Working as a Staff
Counsellor
My Work
• One-to-One Counselling
• Counselling Assessments
• Promoting the Service
• Running Workshops
• Service also offers coaching, team building
• Employee Well-Being Consultants
• Small Team. Separate Premises.
Client Group
• Self-Refer
• Detailed Assessment
• 10 sessions maximum
• All employees of the Trust
• Range of employment backgrounds
including Health Care Assistants, nurses,
Admin/clerical workers, managers etc.
• What do you think are the main
issues which people present with
at the Staff Counselling Service?
Main Issues
Stress, depression, anxiety due to:
Work-related issues including:
Difficult work relationships
*Suspensions/ redeployment/ disciplinary
Poor management/non-supportive
Bullying and Harassment
Critical incident/accident
Personal Issues, e.g. bereavement, relationships
Some Factual Information
 Mental Ill Health is the second largest cause of time lost
due to sickness absence in UK organisation
 In Europe stress costs the economy an estimated 510% of GNP per year
 30.7% of workers clash with their colleagues on a
weekly basis
 40% said there was a known troublemaker in the
workplace
(BACP, 2007)
 There is an alarming link between job loss and suicide,
as well as psychological decline, depression , despair etc.
(Rutter, 2009)
What are the benefits for an
Organisation of having a
Workplace Counselling Service?
The Benefits of Counselling at Work
Provision
• Counselling support can have a significant
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positive impact on sickness absence
Counselling can have a dramatic impact on
positive work effectiveness
An internal counselling service can save the
organisation money
Confidential counselling services for employees
may reduce the risk of litigation
EAPs can reduce sickness levels
(Hughes & Kinder, 2007)
The Internal Dynamics of the
Organisation (Walton, 2010)
 The Client
The Workplace Counsellor
The Administration ( sponsors, funding body and
managers)
The Organisation; Culture and Purpose
Different Perspectives
• What might be your view of the
counselling service?
• What expectations might you have of
counselling?
• How might the organisation impact on the
counselling relationship?
What can the counsellor do?
• Establish a clear contract
• Lay out the limits and parameters of their
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•
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work
Clients need clear expectations of how and
where counselling fits into the
organisation
Be clear to sponsors and managers of this
role
Be aware of organisational dynamics and
national trends which affect their work
References
BACP (2007) Battle of the Workers (News Report).
Counselling at Work. Issue 57, BACP.
Cooper, C. (2007) Guiding Workplace Counselling.
Counselling at Work. Issue 57, BACP.
Hughes, R & Kinder, A. ( 2007) Guidelines for
Counselling in the Workplace. BACP.
Rutter, M. (2009) Not Just Losing Your Job.
Counselling at Work. Issue 65. BACP.
Walton, M. (2010) Beyond the Face before You.
Counselling at Work. Issue 68. BACP.