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1. Introduction to Counseling: Meaning,
Evolution, Need for workplace
counseling, Approaches to
counseling, goals of counseling,
process of counseling. Counseling
Process: Beginning, Developing and
terminating a counseling relationship
and follow up. Counseling
Environment, Referral procedures,
Guidelines for effective counseling
Unit - 1

2. Introduction to Counseling: Meaning
• BACP (2016) has defined counselling as “Counselling and psychotherapy are umbrella terms that cover a range of talking
therapies. They are delivered by trained practitioners who work with people over a short or long term to help them bring about
effective change or enhance their wellbeing”.
• Now if you have to define workplace counselling, what would be your response? Based on the above definition of counselling, you
may say, workplace counselling can be counselling provided to people for their problems at their workplace”. However, the matter
of workplace counselling is not so simple and involves several aspects such as,
• Who should provide the counselling services? A counsellor trained in general counselling skills or a counsellor trained specifically
to deal with issues at workplace? Or can even a manager in the organization can serve as the counsellor at the workplace?
• To whom should counselling be provided at workplace, i.e., who forms the clientele? Employers or the employees? Or both?
• Whether there should be an in-house counsellor or a counsellor sourced from outside the organization as a consultant?
• What kind of problems and issues should be addressed in counselling? Only workplace related problems or problems related to
the employers’ and employees’ life outside the workplace?
• What could be disclosed during counselling and what about the confidentiality? In other words, how much personal and
organizational information the employers, employees, and counsellors can disclose to each other?

3. Defining Workplace Counselling
• According to Carroll and Walton (1997), organization and counselling
are two different worlds and need to come together and understand
each other for workplace counselling. Orlans (1996) has delineated the
differences between organization and counselling
• 1 Differences between Organization and Counselling
Carroll and Walton (1997) have suggested that since the values of these
two systems are different, both need to negotiate and discuss
continuously to avoid clashes and to work meaningfully. The goal should
be to understand, share, and integrate the values and concerns of each
other. Definition “Workplace counselling refers to the ability to deal with
issues that occur within an organization, such as conflict, stress-related
absence, work-related trauma, and harassment/bullying” (Hughes &
Kinder, 2007)
Organization Counselling
controlling helping
objective
experience
subjective
experience
thinking (rational) feeling and
thinking
hierarchical autonomous
political personal
empowerment
competitive cooperative

4. Definition
• According to Donne (1990), workplace counselling does not imply ‘treatment’, but it involves sharing experiences and providing a set of
attitudes or techniques by the counsellor to individuals to help them cope with the problem/crisis. So, workplace counselling is a situation-
specific and time-limited endeavor that is focused on resolution of a current problem.
• The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP, 2016) says that workplace counsellor must have the
knowledge of the organization, its culture, and the factors that may affect the well-being of its employees. Also, workplace
counsellor should neither give advice and action plans to employees, nor should they be judgmental or exploit the employees
for their weaknesses, thereby harming the employees’ career.
• “Workplace counselling is any intervention in which the provision of counselling/psychotherapy is linked in some fashion to being an
employee suffering from work-related psychological problems or where therapy has an impact on work functioning” (MacLeod, 2010).
• Workplace counselling refers to, “Counselling provided in the work setting (whether this is internal or external service provision), to help
employees with any mental health issues that have arisen from, or are worsened by, work” (Bajorek& Bevan, 2020).
• Carroll (1996) gave a functional definition of workplace counselling, which refers to a three-way dynamic relationship between the
organization, the employees, and the counsellor.
• Thus workplace counselling is different from other types of counselling as,
• it is provided in the workplace setting.
• it focuses only on workplace issues or workplace related issues that might adversely affect the employees’ productivity.
• workplace counsellors must understand the organizational processes, its culture, practices, and challenges that can influence the well-
being of an organization and its employees.

5. Evolution
• The first documentary proof for employee counselling has been found from a company in USA, the Western Electric, used in
Hawthorne Studies in 1920s.
• However, the counselling service was formally introduced to organizations between 1940s and 1950s for treating occupational
alcoholism.
• The problem of alcoholism among workers was seen as a disease and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) model was used as an employee
assistance program (EAP) to treat with employees suffering from alcohol dependence.
• The encouraging outcome of this program led the counsellors to work with the relatives of such employees and gradually it was used
with the employees having other life related problems (Bull, 1997).
• The goal of this program was economic rather than humanitarian as the idea was to get back the employees to work and make them
productive as soon as possible (Battle, 1988).
• In USA, Hughes Act 1970, made it mandatory for the public services to take the responsibility of psychological health of the
employees, thus boosting the development of workplace assistance and counselling. A movement from treatment to prevention approach
occurred in 1980s when promotion of health took priority over medicalization of problems.
• According to Hawkins and Miller (1994), another important move occurred when counselling for the organization rather than only for
an individual was suggested.

