Transcript Employee Counseling and Wellness Services

Employee Counseling
and Wellness Services
Presented By:
Name
1.
Ashutosh Sharma
2.
Ankita Natal
3.
Ravi Anand
4.
Rohan Charly
5.
Rose
6.
Abha
7.
Shashank Shekhar
8.
Pallav
9.
Pratik Colamba
10. Divya Varghes
11. Vishal Kumar
12. Pritee
13. Priyanka Priya
14. Divya Varghese
Roll No.
6
12
18
24
54
66
48
60
69
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S-2
S-5
69
The Need for Employee
Counseling
Have you ever seen people:
• Struggling due to high levels of anxiety?
• Refusing treatment for a treatable
condition?
• Experiencing job burnout?
• Involved in efforts to promote good
health?
Personal problems are a part of life
Personal problems affect job performance
Healthcare costs continue to rise
Reducing tardiness, absenteeism, lost time
and worker’s compensation saves money
Reducing
turnover
can
improve
productivity and the bottom line
Addressing Employee Well-Being
• Promotes employee morale
• Reduces the impact of external factors
on work
• Promotes productivity
– Cheaper to train, treat, and retain existing
workers than to hire new ones
Employee Counseling as an HRD
Function
• Counseling serves the same goal as
other HRD activities
– Improving/maintaining worker performance
• Same techniques are used, especially
coaching
• Same kinds of analysis and planning
needed
Overview of Counseling
Programs
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1. Problem Identification
2. Education
3. Counseling
4. Referral
5. Treatment
6. Follow-up
Problem Identification
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1. Screening device
2. Absenteeism records
3. Supervisor’s observations
4. Referral
5. Voluntary participation
Education
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Pamphlets
Videos
Lectures
Unsolicited
– Television
– Radio
– Other media
Counseling
• Needs a non-threatening person with
whom the worker can discuss problems
and seek help. Options include:
– Supervisor/coach
– Ombudsman
– HRD Counselor
– Professional Counselor
Referral
• Directing employee to appropriate
resources for assistance – e.g.,
– Physician
– Substance abuse treatment center
– Marriage counselor
– Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
– Other options (clergy)
Treatment
• The actual intervention to solve the
problem – e.g.,
– 1. Group therapy
– 2. Medications
– 3. Individual therapy
– 4. Psychological therapy
Follow-up
• Needed to:
– Ensure the employee is indeed carrying out
the treatment
– Obtain information on employee progress
– Ensure that referrals and treatment are
effective
A Caution About Employee
Counseling
• All six approaches are not always
needed
• The following issues drive which
approach is taken:
– Type of problem identified
– Appropriate response
– Available resources
Who Provides Employee
Counseling?
• Depends on the organization and
organizational culture
• Can be done using:
– Corporate resources (In-house)
– Outside resources (Out-of-house)
In-House Efforts
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Advantages:
Internal control
Familiarity with
organization
Better coordination
of efforts
Sense of ownership
Greater internal
credibility
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Disadvantages:
Confidentiality
Lack of needed
resources
Employee reluctance
to use services
Limitations in staff
skill and expertise
Contracting Externally (Out-ofHouse)
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Advantages:
Subject matter
experts
Confidentiality
easier to maintain
Lower cost
Better identification
and use of resources
Disadvantages:
• Lack of on-site
services
• Possible
communications
problems
• Lack of
organizational
knowledge
Characteristics of Effective
Programs
1. Top management support
2. Clear policies and procedures
3. Cooperation with unions and employee
groups
4. A range of care:
– Referral to community resources
– Follow-up
Characteristics of Effective
Programs
5. Policy of guaranteed confidentiality
6. Maintenance of records for program
evaluation
7. Health insurance benefit coverage for
services
8. Family education
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
are employee benefits programs offered by
many employers, typically in conjunction with
a health insurance plan. EAPs are intended to
help employees deal with personal problems
that might adversely impact their work
performance, health, and well-being. EAPs
generally include assessment, short-term
counseling and referral services for employees
and their household members.
PURPOSE
The purpose of an Employee Assistance
Program (EAP) is to improve the
psychological health of your employees. It
will help your staff develop coping skills
and accept a greater degree of personal
responsibility. It will help them resolve their
individual, marital, family and job
performance problems. As a result, their
productivity and attendance will improve.
FEATURES
• Direct Access: Employees call the psychologist's office
directly.
• Quick Response: The first counselling session occurs
within a few days, and a crisis is dealt with immediately.
• Professional: Counsellors have their Doctorate degree in
clinical psychology, and are experts in human behaviour.
• Confidentiality: The employer never knows who uses the
service.
• Off-Site: Counselling takes place at the Psychologist's
office.
• Direct Treatment: Referrals are made only when the
patient requires another specialist or long-term care.
