While organizations plan extensively for potential crises, it’s impossible to be fully prepared when one does occur—especially when it is an emotionally charged, uncertain and high-profile moment. Supporting and protecting the workforce during such an occurrence requires leadership to deploy deep listening and center empathy, says Paige Ross, global head of human resources at Blackstone.
Ross and the rest of the leadership team at Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager that employs 5,000 people, found themselves facing unexpected tragedy this summer when one of the firm’s executives was gunned down in New York City. Wesley LePatner was global head of the organization’s core-plus real estate team and CEO of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust.
She and three others were killed in a mass shooting on July 28 inside 345 Park Ave. in Midtown Manhattan, where Blackstone’s headquarters is located.
“Wesley was an amazing human being,” says Ross. “It’s a tremendous loss to us as a firm but especially to her family; she was truly incredible.”
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Ross—who earlier this month was named HR Executive’s HR Leader of Distinction as part of the HR Executive of the Year competition—says the safety of its employees was the No. 1 priority. The gunman barricaded himself inside the building, shooting victims across several floors.
Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman and Chief Operating Officer Jon Gray “immediately” brought leadership together, Ross says, and were “really transparent” about what happened. Then, they got to work to “pull out all the stops to make sure everybody got the support they needed.”
It was critical to approach that work by centering the varying needs of employees.
There were employees who were personally close to LePatner, those who were in the building during the shooting and a third group who were both present and knew the victim.
“It was about meeting everybody where they were,” Ross says.
‘Full-on support’
Ross says the company put “significant effort” into enabling members of the community who wanted to get back into the office and be with colleagues to do so “while also making accommodations for those who needed more time.”
Within 24 hours of the shooting, Blackstone scaled up its normal mental health resources significantly. It was support that leadership designed to be in tune with what employees said they needed in the moment, Ross says.
“We went to all the resources possible—and we asked people what they wanted,” she says.
That included individual and group counseling—offered both in-person and virtually—individual phone counseling, manager training and resources for leading through trauma, and expert-led sessions to help employees navigate such issues as grief, ongoing anxiety and talking to their children about trauma.
“It was full-on support,” Ross says.
Culture in motion
From the moment the shooting took place, Blackstone employees have rallied around one another, Ross says.
On that day, “everybody came together—no exceptions—for the people who were sheltering in place,” she says.
Ross personally made over 50 phone calls after the shooting to employees who were most acutely impacted.
“People quickly came together—sharing walks and coffees, catching up over breakfasts and lunches the firm organized, simply being there for one another,” she says. “Our leaders have kept regularly checking in with their teams through calls, town halls and informal meet-ups, making sure our employees are cared for.”
Ross says news headlines from other tragedies—of people stepping in to help after disasters, plane crashes or fires—came to life at Blackstone. Everyone kept asking questions like, “How can I help? What can I do?”
An ongoing commitment
That spirit has continued. After LePatner’s family established a charitable fund in her name, the organization, its charitable arm and senior leaders all made contributions. Blackstone is hosting a Day of Service in LePatner’s memory and has created the Wesley LePatner Award to honor employees carrying on her values. Blackstone has also supported charitable efforts organized by families of the other victims and donated to an organization that supports the families of first responders.
The response, Ross says, has highlighted the culture already in action at Blackstone, which is what she says has helped the workforce cope with the tragedy.
“It was the best of Blackstone coming out,” she says. “I’ve never been so humbled to be part of the firm.”
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