FEI’s Manager Exchange

Cancer Support and Prevention in the Workplace

published by Amber Alles on Tue, 03/12/2013 - 15:09

Nearly everyone in your organization has likely been touched by cancer in some way – whether personally or through the experience of a family member, friend, or coworker. According to the American Cancer Society, employers spend an estimated $264 billion a year on in medical care costs and lost productivity due to cancer. In addition, according to the National Business Group on Health, cancer patients account for 10% of employers’ medical claim costs and a large share of long-term and short-term disability claims. Since 80% of working-age cancer patients return to their jobs at some point during their treatment, it’s crucial for employers to develop programs and policies that address cancer support and prevention.

The Need for Eldercare Assistance

published by Amber Alles on Tue, 03/05/2013 - 14:31

Today, there are nearly 10 million adult children over 50 years old responsible for caring for an aging parent or relative. The effect this has on family relationships can be traumatic, as caring for an older parent often leads to children witnessing their parents’ mental and/or physical decline. In addition, caregiver stress can have serious ramifications for the lives of family caregivers. According to a survey conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network, 42% of family caregivers say they spend more than 30 hours a week providing care. That’s the equivalent of a second job

Recognizing & Resolving Anger

published by Amber Alles on Wed, 02/27/2013 - 11:56

Resolving anger constructively starts with acknowledging angry feelings, and exploring or identifying the cause to these feelings. When you experience anger, it is important to think before reacting; rather than react, then regret. This allows the expression of anger to be a choice rather than a reaction. Resolving anger involves talking with others about your feelings in an honest and respectful way, and looking at what your personal role in the problem may be. It often involves reaching a compromise in which each party makes concessions and identifies areas that need adjustment in order for things to function smoothly.

Understanding Harassment and Bullying

published by Amber Alles on Tue, 02/19/2013 - 09:02

Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behavior intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behavior which is found threatening or disturbing. Bullying, whether it’s being taunted on the playground or being intimidated by a colleague, can be devastating and cause long lasting emotional scars. Entire work groups can be impacted by bullying behavior as it creates distractions and morale problems. The costs to the workplace can be significant in the form of lower job satisfaction, higher turnover and higher stress levels.

Outline for a Corrective Action Letter

published by Amber Alles on Mon, 02/11/2013 - 15:52

All employees are expected to meet performance standards and behave appropriately in the workplace. Corrective action is a process of communicating with an employee to improve unacceptable work performance after other methods such as coaching and performance appraisal have not been successful. The goal is to guide the employee to correct performance or behavior by identifying the problems, causes and solutions. If there is no improvement or if there are repeat occurrences, corrective action may be appropriate. Remember to contact your EAP Account Manager should you decide to make a job performance referral in conjunction with the corrective action letter.

Post-Trauma Intervention for Employees

published by Amber Alles on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 13:04

Events such as natural disasters, man-made tragedies, violence, death, workplace change, or traumatic experiences all can create significant stress and upheaval for individuals and the workplace. Immediate post-trauma reactions cannot be prevented; and, in fact, a range of reactions is normal. Early post-trauma intervention, on an individual or group basis, has proven highly effective in helping individual employees and the overall workplace manage immediate reactions, return to full functioning more quickly, and minimize long-term consequences.

Last Chance Employment Agreements

published by Amber Alles on Tue, 01/29/2013 - 09:27

Last Chance Employment Agreements are formulated when a company decides to retain an employee in lieu of termination following violations of personnel or company policy where grounds for immediate “for cause” termination of employment exist. These agreements prescribe a number of conditions that must be fully met and sustained by the employee for a specified period in order to continue employment. In certain instances use of and compliance with the company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) may be one of these conditions. This represents a “contract” for the employee’s return to work and on-going employment.

When Fitness for Duty is in Question

published by Amber Alles on Thu, 01/24/2013 - 11:20

When an employee exhibits unusual, threatening or potentially dangerous behavior in the workplace, the question of whether the employee is fit to remain on duty in the workplace will often arise. Examples of this behavior include bizarre or incoherent behavior in the workplace, threats of harm to self or others, or physical altercations. A Fitness for Duty evaluation provides a medical/psychiatric determination as to whether an individual can perform the essential functions of his/her position, without a direct threat to the safety of the employee or others in the workplace.

Creating a Culture of Wellness

published by Amber Alles on Tue, 01/15/2013 - 12:08

The number one wellness challenge that organizations have consistently found is a lack of employee engagement in wellness programs. In order to foster employee engagement and create a culture of wellness within your organization, consider the following:

Employee Illness in the Workplace

published by Amber Alles on Tue, 01/08/2013 - 14:03

Everyone deals with an experience like cancer or other serious illness in a different way, depending on their personal coping style and the nature of their specific situation. What is true for one person may not be true for another. When managing an employee with a serious illness, keep in mind that a diagnosis of cancer or other illness is not a death sentence. Today's treatments mean that many people are cured and lead valuable, productive lives for many years after diagnosis. Do not assume that the diagnosis is the end of someone's career. In fact, in some cases people become energized to be more productive and effective after facing illness.

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