Q. Does marijuana cause employees to be slow, not show initiative, or be less engaged in the workplace? I have a few employees I know use pot off duty, and I think I would describe them this way. Is this “amotivational syndrome”?

A.  First, you can’t diagnose your employees’ performance issues. This requires a referral to the EAP to learn more. For decades, pro-marijuana advocacy groups have insisted there is no such thing as cannabis use causing “amotivational syndrome.” They’ve insisted that anecdotal reports or studies have been flawed. However, evidence published in February 2018 appears to show cannabis-caused amotivational syndrome is quite real. Over 500 college students who used marijuana were studied. Marijuana use, demographics (age, gender, and race), personality (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and neuroticism), other substance use (alcohol and tobacco), and general personal assessments of initiative, effort, and persistence were examined closely. Research showed that marijuana use forecasted lower initiative and persistence (amotivational syndrome) even after accounting for and ruling out other factors. Only marijuana (but not alcohol or tobacco) significantly and longitudinally prompts lower initiative and persistence. See the report: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28620722

Q.  My employee has a psychiatrist who has treated him for depression for many years. He’s never been to the EAP, and I have not considered a referral until now. Currently he is not coming to work often, and yet the doctor keeps writing notes to excuse absences. Can the EAP help?

A. Consult with your organization’s human resources advisor regarding sick leave issues and how to manage these absences and record the leave status. Realize that EAPs accept formal referrals from supervisors when employees have job performance issues, quality of work problems, conduct and behavioral issues, and attendance problems. So, consider referring your employee. Make it a formal referral. Is the employee unable to adequately perform his duties because of the absenteeism? If so, make note of it. It makes no difference whether the employee is being seen by a psychiatrist. This fact does not preclude a referral. Many issues could exist in this situation, including improper treatment, a problematic relationship with the doctor, poor medication compliance, sudden loss of medication effectiveness, and a host of other factors. The EAP will obtain a release to communicate directly with the doctor and assess what’s going on. If the employee is reluctant to accept a referral, discuss next steps with the EAP.

Q.  I want to do everything I can to help my employees perform well. What is the most important task to accomplish in order to make this possible?

A.  Form good working relationships. Supervisors can learn many different skills and tactics, but few will be effective without positive relation-ships. Understand the concept of “essential attitudes” for a supervisor. Essential attitudes for success exist in every profession, whether you are a teacher, scientist, minister, pilot, or supervisor. Here’s one: Assume your employees are doing the best job they can from their point of view. This attitude will affect the way you speak, act, nurture, and support them. It might even help you remember to use the EAP more often as a resource to improve performance. Another: Spell out for employees what they need to do in order to succeed and then give them the ability to do it. Imagine how these essential attitudes influence a positive relationship, and how lacking they are with many managers. Can you think of more essential attitudes critical to relationship success?

Q.  What do supervisors and managers need to know about the “Generation Z”? I have been hearing more about them recently. 

A.  You will hear a lot more about Generation Z as these employees enter the work force. Gen Z are those born between approximately 1995-96 and 2010-14. (Sociologists disagree on the dates.) This is the group following the millennials. Generation Z is more influenced by concepts like “finding my true purpose” and “making an impact.” They want to be independent and are highly attracted to learning new things. They are confident and respond positively to companies that are engaged in resolving social problems. They are entrepreneurial, realistic, hungry for experiences and want to see the world. Gen Z employees want to be experts and may accept challenges more readily than prior generations. When writing the essential functions of job descriptions, consider the above values and employee traits to help you maximize productivity and employee job satisfaction. Gen Z employees are less put off by the idea of getting counseling and more likely to use supports like an EAP to improve their lives. Learn more from the book “Meet Generation Z” (2017).

Q.  Why can’t employees monitor themselves and use peer influence to ensure a respectful workplace? It seems as though supervisors or managers must still take the lead and play a large role in supporting a positive workplace and discouraging disrespect. 

A.  Employees are certainly capable of exerting peer pressure on fellow workers and helping maintain a respectful workplace, but they need your help. When management (supervisors) don’t act or step in when witnessing bad behavior, this is tantamount to excusing it. This then undermines employee peer pressure dynamics and group influence. Managers represent “punitive authority” within the employment setting. This doesn’t mean punishment. Instead, this means the ability or potential of the employer to impose penalties for fault, offence, or violation of rules. All employment settings possess this natural dynamic. When undermined, employees toss self-discipline to the wind and experience far less urgency to respond to positive peer pressure.

