EMPLOYEE BEHAVIOR CHECKLIST

A "troubled employee" is one who has previously been a satisfactory performer, and is now experiencing deterioration in his or her job performance that is not based on capability or competency.

The following checklist should help determine whether or not your employee is experiencing trouble. Remember, it is not your job to diagnose the problem, but to recognize it and respond according to your company's disciplinary and/or drug-free workplace policy. You may also choose to call your EAP for assistance. Use this checklist for identification purposes only. Any information you decide to document in an employee's file should be related to job performance only.

Use this checklist to identify and quantify observations of troubled employees. Look for patterns of behavior, not just isolated events (or we'd all need help!)

1. SPECIFIC BEHAVIOR PATTERNS:

Employee Appearance:
___Sloppy or Inappropriate Clothing
___Poor or Deteriorated Hygiene
___Make-up Changes
___Inappropriate Attire
___Fatigue, Exhaustion
___Changes in Appetite
___Odors of Alcohol on Breath or Body
___Unsteady Walk
___Red, Bloodshot Eyes
___Slurred Speech

Mood:
___Withdrawn
___Sad
___Mood Swings (High & Low)
___Suspiciousness
___Extreme Sensitivity
___Nervousness
___Frequent Irritability with Others
___Preoccupation with Health-Death

Actions:
___Physically Intimidating, Threatening, or Assaultive Behavior.
___Unduly Talkative or Argumentative.
___Exaggerated Expression of Self-Importance.
___Rigidity-Inability to Change Plans with Reasonable Ease.
___Incoherent or Irrelevant Statements on the Job.
___Over Compliance with any Routine.
___Excessive Amount of Personal Phone Time.
___Outbursts of Emotion (Crying, Laughing Inappropriately).
___Sexual Acting Out, Lack of Boundaries, Inappropriate Comments.

2. WORK PATTERNS AND PRODUCTION:

___Current Work Assignment Requires More Effort Than Usual.
___Work Takes More Time Than Usual.
___Difficulty in Recalling Instructions, Understanding Procedures, etc.
___Display of Disinterest in Work.
___Increased Difficulty with Handling Complex Assignments.
___Difficulty in Recalling Previous Mistakes.
___Alternate Periods of High and Low Work Productivity.
___Coming to Work with Alcohol on Breath, Unsteady Gait, etc.
___Missed Deadlines.
___Mistakes Due To Poor Judgment.
___Outside Complaints About the Employee's Work or Attitude.
___Improbable Excuses for Poor Work, Performance or Behavior Patterns.
___Carelessness with Self, Others, Equipment.

3. EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPS ON THE JOB:

___Over-Reaction to Real or Imagined Criticism.
___Wide Swings in Job Morale, Satisfaction.
___Borrowing Money from Co-Workers.
___Unreasonable Resentments of Co-Workers.
___Repeated and Compulsive Criticism of the Company.
___Persistent Requests for a Job Transfer.

4. ABSENTEEISM:

___Multiple Instances of Improper Reporting Time Off.
___Excessive Sick Leave.
___Repeated Patterns of Absences.
___Excessive Lateness at Start of Shift, After Breaks.
___Strange and Improbable Excuses for Absences.
___High Absenteeism for Unspecified Illness.
___Frequent Unscheduled Short-Term Absences.
___Frequent Use of Unscheduled Vacation Time.
___Continued Absence From Job Location More Than Necessary.
___Frequent Trips to Rest Room, Cooler.
___Long Coffee Breaks.

5. ACCIDENTS/ENDANGERMENT:

___Putting Others in Harms Way.
___Physical Complaints on the Job.
___Accidents on the Job.
___Higher-than-average Accident Rate.
___Injuries on the Job.
___Taking Needless Risks.