possible drinking problem

lnelson

We have an ee who may have a drinking problem? Due to other ee's commenting on it should we address this with the ee?

We have been having performance issues but do not want to terminate.

What can we do?

ANY HELP PLEASE
Lisa

marc

Whether or not other EEs comment about should not be your motivation for addressing it. Surely the behavior manifests itself with performance problems that can be addressed. Do you have a policy about drugs and alcohol on the job?

I would think the safety problems and customer relation problems would cause you to get after this issue without hesitation.

There are several threads on the forum discussing ways to specifically address personal improvement plans for this behavior. Do a little research and figure out which of these suggestions will work for your company.

You do not have to immediately terminate, but if you do not address the situation, you may wish you had.

Good luck.

HR in CA

Is the percieved drinking problem happening during work hours? If so, what does your policy say? Here is the portion of our policy that addresses it:

"In cases where management has reasonable suspicion to believe that an employee possesses or is under the influence of drugs, a drug screening may be ordered. The suspicion will be based upon objective symptoms such as factors related to the employee’s appearance, behavior and speech".

If the problem is not affecting the other issues I would stick to dealing with performance.

Do you have an EAP program? If so this is a great opportunity to involve the EAP.

Don D

"May have a drinking problem"? "Other ees commenting on it"? These are the two weakest of all possible reasons to consider approaching an employee about what you perceive, or hear is a problem. You should carefully review your policies regarding the use of and penalties for illegal drug and on-job alcohol use. If, according to your policy's observation criteria, the employee is suspect, proceed in accordance with your policy. This is a slippery, emotional and dangerous slope and you must proceed well informed and in accordance with a sound policy and procedure. The very last reason to react is because of some rumor.

Shadowfax

I agree with Don that the reasons you listed are very weak. Marc is also correct that we have discussed this very issue at length in other threads. But, you did say you have performance issues. Address them now! Forget anyone said drinking problem. If he isn't impaired at work, you don't care how much or how ofter he gets tanked (if you check other threads you willsee that not all our colleagues agree with my 'I don't give a rat's bum what the e/ees problem is). But, if the performance is related to the drinking - hyou have a problem that isn';t ever going to get better (more abuse coming - to me that is) and will be getting worse shortly, and you'll wish you did somethig decisive now. Get on the performance today. Ride herd on it 24/7. If it doesn't improve immediately, bounce him. If you don't, you'll suffer the consequences.My 3 cents worth - in deference to balloon man).

Margaret Morford

We had employees who would miss Mondays a lot and show up pretty hung over and unable to function very well. No alcohol smell no drinking on the job that we knew of. We issued corrective action citing the pattern of attendance and his/her lack of ability to function when he/she did come in on Mondays. In the initial conference, we coached the supervisor to say, "You know Joe sometimes when people have this sort of behavior pattern, they are struggling with an alcohol or drug problem. Now I'm not saying that's what's going on here, but if it is, I want you to know that the company will help you get some help, including a leave of absence if you need to go into a treatment program." Then the supervisor wouldn't say anything else. Joe will either deny it or will explode and says something like, "Are you saying (accussing me of being) I'm an alcoholic or drug addict?" The supervisor will then say, "I never said you were. I said this pattern of behavior is one that you often see when someone is struggling with alcohol or drugs. I'm here to help in any way possible with this performance problem you're having."

I have never had an employee confess at that point that they had a problem, but they now know if they ever want it, you will help them. About 25% of the time, they will come back at a later date and ask for help. That's a powerful opportunity we have to help someone change their life. Most recovering alcoholics and drug addicts say that no matter how much their family and friends begged them to get help, it wasn't until their employer became aware that they decided to do something about it. I'd hate to squander that opportunity.

You only have this conversation once. The next time Joe comes in unable to function, you address the performance issue straight up and move Joe to the next step. Sometimes someone has to hit rock bottom before they get help. Sometimes rock bottom is losing their job. Address the performance problem as you would any other. Fire Joe if he runs through the process and doesn't improve. Otherwise, you are just enabling him to drink or use.

At least twice in my life, I've fired employees that we knew had drug or alcohol problems and they returned six months to a year later asking to be re-hired, telling us they'd finally gotten help. They each showed me their sobriety chip. We re-hired both and never regretted it.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

sonny

You need to manage by facts and the only ones I see are performance issues and that is where I would focus.

I like Margaret's approach as addition, but as she notes, one time, one time only. Other wise it should be all about performance.