Q. I notice some firefighters are resistance to self-referral to the EAP. Confidentiality concerns a few, but others think asking for help will tarnish their macho image. How can I help reduce this resistance?

A. To overcome myths and misconceptions about EAPs and getting help, mention the EAP to your personnel often, and have periodic awareness programs arranged by or with EAP staff. Encourage use of the program. Making the EAP “ever present” and attempt to have personnel see it as part of the “fire culture.” This will have significant impact on reducing resistance to using the program. In effect, this type of visibility has a marketing effect that normalizes the idea of getting help. Regarding your role as a supervisor, be careful about language. If you are involved in a “bad call” or a horrific event, model reaching out to personnel, follow critical incident stress management protocols, and don’t make statements that reinforce the macho mentality among personnel, like “Suck it up, it’s your job.” Be aware of the role alcohol plays among personnel, and how it is used to manage stress within your department. Discuss with the EAP strategies that educate about and encourage healthy behaviors for managing stress.

Q. There are hundreds of resources on becoming a better supervisor, but who has time to read this stuff and incorporate it into one’s supervision style? I think supervisors often must muddle through with trial and error until we learn how to be supervisors, right?

A. Much supervisory skill development is by trial and error, but a key growth strategy is also mentorship, formal and informal, early in one’s career .A recent study showed that those who spent a few quiet moments each morning thinking about leadership and reflecting on their experiences, strengths, and goals for improvement actually advanced their leadership abilities. Take a look at the following questions that study participants were asked to consider. Participate in your own study with the same questions and see if your leadership skills advance. Ask: What are some of your proudest leadership moments? What qualities do you have that make you a good leader or will in the future? Think about who you aspire to be as a leader, then imagine everything has gone as well as it possibly could in this leader role. What does that look like? What effect do you want to have on your employees? Do you want to motivate them? Inspire them? Identify and develop their talents? What skills or traits do you have that can help with those goals? Source:www.news.ufl.edu/2021/04/best-leader-self/

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Q. What is “upward bullying”?

A. Upward bullying is a term that refers to subordinates who treat bosses with disrespect. Behaviors of “upward bullies” may include inappropriately correcting the boss, nagging the boss to obtain something they desire, or intimidating the boss in some manner to be the one who has the power and control in the supervisor-supervisee relationship. Regaining control in a effective and appropriate authority by leveraging your assertiveness skills and obtaining assurances from next-level managers that your efforts will be supported. Often upward bullying employees establish relationships with next-level supervisors. These relationships may then be used to empower a bully’s willingness to take more risks with inappropriate communications with the boss, as they may believe consequences for their behavior are unlikely given their friendship with this other manager. If you believe you have lost control of the supervisory relationship with your subordinate employee, contact the EAP to work on a plan for reestablishing an appropriate balance of the power in the relationship.

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‍Q. On Memorial Day party I saw my DOT employee at a distance smoking a joint. He has a regulated, safety-sensitive position. I pretended not to notice, but now that I am back at work, I must act on our policy and refer to testing. I fear this is going to cause quite an upset.

A. Your employee may be upset about a confrontation, but it is he who placed you in the position of having to make a referral for a reasonable suspicion test. Being friends and socializing with employees happens with great frequency but also with risk, because a “dual relationship” of friend and boss may potentially interfere with one’s ability to act, as in this case, on a drug-free workplace policy. Smoking marijuana will cause an employee to test positive for up to 30 days. If you saw a worker smoking pot in the company parking lot, you would also be obligated to act. You have personal knowledge of drug use, so do not allow a potentially toxic employee to risk the lives of others. Still anxious and nervous? Speak to the EAP if you have time before the next work shift so you can process your decision and gain fortitude to act.

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Q. I referred my employee to the EAP, but he says he won’t go because his neighbors work in the same office building and he might get spotted, thereby losing his confidentiality. This sounds like a good excuse. What can I do to persuade him to go?

A. EAPs are familiar with these unusual circumstances that may cause a few employees to be hesitant about visiting the program office. Phone the EAP and discuss this situation. The EAP will then tell you what to recommend. Some EAPs will discuss personal problems with an employee over the phone; others may meet select employees at a different location or meet after hours with the worker to decrease the likelihood of his or her crossing paths with someone who would possibly recognize the person’s reason for being on the premises.

