Crisis
Is it an emergency? Call 112 in the event of an ongoing crime and also in cases of danger to life, health, or property. If the situation is urgent but not an emergency, you can call the university's urgent line +46 (0)33-435 44 00 (this goes to the switchboard during office hours; other times it goes to the security company Securitas).
Definition of a crisis
By crisis, we mean a difficult event (local, national, or international) that affects the employees/students at the University of Borås, can cause crisis reactions in people, and is of such a magnitude that it exceeds what the university's regular operations are normally prepared for or able to handle. Examples of such severe events are traffic accidents, illness or sudden death, fire, sabotage, threats, disruptions to infrastructure, school shootings, terrorist crimes, or natural disasters.
The university's Crisis Management Group
At the University of Borås, we have a central crisis organisation called the Crisis Management Group. This group is convened in the event of major crises. Smaller "local" crises are dealt with by the regular management teams within the relevant university department.
The Crisis Management Group has developed a crisis plan with routines and checklists. These help us at the university to:
- be ready to act quickly and effectively after an alert
- take care of employees, students, and others involved
- communicate the development of events
Read more about the Crisis Management Group.
Your responsibility as an employee
As an employee, your responsibility is to be familiar with the university’s crisis organisation and act when crisis situations arise. You also have a right and an obligation to initiate contact with police and rescue services in the event of accidents.
At each workplace, printed safety information (formerly the Safety Calendar) that provides information on how to act in the event of an accident or emergent serious event must be available. If you do not have printed safety information at your workplace, pick up a copy at Reception.
You can also find all the information in the Safety Portal on the employee website.
Your responsibilities as a manager
As a manager, you should be well acquainted with the organisation of the university's crisis work and the responsibility that rests on the managerial role given your responsibility for the work environment. You are responsible for ensuring that all your employees have information about the university’s crisis organisation and what responsibilities each individual employee in the organisation has. You are also responsible for informing the university's Crisis Management Group if a difficult incident occurs within your area of responsibility.
The Manager's Handbook contains support material for you as an individual manager in various types of crises, such as in the event of the death of an employee or student and a checklist in the event of a crisis abroad that affects an employee or student.
Crisis support
Crisis support refers to the immediate care of a person/group in crisis in the form of counselling and any subsequent professional interventions.
People can react in many different ways to crises. Some become quiet, others loud, and some do not seem to react at all in the emergency phase. What you can do is be as receptive as possible, listen, and be available. Refer employees to healthcare services or help them to contact them, if you think it is justified. Don't leave anyone without follow-up if you don't feel confident that things are going well.