“3 Be. ee Personnel and Human Resource Managemesi | EMPLOYEE COUNSELLING Employees face a variety of uncertainties, issues and problems both at the work and the family. In fact these problems are multi-faceted involving economic, social, physical, psychological and religious considerations, Counselling is one of the efficient interventions to find out work and family related employee problems that affect the work negatively. Counselling is the process of helping other persons to find and act upon a solution to their problein, anxieties, uncertainties and issues. The person conducting counselling is called counsellor and the person being counselled is called counsellee or client. Concept of Counselling ‘Acounselloris mostly concemed with the client rather than the problem. The counsellor helps the counsellee toidentity hisfher own problem and develop his/her own solution rather than imposing hismher solution. Counsellor helps counseliae in reaching a solution. This style involves more listening than talking. Counsellor uses questions and exploring techniques and enable the client to find out his/her own problem. The counsellor further helps the client to leam the problem solving techniques, processes and methods that helps them to solve their problems ‘on their own in the future. The counsellor recognizes the emotions, feelings, psychological issues involved in the process. ‘Counselling can assist the employee to resolve difficulties in a supportive and professional setting. Whether acrisis or something that has been worrying the employee for sometime, counselling can assist the employes to understand the problem, its impact and to develop strategies to cope with it. ‘As employees from time to time, we can experience difficulties either in our work or personal life. Atthese times, work performance and productivity can be affected. Counselling can resuitin quicker and less stressful resolution of the problems with less disruption to the workplace. Counselling is confidential and private. Generally, no information can be released without employee's written authority. Counselling is provided for work and personal issues such as: © Stress © Relationship issues * Change ‘* Family probloms © Conflict * Gambling © Career planning © Grief and bereavement © Communication © Anxiety © Trauma ‘¢ Drug and alcohol problem © Depression ‘© Work satisfaction Process of Counselling Counselling is the process of helping other persons to solve their problems. The person conducting the counselling is known as the counsellor and the one being counselledis referred to as the counsellee or client. There are four basie styles of counselling viz, telling, manipulating, counselling and advising. The counselling process includes various steps viz., identifying the needs for counselling, communicating elfectively, managing the counselling interview, controling emotions, and follow-up.ze, discipline, Counselling and Mentoring ‘identifying the needs for counselling: The manager of the department concerned identifies the the employees. The counselling needs may be obvious, based on permanent lateness, ating needs of fecularatondance ‘absenteeism, poor quality of work, breakages at the work etc. In addition, the manager nythe possible and prospective problems. niet = counseling needs oF employee problems may be classified Os personality problems, work and ersatoralreatod problems andoxtemal jprobloms. Personality problems are related to the image people stoatthemsewves and others, communicating effectively: Counseling is mostly done through communication. In other words, con plays vial role in counseling, Counselor communicates with the counsellee by practising a niprocess, which can berepeatedin the counseling interview process. These steps are questioning, feening and responding ‘should use oral, written, verbal and non-verbal communication. The counsellor's posture andthe counsellae’s posture matter much inthe counselling Process, “Managing the counselling interview: The counsellor andthe counselle shouldbe prepared physical scaly andpsychotogically btore counseling ntorviow. The managor ofthe employee might have developed ‘le relationship wth the staff. Therefore, the suggestions of the manager should be considered godand comfort Fyne counsollor, i the manager isnot acting a a counselor. “The steps in the interview process include: ‘Tne counsellor 1. Setting up the interview Creating the right interview opportunity Starting the interview Encouraging the people totalk Reaching the core problem Discovering when to ask and what to ask Exploring the feelings Solving the undertying problem eeprxneare er Develop and provide the solution. ‘Counselling mostly involves understanding the feelings of the counsellee. The ist of the counsellee. Counselling will result in change in the tetaviour of the counsolloe, which causes pain. The counseliee can express his feelings freely when the ineniow environments free and harmonious. In adsition, the counsellor should also control hisher emotions Andfeelings so that the counsellee can express his/her feelings and emotions. «Follow-up: The counsellor attr offering hisfver advice provides the methods anc step-by-step Procedlte tothe counsetios to practise the advice. The counsellor has to get feedback from the counsellee and ascertain vhather the eounsallee is improving or not. Iinot, he/she has to modify the advice and follow-up further. Thus, thecounsellee should ensure the permanent solution to the problem and improvementin the counseleg Controlling emotions: counselor has to gain the confidence and tr Organisational Counselling Organisational consultancy services are provided on a range of issues that may impact on workplaces such as: © Restructuring and organisational change © ConflictPersonnel and Human Resource Mana, © Work related stress © Careertransition © Staff morale. Counsellors should have extensive expertise in these and other issues and how they impact on individuals, their families and on the organisation. 