Faculty and Staff Issues Floyd Sylvester Employee Assistance Program

Faculty Stressors Teaching Research Publications Grant writing Managing grant money effectively Working towards tenure Managing staff and students Working with colleagues Personal life

Staff Stressors Economic Uncertainty Dealing with Evolving Demands on Campuses

UNL Employee Assistance Program Internal program, housed on-campus Benefits of healthy employees –Happier –Higher work performance –Works more cooperatively Serve entities simultaneously –Employee/client/family member –Organization No cost

EAP Counselors Licensed MH Practitioners or Counselors plus work performance specialists Understand underlying issues Develop a plan Short v. long-term process –Chemical dependency –Psychological issues

Roles of EAP Manage an Employee Emergency Loan Fund Employee evaluations Employee terminations Reduction in Force (RIF) assistance –Secure new employment –Maintain emotional/psychological stability UNL Threat Assessment Team Disaster Behavioral Health Educational training (i.e., dealing with stress)

Benefits of EAP Help employees and family members resolve issues Beneficial for both the university and the individual Employees who utilize services are less likely to pose a threat

EAP Interventions Offer employees assistance through: –Education –Solution-focused coaching –Counseling and/or referral as needed Evaluate safety concerns and develop a plan

Strategies for Assisting Faculty and Staff Creating a detailed vision of how they want their life to be. –What are the steps needed to get to where they want to go? –Break it down to daily tasks, if possible –Recognize each step accomplished –Avoid self-criticism. Life gets in the way and there will be days

Key Roles Partnership-Supervisor/EAP consultation and training Work performance focus Communication Liaison –Supervisor/employee –Referral source and organization re: work performance Micro/Macro intervention –Conflict Resolution between employees/departments Training-educational topics regarding life and/or work challenges

Integration: Threat Assessment Team Managing Employee Termination Assisting with voluntary terminations Managing Conflict Coordination of outside mental health resources

©2007 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved. Floyd Sylvester LMHP, CEAP Director, UNL EAP