How Can EAP Be A Resource For
Supervisors?
What is EAP?
What is
My Role?
When Should I Contact EAP?
How
Do I Make a Referral?
What
Happens Next?
What
if an Employee Refuses to Use EAP?
How
Else Can the EAP Help Supervisors?
How Do I Contact EAP?
What Is
EAP?
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is the faculty/employee
assistance program of the
University of Maine. The staff offers assessment, short-term
counseling, and referrals to help resolve a broad range of personal,
work, and family problems. All University of Maine faculty,
employees, their immediate family members, and
retirees are eligible to use the
EAP free of charge.
A function of
the EAP is to provide consultation with supervisory
personnel--chairpersons, deans, supervisors, managers. One common
reason for consulting is when employees are presented with personal
problems that affect performance. It can be difficult to tell an
employee that unacceptable performance must change. It can also be
difficult for the employee to accept that performance problems are
serious and need attention. By confronting the poor performance and
simultaneously offering the EAP as a source of professional help, a
supervisor can provide encouragement toward health and productivity
for the employee. Supervisors and managers are encouraged to
recommend EAP to their employees who demonstrate work performance
problems, and these are frequently associated with personal
difficulties.
What Is My Role?
As a supervisor, you are in a unique position to motivate
employees to seek assistance for their problems. It can be difficult
to tell an employees that his/her performance is below standard and
must change. It is also unusually difficult for employees to accept
that personal problems are affecting their job performance.
Frequently, employees who have persistent performance or attendance
problems are found to have underlying difficulties which are causing
problems on the job. The supervisor can provide motivation toward
health and productivity by addressing the poor performance and
simultaneously offering a source of professional help.
When Should Contact EAP?
In the position of supervisor or manager, you may become
aware of several situations in which it would be beneficial to
contact EAP such as:
-
When an employee
demonstrates
a change in work performance. This change may be sudden or
develop over a period of time and may include one or more of the
following:
-
Absenteeism, attendance problems
-
Declining or inconsistent work performance
-
"On-The-Job" absenteeism
-
Frequent tardiness
-
Increased errors, accidents, missed deadlines
-
Difficulties with concentration, confusion
-
Change in attitude, mood, appearance
-
Change in work relationships
-
Frequent complaints
-
When there are no work performance problems but an employee
shares a personal problem with you.
-
When you are feeling stressed, frustrated, helpless,
disappointed or anxious when thinking about an employee's work
performance problems
How Do I Make a Referral?
A persistent performance problem is unlikely to resolve
without any supervisory intervention. when referring and employee to
EAP, use the following steps:
-
Document the employees
performance.
Human Resources
can offer assistance in following proper disciplinary
procedures.
-
Contact EAP to inform us
of a potential referral.
-
Talk with employee about job
performance expectations and outline what changes are needed.
-
Recommend EAP as a resource to
help resolve problems. The earlier and employee seeks help, the
more easily problems can be resolved.
-
Focus on work performance issues.
Do not try to diagnose personal problems.
-
Schedule a follow-up meeting to
evaluate the employee's progress in reaching job performance
standards.
What Happens Next?
Once the employee talks
with a EAP counselor, he/she will be asked to give written
permission for the supervisor to be contacted. The counselor will
inform the supervisor if further appointments are scheduled. The
specific nature of the employee's problem is confidential and will
not be disclosed. The counselor will work with the employee to try
to resolve his/her problems and may recommend the use of additional
resources.
What If An Employee Refuses to
Use EAP?
An employee's involvement with EAP is voluntary. Whether
an employee chooses to use EAP or not, the supervisor needs to
continue to monitor job performance. An employee is not
sheltered from disciplinary procedure by participation in EAP. Nor
can an employees be disciplined for not seeking assistance. whether
EAP is utilized or not, the employee is responsible for acceptable
work performance.
How Else Can the EAP Help
Supervisors
EAP consultants might also
be involved in situations where supervisors want
to gain insight and develop skills about their performances or when
a team is tackling difficult times, undergoing change or wanting to
functions better. Other services include leadership coaching,
facilitation of meetings and staff trainings.
Counselors are available to make
presentations and provide training to employees, supervisors, and
groups about EAP services and various mental health topics such as
Drugs in the Workplace. We can also assist departments in
managing crises or losses which have occurred. These can be arranged
by calling EAP.
How Can I Contact EAP?
Contact the EAP office at
(207)
581-4014 or 1-877-EAP-3315, Monday
through Friday between 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. The office is located
at 126 College Avenue, Orono, Maine 04473.
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