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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 EApprofessional. © 2021 DFA Publishing &Consulting, LLC

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Q: During supervisor training for drug and alcohol awareness, I discovered that I am probably an alcoholic. (Actually, I have suspected it for years.) I have referred many employees to the EAP, so I feel too embarrassed to bring my own problem to them. Should I seek help elsewhere?

A: Speak to the EAP and share what you know or you have heard. The release will allow you to discover whether your employee is still participating in the EAP. You won’t be able to learn about hospital treatment or clinical issues, but the EA professional will likely know about this incident because treatment programs and EAPs communicate closely with each other. Assuming you do not have a “firm-choice” agreement to compel your employee’s cooperation with the EAP’s recommendations in lieu of some administrative action being held in abeyance, the employee may no longer be working with the EAP. Work closely with your HR advisor regarding this situation. He or she may wish to coordinate a fitness for duty evaluation before the worker can return. Such an evaluation would assess key issues and further treatment needs. Finally, have a back-to-work conference among yourself, the employee, and the EAP to establish expectations going forward.

Q: When I make a formal referral to the EAP, should I try to reduce the tension associated with constructive confrontation by having the meeting outside of my office? Would the employee’s office be better, or perhaps a quiet spot in a more neutral area?

A: It is important to recognize that having one’s work praised and/or one’s lack of satisfactory performance corrected is a normal, healthy, and essential part of managing worker productivity. These activities should not be viewed as regrettable or disadvantageous. Referring employees to the EAP is likewise a complementary step in this process, periodically, and one designed to help workers address personal problems that may be preventing change. None of this is to say that meetings to correct performance can’t be successfully held in other locations. Be aware that your concern about having the most accommodating location, and that this element is essential to the meeting’s success, may be motivated by your fear of conflict along with your desire for acceptance. It’s great that you are willing to be accommodating, but remember it is the employee’s responsibility to change, no matter where the meeting is held.

Q: Can I ask the EAP to give me an opinion on the likely impact of a certain type of disciplinary action on an employee’s psychology? My concern is that the employee might “go off” and become violent.

A: You can meet with the EAP concerning any matter that you view as a personal problem. This includes worry or anxiety you experience concerning a decision to dispense a disciplinary action. It would be inappropriate however to ask the EAP to render a clinical judgment regarding the psychological or behavioral effects of such an action on a specific employee. You can consult with a mental health professional or medical doctor outside your organization, of course, or consult with another department in your organization unaligned with the EAP. Rendering psychological opinions at the very least requires discussing an employee’s psychological makeup. This would violate confidentiality and be beyond the scope of a signed consent, which provides for very limited information, none of it clinical.
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Q: We referred our employee to the EAP because of behavior and attendance problems. He entered detox at a hospital, but the rumor is that he was discharged from treatment for conduct problems. He wants to come back to work. How should we proceed? What is the EAP’s role?

A: Speak to the EAP and share what you know or you have heard. The release will allow you to discover whether your employee is still participating in the EAP. You won’t be able to learn about hospital treatment or clinical issues, but the EA professional will likely know about this incident because treatment programs and EAPs communicate closely with each other. Assuming you do not have a “firm-choice” agreement to compel your employee’s cooperation with the EAP’s recommendations in lieu of some administrative action being held in abeyance, the employee may no longer be working with the EAP. Work closely with your HR advisor regarding this situation. He or she may wish to coordinate a fitness for duty evaluation before the worker can return. Such an evaluation would assess key issues and further treatment needs. Finally, have a back-to-work conference among yourself, the employee, and the EAP to establish expectations going forward.

Q: I have a superstar employee. He earns outstanding performance evaluations yearly. My concern is his gambling. After hours, he reportedly plays poker. I’ve heard that there is a lot of domestic conflict as well. Is it improper for me to comment, inquire, intervene, or involve myself in this situation?

A: Employees who perform well certainly can have serious personal problems, and symptoms may never be visible or demonstrated at work. A rumor or secondhand information does not justify making an inquiry into your employee’s personal life unless the issue appears to be life-threatening. So, you are not behaving irresponsibly by remaining focused only on performance. Remember, you know about this employee’s problems only because of hearsay. Other employees could have personal problems that are even worse. Frequently remind employees about the EAP. Remind employees about it during review periods, after a crisis, and by using reminders in workplace wellness literature. Remember also that this employee’s personal problems may not have been accurately portrayed by the source, which is not unusual for secondhand information.

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