Counselling in the Workplace (Developing Practice)

Effective corporate initiatives and processes are the bedrock of successful organizations; the "Developing Practice" series provides manager with essential frameworks to identify, formulate and implement the best policies and practice in the management and development of people. Counselling in the workplace is fast becoming a hot topic, yet many organizations fail to understand its true value and the vital role it plays in business success. For too long counselling has been the last resort when things go wrong; the time has come, the authors argue, to recognize it as a positive force to ensure things go better to unlock individual potential and benefit the whole organization. It must be firmly rooted in good management practice, not merely used as a device to overcome specific problems. Counselling plays a crucial part in enhancing performance management and empowerment programmes, fostering commitment and trust where change and restructuring is necessary. Counselling skills, furthermore, are powerful tools in overcoming learning blockages and realizing developmental goals. This focused and comprehensive book offers practical advice for personnel managers, trainers and line managers to help: assess organizational needs and set up sound policies and practice; decide appropriate counselling strategies; handle a range of personal problems that commonly emerge at work - stress, bullying and redundancy - with guidance and referral; use counselling techniques in coaching and mentoring to manage performance and career development; and devise, implement and evaluate counselling skills training programmes. Embedding counselling into company culture, the book makes clear, is no longer a generous act for employee well-being but an exercise in enlightened self-interest to add to the bottom line.