6. Continued..
• According to Bull (1992), the history of workplace counselling shows that it has passed through four stages:
• 1) The ‘disease stage’, where individuals are seen as victims of an illness which they must learn to manage, e.g.,
alcoholism.
• 2) The ‘client-centred stage’ (a move to a broad-brush approach), where the post-war development of
humanistic/existential therapies, in conjunction with more traditional approaches, enabled employee assistance
to help individuals identify and meet their own needs.
• 3) The ‘employee-work stage’, where the workplace is acknowledged as influencing individual well-being.
• 4) The ‘company as client stage’, where the organization's policies and philosophy influence the individual,
community and the planet. An extensive review of literature by Bull (1993) showed, however, that most of the
counselling occurs at the individual level.
A historical understanding of the nature of workplace counselling was useful in identifying the focus of the
counselling, i.e., individual or the organization and helped in finding the appropriate models of workplace
counselling.

7. Need for workplace counseling
• Is workplace counselling employee centric or organization centric, i.e., does it serve the employees’ purposes (both work and non-
work related) or does it serve the organizations’ purpose by reducing absenteeism due to sickness, thereby reducing the overall
cost for the organization.
• Friery (2006) has suggested the following purposes of workplace counselling:
• To provide a safe and healthy work environment.
• To provide support to employees to deal with major changes in work and non-work-related areas of life.
• To reduce stress among employees.
• To work for welfare of the employees which enables the organization to attract as well as retain their valuable and efficient
employees. Based on a survey on HR managers to find out the reasons for providing workplace counselling in organizations, Bajorek
(2016) reported the following purposes of workplace counselling. It provides,
• health and well-being plans for employees (67%);
• support to staff for specific issues (48%); • helps in reducing the sickness leaves (49%); and
• improves the productivity of the organization (33%). In qualitative interview responses while similar purposes were reported,
Further, an additional response from qualitative interview of the managers was that, having workplace counselling gives the
organization an image of a good employer and is seen as a “good practice”

8. Some of the Problems addressed by Counselor at Workplace
• Ineffective communication between team members
• Unable to work in a team
• Non-performance by the employee
• Conflict between the supervisor and the subordinate employee
• Argument between colleagues
• Absenteeism where employees do not turn up or come late
• Presnteeism where employees turn up to work even if they are sick mostly because of a sense of job insecurity
• Stress related to completing deadlines.
• Anxiety about losing job or being transferred
• Poor or negative performance appraisal given by the supervisor which the employee feelsis not fair.
• Inability to manage personal and work life demands
• Lack of support to maintain work-life balance
• Misbehavior or discriminatory behavior based on gender, caste and class, race and ethnicity
• Inability to keep up with the new advances in the field to keep oneself relevant for the job

9. Approaches/types of counselling
• Normally employee counselling involves the following types:
• 1. Directive Counselling,
• 2. Nondirective Counselling,
• 3. Cooperative Counselling,
• 4. Participative Counselling,
• 5. Desensitization,
• 6. Catharsis,
• 7. Insight, and
• 8. Developing the new patterns.

10. Directive Counselling:
• It is full counselling. It is the process of listening to an employee’s problem,
deciding with the employee what should be done and telling and motivating
the employee to do it. This type of counselling mostly does the function of
advice, reassurance and communication. It may also perform other functions
of counselling.
• It centers on the counsellor. The counsellor, after hearing the problems of an
employee, decides what should be done and gives advice and suggestion to
him to resolve the problem. But directive counselling rarely succeeds, as
people do not wish to take up advice normally, no matter how good it might
be.

