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Impact of School Violence on the Workplace Is there a citizen who has not thought about the spring filled with incredible violence in our schools? Certainly our sympathy goes out to the victims’ families. However, a larger concern emerges when we think about the many families with children in school who not only share our communal concern, but also fear for their own children’s safety. The copycats, pranksters and other disturbed children have plagued the end of the school year with their alarming messages. Our society’s leaders and our school officials are presented with major challenges in dealing with everyday safety and the prevention of future tragedies. From an HR point of view, the concerns resonate strongly with other issues. Parents in the workplace may be distracted by worries about their children, especially if they attend a school that has received a threat of violence. Under this pressure, they are less productive. They may feel the need to take additional time off. They may need to make alternative daytime arrangements for their children. For women employees especially, concerns about the “balance” between child care and workforce participation may be exaggerated. For mothers, the conflict about “where they belong” will sap energy, time and commitment. Intervening in this situation requires several levels of thought and action. Key players include the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and any work-family vendors. Since the crisis will emphasize the emotional, the EAP provider should take the lead. Working with parents, the EAP offers several levels of intervention. Listening to parents, the counselor seeks out the employee’s concerns, and offers verbal support and comfort. During these sessions, stressed employees may bring up material serious enough to warrant referral to a psychotherapist for more in-depth counseling or to a psychiatrist for medication. When talking about their children, the parent may ask, either directly or indirectly, about concerns they may have. There are questions the EAP counselor should keep in mind. Is the child picked on? How does he or she express anger? Is there an unusual fascination with guns? Does the child have peers, a favorite teacher or counselor to talk to about his or her feelings? Is the child an integral part of the family? If parents are worried about their own child’s potential for violence, the EAP should provide counselors to assess and refer the child. If there are any concrete signs of threat, the EAP should issue warnings to school and law enforcement authorities. Because of their reduced social conformity, drug- and alcohol-involved kids need special monitoring. Some behaviors are age dependent. For example, we expect teenagers to be difficult. Some actions may indicate a need to see the child in person, others are examples of “obnoxious teenager syndrome.” While school violence raises the awareness of school and public officials, it increases the consequences for antisocial youth. Alerted to these concerns, school officials may overreact, questioning acting-out youth, targeting any and all identified children at risk. If their child receives this attention, the parents’ concern accelerates. For the EAP, the rule is to look at all situations as possibly violent situations, then make the hard calls and referrals where needed. Assuring employees that there is genuine concern for them and their children is the first step. As a consultant on EAP services, Fauecast advises organizations on appropriate utilization of EAPs. If your current vendor is not living up to standards, you may want to consult Fauecast.
“The New Art of Hiring Smart.” When hiring a new employee, management believes that he or she will bring new talent to the organization. In reality, many new employees do not work out. The Fauecast Report has previously stated that a close fit between an organization’s culture and the employee’s personality, interests (motivation) and abilities will increase successful hires. Profiles International (PI) has developed Prevue™, which compares an employee’s abilities, motivation and personality characteristics to the norms of incumbents in the role. These norms are generated through surveys of current employees or through knowledgeable supervisors’ projections. As candidates take Prevue, the software scores their responses, then generates interview questions that will guide the interviewer towards a full assessment of the applicant. There are many challenges to employee assessments. Because of the rigorous psychometric data behind Prevue, our view is that Prevue provides a significant improvement in current assessment technology. After considering several testing alternatives, Fauecast became an authorized PI dealer. Contact us for a seminar on “The New Art of Hiring Smart.”
Supreme Court to Rule on ADA Definition of Disability Before summer officially begins, the Supreme Court will rule on the definition and application of the Americans with Disabilities Act. At issue is the application of the law to a narrow or broad public. HR folks need to prepare for interpretive changes to the operating rules under which we practice. Fauecast Report will summarize the ruling in the Fall issue.
Survey Underway Fauecast Report is two years old. Aimed at HR managers, it seeks to highlight current HR concerns and distill the issues into manageable pieces. With a mix of humor and mild irreverence, the editors seek a balance between reporting trends and self promotion. To test how well this formula works, our first reader survey is underway. If you receive a call, we’d appreciate your advice on improvements and topics you’d like to see included.
Radio Recruitment With a shortage of job candidates, many HR departments are turning to new recruitment alternatives. This past spring, Fauecast attended a seminar on using radio advertising for employee recruitment. Besides direct advertising for positions, radio offers the opportunity to position your firm as an employer of choice. Several techniques for producing effective commercials were cited, including employee recognition, humorous comments and mentioning flexible benefits. Because many employed people listen to the radio during drive time, leisure time, or even at work, radio increases your potential employee market considerably. Unlike standard print recruitment ads, it doesn’t require potential job candidates to turn to the “help wanted” section. Radio also allows you to “shop” among competitors’ employees. In these times of tight labor, Fauecast thinks radio advertising is an idea worthy of consideration.
Fauecast Report is published bimonthly, edited by J. Cronin. © 1999
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