How To Recognize Problem and/or Substance-Abusing Employees

The following is a sample of a proposal to provide training for supervisors.  This training can be customized for businesses with/without drug testing policies and/or Employee Assistance Programs.

My name is Jeanie Jones and I am here today to present to you why I think I am the best candidate to provide training to your supervisors on the issues of how to recognize substance-abusing employees, how to deal with the issues of substance-abusing employees and what to do once you have made a referral for help for an employee.

I will first present to you a little about myself, my credentials, my experience, including other training that I have provided.  Then I will present to you my ideas about training your supervisors and will give you brief examples of what the training will consist of and what hand-outs I would use.  My style of presentation is casual and will be so today;  I always have goals and objectives for training but follow a loose agenda.  It is not always possible to know in advance what the exact needs of the participants are; therefore it is important to stay flexible while staying on track to reach the established goals.  In keeping with that, I always invite questions at any point in the presentation.

 I have worked in the field of substance abuse and mental health for 27 years.  I have worked as a clinician, supervisor, life skills educator and trainer.  I have been involved with School Team Training, as a facilitator and Crisis Team Training.  These were accomplished using a model that presented information and education on substance abuse or dealing with a crisis and then allowed team members time with their facilitator to use the information presented to tailor a plan to implement when they went back to their school or community. 

 I currently do contract work for Integris Corporate Assistance Program.  In addition to seeing clients for short-term assessment and problem-solving therapy, I provide De-Briefing for Crises, training for many of our agency and corporate contracts.  This includes Suicide Prevention, Preventing Burn-Out, Stress Management and Supervisor Training on How to Recognize Problem Employees.  I have provided training as a part of EAP contracts for Shawnee Public Schools and Shawnee Milling;  this consisted of new employee orientation and supervisor training.  I maintained an on-call assistance after the training to help supervisors deal with problem employees and assist in assessment and/or referral.

I have provided training statewide to substance abuse professionals on correct administration of the Addiction Severity Index.  These usually consisted of approximately 25 participants.

 What we do today in the arena of substance abuse is quite different than it was 20 years ago.  Then we told everybody “You can’t help anyone who doesn’t want help.  You just have to wait until they hit bottom.”   We required everybody who needed help to attend 90 AA meetings in 90 days.  We said things like, “If you drink and it causes you problems and you continue to drink, it’s a problem.”  Everybody who had an alcohol or other drug problem went to 30 days of inpatient treatment.  Total abstinence was the only recommended course for anyone who had any type of alcohol or other drug problem, as defined above. 

Today we know that there are many opportunities to intervene before a person hits bottom.  We also know that a big, formal intervention where all the family members get together for weeks with a counselor and then meet to confront the alcoholic is not the only option for intervention.  There are also many options for treatment; most people who do require alcohol/other drug treatment can be quite successful on an outpatient basis. Many people who experience problems, such as a DUI, can be helped with education or brief intervention.  There are many more options for treatment modalities, as well.  We no longer take a “one size fits all” approach to dealing with the complex issues surrounding alcohol use, abuse, misuse and addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs.   It is imperative that anyone suspected of having an alcohol or other drug abuse problem be referred to a professional who will, initially do a brief screening and, if warranted,  do a thorough evaluation, using standardized tools and base their recommendations for treatment (if any) on the results of those tools. 

Tools:  ASI  (Addiction Severity Index)

ASAM Placement Criteria   (American Society of Addiction Medicine) 

MAST (Michigan Alcohol Screening Test)

Having policies, which address substance abuse and how it affects workers and the workplace, is one such opportunity for intervention.  Because of the complex nature of drug abuse and addiction, it is important for supervisors who will be implementing such policies, to have a working understanding of drug abuse and work through their own issues of “that’s not my business.”  Buy in from supervisors, from the director to those who supervise line workers is essential to the success of any Employee Assistance or Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy and follow-up. 

It would be my suggestion to start the training of supervisors with a frank discussion about the policies; why they are necessary and what each supervisor’s responsibility is.   Pointing out the benefits to all in dealing with substance abuse in the workplace would help accomplish this.   The supervisor’s would need to understand the alcohol and drug policies and know and understand their role in implementation and maintenance.