4 In consultation with employees, effective solutions to organisational issues can be developed and implemented. What Constitutes Counselling? There are four types of counselling viz., © Telling, © Manipulating, © Advising, and ‘© Counselling. Telling ‘The counsellor with competent technical knowledge and atte human relations knowledge draws information {rom the counsellee, uses his/her expertise and offer solution to the problem anxiaty. The counsolior is not concerned with the feelings of the client or understanding/learning of the solution or the consequences of the solution. Counsellors do counselling mechanically without concer to the counsellee's feelings/attitude. Manipulating The counsellor in this approach is more concerned with the client's human feelings rather than the problem. The counsellor has a comprehensive and integrative approach of the counsellor and the problem. The counsellor knows what would be the best for the client rather than a best solution to the given problem. Advising “The counsellor inthis approach is more concerned with the problem. But he/she is also duly concemed with the client also. it does mean that the counsellor develops an appropriate solution to the problem, but examines wheter the solution fits the needs, psychology/social set-up/religious background ofthe client or not. fit does not suit exactly the needs of the client, then the counsellor modifies the solution appropriately. Counselling as a Process of Developing in Organisation Counselling plays an important role in employee development in organisations. Career counsélling, performance counselling, redundancy counselling, correction counselling, and grievance counselling, act as @ process of employee development and thereby organisation development. Career counselling: Career counselling helps employees to understand where they are and the direction they could take, technical and soft skills they should acquire to achieve their career goals, training, and educational programmes to be undertaken that help to achieve their career goals. In fact, the counsellors take the organisational requirements and employee goals and match these two for the mutual development of the ‘employees as woll as the organisations. Performance counselling: The counsellors/superiors identify the employee's performance, gaps in ‘employee performance when compared to organisational requirements and expectations and teaches/coaches the employee to acquire the technical and soft skills in order to bridge the gaps. Thus, the superior helps the subordinate in their development directly. In addition, they provide the directions to acquire other skills.nce, Discipline, Counselling and Mentoring edundancy counselling: This counseling helps the employee in acquiring the guidance to identify the. snatbecome redundant shorly, aequire new skis fo become ‘dynamic and suitable for the future jobs and: gteps to acquire new skills. * Correction counselling: The counsellor helps employee to identifying his weaknesses and mistakes afshe commits while performing the job and take steps to overcomeleorrect them, Grievance counselling: The counsellor identities employee grievances both work related and personal 1edresses the grievances tothe extent possible, Then the employees become ree from grievances and ccentrates on work as well as personal development, pjectives of Counselling ‘The objectives of employee counselling are: ‘¢ Toprovide help for employees who are having problems before they develop into more serious issues e,9., alcohol/substance misuse, increased accident rate, stress related illness etc. «To offer counselling by fully qualified counsellors. Such counseling willbe strictly confidential between the counsollor and the employee. No details or records will be disclosed. «¢ Managers and Supervisors should assess whether counseling may be useful o support employees, they have responsibilty for. Counseling may be at the suggestion of, or recommencied By line management. «sLine Managers and Supervisors cannot refer directly to the Employee Counselling Service. Any such matters should be referred to the occupational health provider, who wil refer/ support as required, Toensure that counselling is separate from disciplinary procedures. «The service must be available to and of benefit to all employees in ite Council. Managers throughout the Council must be consistent inthe way they apply the Counselling Policy. The guidelines to this policy will assist in achieving such consistency. | MENTORING Meaning Mentoring is the process of prosviding guidance and advice by specially selected and trained individuals, in order to help to develop the careers of the proteges allocated to them. Normally, superiors/managers 8 higher Tevel have special technical and managorial competence and provide guidance and assistance to ae ordinates i their caroors as well as personal issues. Tho managers and superiors who Goach advo anc snoourage employees/subordinates are called mentors. The subordinates and employees who receive guidance and advice are called