Helping Supervisors Notice the Risks Around Them

Only 41% of managers make a conscious effort to pay attention to their employees' well-being, according

to a recent study conducted by 15Five, a management consulting firm.

The survey was not talking about failure at being an armchair diagnostician. Rather, the survey was examining how supervisors do or do not pay attention to the signs and symptoms that should at least trigger a discussion or inquiry, and then a possible referral to help.

Personally, I am not surprised by the findings.

The pattern of detachment observed in this study is due, in my opinion, to the decrease in high touch, live-body, genuine, core technology EAPs that move within an organization offering consulting, training, promotion, counseling/assessment, and on-demand resources that produce engagement. Such organizations “think EAP.”

Only these sorts of programs (as originally conceived by the founders of the profession) are bold enough and integrated enough to reach managers with the right education, training, and consultation that can influence leadership to be proactive and manage troubled employees effectively. Anything less fails to identify and mitigate behavioral risk in the organization.

Helplines and hotlines and 800# for self-referrals run by insurance companies are nice, but they do not penetrate the risk pool of serious personnel problems--the type associated with tragedies like workplace violence. These require formal referrals and well-matched progressive discipline mechanisms. Self-referral alone won't cut it.

On a side note, consider this: Is there a link between fewer internal and EAPs as described above, and the increase in workplace shootings over the past 25 years?

Driving the study by 15Five is a nearly worldwide concern about stress, burnout, and work-life balance.

Anticipate hearing a new buzzword in the future: "work life synergy.”

This lexicon underscores the importance of stress management in our new age of 24/7 digital access to work, remote positions, working from home, and in many cases, the near impossible task of detaching from our daily workplace responsibilities. Work-life synergy is about managing stress despite the morphing of work time and personal time.

To help supervisors focus on “identifying” signs and symptoms of trouble employees, do effective supervisor training, distribute a supervisor newsletter that's actionable, like the one we’ve published for 27 years, and promote frequently your availability as an EAP or EA professional to consult on employee issues.

When promoting to management, understand that frequency is everything. Expect to have 8 or 9 touches with your supervisory staff before you see a regular flow of requests from supervisors for help. Then, do not let up.

Find reasons to connect with supervisors monthly. There is absolutely no easier way to do it than using Frontline Supervisor EAP newsletter. It see the notes section on page two. Use it each month to connect, share news, and offer tidbits and advice on using the EAP in supervision to supervisors. Use this form to get a subscription or a trial to Frontline Supervisor. Or consider this unique package of supervisor skills training for new supervisors and first time supervisors. Here a short video introduction of a New Supervisor Training program in Powerpoint or another format.