Post on 28-Nov-2014
description
Margie Roop, LifeServices EAP
1-800-822-4847
* Identifying Stressed-out Employees & How to
Intervene
*Am I willing to step in & act?
*We will look at behaviors, emotions, & physical symptoms
*Questions to ask yourself: how well do I know my employees?
*How well do I understand their work responsibilities?
*Am I comfortable observing, documenting & intervening?
*Am I willing to withstand possible defensiveness & lack of cooperation?
Perils of your profession
*Caring for others at work AND at home!
*Your whole being is geared for response & crisis mode!
*High expectations to have to be: on time, adaptable, flexible, sterile, neat, organized & cordial!
Wow!!!
*Is this what I signed up for?
Stress Behaviors*Hurrying through tasks
* Lack of concentration
* Agitation; shortness with co-workers
* Forgetfulness; needs reminders
*Outbursts with co-workers
* Slamming doors; throwing objects
More……*Weepiness on the job
*Frequent personal phone calls on the job
*Pattern of missing appointments; lateness; absences; lack of preparation
*Shoddy job performance
*Will you know it when you see it?
Basic emotions: anger, sadness, fear, & happy
Stressed Emotions:
• Sad tone to voice, talking slower/more deliberately, repeats self
• Angry tone of voice; has an edge to it
• Appears frustrated more often; attempts to assist are met with rejection & anger
• Sounds hopeless or helpless (sadness)
*More emotions
*Seems frightened or hesitant to perform a job task
*Sarcasm (anger)
*Acting happy over an obviously sad or serious situation
*NOT acting happy when there is occasion to celebrate
*Over-reacts to perceived slights
*Statements
*“She said what?!”• “I‘ve had it!”
• “I’m losing it!”
• “ I’ve had enough!”
• “She better stay clear of me!”
Stress Statements
* I can’t take it anymore
*My husband/wife is leaving me
*My kid is driving me nuts
* I hate this place
*These policies are stupid
* I can’t eat or sleep
He said: she said!* I want to kill myself
* It’s just hopeless
* It’s just too much
*We can’t take it anymore
* I can’t concentrate
*My head is ready to burst!
*She’s driving me nuts!
*Stress Statements
*Are you up for it?
*Intervening on a Stressed Employee
Intervention* Always talk with an
employee in private, if possible
* A simple: “Are you OK?” will get a person’s attention
* They’ll either know what you are talking about or they won’t
* If they don’t, point out what you observed-be specific
How to…..*Note your own emotions
and be a cool cucumber; your over-reacting will ruin the deal!
*Use open body stance, great eye contact, & attend to the employee by actively listening
*Intervention with a Stressed employee
*Be clear about what you want to say!
*Be clear about WHAT you observe is either: inappropriate, against policy, offensive, unsafe, illegal, and/or uncharacteristic for that person.
*Consider
• Don’t cause a scene yourself!
• Get employee out of the public view
• Call security if employee fails to cooperate with you
• Do not touch employee unless you need to protest self or others
• Usually employees just need a “time out” to collect their thoughts
Next steps*Allow them time to de-
stress; de-brief; or otherwise let you know what’s going on
* If they share a personal problem; suggest they call the EAP: maybe right then a & there!
*LifeServices CAN do same-day appointments, if needed!
* If they cannot continue to perform their job at that time, consider staff coverage and/or possibly send them home.
Discipline?*Consider if the behaviors
warrant disciplinary action
* Informal referral to EAP?
*Formal (management) referral to the EAP?
*Maybe it’s time for more training/job shadowing?
*What next?
Work setting How calm is it?* Can you make the workplace
more serene?
* Look at your physical surroundings: is it conducive to a stress-free environment?
* Can you add: soothing posters, photos, music, jokebook, 24-Hour Meditation Books, healthy snacks, stress-reduction articles?
*Courage to change the things I can!
*LifeServices EAP
• Call us for consultation.
• Have enough EAP literature around the work station.
• Talk up the EAP ensuring your employees are well-aware of its resources.
• Talk openly about your supporting employees management of their stress; that will go a long way to disspell taboos around: “having to have it together at all times!”
• 1-800-822-4847
*Relax; your life depends on it!