By Valerie S. Nosek, Ease@Work EAP Coordinator
As a business owner, manager or human resource (HR) professional, have you noticed a rise in employee use of sick time? Or, have you seen an increase in employees and their family members using health care benefits? Has there been a spike in employees accessing your employee assistance program (EAP) benefit?
If so, you’re not alone. According to a report published by the Associated Press, “Growing worker stress reflected in benefits use, Watson Wyatt survey says,” more and more employees are calling in sick and using their health-related benefits.
Not surprising during a down economy, said Shelly Wolff, a representative with Watson Wyatt. “Wolff said sick day increases are often tied to job stress, which can trigger health problems. Companies that cut jobs frequently heap more work on remaining workers.”
The Watson Wyatt survey supports Wolff’s conclusions, with 78 percent of those surveyed saying that “excessive work hours” were a leading cause of stress for them.
As for increased health care usage, the cause may be two-fold. One: job stress can trigger or exacerbate health problems, resulting in a need for professional medical care. Two: the employee may feel that they and their dependents need to use their healthcare benefits while they still have them. (I know I have personally heard employees say they were going to have some procedure done that they had been putting off, just because they were uncertain about the security of their job and wanted to make sure they had their medical issues taken care of before a possible reduction in force.)
Sometimes a lay-off or reduction-in-force is the only fiscally responsible decision for an organization. Most of the time, the focus is on the employee being laid off or terminated – after all, their world is being turned upside down. But after the dust settles, what happens to the employees who are left behind?
Managers and HR professionals need to be tuned-in to recognizing signs of employee stress after a major change to the work environment. While organization leaders are not expected to be mental health professionals, they should have access to expert advice. Managers and HR can call their EAP at any time for a management consultation if they want help with dealing with a stressed-out employee. The EAP should also provide onsite management training for dealing with behavior issues.
Understand that any type of relevant change may cause a grief-reaction in employees. Change can be painful and disruptive and there can be an element of loss for “what was.”
- Employees may be in denial – “I can’t believe this is happening.”
- They may resist change – “They don’t know what they’re doing.”
- They may think or say – “I was fine with the way things were before, so I’m just going to keep doing things that way.”
Employers should also recognize many employees experience emotional issues with major changes at work, home or when combined. Management can help employees move through adjustment phases and return to high levels of productivity more quickly if they help employees navigate the process. This may mean acknowledgement of the feelings and grief they may be experiencing.
Asking your EAP to conduct an on-site debriefing may be appropriate if you have a lay-off or staff reduction situation. This on-site program can help both those leaving and the employees who remain. And, while it may be more obvious as to why this type of session can help those being laid-off, what management often forgets is that those who remain to do the work also have emotional reactions that impact productivity the workplace – they may feel guilty about having a job when a long-time co-worker and friend is no longer there, they may feel stressed by having additional responsibilities, they may worry that their position is next to be cut.
Your EAP can also provide other seminars to assist employees negotiate through times of change, whether your concern is based in changes employees may be experiencing in the workplace or at home. Seminars on change management topics may be helpful, as may a seminar about managing stress or on a motivational topic such as how to rediscover passion for your work or optimism.