Handout A

The second thing I would address is what substance abuse is and how it costs us money.  The supervisors need to understand and be able to recognize the effects of substance abuse in the workplace. 

REFER TO PAGE 2 IN MANUAL

Handout C

It is then important to look at Troubled Employee Cycles and symptoms that could be indicative of substance abuse.  Again, it is important to stress, it is not the supervisor’s job to diagnose or attempt to offer advice for treatment, but rather to gather objective information that will help in the assistance of the employee, or termination if the behavior persists. 

Handout D

Go over all of these with discussions about what they mean and why they are important.

Role Play or give scenarios of how to approach an employee.  It is important that the supervisors know how to observe and document unsatisfactory job performance.

Supervisors also need training on how to document employee performance and behavioral changes and how to confront workers according the Health Department’s procedures. 

It is important that supervisors know how to refer an employee to those who are qualified to make a diagnosis and offer assistance.   The three types of referral are:  Voluntary, at the Supervisor’s Suggestion and Involuntary.

Handout E

Talk about what can happen after an employee goes to treatment.

HANDOUT F

REFER TO THE REST OF THE MANUAL AS USEFUL TOOLS FOR SUPERVISORS TO USE.

For more information visit www.jeaniejones.com or email

jeanie@jeaniejones.com

 

A Little More Honesty, Please

I have worked as a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counselor for 27 years.  I am not one of those therapists who hammer my clients into being "totally honest" with everybody.  Sometimes, if you are going to be "totally honest" with someone else, only to ease your guilt, it can have a devastating effect on the other person.  In those types of situations, the possible benefit and possible consequences, to both parties, has to be weighed very carefully and the person with the secret has to make a decision.  I hope that decision is always made with the best of intentions for everybody.  However, I am not naive enough to believe this always happens.  I also believe this cannot be an excuse to continue to lie to people.

But what I want to talk about today is day-to-day honesty and how the world would work so much better if we could learn to be honest with others.  Let's start at work.

I have supervised so many people over the years who were afraid to talk to me (their supervisor) because of supervisors in the past who had yelled at them, ridiculed them or played games with them.  I have only yelled at one employee, once.  Though I'm not proud of that moment, I think it's a pretty good record.  What I have always tried to do is be honest and be straight.  "This is what I expect and these are the consequences if I don't get it."  I think a performance review should be just that, a review.  There should not be any surprises.  How many of you have had things show up on a performance review where you said, "Wow, I didn't know that was a problem?"  I certainly have.

When supervisors come to me and ask what to do about a problem employee, the issue has usually already been ignored far too long.  I always suggest that supervisor start keeping their "problem" log from the first sign of trouble.  If months go by with no more problems, you can shred the list.  But, you need to bring up problems as they happen and you need to keep your list if they continue.  Employees need concrete examples of what they are doing wrong so they can correct it.  Be honest with employees; be honest with co-workers so bad feeling don't fester and interfere with your ability to do your job.  If you make a mistake, the best thing is to tell your boss as soon as possible.  The sooner you tell him/her, the sooner they can help you fix it and the more likely you'll be forgiven.  Don't tell them, it gets worse, gets more impossible to fix and they are less likely to keep you around.  Our instinct may be to cover for people, especially if they are friends, but if they are in trouble, this is not helpful.

Personal:  just tell the truth.  Now, as I said, it is not always the best idea to "cleanse your soul" and confess a pile of past misdeeds; this has to be weighed carefully.  But, if someone is about to enter a singing competition and they can't sing, tell them.  Gently and lovingly, but tell them.  We might have a few less laughs during American Idol try-outs, but it may save them some misery.  If you don't want to do something that I ask you to do, say no.  You'll be happier and I'll be happier in the long run, because you want have a resentment festering against me. 

Business:  scams usually don't work.  If you really bought that blender six years ago, don't say it was six weeks ago.  First of all, unless you have a receipt you probably won't get a warranty honored.  Second, the person providing the warranty can tell.  If you really haven't checked with your family members about accepting your package, don't say you did.  When your daughter's signature shows up on tracking, you just look dishonest and you have wasted the company's time tracking down your package.  If you don't like something a salesperson is showing you, say so, she can move on to something else.   So, if you get poor service at a  business, please let them know.  If you got good service at a business, please let them know.  If we were all honest, businesses could get on with the business of providing good service to you, the customer.  If they can spend more time providing that good service, that keeps costs down for you, the customer.

