau
provides programs and services to help you cope. Among the issues NGB addresses
are:
Search for more local resources in the Resource
Finder.
The Employer Support Ombudsman Services Program was established
to provide information, counseling, and mediation on issues related to the Uniformed
Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). ESGR Ombudsman Services
consists of a Customer Service Center to answer phone calls and e-mails involving
USERRA questions. Specially trained Ombudsmen are available to assist members of
the Guard and Reserve in resolving disputes with their civilian employers related
to military service in the Uniformed Services through mediation. ESGR Ombudsmen
are volunteers located throughout the US and US Territories.
ESGR’s Customer Service Center is available for anyone with a USERRA question. ESGR’s
Customer Service Center can be reached Monday thru Friday (except Federal Holidays)
8AM to 6 PM (EST) at 1-800-336-4590 (option 1), by e-mail, or by submitting a USERRA
Assistance Request online.
When a conflict arises, at the request of a Service member a local ESGR Ombudsman
can be assigned to assist in resolving the dispute or conflict through mediation.
The ESGR Ombudsman will remain neutral, listen to what the Service member (employee)
and employer have to say and provide them information from USERRA and/or the US
Code of Federal Regulations to help guide them in reaching an agreement on how to
resolve the issue(s). If an agreement cannot be reached, the Ombudsman will notify
the Service member and employer that the Service member can file a case with the
US Department of Labor/Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (DOL/VETS) or hire a private attorney.
Helping you Find Work.
NGB Employer Support Specialists also provide employment referral services. As community
members who know the local job market, they are uniquely qualified to help you find
the right job.
Call your Employer Support Specialist
today for job hunting assistance!