THE HISTORY OF WORKPLACE COUNSELING

If modern counseling started during the Reformation Era in 1900 then when did workplace counseling started? Counseling in the workplace actually has existed about the same time in the early 1990s although it is uses a much different format than the ones we use today. In brief, there are three stages or eras in the history of corporate counseling. The three eras are: 1. Human Relationship Era 2. The Alcohol Awareness Era 3. Internal and External Counseling Provision Era (Michael Carroll 1996) THE HUMAN RELATIONSHIP ERA (1900s-1940s) Where did it started? It began in the US and is intertwined with the arrival in industry of medical, psychiatric and social work provision (Michael Carroll 1996). The first era in employee COUNSELING emphasizes on human resources and human relations. 1913- By this year, there were about 2000 welfare workers in the industry (Carter, 1977) 1914- First counseling program in industry was initiated by the Ford Motor Company 1920- A survey commissioned by the Engineering Foundation of New York found out that 62 percent of employees where discharged sue t social problems than occupational incompetence. 1922- Metropolitan Life Insurance employed full time psychiatrists. 1924- R.H. Macey employed full time psychiatrists. Anderson, the first psychiatrist for Masey provided the first book connecting psychiatry with industry entitled Psychiatry and Industry (McLean et al.,1985) 1948- It was only until this year the first training program in occupational psychiatry was introduced. (McLean et al., 1985)

THE ALCOHOL AWARENESS ERA(1940s-1960s) What happened during this era? During this era a new phase of interest emerged directed at employee health and growth. However, alcohol concerns pretty much dominated much of the counseling provision from this stage until the 1960s. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism introduced the term EAP (Employee Assistance Program) as a way of widening the counseling provision to include other than alcohol. During this era, a whole range of people became involved with employees: ex-alcoholics, psychiatrists, social workers, psychologist and personal officers. Counseling covers a variety of approaches from job testing to alcoholism and family problems. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COUNSELING PROVISION ERA What happened during this era? The third phase in employee counseling move beyond dealing solely on alcohol issues. Still with an emphasis on drink and drunk problems, corporate counseling move swiftly to encompass a range of services, legal and financial help, stress management, telephone counseling and face-toface counseling. The numbers of EAPs grew quickly and were set up as either: 1. Internal services as a part of the organization 2. External Services- a service specializing in providing EAPs to a number of organizations Apart from internal and external EAPs, in-house counselors, counselors hired by companies to work with their staff, began during this era. TRADITIONAL AND COMTEMPORY EAPs What is the difference between corporate counseling now and in the past?

Traditional Programs
Emphasis on alcoholism

Comtempory Programs
Broader approach: Any issue appropriate for service

Problems identified at late stage of development Services offered by medical and alcoholism specialist Focus on employees with work performance problems

Problems identified at earlier stage of development Services offered by counselors

Focus on work and non-work related problems e.g. family problems

PROBLEMS AT WORKPLACE.
Nowadays, there is a lot of pressure at our workplaces. This leads to stress which then leads to diseases and health complications such as hypertension, high blood pressure, asthma, stroke and heart attacks. Stress also cause employers and employees to resort to negative activities to release their daily tension such as smoking, taking drugs and alcohol. Among problems that arise at workplace include: Work-Related Problems a) Low motivation b) Demanding Employer c) Peer pressure d) Sexual harassment e) Low pay Non-work Related Problems a) Family problems b) Addiction e.g. alcohol, drugs c) Personal problems d) Financial problems e) Health problems

Problems at workplace will result low productivity, financial cost and slow growth. How can we tackle these problems? This is where corporate counseling comes in.

SURVEY 1. Do workers think counseling is important?

12

yes no

68

2. Do workers think that counseling helps them in their working life?

26 strongly agree agree 80 44 nither agree nor disagree disagree strongly disagree total

2 0

WHY WORKPLACE COUNSELING?

Why do employers and large organizations are turning to corporate counseling? REASON 6 Cost-Effective REASON 1 Employer's responsibility It is the responsibility of the employer to look after the welfare his/her employees. More and more employers are realising that a healthy workforce produces. In a long run, counselling is cost effective. Through counseling, hidden cost due to absenteeism, stress, day-by-day emotional and mental problems faced by employees can be minimised.

REASON 5 REASON 2 Preventive Service Counseling is also seen as a preventive service. Counselors, from their work with clients, gain an overall view of the ills and problems in the organization and can create training packages to forestall further injury to employees.

Legal Action
There has been a lot of cases employees sueing the company or employer because of negligence of duty. In the US, 5-15% compensation claims are for work-related stress. In Australia, it is reckoned that 35% of compensation pay-outs to governmental are due to stress claims. Counseling is a way to anticipate risk and provide relief to employees. REASON 3

REASON 4 Mental Health Counseling is a way to improve mental health. Employees usually bring their problems to work thus disrupts work performance. > One in five of the working population suffer some form of mental ilness. > Some 90 million working days are lost each year due to mental ilness >Between 30-40% of all sickness from workplace some form of mental ilness or emotional stress

Managing Changes
Employers are turning to counseling to manage big changes taking place in organizations like reducing workers due to economic recession. Change is never easy : it disrupts, cause grieve, stress and takes time. Support is needed for employees to cope with transitions in organizations.

Overall, workplace counseling is pivotal to ensure that a company is able to succeed.