Protecting Workforce Wellbeing, Focus and Performance During Prolonged Crisis

International SOS launches new Psychological Support Service

International SOS, the world’s leading security and health services company, has launched a series of new psychological support sessions designed to support employee mental health and wellbeing during periods of crisis and uncertainty.

Jerome Le Jehan, Managing Director, Consulting International, International SOS, said,

Organizations are now operating in an environment where disruption is constant rather than episodic, with global events, from conflict to economic volatility, continuously shaping employee wellbeing, focus, and performance. Even when crises do not directly impact operations, their effects are felt across the workforce. Psychological Support Sessions meet the need to maintain resilience in the workforce with clinical rigor and practical immediacy. This is not an add-on to Duty of Care; it is Duty of Care as a business imperative

Morgan MacDonald, Wellbeing and Mental Health Manager at International SOS, added how this has supported organizations recently,

When the conflict in the Middle East began, we supported many customers operationally and strategically. One of the many requests we responded to revolved around the need for stabilization and grounding and providing employees with the necessary tools to cope during times of crisis and prolonged periods of uncertainty.

The psychological support sessions are offered as 30-minute workshops that can be delivered by any employee at any time, enabling scalable deployment without the need for specialist facilitators. The sessions are also culturally agnostic so can be applied consistently across global teams, regardless of geography, role, or background.

International SOS’ psychological support sessions focus on six themes, which include:

• Coping strategies in times of crisis: Practical techniques to help employees manage acute stress responses during rapidly evolving situations. Includes recognizing early signs of overload, maintaining cognitive clarity under pressure, and applying simple techniques to stabilize emotions and sustain decision-making.
• Balancing work and home: Support for employees managing overlapping professional and personal responsibilities, particularly in high-pressure or crisis contexts. This includes prioritization techniques, boundary-setting, and maintaining effectiveness across both domains without burnout.
• Supporting working parents: Guidance for employees navigating difficult conversations at home. The session provides age-appropriate communication approaches that help children feel reassured, while enabling parents to manage their own emotional responses.
• Managing the 24/7 news cycle: Strategies to reduce the psychological impact of continuous news cycles and digital overload from social media. This includes setting boundaries, managing information consumption, and avoiding escalation of anxiety driven by unverified or repetitive content.
• Navigating prolonged uncertainty: Tools to support resilience in environments where disruption is the 'new normal'. The session advises on maintaining focus, managing ambiguity, and preventing the effects of chronic stress on performance and wellbeing.
• Sleep and fatigue management: Practical guidance on protecting sleep quality and managing fatigue during periods of heightened stress. The session addresses the relationship between stress, sleep disruption, and cognitive performance, with actionable steps to improve rest and recovery.
  
  

All of the sessions are available globally and can be deployed across organizations as part of existing wellbeing and risk management programs. Read our article to learn more about how leaders can build, maintain and reinforce psychological safety during a crisis.