Supervisor Training Tips in Reasonable Suspicion

Supervisor training tips in reasonable suspicion practice can be invaluable if you must deal with an employee whose job performance has become affected by drug or alcohol use.

There are few processes that you will undertake as a manager or supervisor that are as fraught with difficulty as confronting an employee for reasonable suspicion. There are many training courses available to help you learn how to deal with these situations but it may typically be months or longer after the training before you have to deal with a reasonable suspicion case at your workplace.

Training tips that summarize the course and remind you of specific information points are invaluable in helping you recall the training and put techniques to use.

Many of the best supervisor training tips in reasonable suspicion practice can come in the form of a list of Don’ts. Don’t discuss your suspicions of drug or alcohol use with others (except the appropriate line manager). Don’t play Doctor – you do not need to diagnose the problem. Don’t cover up for the employee.

Don’t moralize –at the workplace you are only concerned about conduct and job performance. Don’t be ‘suckered in’ by the play for sympathy. Don’t make statements (threats) that you have no intention of carrying out. Don't use you own recovery from alcoholism as a blow-away attempt to have the employee "fess" up. Don't take your employee to you Wednesday, AA meeting.

Dealing well with a reasonable suspicion case also involves on-going work with the employee if they maintain the job. In this case, supervisor training tips in reasonable suspicion practice can give you reminders of how to move forward. Do keep an open door policy to encourage good communication and do have respect for the employee’s privacy. Do allow time for the employee to adjust to the new situation. Do hold regular performance appraisal meetings. Do encourage the employees personal efforts (support groups, counselling etc). Do give regular and supportive feedback for both performance and behaviour. Do give immediate feedback and correction if you notice the old pattern re-emerging.

Supervisor training tips in reasonable suspicion can serve as bullet point reminders of the deeper lessons you received in reasonable suspicion training. They will help you recall the steps to take, and the things to expect. Most good quality training courses will provide you with a great list of hints and tips. If however, the course you are taking does not provide you with a readymade list, make your own as you go through the training. This ‘short list’ of the salient points can help you remember the critical details of the training when the pressure is on.

If you are in search of excellent supervisor training tips, try firstgov.gov and do a key word search under reasonable suspicion. You will discover thousands of ideas and choices.