Question

A company sends a team of employees and one field supervisor to a customer's location for a week. Employees stay in hotel rooms, two employees per room, and receive a daily meal allowance that allows the purchase of one alcoholic beverage. At dinner one evening, the employees have a few alcoholic beverages, and then they return to the hotel, where one employee passes out in the parking lot. The other employees call an ambulance, and emergency personnel ask if the unconscious employee takes any medication. The employee who shares a room with the unconscious employee goes to the room and finds the employee's medication bottles. No one rides in the ambulance or follows it to the hospital.

The field supervisor calls HR to report the incident. The HR manager asks if the employee's spouse has been called and which hospital the employee was admitted to. No one knows where the employee has been taken, nor has the employee been in contact with anyone. The field supervisor locates the employee, who is in serious condition. The employee remains unconscious; it is unknown if the employee will recover from the incident. Management wants to end the employment relationship with the employee.
Which action should HR take to ensure that supervisors act appropriately in emergency situations without fear of violating employee privacy?

A. Instruct supervisors to choose the best action; every situation is different, and supervisors should apply common sense to the situation.
B. Require the supervisors to always call HR and to avoid any discussion with emergency personnel about the employee's medical condition.
C. Use a collaborative approach with leaders to create and communicate a company-wide protocol that outlines steps to take in an emergency situation.
D. Coach the supervisors to always call emergency personnel and to avoid any discussion with emergency personnel about the employee's medical condition.

Answer 1

HR should use a collaborative approach with leaders to create and communicate a company-wide protocol that outlines steps to take in an emergency situation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The action that HR should take to ensure that supervisors act appropriately in emergency situations without violating employee privacy is option C: Use a collaborative approach with leaders to create and communicate a company-wide protocol that outlines steps to take in an emergency situation.

This approach ensures that supervisors have clear guidelines in place for handling emergency situations, which helps them make informed decisions without violating employee privacy. By involving leaders and creating a company-wide protocol, HR can ensure consistency and accountability in how emergency situations are handled.