Could Economic Stress Cause Tragedy at Your Company? Workplace Expert Lynne
Eisaguirre Offers Advice
The economy is stressful and employees feel tremendous pressure to perform in spite of
declining sales. Was the apparent 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,
allegedly 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