11. Non-Directive Counselling:
• It is the process of skillfully listening to the emotional problems of an employee, understand him/her and
determine the course of action to be adopted to resolve his problem. It focuses on the counselee hence it is
called ‘client centered’ counselling. Professional counsellors usually adopt this method of counselling. The
unique advantage of this type of counselling is its ability to cause the employees reorientation. The main stress
is to ‘change’ the person instead of dealing with his immediate problem only.
• The non-directive counsellor deals with respect the person so affected. He takes the person as best to solve his
own problems and he facilitates the person to reach his goal.
• In non-directive counselling, the employee is permitted to have maximum freedom in determining the course
of the interview. It is the process of skillfully listening and encouraging a counselee to explain troublesome
problems, understand them and determine appropriate solutions. Fundamentally, the approach is to listen,
with understanding and without criticism or appraisal, to the problem as it is described by the employee.
• The employee is encouraged, through the manager’s attitude and reaction to what is said or not said, to
express feelings without fear of shame, embarrassment, or reprisal. The free expression that is encouraged in
the non-directive approach tends to reduce tensions and frustrations. The employee who has had an
opportunity to release pent-up feelings is usually in a better position to view the problem more objectively and
with a problem-solving attitude

12. Cooperative Counselling:
• Is the process in which both the counselor and client mutually cooperate to solve the problems of the client.
It is not neither wholly client centered nor wholly counsellor centered but it is centered both counsellor and
client equally. It is defined as mutual discussion of an employee’s emotional problem to set up conditions
and plans of actions that will remedy it. This form of counselling appears to be more suitable to managerial
attitude and temperament in our country.
• Among the three from of counselling, the advice offered in directive counselling considers the surface crises;
the nondirective counselling goes to the underlining cause, the real crisis that leads the employee to
understand his problem. It is thus suggested that nondirective to counselling is, probably, the best among
the three forms.
• In attempting to help an employee who has a problem, a variety of counselling approaches are used. All of
these counselling approaches, however, depend on active listening. Sometimes the mere furnishing of
information or advice may be the solution to what at first appeared to be a knotty problem.
• More frequently, however, the problem cannot be solved easily because of frustrations or conflicts that are
accompanied by strong feelings such as fear, confusion, or hostility. A manager, therefore, needs to learn to
use whatever approach appears to be suitable at the time. Flexibility is a key component of the employee
counselling process.

13. Participative Counselling:
• Both directive and non-directive methods suffer from limitations. While the
former is often not accepted by independent employees, the latter needs
professionals to operate and hence is costly. Hence, the counselling used in
most situations is in between these two. This middle path is known as
participative counselling.
• Participative is a counsellor-counselee relationship that establishes a
cooperative exchange of ideas to help solve an employee’s problems. It is
neither wholly counsellor centered nor wholly counselee-centered. Counsellor
and counselee mutually apply their different knowledge, perceptions, skills,
perspectives and values to problem into the problems and find solutions.

14. Desensitization:
• According to Desensitization, once an individual is shocked in a particular
situation, he/she gives himself/herself no chance for the situation to recur.
This method can be used to overcome avoidance reactions, so as to
improve the emotional weak spots. If an employee is once shocked by the
behavior, approach or action of his superior, he would continue to avoid that
superior.
• It is difficult for such superiors to be effective counsellors, unless such
superiors prove otherwise through their behavior or action on the contrary.
Similarly, once an employee is shocked by a particular situation, he can be
brought back to that situation only if he will be convinced through
desensitization that the shock will not take place further. Counsellor can
make use of desensitization in such situations.

15. Catharsis:
• Discharge of emotional tensions can be called catharsis. A Catharsis is an emotional discharge
through which one can achieve a state of moral or spiritual renewal or achieve a state of liberation
from anxiety and stress.
• Catharsis is a Greek word and it means cleansing.
• Emotional tensions can be discharged by talking them out or by relieving of the painful experience
which engendered them. It is an important technique as a means of reducing the tensions associated
with anxiety, fear, hostility, or guilt. Catharsis helps to gain insight into the ways an emotional trauma
has been affecting the behaviour.
• Originally, the term was used as a metaphor in Poetics by Aristotle to explain the impact of tragedy on
the audiences.
• The most common interpretation of the term ‘Catharsis’ is purgation and purification, and are still
widely used. The most recent interpretation of the term catharsis is “intellectual clarification”

16. Insight:
Insight investigates deep into an employee’s past and brings to light past experiences and current
unconscious thoughts and behaviours of the employee, that are believed to be the cause of their
current problems. Specifically, it targets how inner drives such as the id, superego, and ego
conflict with outside pressures such as cultural or religious obligations.
• Insight is the ability to acquire a new accurate awareness or comprehension about a thing or
person. Insight therapy is a type of therapy that helps the employee to understand how events
in the past are negatively influencing the current thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. This type
of treatment can be quite empowering for employees, because it is identifying the source of
their problems. Identifying the reasons for low self-esteem, insecurity, depression, anxiety, etc.,
is the first step towards resolving those conflicts and issues.
• With the help of insight one may find that he/she has revalued himself/herself unnecessarily,
or his/her aspirations were unrealistic, or that his/her childish interpretation of an event was
inaccurate. Then he/she can overcome the weakness.

