Tips on Recognizing and Dealing with Employees in Distress
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General Signs of Distress
Everyone has a bad day now and then. People get angry, upset, tearful, or nervous and it is not unusual for others to notice that distress. Sometimes employees confide in co-workers or supervisors about their problems. Doing so is neither unusual nor necessarily indicative of a warning of impending severe problems. At some point, however, repeated distress is a red flag. When a person’s behavior changes, you will see more of the following signs of distress and see them more often. They will also become more intense. Look for the following:
- Nervousness
- Agitation
- Increased irritability
- Undue aggressive or abrasive behavior
- Excessive procrastination
- Marked change in attendance and/or quality of work
- Poorly prepared work
- Little or no work completed
- Depression
- Lack of energy
- Marked change in personal hygiene
- The smell of alcohol
- Withdrawal
- Fearfulness
- Dependency (e.g., the employee who hangs around you or makes excessive appointments to see you)
- Indecisiveness
- Confusion
- Bizarre, alarming or dangerous behaviors
Weighing Distress Signals:
Consider the following scales and rank these signs for frequency and intensity:
Rate How Often:
Never |
Seldom |
Frequent |
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Rate Level of Control:
Upset/In control |
Intense/Out of Control |
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