Be nice.  My mother is not a seasoned traveler.  But once, several years ago, she saw an ad for a travel agency and decided to book her own flight to see my sister in California.  After a couple of weeks, her ticket had not been delivered via mail, as promised.  When she called, she got the run around.  So she asked me to intervene on her behalf.  I called the travel agency.  After I spoke with them, they called my mother and told her I had cursed at them over the phone.  I am proud to say, my mother told them with utmost certainty, "No she didn't, my daughter does not talk to people like that."  That was one of my proudest moments; that my mother knew me well enough to know that I would not do that.  I am not a stranger to using foul language, but I never direct it at others and I never use it when I am dealing with business.  So....

• State the facts
• Stay calm
• Be pleasant
• Tell the other person what you want
• Tell them the consequences of not getting what you want (without threats of bodily harm)
• No cursing, yelling, name calling

How do you think the world would be if we were all more honest with each other?  I think we'd all get more done and enjoy life to its fullest.

Healthy Sleep Tips | National Sleep Foundation - Information on Sleep Health and Safety

Healthy Sleep Tips National Sleep Foundation - Information on Sleep Health and Safety

Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator[R] in career counseling. | North America United States from AllBusiness.com

If you are thinking of using this test in employment testing, please read this article.  There are ethical and legal implications. 

Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator[R] in career counseling. | North America United States from AllBusiness.com

Relaxation

What do you like to do in your free time?  If you answered, "What free time?" (buzzer going off) that is the wrong answer. 

Seriously, it is so important that you carve out even a few minutes in your day for some "me" time.  Why?  Because if you are so busy taking care of other things and other people and take no time for yourself, you will soon be no good to anyone.  Let's ask it another way, What would you like to do in your free time?  Let's start by talking about ways to make it through the day.

Did you know that many people don't breathe correctly.  Yes, I know, breathing is involuntary, but it can also be voluntary, meaning, you can control it.  Learning how to take a few "breathing" breaks throughout the day can help you get through the day.  The other wonderful thing is that you can do it anytime, anywhere, no matter how busy you are; you just have to remember to do it.  Right now, sitting at your computer reading this, breathe in very deeply through your nose; hold it, then breathe out very slowly through your mouth.  If you are alone or where it doesn't matter, you can make lots of noise doing it, just helps with the whole process if you can hear it, too.  NOW....close your eyes and repeat.  Come on, I just did it as I was typing, so you can do it, too.

If you find that you have trouble getting through the day, your job is stressful, you deal with customers, patients, clients that are demanding, difficult or just plain disagreeable, treat yourself to some "breathing" breaks.  The interesting thing about stress is the more stressed we get, the less time we seem to have and the less effective we are.  See a pattern?  Yes, it's all connected, mind, body, spirit.  Take care of one and it helps the others fall into place.  Neglect one and watch the others suffer. 

Stay tuned for more relaxation techniques; until then, keep breathing. 

Insomnia

Have you ever been plagued with insomnia?  Many people have.  A few hints for those who have trouble sleeping:

• Make your bedroom a sanctuary
• Have a cup of herbal tea or warm milk before heading into the bedroom
• Mentally prepare for going to bed as you wash your face, brush your teeth
• Complete all your work in another room before going to the bedroom for the night
• Keep your computer, including your laptop and smart phone (instruct loved ones to call on your land-line if they have an emergency)
• Exercise several hours before bedtime (not right before)
• If you cannot sleep, get up out of bed and do something, i.e., read (nothing scary or "self-help" that stirs up emotion) something soothing, knit, do laundry
• Go back to bed and try again (lying in bed when you can't sleep just causes you to focus on not sleeping)
• If noise is keeping you awake (neighborhood noise or your apartment has thin walls) invest in a white noise machine

For more information PubMed Health

Healthy Sleep Tips | National Sleep Foundation - Information on Sleep Health and Safety