17. Developing the New Patterns:
• Developing new patterns becomes very often necessary when other methods to
deal with weak spots remain ineffective. In order to develop new, more satisfying
emotional reactions, the individual needs to expose himself to situations where he
can experience positive feelings. The manager who deals with such individuals
may motivate or instigate them to put themselves into such situations, so that
their self-confidence may increase.

18. Approaches/Models to counseling
• Hughes and Kinder (2007) have identified the following models:
• 1) In-house service (organization employs a counsellor or hires a
counsellor on a contract)
• 2) External Provision (Employee Assistance Program, EAP)
• 3) Hybrid (internal and external services)
Organizations can adopt a model which best fits their needs (Pompe et
al., 2017).

19. • In an In-house model, an organization directly employs the counsellor. This helps the
counsellor to understand the processes, dynamics, and culture of that organization. The
counsellor gets an access to workers at various levels, such as, Human Resource (HR)
division, workers’ unions etc. According to Pompe et al. (2017), an internal workplace
counselling is more efficient as it provides the counsellor a greater insight into the organization
that enables him/her to provide customized counselling services. However, since the
counsellor is also an employee of the organization, so the issue of confidentiality and impartial
counselling is of concern. Cost is another concern as having an onsite counsellor is more
expensive.
• Macleod and Henderson (2003) have delineated two models: external service and hybrid
models. The External service model may consist of face-to-face counselling, telephonic, and
web-based counselling. It can provide counselling not only for health and well-being of
employees but also for legal and debt issues, family support and critical incidences occurring in
an employee’s life. While Pompe et al. (2017) finds external services cost effective in terms of
financial expenditure, the BACP (2016) finds these as less effective in terms of counselling as
according to BACP (2016), the external counsellors may not understand the working of an
organization and so will not be able to provide appropriate counselling within the context of the
organizational culture.

20. • Hybrid model, as the name suggests, is a mix of external and internal
services, e.g., face-to-face (internal) counselling along with telephonic
(external) counselling. Internal services help the counsellor to gain an
understanding of the culture, processes and dynamics existing within the
organization, and external services save the costs in terms of time, money,
and energy. Thus, a hybrid model helps to maintain the balance between
internal and external counselling services enabling the organization to
avail the best of each service. That is, an organization can have a
comprehensive flexible and confidential counselling service.

21. Carroll (1997) has enlisted
the strengths and
weaknesses of the internal
and external models of
workplace counselling which
are given below:
Internal Models
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
the counsellor is in touch with the culture of the company the counsellor can be more subjective in his/her
assessments
the counsellor can make assessments in the light of the
various organizational systems
the counselling service can be vulnerable if re-organization
takes place
the counsellor has access to the formal and informal
structures of the organization
the counsellor can get pulled very easily into identifying
with either the organization or the individual
the counsellor can build up greater credibility for the
counselling service
the counsellor can be identified by employees with
management and vice versa
the counsellor is able to get feedback into the system
from the counselling work
the counselling provision can be isolated
the counselling work can be adapted to the organizational
needs
the counsellor can be used by management to do its 'dirty
work'
the counsellor has flexibility to adapt to client needs, the
counselling service can provide mediation
the counsellor is involved in the politics of the organization
the counsellor is a visible, human face counselling can be used by individuals against the
organization
the counsellor can provide multiple roles it is more difficult to maintain confidentiality: employees
may be worried about leakage of personal information

