Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

Module IV: Introduction to Employee

Counselling
Dr. Deepa Pandey
Associate Professor
AIBAS

1
 Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

COUNSELING
COUNSELLING IS A THERAPEUTIC
Process of providing help and support to people
to face and sail through difficult times in life.
It helps people to see things from a different
viewpoint and encourage them to draft their
action plan.
 Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

• Counselling is the process of helping an

individual facing a problem and to regain his
lost confidence and self-esteem and put his
mind in his job.

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The concept: Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

Workplace counselling can be defined as the provision of

brief psychological therapy for employees of an
organization, which is paid for by the employer. An
‘external’ service, such as an Employee Assistance Program
(EAP), typically comprises face-to-face counselling, a
telephone helpline, legal advice and critical-incident
debriefing. In an ‘in-house’ service, counsellors may be
directly employed by the organization.

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The concept: Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

B. J. Prasantham has rightly pointed out that, “Counselling is

a relationship between the counsellor and counselee
characterized by trust and openness, in a one to one, or a
small group relationship, whereby the counselee is helped to
work through his interpersonal and or intrapersonal problems
and crisis”.

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The concept: Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

Strong defined counselling as – “face-to-face relationship in

which growth takes place the counselor as well as the
counselee”.

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The concept: Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

Counselling is also defined as “discussion of an emotional

problem with an employee, with the general objective of
decreasing it.” Counselling Deals with –

(i) An emotional problem

(ii) Is an act of communication
(iii) Is generally to understand and/or decrease an employee’s
emotional disorder &
(iv) Can be done by both, the managers and the
professionally trained counsellors.

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 COUNSELING Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

THERAPY

GUIDANCE ADVISING

COUNSELING

SHARING CHANGE

HELPING
Main Characteristics of Employee
Counselling are: Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

a. Service offered to employees.

b. Service is conducted in organisation.
c. Focus is on problems faced by employees.
d. Objective of counselling is problem solution.

e. Employee counselling serves all concerned.

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Main Characteristics of Employee
Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences
Counselling are:
f. Employee counselling is a continuous process.
g. Role of counsellor is important in counselling.
h. Half knowledge is a dangerous thing, is
completed through counselling.

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 Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

NEED FOR EMPLOYEE

COUNSELING AT
WORKPLACE
 WHEN Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

 Unrealistic Targets
 Excessive Workload
 Absenteeism and Late Coming
 Lack of awareness of policies & procedures
 Performance Issues
 Slipping Deadlines
 Career Problems
 WHEN Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences


 Responsibility & Accountability
 Lack of team spirit
 Inter personal relations with
superiors &
 subordinates
 Problems in adjusting to organizational culture
 Family Problems
 Behavioral issues/tendencies
 WHO IDENTIFIES THE NEED Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

 Counselor  Counselee
Centered Centered
Counseling Counseling
 Line  Individual/Employee
Managers/Human
Resources Groups
 Supervisor  Employee Determined
determined a the problem
problem
 Supervisor has the  Employee may have
solution the solution
 Supervisor takes
responsibility for success of  Needs a platform
counseling session for discussion
 WHY ? Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

 Chalk down the career path

 Retaining Valuable Employees
 Effective Communication Growth for
Employees
 Ensure transparent environment
 Put problems on the table for open evaluation and draft
resolutions
 Clearly define expectations
 Ensure employee follow ethical standards, company rules,
common culture etc.
 COUNSELING MODES Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

DEVELOPMENTAL DISCIPLINARY
• Face to Face • Pre Penalization
communication • Conducted Human
• Conducted by Resource
Immediate department
Supervisor • Starts with a
• Starts with a warning/letter
verbal discussion • Ends with draft
• Ends with draft plan plan of action
of action • Second action step (if
• First action step developmental
COUNSELING STYLES Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

EVALUATIV
E

REFLECTIVE PROBING
COUNSELING
STYLES

INTERPRE
SUPPORTIVE
TATIVE
 COUNSELING STYLESAmity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

