C11

• Employee counseling


  An HRD activity
• Coaching and counseling


  Often intertwined
• Supervisors


  Generally encouraged to provide early identification and referral to a trained professional or counseling service<|>Should not try to solve or resolve the employee's problem themselves
• Work performance problems


  Often tied to worker's personal lives
• Typical counseling program

  1. Problem identification

  2. Education

  3. Referral

  4. Counseling

  5. Treatment

  6. Follow-up
• In-house counseling service

  Advantages: internal control, familiarity with organization, better coordination, greater awareness and credibility<|>Disadvantages: confidentiality issues, lack of resources, reluctance of some employees to use
• Contracted-out counseling service

  Advantages: trained professionals, easier confidentiality, lower cost, better community resources<|>Disadvantages: lack of on-site counseling, communication problems, lack of knowledge of organization
• Effective employee counseling programs

  • Top management commitment and support
  • Clearly written policies and procedures
  • Cooperation with local unions
  • Range of care
  • Clear confidentiality policy
  • Maintenance of records
  • Health insurance coverage
  • Family education
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)


  Job-based programs operating within a work organization to identify troubled employees, motivate them to resolve troubles, and provide access to counseling or treatment
• EAP approach


  • Employee problem defined in terms of job performance, not clinical diagnosis
  • Typical content: policy, employee education, supervisory training, clinical services, follow-up
• Stress


  A common aspect of the work experience, expressed as job dissatisfaction, anger, frustration, hostility, irritation
• Sources of stress

  • Disruption of work role
  • Aggressive behavior at work
  • Flight from the job
  • Disruption of other life roles
  • Self-damaging behaviors
• Stress Management Interventions (SMIs)


  Any activity, program, or opportunity initiated by an organization to reduce work-related stressors or assist individuals to minimize negative outcomes
• Employee Wellness Programs (EWPs) or Health Promotion Programs (HPPs)


  Activities and organizational practices that promote employee health and fitness
• Modest number of scientifically sound studies demonstrating effectiveness of employee counseling programs
• Defining success and effectiveness for employee counseling programs is a difficult task
• Reasons an organization has begun an intervention may affect whether research is done and how effectiveness is defined
• Strategy for evaluating effectiveness


  1. Determine demographics

  2. Determine expected participation rates

  3. Estimate costs

  4. Implement testing and tracking

  5. Measure pre- and post-program changes

  6. Analyze by demographics and participation

  7. Perform cost-benefit analyses
• Responsibility for employee well-being

  Employees, organization, supervisors, and unions all have a role
• Ethical issues in employee counseling

  Confidentiality of records<|>Voluntary or mandatory participation
• Unintended negative outcomes can include increased workers' compensation costs, scheduling problems and accidents from fitness programs, and conflicts from smoking bans