proteges. “The meaning and dofinition of mentoring need not be too rigid as many managers/teachers/ superiors/ experienced ones mentor daily informally ina varieties of areas including Career planning and ‘development. Exhibit 26.1 presents top ten myths about mentors, Mentor activities: There are no standard activities of the mentor, However, the folowing ist provides @ ‘model of mentor activities to the proteges: ‘e Advice on selt-development and learning. ° Ge’ sith learning programmes." Personnel and Human Resource Management ‘TOP TEN MYTHS ABOUT MENTORS 5 re El ‘Mentors Exist only for Career Development: Mentors focus as career development somotimes. However, ‘somatimes they concentrate on even personal issues and family issues of employees. Mentors ‘sometimes act like a friend, teacher, counsellor. and philosopher. Mentors by assuming various roles ‘enhance personal and professional development of employaes. Employee Needs only One Mentor: In realty, employees can have multiple mentors. Difforont mentors provide counseling! advice on different issues. Mentoring is one way Process: Mentoring, in fact is a two-way process as leaming flows both ways. ‘Sometimes, mentor learns from protege. ‘A Mentor has to be older than the Protege: Infact, mentor should be experienced and knowledgeable, but ‘need not be older. ‘A Mentor has to be the same gender and race as the protege: The purpose of mentoring is to coach, guide and counsel. So don't discriminate. Mentor Relationships just Happen: Selecting the mentor Is based on the purpose but not the person. Highly Profiled People Make the Best Mentors: Mentoring is to provide best advice and suggestion. So mentors have to challenge the employee according to needs, readiness and aspirations, so mentor’s profile is not the criteria. Once a mentor, always a Mentor: A doctor need not always be a doctor. He/she ‘would be a patient sometimes. Similarly, a mentor would be a protege sometimes. Mentoring is a Complicated Process: Mentoring depends upon the skill of the mentor. Mentor-Protege Expectations aré the same for everyone: Individuals seek mentors for various reasons. ‘So each individual brings different expectations. ‘Source: Adapted from Bohlander and Snell, op.cit,p.304. ‘Guidance on acquiring necessary knowledge and skills. Guidance on administrative and human resource management problems, ‘Advice on career planning and development at various stages of the career. Information on corporation culture and the way the things and done in the company. Coaching in specific skills, Directing in project planning, preparation and implementation, ‘Advising on personal issues and problems. Providing parental guidance and assistance. Mentoring Functions Mentors perform a number of functions. They are: Research the person's background: Both the mentor and the protege have to research about each other in order to know each other better and to establish relationships. Make contact with the person: Both the mentor and protege should have @ mutual friend in order to liaison and bridge the gaps if necessary. Request help as a particular matter. In addition to general mentoring, the protege should ask for help. in a specific area, so that the mentor can concentrate on that area. Consider what you can offer in exchange: Mentoring is a two way process. The protege shoulckalso- do ‘some favour or benett to the mentor.Fr Grievance, Discipline, Counselling and Mentoring Arrange a meeting: The protege should arrange for a meeting with the mentor after submitting hisMer request. The protege should go prepared for the meeting. Follow-up: The protege should try and implement the suggestions offered by the mentor. The protege should also share the outcome with the mentor, so that the latter can modify the suggestions. ‘® Ask to meet on an on-going basis: The protege should ask the mentor for continuous mentoring, so that he/she can get the advantage of the advice/suggestions four perpetuate improvement. Functions of successful mentoring are presented in Exhibit 26.2. FUNCTIONS OF SUCCESSFUL MENTORING Efficient Mentors, Efficient Proteges Listen and understand = Usten + Challenge and stimulate learning + Act as advised = Coach + Show commitment to leam + Build self-confidence = Check ego at the door + Provide wise council Ask for feedback = Teach by example = Are open minded + Act as role model + Are willing to change + Share experiences + Are proactive + Offer encouragement | QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION What is a grievance? What are tho characteristics of grievances? Why should organisations introduce a griovance procedure? ‘What are the pre-requisites of a grievance procedure? Explain the different stops of a grievance procedure. Define the term, discipline, What are the diferent aspects of discipline? “Grievance are the workers problems with management and indiscipline is the management's problems with workers.” Disouss. 7. What are the approaches to discipline? 8 What is the disciplinary procedure? 9, What are the important causes of indisciptine? 40. What is counselling? Explain the concept of counseling. 11. How doos counseling act as a process of employee and organisational development? 12, What are the objectives of counselling? 19. What constitutes counselling? 14, Explain the conditions for effective counselling, 15. What is mentoring? What are the activities of a mentor? 16. Discuss the relationship between mentor and proteges, 17. What are the myths about mentors? 18. What are the functions of mentoring? & & &