|
Will my employee
be less successful in accepting or using help offered by the employee
assistance program if a release is not signed so I can learn about
participation? |
Not necessarily,
but
employees formally referred to the EAP by supervisors may have a
motivational advantage over their self-referred peers when a release is
signed. The reason is simple. An employee who knows management is
aware of participation and cooperation with the EAP, even if details of
a personal problem aren’t disclosed, frequently possesses a greater
sense of urgency to follow through with treatment recommendations. This
increases the likelihood of success with treatment or counseling goals.
This unique dynamic of the EAP process can help motivate employees to
follow through and successfully treat even the most difficult personal
problems. Don’t underestimate the supervisor’s role and the influence
of diligent follow up, especially if a release is not signed. Staying
focused on performance and insisting on change often makes all the
difference. |
|
Our company has
many National Guard troops who have returned from overseas. How lenient
should supervisors be with these employees? Don’t they deserve a break
because of their stress and leniency when performance problems arise? |
It is natural to
weigh the
circumstances of your employees and be lenient as a way of accommodating
them. However, unless a specific request is made for a reasonable
accommodation, it is generally better to treat employees equally and all
as fully capable. Do not assume these employees require different
standards for how their performance should be judged. Many employees
experience performance problems attributable to traumas and personal
issues. Although the stress of war and its toll on the psyche is
extraordinary, your employee will benefit most by being held to the same
performance standards and work rules as other employees. Most soldiers
returning from overseas will tell you they want to be treated no
differently than their peers. Remember not to make assumptions or
diagnostic conclusions about your employees. |
|
My fellow
managers and I have been educated in the signs and symptoms of alcohol
abuse on the job, but isn’t the most important part of training learning
to avoid being manipulated and dispelling misconceptions about
alcoholism? |
Knowing the
signs,
symptoms, and workplace impact of alcohol use is important. However,
it’s also important that you stay in control of a constructive
confrontation with your employee by being on your guard against
alcoholic manipulation and well-honed defense mechanisms. That will
determine whether you are ultimately successful in making a supervisor
referral, a referral for a drug test, or are willing to take action in
response to problematic events. Employees affected by addictive
diseases rely upon their relationships with others to remain in denial,
and to continue believing that they are in control of their alcohol use
and an environment that wants to confront them about it. Consult with
your employee assistance program provider before meeting with your
employee to discuss performance or conduct issues. Doing so will help
keep you from being drawn into a subjective discussion that the employee
is likely to control. |
|
I know EAPs can
help employees return to satisfactory levels of job performance and that
this helps the bottom line. But isn’t it a stretch to say that EAPs
help reduce costs associated with things such as litigation, injuries,
or even damaged equipment? |
Employees
affected
by severe personal problems may experience a wide range of behavioral
issues, many of which directly affect the bottom line. However, like an
iceberg, other cost benefits exist beneath the surface. Reduced
turnover or absenteeism, for example, has secondary cost benefits. The
hiring of temporary workers or paying overtime to others to complete
work assignments is avoided. When the EAP helps an employee who
otherwise would have been terminated, the risk of litigation, legal
expenses, paperwork, and lost management time is avoided. A drug addict
who enters treatment and recovery many no longer steal materials that
are resold for drugs. An employee no longer distracted by a personal
crisis may avoid a costly accident. Almost any cost benefit has
multiple other cost savings associated with it, and this makes an EAP a
great investment. |
|
I have an
employee who wants to bring her 8-year old child to work because she
does not feel the child is “safe” at home with an unemployed roommate.
I said OK once, but the request has come up again. How can the EAP
help? Should I ask why she doesn’t trust the roommate? |
It is appropriate
to ask
why she feels the child is not safe at home because she disclosed her
concern, and because the safety of a child is the paramount issue. Ask
that your employee phone the EAP to get help for this problem. Bring
the issue to the attention of your manager so you aren’t operating in
isolation trying to address it. There could be a host of reasons why
your employee does not want to leave the child at home, some of which
may or may not be cause for alarm. The EAP will ask other personal
questions necessary to discover the nature of the problem and try to
discover what resources are needed to address this issue. |
