Managing Sensitive Employee Issues

This course is about dealing with sensitive employee issues—issues that give rise to work performance problems and, when talked about, have the potential to cause embarrassment or create strong emotional reactions.

Examples of sensitive issues include:

• An employee is troubled by family or other personal difficulties, and their work performance suffers.
• You suspect that an employee in a safety sensitive position is drinking during their lunch breaks.
• An employee claims that they are being harassed by a coworker.
• Several staff approach you to complain about a coworker’s
  hygiene.

Being able to talk about these issues and take action concerning them is an important management skill.

Who is the course for?

The course is anyone who is responsible for supervising, managing, or leading others. The course is also for HR staff who advise managers concerning employee issues.

Course objectives

In this course you will learn:

• The key question that must be asked, and answered, in order to address sensitive employee issues.
• Common signs of problem behaviours in the workplace.
• Ways to empower your sense of responsibility and confidence to address sensitive issues.
• The steps to take to appropriately address sensitive employee issues.
• Examples of how to start a conversation with an employee about a sensitive issue.
• Do’s and don’ts of addressing sensitive issues.

Did you know?

• Eighty-five percent of middle managers believe that helping their employees cope with mental illness (psychological distress) is a part of their duties. Eight-one percent, however, say they have not received proper training to handle this distress (Source: Macdonald et al. 2006).
• No single factor clearly predicts productivity of an employee more than his relationship with his direct supervisor (Gallop Poll).

Ready to enroll?

Enrollment may be covered by your benefit plan—our website will help you determine this. See the sidebar for details or click here to enter the Members Area.

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