Employer Strategies

Nothing comes from nothing. As Billy Preston sang; "Nothin From Nothin Leaves Nothin!".  All problems have a source. All problems ignored become bigger over time. Ponder This, People will only do one of two things. Do something to avoid pain or do something to gain pleasure. All motivations are defined in between these two motivators.

Motivation Is Pleasure or Fear Based. Nothing else counts.

When you viewed the previous list {if you skipped that page go back to>Employers' Guide To Chemical  Dependency )  I gave specific symptoms of problems. Some of these problems are directly in relation to Chemical Dependency. Some may not be. But when you see these problems in multiples it usually Red Flags that employee as someone that needs a very close look and an appropriate meeting to discuss these issues. If a union is involved, you must involve the union to represent the affected employee and if further talks are necessary, or action is warranted, everyone will be working off of the same page.

Document what you observe or what has transpired carefully.

Don't drop the ball because it could become a source of litigation by any number of people affected by this employee or even the employee in question. Cut them off at the pass. Employer tolerance levels are generally dictated by sloth I hate to say. Sad but true, employee safety is generally regulated by those who are reactive instead of proactive. This is just utterly stupid! ( I can say things like that because I don't work for anyone.)

Safety departments that lack education specific to behavioral problems are doing less than half the job.  Safety regulators with No Teeth are a joke. Yet they exist to everyone's peril.

Really think about this. Nothing changes until something changes.

In public schools we have created Zero Tolerance for drugs, alcohol and violence. When a students' actions become a problem psychological intervention often becomes mandatory. In the work place these safeguards in general do not exist which renders company policies worthless. A piece of paper only fit to wipe your rear end with. Many companies have

Employee Assistance Programs that are strictly voluntary leaving the person who truly needs the help out of the loop. Most troubled people will never admit that they are struggling. I wonder how many work place shooters tried Employee Assistance Plans? None is a good guess.

This is a recap.

When employers are aware that an employee has had offenses such as;

•Multiple DUI offenses-careless disregard for others.

•A Spousal Abuse Offense-violence

•A Menacing Offense-violence

• Drug Possession-drug usage

•Public Intoxication/Disorderly Conduct-poor impulse control with

addictive characteristics.

•Stealing/Shoplifting-impulse control problems-ethical breach.

•Assault-violence-impulse control problem-anger problem

•Child Abuse or Neglect-violence/negligence

•Indecent Acts-emotionally disturbed-lack of impulse control-may contain violence.

•Appears Often In Public Intoxicated-addiction

•Stalking-severely emotionally disturbed-violence and control issues-obsession.

These are events that should trigger action by the employer. Each work place is a micro community. Within this community are people who deserve to be protected from emotionally irresponsible people. This is not an option for the employer. This is a responsibility. To protect your employees safety and health is a mandate legally and morally.

People that commit these types of offenses are very troubled people. These troubled people do not become well from 9 to 5 everyday. They carry this baggage with them 24X7! By not applying pressure to these people to solve their problems you are allowing these problems to proliferate into the work place and become worse. These problems don't age like a fine wine. At this point an employer is doing nothing more than wagering that this troubled soul will behave. As an employer you are betting that no one will be harmed. That's some lottery you have going there!

Many times good employees will not complain about the behavior of other employees because they fear, and rightfully so, inaction by the employer with an agenda that has little to do with anonymity for the complaining employee. This employee is now revictimized.

I've seen people hit, threatened, cars keyed and other property destroyed simply because affected employees reported offenses and employers allowed the aggressor knowledge of who complained.

Now here's the killer. If something happens in the work place that involves a disturbed employee, the employer will often say they were not told of the problem. That is one Hell of an Abusive Double Bind for the Innocent Affected Employee!

If this reads like an Indictment it is because it is an Indictment. It is also a call for change as well as a call for employers to walk their talk and unions to likewise protect the majority of their memberships not just the troubled employee who is actually the offender-not the victim.