• Appropriate Coverage: 24 hours a day hot-line with offices
in towns and cities in which employees are located
• Employees and their household members may use EAPs to
help manage issues in their work and personal lives. EAP
counsellors typically provide assessment, support, and, if
needed, referrals to additional resources. The issues for
which EAPs provide support vary, but examples include:
• Substance abuse
• Safe working environment
• Emotional distress
• Major life events, including births, accidents and deaths
• Health care concerns
• Financial or legal concerns
• Family/personal relationship issues
• Work relationship issues
• Concerns about aging parents
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Substance abuse refers to the harmful or
hazardous use of psychoactive substances,
including alcohol and illicit drugs. Psychoactive
substance use can lead to dependence
syndrome - a cluster of behavioural, cognitive,
and physiological phenomena that develop after
repeated substance use and that typically
include a strong desire to take the drug,
difficulties in controlling its use, persisting in its
use despite harmful consequences, a higher
priority given to drug use than to other activities
and obligations, increased tolerance, and
sometimes a physical withdrawal state.
People abuse substances such as drugs, alcohol,
and tobacco for varied and complicated reasons,
but it is clear that our society pays a significant
cost. The toll for this abuse can be seen in our
hospitals and emergency departments through
direct damage to health by substance abuse and
its link to physical trauma. Jails and prisons tally
daily the strong connection between crime and
drug dependence and abuse. Although use of
some drugs such as cocaine has declined, use of
other drugs such as heroin and "club drugs" has
increased.
Behavior Patterns That Could
Indicate A Potential Substance
Abuse Problem
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Absenteeism
On-The-Job Absences
High Accident Rates
Job Performance Issues
Poor Relationships with coworkers
MENTAL HEALTH
The World Health Organization defines
mental health as "a state of well-being in
which the individual realizes his or her
own abilities, can cope with the normal
stresses of life, can work productively
and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community".
Mental health describes either a level
of cognitive or emotional well-being or
an absence of a mental disorder.
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
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Individual adjustment problems
External factors
Divorce and marital problems
Depression and suicide attempts
Difficulties with family or children
Legal and financial problems
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
• EAPs are based on the premise that work is very
important to people, the work itself is not the
cause of the employee’s problem. Consequently,
the workplace can be a means to get people
help.
• The supervisor plays a key role in getting help
for the employee. Often, however, the supervisor
denies the problem and even enables the
troubled employee to continue the problem
behavior. The supervisor is critical in
confrontational process with the troubled
employee. Therefore, education is necessary to
eliminate the supervisor’s tendency to enable
the employee by denying the problem.
• Information
about
the
employee’s
job
performance is extremely important in diagnosis
and treatment. It can be used to measure and
track whether treatment is successful.
• Workplace peers and union stewards are very
important, however they too can deny the
problem and enable the employee to continue
the behavior. Teaching them to confront and
consequently break the denial barrier is an
important element.
• Job leverage is the key ingredient in helping an
employee. The counselor must be able to use this
in conjunction with supervisor.
• EAPs concentrate on job performance issues.
They are not intended to be medical programs.
• Cost – effectiveness is an important consideration
and must be addressed with upper management.
• The EAP professional’s knowledge
about
addiction is paramount. Every EAP should be
staffed by licensed professional s who are
familiar with addictions and other employee
personal problem.
EFFECTIVENESS OF EAPs
• Effectiveness is “generally accepted”
• Estimated 50% to 85% effectiveness rate
• Estimated savings of $2 to $20 per dollar invested
in EAP
• However, much EAP evaluation is subjective, and
strongly criticized
EAPs AND THE HRD PROFESSIONAL
• EAPs are often housed within the HRD area of
the organization
• HRD must determine:
– Costs vs. benefits of the program in monetary
terms
– Whether it’s cheaper to replace an individual
than to successfully treat that person
• Healthcare organizations are increasingly
involved in EAPs (behavioral healthcare
management)
WHAT IS STRESS ?
•Stress is the “wear and tear” our minds and bodies
experience as we attempt to cope with our
continually changing environment.
•SOURCES OF STRESS:
1) internal
2) external
THE ALARM REACTION
• Increased gland activity
• Increased heart beat and respiration
• Elevated blood pressure
• Body poised for action
• Insomnia
FIGHT OR FLIGHT REACTION
COMPONENTS OF STRESS
•Stressor
•Psychological or physical response to stressor
•Interaction between the stressor and the individual’s
response
TYPES OF STRESSORS
• Physical
• Social
• Psychological
ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS
• Factors intrinsic to job
• Organizational structure and control
• Reward systems
• Human resource systems
• Leaderships
SMIs
Stress management interventions or programs are
defined as “any activity, program or opportunity
initiated by an organization, which focuses on reducing
the presence of work – related stressors or an assisting
individuals to minimize the negative outcomes of
exposures to these stressors”
TYPES OF SMIs
• Educational
• Skill- acquisition oriented
EFFECTIVENESS OF SMIs
• Look for specific issues with employees
• Assessment
• Specific and focused solutions
• Strategic interventions
• Evaluation and feedback
EMPLOYEE WELLNESS AND
HEALTH PROMOTION
PROGRAMS
• Employee wellness programs (EWPs) or Health
Promotion Programs (HPPs) are made up of activities
that ensure employee health and fitness.
