S 3.7 Point of contact in case of personal problems

Initiation responsibility: Head of Personnel Section; personnel committee/works council

Implementation responsibility: Personnel Section; personnel committee/works council

Inadequate performance of duties may often be due to personal problems of an employee. Examples of such problems are, for instance, a high level of indebtedness, addiction-related illness, or difficulties encountered at the place of work (excessive or too little demands made upon an employee; mobbing). In order to help the individual concerned to cope with such problems, it may be helpful in many cases if he/she can turn to a confidant. That person, acting as a point of contact, should both attend to the interests of the individual concerned and offer him/her practical assistance and safeguard the interests of the company/agency and, jointly with the individual concerned, explore possible solutions.

However, it must be possible also for superiors and colleagues to turn to such a confidant (e.g. shop stewards) when peculiarities by third parties have been observed which point to lessened reliability of the individual concerned. The confidant must be able to speak, and offer help, to the individual concerned.

Such a role can be assumed by the personnel committee, works council, company medical officers. All staff members must be informed of the establishment of such a point of contact. External advice is provided, for instance, by the counselling centres of statutory health insurance funds.

Additional controls:

• Who can be contacted by staff members if they have any personal problems?