EVALUATIVE – Make judgments based on

what you have heard and suggest answers

INTERPRETAATIVE – Interpret what you

have heard without checking the accuracy of what
you have heard

SUPPORTIVE – Offer general sympathy

PROBING – Find out more information

REFLECTIVE – Try to feed back your

ASSES YOUR COUNSELING STYLES
Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

The best counselor uses a combination of

reflective and probing responses as this
encourages staff to think through a problem and
come with own solution

Ultimately, the best style is the one which suits

your situation
 COUNSELING PROCESSAmity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

STEP 1
STEP 4
IDENTIFY THE
FOLLOW-
NEED
UP
COUNSELING
PROCESS

STEP 3 STEP 2
CONDUCT THE PREPARE FOR
SESSION COUNSELING
 COUNSELING PROCESS
Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

STEP 1
IDENTIFY THE NEED

 Observe the situation, events or issues

 Compare the current situation with the desired

one

 Focused and two way communication

 Interactive session
 COUNSELING PROCESS
Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

STEP 2
PREPARE FOR COUNSELING
 Select a suitable place and notify the time
 Notify the concern members well in advance
 Organize Information
 Outline the session components
 Plan your counseling strategy
 Establish the right atmosphere.
 COUNSELING Amity
PROCESS
Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

STEP 3
CONDUCT THE SESSION

 Opening the session

 Discussing the issue
 Developing the plan of action
 Recording and closing the session
COUNSELING PROCESS Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

STEP 4
FOLLOW UP
 Support subordinates to implement their plan of
action
 Review plan of action to determine if the desired
results were achieved
 Amend the plan of action if required
 Measures after session include follow up
counseling and informing the high-up.
 COUNSELING SKILLS Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

Active Listening

Appropriate Body Language

Intelligent Questioning

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Connecting & Reflecting Back

Mutual Influencing
 QUALITIES OF AN
Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

EFFECTIVE COUNSELOR

Respectful
Empathetic
Confidentia
Warm
l
Honest Attentive
Listening Open Ended
Unbiased Understandabl
Unhurried e Authority
 COUNSELING ERRORS Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences
Dominating the counseling session

Giving unnecessary or inappropriate advice

Not listening

Projecting personal likes, dislikes and biases

Rash Judgments

Stereotypes

Loss of Emotional control

 BENEFITS OF COUNSELING Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

Decrease costs related to turnover, absenteeism

Improvement in employee performance

Increase in productivity

Manage behavioral problems brought about

by organizational change

Helps in superior decision making

Assist in understanding the situation more

objectively
 Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

THANK YOU
 Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

Module IV: Introduction to Employee

Counselling
Dr. Deepa Pandey
Associate Professor
AIBAS

30
 COUNSELING
COUNSELLING IS A THERAPEUTIC
PROCESS OF PROVIDING HELP AND
SUPPORT TO PEOPLE TO FACE AND
SAIL THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES
IN LIFE.
IT HELPS PEOPLE TO SEE THINGS
FROM A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT AND
ENCOURAGE THEM TO DRAFT THEIR
ACTION PLAN
 COUNSELING
THERAPY

GUIDANCE ADVISING

COUNSELING

SHARING CHANGE

HELPING
 NEED FOR
EMPLOYEE
COUNSELING AT
WORKPLACE
 WHEN

Unrealistic Targets

Excessive

Workload

Absenteeism and Late Coming
Lack of awareness of policies

& procedures

Performance

 WHEN

Responsibility & Accountability

Lack of team spirit

Inter personal relations with
superiors &
subordinates
 Problems in adjusting to organizational
culture
 Family Problems
 Behavioral issues/tendencies
 WHO IDENTIFIES THE NEED
• Counselor • Counselee Centered
Centered Counseling
Counseling
• Line Managers/Human • Individual/Employee Groups
Resources