22. External
Models
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
the counselling service is distinct from the
politics of the organization
the counsellor may not be flexible in what
s/he can offer
it can challenge what is taken for granted
within the company
the counselling service has to make a profit
it can offer training as well as counselling it may not adapt easily to individual
companies
it can offer clear confidentiality the counsellor can unwittingly get involved
in the politics of the organization
it can provide a range of services the counsellor may not understand the
culture of the organization
it can offer a number of counsellors with
different skills, backgrounds, etc.
the counsellor may be seen as an 'outsider'
by potential clients
the organization is not responsible for
malpractice of counsellors
the counsellor may not be able to educate
the system about the meaning and process
of counselling
the counsellor may not have experience of
workplace counselling
the counsellor may know nothing about the
organization from which clients come

23. Goals of counseling
• How important is Employee Counseling at Workplace?
• As outlined above, employees deal with personal and professional stress, from family, relationships, and the workplace to financial issues. Therefore, workplace
counselling is quite essential in finding solutions to such challenges. Below are reasons why organizations need to prioritize and invest in employee counselling:
• It helps employees open up about their mental health
• Employees rarely open up about their mental health issues in the workplace, and managers or leaders may assume everything is okay. However, that’s not
always true. Studies show that about 39% of employees don’t disclose mental health with their managers. Certain factors such as embarrassment, fear of
jeopardizing one’s career, and being perceived as weak have deterred employees from discussing their mental health in workplaces.
• However, workplace counselling gives employees a safe channel to talk about mental issues troubling them.
• It contributes to employee development
• The end goal of workplace counselling is to help develop employees’ mental health and wellness. Through this process, employees can view issues affecting
them from a different perspective and make decisions to deal with similar problems when they arise in the future.
• It helps identify some work-related problems
• Employee counselling may help employers identify workplace issues that cause employees to remain unproductive and demotivated. As highlighted above,
sometimes employees may need more time to open up about the issues affecting them, forcing them not to deliver their best. However, it’s easier to identify and
address some of the problems through a counselling program as early as possible.
• It takes the pressure off managers or HR teams in a workplace
• While some managers and HR team members may have the skills and knowledge to counsel employees when they identify issues directly, it may be
challenging. However, having employees counselling as part of the organization’s programs will make it easier for employees to access a professional for
support, which is much more effective.

24. What are the Benefits of Workplace/ Employee
Counseling?
Below are the benefits of employee counselling to employers and
employees.
• Benefits to Employees:
• 1. Increases productivity and performance
• Stress is a mental health issue that negatively impacts employees’ productivity and performance. Therefore, access to
employee counselling helps employees find solutions to their troubling issues, resulting in a better and calm state of mind. As a
result, they tend to remain productive, perform better, and be more present in the workplace.
• 2. Increases employee job satisfaction
• Employees can effectively address some of their personal and professional challenges when accessing workplace counselling
programs. They also feel they’re cared for and valued. Consequently, their overall job satisfaction level also increases.
• 3. It assists in finding solutions to problems and making impersonal decisions
• Employee counselling is a problem-solving approach. Therefore, a counsellor helps employees find solutions to their underlying
issues, and they can make effective decisions to improve themselves.
• 4. It promotes the overall mental health and wellness of employees
• Employees’ mental health and wellness are crucial in the workplace and in general lives. Such a program gives employees the
courage to discuss mental health issues and fight mental health stigma.

25. Benefits to Employers
• 1. Improves a company culture
• An effective employee counselling program could help employers establish a reputation for caring for their employees’
wellness and mental health. Additionally, it helps build more loyalty from employees toward the company.
• 2. It could boost business operations and revenue
• Among the benefits of employee counselling are increased productivity, performance, job satisfaction, and reduced
absenteeism. Above all, employees’ morale will be higher. Consequently, all these could improve the overall business
operations handled by employees in an organization and impact the revenues of a business.
• 3. It helps maintain high employee retention
• When employees are satisfied and feel cared for, they will not likely leave an organization. Therefore, employers have a
reduced cost of hiring and training new employees. From a financial perspective, having such an employee assistance
program has a great return on investment in the long run.
• 4. It creates a workplace safety net
• Employers should be proactive in issues such as preventing mental and wellness problems from occurring to their
employees. Workplace counselling programs give employees a sense of security regarding their wellness.

