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Workplaces are not immune to interpersonal conflict. However, employers can circumvent the effects before conflict becomes a problem.
The information provided through our free white papers may be helpful. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Employee Benefits’
Workplace Conflict Whitepapers
Monday, September 12th, 2011
Job Stress – Industry Based Stress Factors
Sunday, April 24th, 2011
The job site CareerCast.com just released its survey of the best and worst jobs in America. This list includes measures of those jobs, or careers, that they found to be the most and least stressful as well. It is always interesting to see what jobs are listed on these kinds of reports; seldom does the list of the most and least stress-filled jobs make sense to everyone. To some, the list may even be insulting as they can seem to invalidate the experience of the vast majority of American workers who feel that they experience job stress. (more…)
Mediation as an Employee Benefit
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
Employers should consider providing their employees with an Employee Mediation Benefit. A mediation benefit is more than just a means to resolve workplace disputes. A unique employee benefit, ADR services provide employees and their families with a means to resolve the interpersonal issues that create stress and distraction in their lives and in the workplace.
Employers know that many personal conflicts and interpersonal issues including divorce and child custody disputes experienced by their employees negatively affect productivity and general absenteeism. Wellness programs such as employee assistance programs (EAP), some of which include legal referral, (more…)
Mediation To Maximize Legal Plan Benefits
Wednesday, January 19th, 2011
Pre-paid legal plans have become more and more popular. Many join plans offered as a payroll deduction at work, while others seek out such plans as a protection for their families; even the AARP has a legal plan for members. It can seem impossible never to need an attorney and these plans provide a basic level of legal service for a minimum cost.
The legal services generally covered in monthly plan fees include document review for such things as simple wills and contracts, as well as the paperwork completion in simple uncontested divorces. It can be frustrating and costly, (more…)
TSA & Employee Stress
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
There has been much discussion about the the recent TSA airport security changes – or the “enhanced” pat down and the full body scanner. As a result of the new security procedures there has been an backlash against the TSA and the employees on the front lines who are implementing the new policies.
There continues to be outrage against the procedures and (more…)
Employee Stress & Workplace Conflict
Friday, October 1st, 2010
One thing that has not decreased in the current economy is the effect of employee stress in the workplace. It is estimated that the total cost of employee stress in the United States is well over $300 billion annually.
Stress results in increased health costs, absenteeism, presenteeism, distraction, workplace errors & accidents, workplace conflict, and litigation. (more…)
Employer Concern Does Matter
Friday, October 9th, 2009A new study by Shepell Fgi, The Missing Link: Supervisors’ Role in Employee Health Management, refers to the important role that supervisors play in employee benefit utilization and overall employee health and wellness.
Not only does supervisory quality directly impact the health and well-being of workers, it can help or hinder access to all the other supports an organization puts into place. For example, an organization can have excellent work/life balance policies and programs, but if a supervisor is not supportive of employees’ lives outside of work, this can become a significant stressor and may lead to physical or mental health problems for employees.
Ensuring that supervisors are aware of available health and wellness benefits and can offer their employees real solutions to personal issues is important to an employer’s bottom line.
How to Save Money on Employee Benefits
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009If you run a business, you know that cost control is key to survival. The current economy is motivating business owners to take an even closer look at their expenses, and the first area on their minds is usually payroll, otherwise known as the 300-pound gorilla on the P&L report. How do you make sure you keep your best employees and give them the best workplace environment for the least amount of money?
One area that can drag down a work environment is interpersonal conflict. Whether the real source is personal or business, employee stress affects productivity, which affects profits, which affects whether your company stays in business. A certain level of stress is normal, but when that stress is compounded by certain types of conflict, it’s time for an employer to take an interest in eliminating it.
Take a good look at your people and how they interact with each other. Notice which ones seem more irritable, unhappy, or even mean. Think about how many complaints you get from coworkers about each other. If this describes some of your employees, especially those in management positions, give them all a hint by adding an Employee Mediation Benefit to your existing benefits package. You don’t have to get personally involved. Just let them know it’s available.
At CFR, we can make that easy for you. Contact us and find out how, at little or no cost, we can implement a mediation program that is right for your business. We can do all the work of explaining our services to your employees, so next to none of your administrative time is used to implement the program. Then, as needed, your people have access to mediation services that can make a difference in their problem-solving ability, their attention span, and their general well-being – and, by extension, yours.
Mediation as Employee Assistance: Privacy Check
Monday, March 2nd, 2009If an employer provides CFR’s Employee Mediation Benefits as to your existing employee benefits package, does that mean that they are trying to pry into your personal life?
The answer is no. Employee Mediation Benefits, like other health and wellness benefits, are entirely voluntary and confidential.. Your employer has no involvement in your case beyond providing you information about the benefit.
So why are they doing this for you?
Employee Mediation Benefits provide employees with a real means of resolving personal and workplace issues that otherwise can have a negative impact on general levels of productivity.
Lost productivity in the workplace accounts for a significant amount of any company’s losses. According to the 2007 CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey, two-thirds of employees who call in sick are really skipping work to deal with personal and family issues. One widely quoted study by the Employers Health Coalition showed that the costs of presenteeism can be found by taking the costs of absenteeism and multiplying them by 7.5. Could those costs be avoided?
Absolutely – in fact, that is exactly what those types of benefits are designed to do. Consider the Employee Mediation Benefit. This benefit does more than just help employees deal with conflict in the workplace, it provides access to services which help them resolve personal conflict. If conflicts are addressed promptly and efficiently through mediation, employees are less likely to focus on personal business during the work day. One online survey suggested that employees actually spend 1.3 hours of every day on personal business.
The average costs of wasted time and avoidable productivity losses can range from $700 to $2000 per year per employee, depending on whose research you read. To find out more about CFR’s Employee Mediation benefit, contact our benefits department for more information. It’s private, it saves time, and it definitely saves everyone money.
Why an Employee Mediation Benefit?
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008The question of why an employer should provide an Employee Mediation Benefit that addresses personal conflicts such as divorce or child custody, in addition to internal workplace issues, is not surprising – especially in these economic times.
The news is rife with stories of rising benefit costs and falling revenues. Employers are more likely to cut voluntary benefit programs versus adding a new one. An Employee Mediation Benefit, which can be added for little or no cost is one that can significantly reduce the impact interpersonal conflicts have on productivity.
By promoting mediation as the preferred means of conflict resolution for life’s problems, employers are ensuring their employees are able to resolve their personal conflicts with the least amount of added stress, time, or expense. Mediation has the added benefit of having a great level of long-term effectiveness and adherence to settlement agreements. Participants in mediation no only agree to all aspects of the settlement, they also develop improved communication skills, resulting in less future conflict.
Encouraging employees to access mediation to solve personal conflicts, versus traditional legal intervention, means less likelihood that the issue will bleed into the workplace and affect general productivity. Employees that are going through a divorce or custody battle are likely to have increased absenteeism, presenteeism, interpersonal conflict, and stress levels. They are likely to be preoccupied causing additional workplace stress as well.
Unlike litigation, or traditional legal intervention, mediation is a means of establishing an efficient and effective resolution, which frees employees to focus on their jobs not their problems. An employer’s minimal financial investment is rewarded with focused employees who see their employers as providing a valuable benefit that resolves the conflict quickly and effectively.
