DENVER, April 29, 2009 — The economy is stressful and employees feel tremendous pressure to perform in spite of declining sales. Was the suicide of Freddie Mac’s CFO another unfortunate sign of the times? This past December a New York banker, Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet, committed suicide because he had put $1.4 billion of his clients’ money into Bernie Madoff’s fund. The national news increasingly reports stories about average people who strike out violently or commit suicide in response to sudden economic loss. Should managers be taking steps now to try to prevent their employees from resorting to such tragic action?
Workplace expert and former employment attorney Lynne Eisaguirre says that if managers suspect that an employee is depressed, anxious, ill, abusing drugs or alcohol, or having performance problems at work, they need to respect the employee’s privacy and tread carefully in raising the subject. A manager can offer help for any issues that occur within the workplace, but may not address issues that occur outside of the workplace other than to remind the employee if the company offers a private employee assistance program.
Invite Eisaguirre to explain:
- Early signs of trouble that shouldn’t be ignored.
- How managers can approach this sensitive topic without breaking the law.
- What employees can do if they suspect coworker instability.
- How often managers should ask troubled employees questions.
- Proactive ways that companies can help to prevent work-related tragedies.
CREDENTIALS: Lynne Eisaguirre is a workplace expert, author of six books, consultant, speaker, and former employment attorney. Her latest book is Stop Pissing Me Off! What to Do When the People You Work with Drive You Crazy. She has appeared regularly on CNN Headline News, ABC News, and Bloomberg TV in addition to having been quoted in U.S. News and World Report, The Boston Globe, and The San Francisco Chronicle. Her clients include Bristol Myers Squibb, Harley Davidson, Sun Microsystems, and Southwest Airlines.
CONTACT: Lynne Eisaguirre, (303) 358-4879 (CO); ; http://www.workplacesthatwork.com
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