Employee assistance programmes

When it comes to employee assistance programmes, such an interview often arises out of realization by a supervisor or fellow team members that an employee s performance has lessened. There are maty influences in oiu hves which can affect the way in which we perform oitr work. These may include domestic concerns, financial difficirlty, substance abuse and peer group pressme. Such an interview may be one-on-one and kindly but firm. The interviewer needs to be well prepared and have a clear basis for what they can offer by way of further assistance. For instance, external coimselhng tn be offered. If the employee is able to retirm to feeling happy, healthy and secure, work performance should be enhanced. If performance doesn t improve after assistance, the employer may need to follow a formal warning process which could lead to terminatiom... 

Where people do develop imsatisfactory psychological responses to problems at work or at home, which resirlt in substance abuse or deterioration in performance, they shoirld be coimselled by a supervisor who should try to address unsatisfactory organizational factors which may have led to the resportses. However, it tn be necessary to refer the person to an employee assistance programme (EAP), if counselhng by a supervisor is imsuccessful. 

Where employees know they have developed a substance use problem, it is important that they are able to access an employee assistance programme. They should be able to access this voluntarily without the knowledge of the employer if they wish. Or a supervisor may offer this as an alternative to disciplinary action or dismissal. Confidentiality and privacy must be respected. Employee assistance programmes offer counselling and rehabilitation. 

Regardless of whether the audit is to be completed by an internal team or an external consultancy or audit team, the involvement of managers, representatives and employees in preparing for the audit will not only assist in devising and implementing the audit programme, it may also assist in completing the audit if undertaken internally. 

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