• Wellness is more than mere absence of disease.
• These Programs attempt to encourage individuals to
adopt lifestyle that maximize overall well-being.
Three Levels of Fitness and
Wellness Programs
• O’Donnell describes three levels at
which fitness and wellness programs can
be implemented.
• Level 1 – primarily educational without
interventions
• Level 2 – seeks to bring about direct
change:
– Supervised exercise, fitness centers, etc.
• Level 3 – institutionalized wellness
Ten Dimensions of Work Site
Wellness
• Heirich described 10 dimensions of
worksite wellness programs:
1.Establishing a Constructive wellness policy
2. Conducting wellness screening
3.Establishing Working relationships with
community resources
4. Employee referrals to treatment and healthimprovement interventions.
5. Menu-approach to health improvement
Ten Dimensions of Work Site
Wellness
6. Outreach and follow-up counseling
7. wellness events carried for entire
organization.
8. Worksite policies and systems
9. Ongoing evaluation of wellness process
10. Periodic evaluation of cost-benefits of
wellness programs
Exercise and Fitness
Interventions
1. Most popular interventions
2. Even modest exercise helps prevent
disease
3. Research shows effectiveness
Problem: Getting those who would benefit
the most to exercise
Smoking Cessation Programs
• Smoking: most publicized health risk
• Cost per smoking employee: $2,853
per year more than nonsmokers
• Measuring effectiveness:
– Quit rate
– Percentage of smokers in program
• Cost Benefit: $8 saved for $1 spent
Nutrition and Weight
Control
• Obesity: 30% or more over one’s “ideal”
weight
• 30% of Americans are obese; another
34% are overweight
• Obesity causes hypertension,
musculoskeletal problems, high blood
sugar, and cholesterol levels
• Competition helps program effectiveness
Control of Hypertension
• Hypertension – blood pressure greater
than 140/90 repeatedly over time
• Greater incidence of heart disease and
stroke
– Control through, exercise, weight loss,
medication, stress reduction and low salt diet
• Benefit: $1.89 to $2.72 reduction in health
claims per dollar spent on program
Overall Effectiveness of Health
and Wellness Programs
• Organizations should have multiple components to
their health and wellness programs
• Studies and Research demonstrate reductions in
sick leave, health plan costs, and worker’s
compensation costs of over 25%.
• Challenge :
1. To get more organizations to implement such
inclusive wellness programs
2. To see that more individuals take part in them.
Issues in Employee Counseling
1. Effectiveness of programs
2. Legal issues
3. Who is responsible for counseling?
4. Ethical issues
5. Unintended negative outcomes
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Effectiveness of Counseling
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Determine organizational demographics
Determine expected participation rates
Estimate start-up and maintenance costs
Implement test and tracking system
Measure pre- and post program
Analyze results for users and non-users
Do present and future cost-benefit
analyses
Legal Issues
• Using counseling programs to
comply with legislation may increase
liability to lawsuits:
– Must be equally available to all
– Erroneous assessments are made
• Injuries in wellness/fitness programs
can lead to lawsuits
Responsibility for Employee
Counseling
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HRD Professionals?
Supervisors?
Unions?
Management?
Individuals?
What are your thoughts?
Ethical Issues
• Confidentiality:
– Records should be held in strictest
confidence, and kept separate from the
employee’s regular personnel file
– Release only with specific employee
permission
• Nature of Participation:
– Mandatory versus voluntary
Question
• Should participation be mandatory or
voluntary?
• Why?
Potential Unintended Negative
Outcomes
• Increased worker’s compensation costs
• Employee scheduling problems,
increased fatigue, lower performance
• Conflicts at work over smoking bans
Closing Thoughts
• EAPs show that companies care
• HRD professionals have the skills
and expertise to provide EAP
information
• Promoting employee health and
well-being can contributes
positively to an organization’s
bottom line.
Summary
• Employee well-being affects ability,
availability, and readiness to perform a job
• Employee counseling encompasses a lot of
areas
• It is an HRD function that:
– Ensures that employees are now effective
contributors to the organization, and that they
will continue to be in the future
– Needs professionals who are qualified to deal
with the difficult issues involved with this topic
THANK
YOU !!