Q.  Poor job performance or unsatisfactory quality of work is obviously the number one issue with troubled employees. Beyond this, what is the most common problem among troubled employees, and how should supervisors respond?

A.  The management research firm Center for Creative Leadership surveyed over 200 supervisors and discovered that the most common employee problem (other than poor job performance) is “inability to get along with others.” Conflict and friction between two employees are not uncommon, but beware of employees who (1) blame others for their problems, (2) make others feel guilty for not living up to their expectations, (3) show an inability to own “their half” of problems, (4) have little insight into their behavior, (5) view discussions about their behavior as personal attacks, and (6) are overly adept at making excuses. These behaviors in combination are unlikely to respond to a corrective interview with you. Making an early referral to the EAP along with well-written documentation is recommended. (If you need help with constructing effective documentation, consult with the EAP.)

Q.  Can I refer an employee to the EAP to help him or her deal with boredom? One of my best workers expressed loss of interest in the work and labeled it boredom. I know this is not a psychological problem, but can the EAP help address it?

A.  Work with your employee to examine how the job can be structured in a way that rekindles interest. If you don’t see an immediate rally, suggest help from the EAP. Your employee’s boredom could be linked to depression. Depression costs business and industry about $44 billion a year, according to the American Psychiatric Association. There are other symptoms of depression visible to others in the workplace. Do you see any? They include withdrawing from the team, isolating oneself, being indifferent, putting things off, missing deadlines, seeming absent-minded, procrastinating, being late to work, and more. All are quantifiable performance measures. Your employee may not go to the EAP, so be prepared down the road to consider a formal referral as needed. Note that the problem of boredom is a good example of how something that appears minor could be a symptom of a serious condition.

Q.   I referred my employee to the EAP this morning because of his attendance issues. When he comes back to the office this afternoon, should I meet with him again? Or should I assume everything is fine, wait for the EAP to confirm his attendance, or discuss with him the expectations going forward?

A.  If your employee went to the EAP and you previously had contact with the program in arranging the referral, you should get confirmation of participation if a release was signed. Regardless, meet with your employee and discuss the essential duties of his position, the reasons for the referral, and your expectations for his attendance. Doing so will increase the likelihood of having fewer or no more attendance problems. Then meet a few times over the ensuing  fewer or no more attendance problems. Then meet a few times over the ensuing weeks and months. This will further reinforce his need to follow through both with the EAP’s recommendations and with his commitment to a predictable attendance schedule. Lack of accountability and supervisor follow-up demotivates employees, causing their commitment to change to erode. The time you invest in reminding him and praising his return to proper performance standards will be well worth it.

Q.   Can I direct an employee to stop complaining about problems to coworkers, which damages morale, and instead bring these complaints directly to me? And [can I] then hold [him] accountable?

A.  If complaining adversely affects the work climate and productivity, then it is reasonable to ask your employee to come to you instead of complaining openly. You’ll discover in your career that there are employees who like to “stir the pot,” or, more accurately, they enjoy having others listen to their analysis and diagnosis of the work unit’s problems. Ditto with the organization’s or supervisor’s competence. Much complaining is motivated simply by a desire to engage and socialize with coworkers. These complaints tend to act as icebreakers in conversations. It is easier to discuss a complaint or issue or open with a common concern than it is to offer an observation about the nice weather. This then becomes a habit of communication among employees. If needed, encourage the employee to visit the EAP, where he or she will find listening ears, and you can count on the discussion being one that helps the employee and supports the organization.

Q.   I may be old school in my thinking, but I think an employee’s mental health is none of the employer’s business. Still, I see a lot of articles in recent years about mental wellness in the workplace. What is the business case for so much attention to this subject? What can one supervisor do?

A.   Employers pay high costs for mental health problems. On the low side, it’s about $70 billion a year. Absenteeism, reduced productivity, and increased health care are the three big cost areas. If employers can influence mental wellness in ways that reduce these exposures, they can improve productivity and have a healthier bottom line. So mental wellness is not about intrusiveness in employees’ lives but about creating work environments that have a positive impact on wellness. As a supervisor, you have significant influence on promoting mental wellness. Here are three examples. (1) Don’t praise the employee who comes in early and stays late. This practice eventually erodes productivity and leads to burnout. (2) Encourage or insist that employees take regular vacations to recharge and refresh. (3) Don’t expect employees to answer the phone, email, or engage in work around the clock. (4) Be a model for these behaviors yourself.

