Does the idea of counselling in the workplace strike you as strange?
Perhaps, you may think, the terms are a little oxymoronic. From our experience at Beyond EAP, many employers believe that any problems should be left at home.
Why? Problems are personal, not professional. Anyway, pausing problems and challenges to focus fully on work – which, let’s not forget, employees are paid to do – can be therapy in itself, can’t it?
Bringing your whole self to work
The simple truth is that none of us are robots.
Even before Covid blurred the lines between life and work, it’s extremely hard to divide our whole human selves into a series of boxes, each one neatly labelled: work, home, family, friends, hobbies.
And when disaster strikes, be it an unexpected bereavement, diagnosis of a terminal illness, or being a victim of crime, who can honestly say they’re always able to hold their emotions together?
Employers have an automatic duty of care towards their employees. But those who offer support and compassion, genuinely allowing staff to bring their whole selves to work, gain huge competitive advantages. Their employees are demonstrably more loyal, take less time off sick, and are more willing to learn and grow with the company.
These are just some of the many benefits of counselling in the workplace.
“Can’t HR provide workplace counselling?”
Although a counselling qualification isn’t a requirement of the job, HR is often mistakenly seen as the provider of ‘tea and sympathy’ in business.
Given the seismic upheaval of the past few years, and the continuous burden of expectation on them to keep employees happy and motivated, it’s no surprise that 99% of HR professionals are feeling burned out.
Even if they can demonstrate experience in the highly sensitive area of counselling, bear in mind that some employees may prefer not to speak to HR – who are also employees of the same company – about their problems.
In any case, does your HR professional really have the time to dedicate to such an intensive task? Especially when, as the above statistic indicates, they may well benefit from counselling themselves.
Objective, qualified, and experienced support
The knowledge that objective, confidential employee counselling is available, from qualified and experienced people, can provide reassurance in itself.
So, when an employee is suddenly facing the biggest challenge of their life so far, your chosen team must be ready to step straight in.
“I strongly recommend Beyond EAP to any business that wants to provide positive assistance to its people. They are utterly professional and bring a great deal of insight and thought to the business, helping us to retain staff and ensure that they are happy”.
(Director, Boyer Planning Consultants)
A qualified counsellor herself, Sandie Dennis founded Beyond EAP because she has direct experience of the benefits of supporting employees through major life challenges. From the positive feedback she frequently receives, Sandie knows all too well how grateful, committed and engaged employees can feel as a result.
Sandie’s hand-picked team also includes Jane Mitchell, an Employee Support Specialist and an accredited psychotherapist, who has over 20 years of practical experience in a wide range of business settings.
Beyond EAP works closely with management and/or HR – retaining full confidentiality in the process – on how best to support individual employees.
“I cannot recommend Beyond EAP enough. They have made a huge difference to our employees, allowing them to feel supported and equipped when facing challenging times. The employees were extremely grateful for what they have done. Thank you, Beyond EAP!”
(HR Partner, CAE (UK) PLC)
To find out more, please get in touch.