When do I refer an employee to KEAP?

Informal Referral 

When you are aware that an employee is experiencing personal difficulties but job performance, attendance and behavior remain at acceptable levels, an informal referral may be appropriate, simply letting the employee know this resource is available.

For example, an employee may make you aware that he or she is going through a divorce, or has had a death in the family. This may be a good opportunity to share with them the services available through KEAP.  Download the KEAP Fact sheet.  

Formal Supervisory Referral

When a supervisor wants to refer an employee to KEAP due to a deterioration in work performance, attendance or behavior, a more formal written referral may be appropriate. Decline in performance or behavior may take many forms. Some of the most frequently reported are

• Missing deadlines
• Inconsistent productivity
• Failure to follow policy/procedure
• Increased tardiness and absenteeism
• Excessive time on personal phone calls/e-mails
• Inability to get along with customers or co-workers

This is by no means a complete list, and it is important for supervisors to look for patterns of deterioration, not isolated incidents. As soon as a pattern is detectable, it is time for a supervisor to intervene. If a supervisor remains silent about such a decline in performance, they are implying that everything is okay, and that lower productivity is acceptable.

Confronting an employee whose work has deteriorated is never easy or comfortable. KEAP staff members are available to discuss this process. KEAP's Supervisory Referral Form is a helpful tool that enables a supervisor to point out performance and/or behavior deficits and set the expectations for the employee while at the same time offering a resource. It provides both the employee and the supervisor a clear guide for what level of performance and behavior is acceptable.

Additional resources for supervisors

• Identifying the Troubled Employee provides a checklist of observable behaviors that may indicate the need for action.

• The referral meeting may also be called a Corrective Action Interview. The Steps of a Corrective Action Interview guides supervisors through the preparation for and meeting with an employee whose performance has deteriorated.

• Enabling Employees in the Workplace points out ways that supervisors inadvertently make the performance problem worse.
  

Supervisor training

KEAP offers a two hour workshop called "KEAP as a Management Tool"  that leads managers and supervisors through the process of identifying and referring a troubled employee. See KEAP workshops for more information. A shorter version in a narrated slide presentation format is available Supervisor Presentation. This version works well in manager staff meetings or for individual use. You may also view it in MyPurpose under the title KEAP: A Supervisor's Tool. 

Workplace Leadership Skills Coaching Sessions

This service helps supervisors grow their capacity to identify, evaluate and manage emotions in one's self as well as in others. Growing these competencies allows one to better communicate, influence and motivate others.

Workplace Skills Coaching