Agnesian Work & Wellness Employee Assistance ProgramSupervisor Training

Reasons for EAP

• 70 percent of all current illegal drug users are employed (National Institute on Drug Abuse).

• Approximately 20 percent of employees at any given time are experiencing personal difficulties.

• A troubled employee will affect five to seven others.

Scope of Services• Management Consultation• Supervisor EAP Training• Employee Orientations• EAP Program Promotion• Employee Life/Work Enhancement• Assessment, Counseling and Referral• Case Management of Formal Referrals• 24-Hour Phone Availability

Scope of Services

• Critical Incident Stress Management• Statistical Program Activity Reports• Legal Referral

EAP Defined

• An Employee Assistance Program is designed to offer confidential consultation services to employees and their household family members who are experiencing health or personal issues that may be impacting their life at home and/or work.

Confidentiality

• Information discussed during counseling sessions with counselors will remain private and secure without disclosure unless authorization has been obtained in writing from the employee.

• When an individual threatens imminent harm to self or others

• In situations of suspected child abuse or neglect• Court-ordered subpoenas may apply• Authorized release signed by the employee

State & Federal Limitations

EAP Objectives

• Assist employees and their immediate family members with early identification and resolution of health and personal issues.

• Utilize counseling and short-term problem solving which will not impact the company’s healthcare plan.

• Control company’s losses in productivity.

Three Types of Referrals

• Self Referral. When the individual makes contact with the EAP on his/her own.

• Informal Referral. When a supervisor, union member, co-worker, family member or community professional recommends or suggests that the individual utilize EAP.

• Formal Referral. When the performance of the employee has deteriorated and they are requested to utilize EAP.

What Concerns are Employees Dealing With?

• What do you hear from family, friends and co-workers?

Types of Challenges

• Family• Marital• Behavioral/emotional• Legal• Medical• Financial• Vocational• Substance abuse

Supportive Options

• Resolution by counseling• Referral to:

– Specialized counselors– Self-help groups– Inpatient treatment– Educational– County services– Outpatient

Contacting the EAP

Just a phone call away…(800) 458-8183

Why Don’t Employees Do What They Are Supposed To Do?

Coaching for improved work performance Ferdinand F. Fournies

Survey Results

Survey results of 25,000 managers and supervisors. Results are listed in the order of response.• They don’t know what they are supposed to do.• They don’t know how to do it.• They don’t know why they should do it.• They think they are doing it. Needs more feedback.• There are obstacles beyond their control.• They think it will not work.

Survey Results

• They think their way is better.• They think something is more important. Different

priorities.• There are no positive consequences for them doing

it.• There is a negative consequence.• There is a positive consequence for not doing it.

Survey Results

• There is no negative consequence to them for not doing it.

• Personal limits/capacity.• Personal issues.• Fear - anticipate further negative consequences.• No one could do it.

Discipline Process - Policy Dependent (example 4 step)

• Step One. Verbal with sometimes speech.• Step Two. Written with sometimes speech.• Step Three. Suspension with sometimes speech.

May consider a formal/mandatory referral.• Step Four. Termination.

Signs Of A Troubled Employee

#1 – Recognize the Concern

• Absenteeism• Accidents increase• Preoccupation• Sudden behavior change• Quality and quantity of work• Increased irritability• Increased fatigue

Personal issues can lead to on-the-job performance concerns

PERSONAL ISSUES WARNING SIGNS PERFORMANCE CONCERNS

•Alcoholism•Drugs – legal/illegal•Marital issues•Family issues•Financial – debt, gambling•Physical illness•Emotional concerns•Legal concerns•Vocational issues

AbsenteeismMonday and Friday, after paydayAbsent from job locationSleeps in and calls in sickAway due to accidentsAlways a crisisLatenessFrequently comes to work lateFrequently takes extended coffee or meal breaksFrequently late with deadlinesAccidentsMistakesBecause of faulty judgment becomes overly cautious & impedes productivityMany mistakesCovers for mistakes, blames others, avoids self-reflectionMoraleIsolates from co-workersVerbally denies job issuesVindictive of peers who report concernsCo-worker resentful of extra workCo-workers performance may decrease

Inconsistent and sporadic job performanceSometimes the best to sometimes the worst performerOverall decreasing quality and quantity of performanceMistakesExcessive absenteeismPromisesDiminished interpersonal relationshipsIrritableOverreactsAvoids or may become suspicious of supervisorAnti-social or cliqueyAffects morale or unitPersonal issues interfere with work environment●Frequent calls●Excessive eliciting of peer’s support about issues●Moves from one crisis to another●Garnished wages

#2 – Address the Problem Behavior

• Focus on job performance ONLY. • Document declining performance and positive

performance. Dates, times, locations, objective, verifiable.• Consult with your supervisor and EAP consultant to

discuss unsatisfactory job performance and develop an action plan.

• Always follow your discipline process.• Constructively confront the employee with job

performance issues.• Review documentation with them and indicate where

improvements are needed. Be very specific.

Address the Problem Behavior

• Explain unacceptable performance. Specific, observable, verifiable and objective

• Explain consequence of the behavior as well as future consequences.

• Remind the employee of the EAP and suggest it is a possible way to address personal issues.

The Sometimes Speech

• Sometimes when an employee has a performance issue like yours, or fails to correct an issue, it can be the result of issues outside of work. This may or may not be true for you, and if that is the case, it’s none of my business. But if it is a personal issue, that’s why we have an Employee Assistance Program. It’s free, it’s confidential, and it has helped.

• You may want to try the EAP program. Here’s the number. Whether you use it or not, it’s important that this performance issue be corrected.

Re-Evaluate

• Evaluate job performance• Improved - Document and give positive feedback.

Reinforce their behavior.• If stayed the same or declined - Repeat the process and

stress the EAP. • If the issue remains unresolved you may wish to consider a

formal EAP referral. • The referral cannot be used against them with promotions.• It’s a tool and resource - Not to be used as discipline.• Doesn’t protect the employee from further discipline.

Employee Defense Strategies

• Excuses and Sympathy. Some employees will have a good reason for everything. “You would have the same troubles I do if you had a wife like mine.”

• Apology and Promises. “I’m really sorry, you know that. I’ll never do it that way again. “

• Switching. “I know about that, but look how well I did on another job!”

• Anger. “Darn it! One mistake and the roof falls in after 15 years of killing myself for this place!”

Employee Defense Strategies

• Tears and Hopelessness. “ I don’t know what to do. I’ll never get out of this mess!”

• Self-pity. “I knew this would happen. I’ve never been able to do anything right.”

• Innocence and Blaming. “It’s not my fault. Joe let me down. I don’t get any help around here.”

Employee Defense Strategies

• Hopelessness. “I may as well quit right now.”• Friendliness. “Now Bill, you know we’ve been

through this before and we worked it out together. Let’s get together after work and figure this out where we can be more comfortable.”