Informal Supervisor Referrals

Personal stress can negatively affect an employee’s performance on the job. Employees occasionally inform supervisors voluntarily when they are experiencing significant problems or stress in their personal lives. In instances where employees’ present work behavior is unimpaired, informal supervisor referrals to The Village EAP are appropriate. Informal referrals are a proactive approach to avoiding potential difficulties in the workplace when supervisors are made aware of employees’ troublesome personal situations.

The Village EAP suggests the following steps for making an informal referral:

• Thank the employee for bringing the issue to your attention, and assure them that assistance is available. (If there is impairment, review policies for formal referrals or contact The Village EAP for assistance.)
• Provide the employee with information on the EAP benefit and encourage them to call The Village EAP for assistance.