January 2005 Newsletter ***************************************************************************** ***************************************************************************** IN THIS ISSUE: Employees Matter--Alcohol & Substance Abuse Communication Corner--Whining at Work News You Can Use--Long Term Care Career Development Just for fun--An Assistant's Evaluation ***************************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SAVE 25% WHEN ORDERING ALL 3 PROGRAMS. A NEW YEAR BRINGS 3 NEW PRODUCTS! Announcing 3 New Clint Maun Programs in Partnership with PRIMEDIA Healthcare: The Activity Department's Role in Enhancing Customer Service -- This program will provide insight on how the activity department relates to customer service perception, addresses their role in coordinating the resident's care plan, developing a quality indicator scoreboard and much more. http://www.ihnsolutions.com/products/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=75 Meals or Milkings? True Dining Experience or "Herding Ritual"? -- This program discusses how customer perception and value are related to the dining experience, relates how each team member is involved in creating a positive dining experience, identifies rewards and recognitions to foster positive team involvement, plus more. http://www.ihnsolutions.com/products/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=76 PPS, MDS, Do It For Less, or Are We Blessed? -- This program will differentiate between capitated reimbursement versus fee-for-service, identify ways to involve each member in properly documenting services, lists ways to track team success involving capitated reimbursement. http://www.ihnsolutions.com/products/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77 These three 60 minute video programs target nurses, certified case managers, long-term administrators, dietary managers, dietetic technicians, and activity professionals. All 3 Programs are available on VHS or DVD. Please indicate your preference when ordering. If you'd like more information on Clint Maun's speaking, consulting or products please go to www.ClintMaun.com or call Kathy Cain, VP at 1-800-356-2233. SAVE 25% WHEN ORDERING ALL 3 PROGRAMS. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alcohol and Drug Abuse: What's It Costing Your Organization? Plain and simple, employees who abuse drugs and alcohol cost organizations big bucks. In fact, according to The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, U.S. companies lose approximately $100 billion a year due to alcohol and drug-related abuse by employees. These loses come in a variety of forms including: * After-effects of substance use (hangover, withdrawal) that affect job performance and productivity * Absenteeism due to alcohol and/or drug use * Psychological or stress-related effects due to substance abuse that interfere with attention and concentration while on the job * Worker's compensation claims And contrary to what you may think, it's not the hard-core alcoholics who are responsible for most of the lost productivity. According to the Christian Science Monitor, research shows that it's actually the social drinkers (specifically tying the hangover issue) that mostly contribute to lost production in the workplace. This research also found that it was managers, not hourly employees, who were most often drinking during the workday: twenty-three percent of upper managers and 11 percent of first-line supervisors reported having a drink during the workday, compared with only eight percent of hourly employees. What You Can Do About It Establishing a workplace substance abuse program can drastically reduce the costs related to decreased productivity and increased health claims. While there is no "one size fits all" substance abuse program (programs should be tailored to the needs and circumstances of the individual company) there are five standard components of a comprehensive workplace substance abuse program. According to the U.S. Department of Labor these components are: 1. A written policy statement 2. Supervisor training 3. Employee education and awareness 4. Employee assistance for providing help 5. Drug and alcohol testing Below are brief descriptions of what each step entails. A Written Policy Statement Your organization's drug and alcohol workplace policy is the backbone of your program. You'll want to clearly define your organization's commitment to preserving an alcohol and drug-free workplace as well as the standards all employees must adhere to. Additionally, you'll want to ensure that the consequences of violating the policy have been read and understood by all. The Department of Labor has a tool that will help you build and customize your own policy statement. This is available at: http://www.dol.gov/elaws/asp/drugfree/drugs/screen16.asp Prior to distribution and implementation, it's strongly recommended that you have your policy reviewed by a qualified legal consultant. ***************************************************************************** Know the Signs Most people abusing drugs or alcohol may not ask for help. In fact, they will probably do everything possible to deny or hide the problem. Or, they may not realize that they have a problem at all. The following behaviors are signs that someone may be using drugs or abusing alcohol: * Getting high on drugs or getting drunk on a regular basis * Lying about the amount of drugs or alcohol they are using * Lying about other things, even unimportant things * Avoiding friends and family in order to get high or drunk * Giving up activities and hobbies they used to enjoy * No longer spending time with friends who don't use drugs or drink and/or spending more time with people who do * Constantly talking about using drugs or drinking * Believing that in order to have fun they need to drink or use drugs * Pressuring others to use drugs or drink * Taking risks, including sexual risks and driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs * Feeling run-down, hopeless, depressed, or even suicidal * Missing work or poor work performance because of drinking or drug use * Having difficulty getting along with others It's important not to ignore these signs. After all, the health of your co-worker(s), and the safety of the workplace could be in jeopardy. If you feel a co-worker is showing signs of alcohol or drug abuse, tell your boss who can then take the next steps, such as contacting a qualified alcohol and drug professional for further advice. ***************************************************************************** Supervisor Training & Education Another important factor for a substance abuse program is training supervisors to: * understand your healthcare organization's substance abuse policy and procedures * identify employee problems * know how and where to refer employees who are having substance problems Employee Education & Awareness Employee education is a critical element of your drug-free workplace program. Education measures can include informative seminars, educational brochures, and/or an expert speaker who can enlighten your employees on the ills of substance abuse. The main point is to get the word out and let employees know that the organization takes alcohol and drug abuse seriously--as should they. Employee Assistance for Providing Help Employee Assistance Programs (EAP's) are designed to provide free, confidential, short-term counseling to help with a variety of job related and personal problems. An EAP can be established in-house or contracted from professional counseling service firms. Drug and Alcohol Testing Many organizations follow the example of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for their drug testing programs. The DOT tests for marijuana, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine and amphetamines (testing for alcohol is somewhat more complicated because alcohol remains in the blood stream for only a few hours). Keep in mind that drug testing is not allowed in every state and each complete drug testing package may cost between $40 and $100. Therefore, employee drug testing is not a feasible option for every company. If your organization doesn't have the means to administer drug testing, you may want to focus on a strong discipline policy instead. Final Thoughts Unfortunately, alcohol and drug abuse is more common than a lot of us what like to think. This type of abuse not only causes great damage to your organization, but also to the employee who has the problem. While every program will be different, when the issue of workplace substance abuse is addressed by establishing comprehensive programs, it is a "win-win" situation for both employers and employees. ***************************************************************************** "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." --Annie Dillard ***************************************************************************** Winning The Whining Wars How many times have you ever wanted to say to an employee who was incessantly griping about their job to, "STOP WHINING ALREADY"! If you can make out the words (whining is usually muffled by an annoying "waaaaaah waaaaaah waaaaaah" sound) it usually sounds a little like this: * "The company doesn't appreciate me." * " I'm going to be stuck in this position forever." * " Nobody tells me what's going on around here." * "My evaluation wasn't fair." * "My raise isn't nearly enough." * "I always get stuck with the weekend shifts." Some whiners may express their negative attitude in other ways, including being chronically late, stealing from the company, and/or backstabbing co-workers. No matter what your constant complaining sounds like, here's some friendly advice: put a lid on it. Not only does chronic whining create an atmosphere of self-pity, but it can also be bad for your health. Studies show that wallowing in negativity aggravates chronic pain (i.e., backache, headache). Other studies suggest that anger suppresses the immune system, leaving whiners open to a wide variety of bodily ills. And perhaps there will be no need to call in sick when you're feeling the harmful effects of whining--if you keep up with the constant complaints you may end up with no job at all. You may feel that no one is listening to your disgruntlement, but believe one thing--they are. And if/when it comes down to re-organizations or cut backs, do you really think anyone will want to keep a chronic complainer around? After all, you're poisoning the organization with such a vile outlook. And what a terrible waste it is, to be fired solely because of your attitude, not because you couldn't perform your job. You may be thinking to yourself, "But I have a right to voice my concerns!" Yes, that's true. But, there's a difference between constructively expressing your opinions, and just plain whining. If you're habitually expressing a "glass is half-empty" attitude, you need to snap out of it. Despite what you may think, resentment is not so much a natural response as a conditioned one. If you take a good, long look at the situation, you may recognize that you're reacting to fear, as opposed to the actual circumstances in front of you. For example, the temptation to complain about a performance review may actually be stemming from fears you may have about your own skill set. If you take a moment to honestly evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and then present these items to your manager, you're going to have a much more meaningful and productive review. Remember, it's necessary and healthy to share your concerns, but if you keep your fears inside, as opposed to constructively sharing them with management, you're most likely going to vent your frustrations in some other way, and that way will probably come in the form of whining. Another key to winning the whining wars is to strengthen the communication lines from top management to the front line employees. While you should create a culture that looks down on constant complaining, you also need to create an atmosphere in which employees know they can go to any level of management and that someone will listen. If not, their concerns will be voiced to their peers and anyone else that will listen, which could very well end up being patients and customers. ***************************************************************************** "Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness." --James Thurber ***************************************************************************** The Society of Senior Living Professionals: AIMING for Professional Development When you made the decision to become a healthcare professional, you made the choice to help hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Simply put, healthcare professionals serve some of the most important needs of the community. Indeed, sometimes we get so focused on the needs of others that we forget about our own needs--specifically our professional needs. No doubt about it, the need to grow and develop professionally is critical. And a new organization is here to help fill this void. Say hello to AIM: The Society of Senior Living Professionals. "AIM" is committed to helping long term care professionals define and achieve career aspirations. The society offers its members many benefits including a unique, multi-format career-development program. It combines on-the-job training, advanced education, private consulting, and personalized career mapping for ambitious administrators, nurses, and sales/marketing personnel across the long term care spectrum. Healthcare professionals who become members will have access to: * Online courses and live workshops, seminars, and teleconferences on topics such as leadership models, developments in gerontology, and business management. * Personal career assessments using such standardized self-assessment tests as the Myers-Briggs, as well as career counseling and coaching from a panel of top-rated consultants in the field. * Special publications focusing on long term care management. It's important to note that none of the Society's programs are intended to compete with existing trade associations. Their focus is exclusively on the individual seeking professional development. For more information, visit http://www.aimsociety.org/ An Assistant's Evaluation Memo If you're always looking over people's shoulders, trying to see what they're doing and hear what they're saying, then you better beware! You may think you're in the know, but a nosy attitude can definitely backfire. Take note of the evaluation below. Judy Smith, my assistant, can always be found hard at work in her station. Judy works independently, without wasting hospital time talking to colleagues. Judy never thinks twice about assisting fellow employees, and she always finishes given assignments on time. Often, Judy takes extended measures to complete her work, sometimes skipping coffee breaks. Judy is an individual who has absolutely no vanity in spite of her high accomplishments and profound knowledge in her field. I firmly believe that Judy can be classed as a high-caliber employee, the type which cannot be dispensed with. Consequently, I duly recommend that Judy be promoted to executive management, and a proposal will be executed as soon as possible. Regards - Charge Nurse Shortly thereafter, the HR department received the following memo from the Charge Nurse: Sorry, but my nosy assistant (Judy) was reading over my shoulder while I wrote the report sent to you earlier today. Kindly read only the odd numbered lines for my true assessment of her... |