Managing Absences

Related to

Interpersonal Workplace Conflict

Creative Approaches to Workplace Challenges

Louise Ellis BHA RN COHN GBA

Director, Attendance Support Services

October 2016

This information is considered proprietary.

SBCI must authorize the sharing of this information beyond the direct recipient.

What is workplace conflict?

Conflict:

• A war, a difference, a mental struggle, a plot

tension…

• A disagreement or clash between ideas, principles

or people

• De Dreu and Gelfand (2008) defined conflict as a

“process that begins when an individual or group

perceives differences and opposition between itself

and another individual or group about interests and

resources, beliefs, values, or practices that matter

to them”(1)

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Why does it matter?

It is real.

It has negative impacts on:

• Engagement (keeping employees from being their BEST)

• Productivity (keeping organizations from being their BEST)

In school boards – workplace conflict can and does distract

from efforts to optimize student achievement.

We will end today’s session on quick thoughts on addressing

and reducing workplace conflict.

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Workplace Conflict Does

Lead to Absence

Example:

Bullied females have higher, persistent

increases in long-term sickness absence and

adverse long-term health.

Men are twice as likely to leave the labour

force immediately after exposure to bullying.

A poor work environment increases long-term

sickness absence.

Ose (2005) (2)

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Workplace Conflict Does

Lead to Absence

Workplace bullying is repeated

systematic, interpersonal abusive

behaviours that negatively affect

the targeted individual and the

organization in which they work. It

is generally the result of actual or

perceived power imbalances

between perpetrator and victim. (3)

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Workplace Conflict Does

Lead to Absence

And sometimes Workplace Conflict

is simply two people who have little

control over who they get to a

spend significant time with…

…with an expectation

to work towards a

common goal.

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Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

Employee with suspected or known

workplace conflict, reports he/she is ill;

indicating medical leave is required.

(The workplace conflict may be reported

from Employee, Prinicipal/Manager, co-

worker or Doctor.)

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Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

Next steps may be based on how the Employer

manages their Employees’ absences and sick

leave benefits:

1) Absence management through non-medical

functional abilities forms (FAF) completed by

Employee’s physician

Or

2) Absence management with 3rd party case

management

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Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

Non-medical functional abilities forms (FAF)

completed by physician determines eligibility

for sick leave benefits and work absence.

In this situation the employer may consider a

letter to physician (through employee),with a

focus on understanding RTW goal setting.

Avoid simply sending an FAF.

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Preface to next slide.

This is a first step of many to bring these

workplace issues to resolution.

There are no promises of work

assignment or work-site changes – it is

simply to explore if the physician sees

the employee as being ‘safe and able’ to

participate in next steps to address the

workplace issues.

Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict – Cont’d

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Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

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Why consider this type of letter?

• Reviewing the letter with the Employee may be

enough to gain a better buy-in for resolution.

• It is intended to remove the medical overlay to

the situation.

• Have faith - the physician will respond with

support and RTW limitations if the underlying

health concerns (and symptomology) support

continued work absence or accommodation.

Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

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If there are performance issues, Human

Resources should take the lead in a labour

relations role to address these. Where

possible, manage separate from illness

issues. Work with Manager to flesh them out,

work with the employee to build a resolution

plan.

Moving, appeasing the challenging

behaviour does not help the employee or the

employer, over the long term.

Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

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Disability Coordinator / Human Resources may

consider assistance through mediation services

usually available through Employee Family

Assistance Program (EFAP) services.

Such neutral, professional third party

intervention will support everyone to have a

voice in building a resolution plan.

Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

A different approach when a 3rd Party Case

Management service is in place.

The 3rd party is able to explore all medical

information to establish if the absence has any

true medical basis (which would be reflected in

symptom severity, medication regimen and

objective clinical assessments).

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Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

The employer should inform 3rd party service

regarding the workplace relationship concerns.

Caution – this must be approached with great

tact and professionalism.

All email and phone communications become

part of the claim file. This should not keep you

from communicating the concerns; however

keep the comments objective and high level.

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Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

3rd party assessors are well-versed/trained on

exploring non-medical issues to integrate into:

• Assessing eligibility for sick leave benefits.

(Does medical information reflect symptom

severity indicating employee is unable to work?)

• Ensuring appropriate treatment and timely return

to work (RTW) planning.

The RTW focus is on recovery to be able to do

their own job – not necessarily their own job site

with current team members.

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Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

Both internal and external absence management

approaches must integrate a focus of

RESOLUTION into their communications with the

employee.

Employee buy-in for a resolution is paramount.

Influencers (e.g. union representatives or

sometimes external advocates) should be

brought in to participate in a transparent manner.

A round-table approach is highly recommended,

rather than disjointed communications.

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Managing an Absence with

Workplace Conflict

There may be a time of complete disability

supported however most importantly the focus

needs to shift to resolution focused on RTW

facilitation rather than building the medical case

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Disability Coordinator’s Role

Always assessing the situation

• Interview the employee

• Interview the manager/supervisor

• Are there other stakeholders who could lend

insights? (Careful – this must be approached

with great tact and professionalism, particularly

if it involves employee’s co-workers.)

• Determine if referral to EAP Mediation

could/should be explored.

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Reducing Workplace Conflict

Is it possible to reduce it?

