Constructive Approaches to Employee Relations

Online sources  summarized a deep analysis of employee reactions to situations. We have all heard of the “flight or fight” response, but a more in-depth analysis carries it further, illustrating six different responses that should be interpreted as signals, not disorders or personal flaws.

Those six defensive responses are:

1. fight

2. flight

3. freeze

4. please/appease

5. cry-for-help/attach

6. collapse

and they should be interpreted as signs of fear, not incompetence or resistance, according to the publication. The full (long) article is published in a neuroscience journal, but the key point is to work with an employee exhibiting any of the above behaviors to get beneath the surface and determine what the “real” problem might be so constructive remedial action can be taken.