June/July 2000 Issue Number 12

Is a monthly electronic newsletter which links current events and issues to the daily challenges faced by fire and emergency services managers. Current topics in the area of sexual harassment, diversity management and conflict resolution will be discussed.

We hope that you find the information here useful and provocative.
Let us know what you think!

Fifth Biennial Women in Uniform Conference, November 30- December 1, 2000, Arlington, VA. For information call: 202-628-0444 ext. 12.

Leading Diverse Communities Beyond Conflict, August 24-25, 2000, Dallas, TX. The new National Fire Academy diversity course, will be offered as a pre-conference seminar at Fire Rescue International.

"Managing Change and the Conflict that Comes With It", August 30, 2000, The Dallas-Ft. Worth Hyatt Regency Hotel. This workshop will be presented at the Department of Defense Fire and Rescue Conference in Dallas.

Glaucoma Days

On my old fire department, there was a joke that people sometimes took time off for what they called "glaucoma days", meaning that they "just couldnât see coming to work." Using sick time for reasons other than illness is nothing new, but it has reached an all-time high in the workplace generally. A recent survey showed that so-called "entitlement days" accounted for 19% of all unscheduled absences.

The survey reported two major factors contributing to the rise in this type of sick time use. The first is reported stress related to the workplace, which tripled between 1995 and 1999. The second factor was an increase in the entitlement mentality ("theyâre my days, and Iâll use them for whatever I want") which more than doubled in the same reporting period.

Unscheduled absences are costly to organizations, and not just monetarily. Although other employees might initially appreciate getting more overtime, eventually they will tire of working longer hours and having to do the work of others. Unnecessary use of sick time leads to decreased workplace morale, poor team cohesion, and decreased productivity.

Most corporations have responded to sick leave abuse by imposing discipline on those who can be proven to be misusing their time. This response treats only the symptoms and not the root cause of the problem. Why are employees using more sick time? What are the causes of stress in their work and personal lives? In what way does the organization devalue their contribution so that they feel that it doesnât matter if they are there or not?

Organizations that have examined root causes of absenteeism and attrition have come up with some creative ways of dealing with the problem. Flexible scheduling and child care assistance are two ways to reduce stress for young families. Allowing a certain number of personal days that an employee can take for any reason can lead to less deception when someone feels a need to take a day off for reasons other than illness.

It is also worthwhile to examine the work environment and culture to see how stress might be affecting employees on a day-to-day basis. Are the stations comfortable and safe? Do people have equal access to basic facilities, such as bathrooms and locker rooms? Are all employees treated fairly and feel that they have equal opportunities to advance on the job? Are work assignments clear and reasonable? Is there adequate follow-up? Are supervisors well prepared for their positions? All these factors, and many more, can lead to workplace stress, which often leads to increased absenteeism. Identifying the real issues will result in less sick time abuse, and an improved work environment for everyone.

Source: Entrepreneur Magazine, April 2000

Military a Model for Child Care

The National Womenâs Law Center has released a report that commends the progress the United States military has made in the area of child care. Ten years ago, Congress passed a law ordering that the military better meet the child care needs of career men and women in the service. Since then, the military has improved child care workersâ pay and training, and has improved base child care facilities nationwide. As a result, the child care staff turnover rate on some bases has fallen from 300% to 30%.

Source: USA Today, May 17, 2000

Pentagon Study Finds Harassment of Gays is Common and Tolerated

In the largest study of its kind, 85% of 71,500 military service personnel worldwide reported that they believed verbal abuse directed against gays and lesbians was tolerated within the ranks. Eighty percent said they had heard offensive comments about gays in the past year. Thirty-seven percent reported witnessing harassment, which was defined as insults, hostile gestures, threats, graffiti, vandalism, physical assaults, career discrimination, or unfair punishment. Survey respondents also reported that it was common for officers to witness acts of harassment related to sexual orientation, and do nothing to stop it. Current military policies strictly prohibit such harassment. The study included the Marine Corps, Navy, Army and Air Force.

What would you find if you did a similar study among members of your organization? Are jokes about gays and lesbians commonplace? Are gay department members either marginalized or forced to hide their true identities? Do officers look the other way when inappropriate behavior is taking place? Do officers instigate such behavior themselves? Do you believe that having gays and lesbians on the job causes too many problems and is something you would rather avoid?

Most major urban areas, as well as a number of states and federal employers, all have laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. But even if no such legislation exists, it is worth examining what is to be gained or lost when harassment on any level is tolerated in the workplace. Harassment of any type creates a climate of fear and mistrust among workers. It polarizes the workplace and undermines the authority of leadership. Harassment destroys morale and cripples productivity. Finally, it creates the potential for huge organizational liability. Even employees who may not have much sympathy for the issues of those being harassed understand on some level that such treatment is not right, and an organization that tolerates it is one that does not really care about all its workers. Harassment is counter-productive and wrong, no matter who it is directed at. Take a leadership role in eliminating it from your organization without exception.

Source: The Washington Post, March 25, 2000

© Linda F. Willing, 2000