Safety and the problem employee

Approximately 5 to 7% of workers in any large employee population can be described as having borderline acceptable work performance and fluctuating emotional stability. This subpopulation of employees can be characterized as suffering from attitudinal disturbances ranging from mild to severe. At times physical illness can be an important contributing factor, but more commonly the sole attribute these individuals possess is a negative attitude toward work. It is this sub-group of problem employees which contribute the largest percent of unsafe acts leading to the greatest numbers of industrial accidents in the work community. Identification of this sub-group in the work force and utilization of selective physician-management counseling are definite steps that can be taken to improve the overall performance of the work group. Above average frequency of industrial accidents as well as above average rates of short term absence are significant job performance characteristics which correlate highly with identification of the problem employee. The mutual interchange between supervisor and employee of the counseling session provides a significant contribution to the employees coping mechanism. In our experience 85% of employees improve their job performance following counseling without the need for additional disciplinary action. A follow-up review of job performance with the employee is held within three to six months to reinforce the corrective steps already begun. Cost savings resulting from this approach can be significant. In this study a cost savings of $185 per employee per year was generated in a small isolated work group between 1972 to 1975. The calculation of direct dollar savings foe improvement in lost time statistics probably represent minimal cost savings, as some studies assume the total cost for sickness absence are 2-1/2 times the direct cost.