• Supervisor determined • Employee Determined the

a problem problem

• Supervisor has the • Employee may have the

solution solution
• Supervisor takes
responsibility for success of • Needs a platform
counseling session for discussion
 WHY
 Chalk down the career path
 Retaining Valuable
 Employees Effective
 Communication Growth for
 Employees
 Ensure transparent
environment
Put problems
 Clearly on the table for open evaluation
define expectations
and draft
 Ensure resolutions
employee follow ethical standards,
company rules, common culture etc.
 COUNSELING MODES

DEVELOPMENTAL DISCIPLINARY
• Face to Face • Pre Penalization
communication • Conducted Human
• Conducted by Resource
Immediate department
Supervisor • Starts with a
• Starts with a warning/letter
verbal discussion • Ends with draft
• Ends with draft plan plan of action
of action • Second action step (if
• First action step developmental
Line Manager’s role in
Counseling
• Listen to problems/Address Issues
• Provide Feedback and help counselee to see a
different view point
• Investigate problems/matters
• Avoid word of mouth and see the root
cause with evidence
• Suggest/Recommend solutions
• Observe behavior and clarify expectations
• Determine right course of action and
reach conclusion
• Draft plan of action and follow up
 HR’s role in Counseling
• Need for counseling can be identified by HR as
well as supervisor.
• HR discusses the issue with the relevant
supervisor and continuously ask for
feedback
• Discuss and agree a plan of action
with supervisor.
• Schedule and jointly conduct the
counseling session
• Conclude the counseling session with warning (if
required)
• Follow-up the action plan and feedback to
the supervisor
COUNSELING STYLES
EVALUATIV
E

REFLECTIVE PROBING
COUNSELING
STYLES

INTERPRE
SUPPORTIVE
TATIVE
 COUNSELING STYLES
EVALUATIVE – Make judgments based on
what you have heard and suggest answers

INTERPRETAATIVE – Interpret what you

have heard without checking the accuracy of what
you have heard

SUPPORTIVE – Offer general sympathy

PROBING – Find out more information

 ASSES YOUR
COUNSELING STYLES
The best counselor uses a combination
of reflective and probing responses as
this encourages staff to think through a
problem and come with own solution
Ultimately, the best style is the one
which suits your situation
COUNSELING PROCESS

STEP 1
STEP 4
IDENTIFY THE
FOLLOW-
NEED
UP
COUNSELING
PROCESS
STEP 3 STEP 2
CONDUCT THE PREPARE FOR
SESSION COUNSELING
 COUNSELING PROCESS
STEP 1
IDENTIFY THE NEED

Observe the situation, events or issues

Compare the current situation with the

desired

one
 COUNSELING PROCESS
STEP 2
PREPARE FOR COUNSELING
 Select a suitable place and notify the time

Notify the concern members well in advance

 Organize Information

Outline the session components

 Plan your counseling strategy

 COUNSELING PROCESS
STEP 3
CONDUCT THE SESSION

 Opening the session

Discussing the issue

 Developing the plan of action

Recording and closing the session

 COUNSELING PROCESS
STEP 4
FOLLOW UP
 Support subordinates to implement their plan
of
action
 Review plan of action to determine if the
desired results were achieved

Amend the plan of action if required

COUNSELING SKILLS
Active Listening

Appropriate Body Language

Intelligent Questioning

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Connecting & Reflecting Back

Mutual Influencing
 QUALITIES OF AN
EFFECTIVE COUNSELOR

Respectful
Empathetic
Confidentia
Warm
l
Honest Attentive
Listening Open Ended
Unbiased Understandabl
Unhurried e Authority
 COUNSELING ERRORS
Dominating the counseling session

Giving unnecessary or inappropriate advice

Not listening

Projecting personal likes, dislikes and biases

Rash Judgments

Stereotypes

Loss of Emotional control

 BENEFITS OF COUNSELING
Decrease costs related to turnover, absenteeism

Improvement in employee performance

Increase in productivity

Manage behavioral problems brought about

by organizational change

Helps in superior decision making

Assist in understanding the situation more

objectively
THANK YOU