The mental health of its New York employees is top of mind for executives at branding agency Fallon Worldwide.
Working two blocks from the World Trade Center, the 80 Fallon employees and 12 from its Duffy Design division, ran from the Woolworth Building after last week's attacks.
“We think the building is severely damaged: We can't get back in. Since it's old, it doesn't have structural reinforcement,” said Julie Thompson, director of communications.
Although some Fallon employees in New York may go back to work this week, the company is assuring them that “no one has to go back to work, no one has to fly.”
“The mental health of our people is paramount. However long it takes, it doesn't matter. Our New York people were witnessing horrific things, like bodies falling. They were right in the midst of the pandemonium. A lot of people lived right in the area, and their apartments are probably unlivable. A few people have been taken in by strangers off the street,” Thompson said.
“We're helping with temporary housing, counseling, whatever they may need. We were affected very little, compared to other people,” she added.
Meanwhile, some Fallon employees from Minneapolis and possibly New York will work out of office space provided by its parent company, Publicis, in New York. “We're waiting for associates to travel back to Minneapolis, then we will help the New York office however we can. We will take over their accounts and help them,” Thompson said.