Yes it is…

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Reducing Workplace Conflict

The impact of workplace conflict is associated with

the workforce’s level of Emotional Intelligence (EI).

Compelling research conclusions over last 5 years:

• EI is positively associated with constructive

conflict management

• Relationship was stronger for subordinates than

leaders.

• Contrary to some beliefs, age does not make a

significant difference. (4)

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Reducing Workplace Conflict

Consider Mental Health First Aid Training (MHFA)

• Workplace First Aid includes Mental Health

• Colleagues and managers are best placed to be

the first to recognize the signs and symptoms of

mental health issues in their co-workers, provided

they are properly trained in Mental Health First

Aid.

• MHFA improves all aspects of the organization

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Reducing Workplace Conflict

CSA Z1003 – National Standard on Psychological

Health and Safety in the Workplace

• The Standard is a voluntary set of guidelines, tools

and resources focused on promoting employees’

psychological health and preventing psychological

harm due to workplace factors.

• The standard contains leading practices to help

organizations move forward in creating psychological

healthy and safe workplaces.

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Reducing Workplace Conflict

Based on research, ‘detaching on off-hours’ is

recommended:

Overall, our study showed that workplace conflicts are

negatively related to employee well-being. Importantly,

workplace conflicts may not only be dealt with at the

workplace, but may be also addressed during non-work

life. Our data demonstrated that detaching from work

during off-job time is an effective strategy to protect

one’s well-being when facing relationship conflicts at

work. (5)

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Recognizing Workplace Conflict

Root of conflict is often associated with:

• Communication breakdown

• Failure to understand the needs of others

needs

• False conclusions stemming

from assumption and gossip. (5)

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Resolving Workplace Conflict

Key to resolving conflict is:

1. Establishing a safe environment

to create willingness of all involved to find a solution

2. Unearthing the root cause of the conflict

3. Teaching new communication skills

4. Engaging all participants in active listening

5. Establishing agreements and rules for how to

interact effectively going forward

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Resolving Workplace Conflict

Who can help? EAP / EFAP Services

Most offer solutions to address and resolve the issue.

Mediator leads worksite mediation to:

1. Interview/assess each individual involved –

determine if appropriate for worksite mediation

2. Prep/Coach each individual for the next step –

focussed on communication styles to facilitate

resolution

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3. Lead individuals to come prepared to

listen, and reflect; and then contribute

thoughtful, calm responses

4. Conduct follow-up – acknowledge

success; observation for potential risks

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Resolving Workplace Conflict

Case Study

Erin 31y.o. Elementary Teacher

History of:

- workplace absence > employer

average

- Struggles with her relationship with

union representation

- Involved in 1 worksite (school) transfer

in last 5 years with related contentious

issues, involving pressure from

parents

Case Study

Oct 4,5 – presented to Principal (Mgr)

with her concerns of professional

misconduct regarding an Educational

Assistant in her classroom

Oct 8 – back to Principal

‘Nothing being done; suggesting

Principal incompetence; desire to move

schools’

Oct 9-14 – off ill

Case Study

Oct 15 – note from physician indicating

work absence until November 2.

No details.

Oct 16 – quick phone message from Erin

- She expresses numerous concerns

regarding Principal’s performance

Case Study

What would you do?

Note: There are no return to work

abilities or limitations on file; simply a

suggested RTW date

Case Study

Interview Employee

• Supportive, supportive approach

• Inquire as to nature of treatment

• Leading questions providing Erin opportunity to:

• share insights on symptom severity;

treatment teams’ intentions/responsiveness

• share insights on her visions on resolution

options

• Inquire re: union representative’s role

Case Study

Interview Principal

• Supportive approach

(Principal is an employee too)

Is the absence seen as a solution??? Red Flag

• Provide opportunities for Principal to share

insights on resolution options

• Inquire their view on union representative’s role

• Try to set the stage for a goal of a long term,

sustainable solution

• Explain many eyes are watching …

Case Study

Next Steps

1. Consider the earlier approaches using either a

letter to attending physician or the 3rd party

services

2. Keep the communications active with employee

and Principal

3. Reinforce that avoidance of work attendance is not

the answer.

4. Encourage EFAP for all

5. Apply a round-table approach for Employee,

union/Employee advocate, Principal and DM/HR

Coordinator

References

1. De Dreu, C.K.W. and Gelfand, M.J. (2008), “Conflicts in the workplace: sources,

functions, and dynamics across multiple levels of analysis”, in De Dreu, C.K.W. and

Gelfand, M.J. (Eds), The Psychology of Conflict and Conflict Management in

Organizations, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, New York, NY, pp. 3 54.

2. Ose, S.O.(2005), Working conditions, compensation and absenteeism, J. Health Econ.,

24 (1) (2005), pp. 161–188

3. Australian Family Physician, Vol. 42, No. 4, Apr 2013: 186-188. Availability:

<http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=253280534327588;res=IELHEA>

ISSN: 0300-8495.

4. Schlaerth, A., Ensari, N., & Christian, J. (2013) “A meta-analytical review of the

relationship between emotional intelligence and leaders’ constructive conflict

management” Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 16(1), 126-136.

5. Sonnentag, S., Unger, D., & Nägel, I.,J. (2013) “Workplace conflict and employee well-

being” International Journal of Conflict Management

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