^{FrontLine Supervisor is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be specific guidance for any particular supervisor or human resource management concern. URLs are case-sensitive. For specific guidance on handling individual employee problems, consult with your EA professional. © 2019 DFA Publishing & Consulting, LLC}

 

 

Q.   There is usually a lot of tension when I conduct annual reviews. If employees are surprised by the results or if their scores are less than they imagined they would be, I often face hostility and anger. How can I reduce this tension?

A.  Follow the performance review process of your organization, but make the effort to increase communication. Meet with your employees at the beginning of the year and discuss with them what they would like to achieve in the coming year, along with other measures of performance consistent with the goals of your work unit and the organization as a whole. These goals should be achievable and measurable and include defined criteria for outstanding performance and lesser achievement. Meet several times during the year and coach employees toward success. Ask employees each time, during these meetings, how they would grade themselves against the performance criteria they set. At year’s end, you should see far less angst at performance review time, more satisfied workers, and higher levels of achievement that benefit the organization.

Q.  My employee went into treatment after he was informally referred to the EAP for attendance problems. He has a severe opioid addiction. He left treatment against medical advice after about a week, but he still seems to be doing well. I worry that this won’t last. What should I do? 

A.  Meet with the EAP to discuss your role in monitoring your employee’s performance and also learn about the symptoms of a relapse related to opioid addiction that may exhibit themselves at work. Although the EAP will not share confidential information, you can discuss signs and symptoms of relapse that you can document later, if needed. Absenteeism is the original problem you spotted, but others may be include poor coordination, drowsiness, nausea, and slurred speech. In this situation, the chances of relapse are high since he displays a lack of motivation for treatment. If your employee left against medical advice, then it is unlikely that he is being followed by a medical doctor or taking prescribed medication. Talk with your HR advisor about your organization’s fitness-for-duty policy. He or she can advise you on if and when it is appropriate to take advantage of it.

Q.  Upon discharge from an alcoholism treatment program, my employee was allowed to come to work late twice per week, and to have extended lunches twice per week.  I’m worried. What if coworkers are confused and ask questions since attendance issues were what led him into treatment?

A.  It is more than likely that your employee is participating in certain Alcoholics Anonymous meetings that are not available after hours. You can’t discuss the employee’s health issues, but the reason for your employee’s absence is unlikely to remain secret for long, because he will share this information with coworkers. This is part of the normal recovery experience. The EAP and aftercare program he attends see sharing one’s diagnosis and responding to inquiries by others as opportunities to practice acceptance of recovering person. Acknowledging being in recovery is considered a positive thing, not something for which to feel shame. In this scenario it is appropriate to refer inquiries from others to your employee; however, you are unlikely to get any.

Q.  I want to be a firm supervisor when necessary as well as a nice guy my employees admire. I think most supervisors feel the same way, but I find myself correcting employees more often than I praise them. How can I increase my positive interactions?

A.  Establish communication habits to use daily with employees that help you improve your interactions and grow your reputation with them. When approaching an employee for any reason, lead with something positive so they do not learn to associate your presence with correcting performance, a negative interaction, or other painful exchange. Ask employees for their solutions to problems, and treat them like pros, regardless of the position they hold. Intentionally interact with your employees when things are going well—get out of your office so you aren’t seen as a one-person fire department only interacting when problems arise or things go badly. Participate in small talk; use these moments to learn about your employees’ needs. Praise and be in awe of their past achievements, not just the ones you witness on the job. Finally, look for roadblocks to their success. Pay attention to what is impeding performance, and find small ways to make their lives more comfortable.

Q.  I read that great leaders are eternal optimists, along with many other traits. I would like to be more optimistic in my leadership style. However, am I able to change my outlook with help from the EAP? I realize how powerful this can be for employees, so I am open to whatever it takes.

A.  Yes, you can learn to be optimistic. It starts with understanding the value of optimism for your work unit. Optimistic leaders exude positive energy because their attitude is one of hope and confidence about the work unit’s direction and success of its goals. The good news is that optimism is a habit of thinking, acquired by changing a few beliefs, practicing new skills, and seeing the results from doing so. For example, you can learn the habit of challenging negative thoughts. You can also learn how to focus more on the solution to a problem than on the negative ramifications of it. And you can act and behave optimistically—even if you don’t feel like it—and then observe the positive results for yourself and others. These exercises and more will, over time, flip the switch to help you practice a more optimistic leadership style. Read about optimism, discuss your goal with the EAP, journal your results, and watch the positive effects on those you lead.

^{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.   ©2019 DFA Publishing & Consulting, LLC.}