^{Information contained in “The Frontline Supervisor” is for general information purposes only and is not intended to be specific guidance for any particular supervisor or human resource management concern. For specific guidance on handling individual employee problems, consult with your Employee Assistance Professional.   ©2018 DFA Publishing & Consulting, LLC.}

Q.  I want to create a positive workplace for my employees. They seem happy as a group. Is that the only measure I need? 

A.   You want happy employees, but high productivity is also important. Think of your workplace as having a “climate” like the weather. What is the work climate like? Many things contribute to a positive work climate. Examples include effective communication, supportive supervisory practices, and shared traditions that promote positive reinforcement, gratitude, celebration, and fun. Some work organizations establish climate committees to help monitor and influence happy, healthy, and productive workplaces. Although you do not have to establish a climate committee, you should have a means of understanding your work climate. Keep tabs on it, and view it as a strategic resource. When you consciously make your work climate a priority, you are more likely to nurture it into a positive force that facilitates employees deciding to work to their potential, rather than to just their quota.

Q.  I am hesitant about referring to the EAP because, frankly, I am disorganized. I am fairly slack in my style. If I refer an employee to the EAP, my work practices might be discussed. Obviously, my issues are not related to the EAP client, so will the EAP talk about me to other people?

A.  The EAP will neither make conversation about nor disclose information about your supervision style, work unit organization challenges, efficiency, or any perceived personal inadequacy. This is especially true if your employee imparts this information as a client in an EAP interview. Everything an employee utters is subject to strict confidentiality provisions and your EAP’s policy. You have nothing to fear. Even if information about you was discovered or learned outside the EAP office from another source, it would not be discussed with others. EAPs are highly conscientious about their role and how they are perceived by the workforce. They know that what they say and what they do have strong affects on EAP utilization, program viability, and sustainability. Talk with the EAP about your personal organization issues and discover relief that comes with resolution.

Q.   How can I be less of a micromanager, and can the EAP assist me?

A.  Micromanagers are usually supervisors who control and get involved in every aspect and part of a job that’s been delegated to a subordinate. This results in employees becoming frustrated. If this sounds like you, two approaches to resolving micromanaging behaviors can be consider-ed. The first is to understand what delegation means. Delegation is the process by which responsibility and authority for performing a task or activity is transferred to another person. Is that what you are trying to accomplish? If so, education, awareness, communication, self-monitoring, and feedback from subordinates will eventually turn you into a proficient delegator. The other avenue of help is about overcoming the fear, anxiety, and distrust related to the proper completion of the work you have delegated. You may be aware of your difficulty in letting go, including multiple attempts that have not worked for very long. If this is your experience, visit with the EAP to develop a plan of action that includes a coaching model.

Q.   What’s the number one complaint that employees have about bosses?

A.   Complaints about managers being poor communicators usually top the list. Poor communication, in fact, beats favoritism, incompetence, never giving praise, having mood swings, and being passive-aggressive. Supervisors seeking to improve communication should not just communicate more often. Instead, they should engage and make communication reciprocal, get feedback from employees about how the communication is going, and create systems that ensure effective communication stays in place. Not doing so will allow poor communication to again emerge as a work climate issue. What kind of structure or predictable way of communicating should you establish? The answer: Get employee input and then decide.

https://www.studyfinds.org/one-in-five-employees-hate-boss

Q.   I have an employee who has been with our company for 24 years. During that time, he has worked at 101 percent capacity. No one could touch his energy, overtime ability, and creativity. He was a heavy drinker, but it never affected his work. That’s changed. Why the change?

A.  Alcoholism is an acute chronic illness. This means it gets worse over time. This does not mean all alcoholic drinkers have the same behavioral pattern on their way to the late stages. Genetics, social factors, psychological factors, and environmental factors contribute to alcoholism’s manifestations. Some people may drink alcoholically almost immediately or soon after a first drink. Others may remain in less acute stages of the illness for decades. They will show few obvious effects other than a growing tolerance and problems that typically only family members recognize. Acute problems that coworkers recognize may not appear for decades, but enabling terms like “functional” alcoholic will contribute to a pattern of denial that becomes difficult to break. It appears that alcohol has begun to take its toll on your employee. Contact the EAP for guidance and a referral strategy based on his performance. If you stay focused and hold the employee accountable, the probability of effective performance-based intervention and recovery is very high.

^{Information contained in “The Frontline Supervisor” is for general information purposes only and is not intended to be specific guidance for any particular supervisor or human resource management concern. For specific guidance on handling individual employee problems, consult with your Employee Assistance Professional.   ©2018 DFA Publishing & Consulting, LLC.}