26. Process of counseling.
• Counseling Process: Beginning, Developing and terminating a counseling relationship and follow up.
• Counselling is a process in which the counselor, or therapist, helps the client understand the causes for
problems and guides the person through the process of learning to make good life decisions. Initially,
counselling can be a bit painful, in that one may be suddenly come face to face with certain unpleasant
aspects of one’s own self.
• However, as the person continues on with the counseling sessions, the person will discover that the
sessions are easier and easier, and the client will learn to be more positive, and make better decisions.
The counselor’s role is to guide the client through the process and not tell what the client should do.
The clients are helped to help themselves. Let us now look at the processes in the counseling process
and these are:
• Identify the need for counseling.
• Prepare for counseling.
• Conduct counseling.
• Follow up.

27. Identification of the Need for Counseling
• It is important first step to identify the need for counseling. Whether the person concerned requires counseling at all
and if so what is the reason for the same.
• Sometimes counseling may be needed by a child in the school who is unable to benefit from the teaching learning
process that goes on in the school.
• In yet another case an adolescent facing self esteem problems or showing aggression or extreme anger at trivial
things may need counseling to overcome the anger and aggression and restore the self esteem.
• In certain other cases an adult who has gone through a financial crisis in business may need counseling to
overcome the depression that the person is facing.
• In yet other cases, there may be a marital problem or divorce situation which needs to be handled through
counseling.
• In orgnaisations and industries, counseling may be required to motivate the employees to work better and
to their full potential or in some cases to overcome the workplace violence etc.
• Counselling for better interpersonal relationship is very much needed in an organisation where the work
and performance of employees are affected due to lack of positive interpersonal relationship amongst
various levels of staff.

28. Preparation for Counselling
• Successful counseling requires preparation. To prepare for counseling, the following needs to be done:
• Select a suitable place.
• Schedule the time.
• Notify the person or the client well in advance.
• Organise information.
• Outline the counseling session components.
• Plan the counseling strategy.
• Establish the right atmosphere.

29. • As for selecting a suitable place, counseling should be carried out in an environment that
minimises interruptions and is free from distracting sights and sounds. Regarding the
scheduling the time, when possible, the client should be counseled after deciding upon a
mutually convenient timing.
• The length of time required for counseling depends on the complexity of the issue. Generally a
counseling session should last less than an hour. If the client needs more time, a second session
may be scheduled. Also the counsellor should select a time free from competition with other
activities and consider what has been planned after the counseling session.
• Important events can distract a client from concentrating on the counseling. For a counseling
session to be client centered, the client must have time to prepare for it. The client should
know why, where, and when the counseling will take place. Counseling following a specific
event should happen as close to the event as possible. However, for performance or
professional development counseling, clients may need a week or more to prepare or review
specific products, such as support forms or counseling records.
• Solid preparation is essential to effective counseling. The counsellor should review all
pertinent information. This includes the purpose of the counseling, facts and observations
about the client, identification of possible problems, main points of discussion, and the
development of a plan of action. Focus on specific and objective behaviours that the client
must maintain or improve as well as a plan of action with clear, obtainable goals.

30. • It is important to outline the components of the counseling session. For this, using the information
obtained, the counsellor should determine what to discuss during the counseling session. He must
note what prompted the counseling, what the counsellor aims to achieve, and what the role of the
counselor is. It is important to identify possible comments or questions to help the counsellor keep
the counseling session client centered and help the client progress through its stages. Although the
counsellor never knows what a client will say or do during counseling, a written outline helps
organize the session and enhances the chance of positive results.
• Many approaches to counseling exist, such as directive, nondirective, and combined approaches
to counseling. The counsellor should use a strategy that suits the clients and the situation.
• The counsellor must establish the right atmosphere which promotes two-way communication
between a counsellor and a client. Some situations make an informal atmosphere inappropriate.
For example, during counseling to correct substandard performance of a subordinate, the manager
who functions also as a counsellor, may direct the client subordinate to remain standing while he
remains seated behind a desk. This formal atmosphere, normally used to give specific guidance,
reinforces the manager’s rank, position in the chain of command, and authority. But in general
counseling session this is not advocated. The counsellor should sit in such a manner that he is
able to observe every emotion of the client and note every gesture verbal and nonverbal that the
client makes so that the same could be used in counseling and problem-solving sessions.

31. Conduct of Counseling Session
• While conducting the counseling session, the counsellor should be flexible.
Often counseling for a specific incident occurs spontaneously as counselors
encounter clients in their daily activities. Even when the counsellor has not
prepared for formal counseling, he should address the four basic components of
a counseling session. Their purpose is to guide effective counseling rather than
mandate a series of rigid steps.
• Counseling sessions consist of: • Opening the session. • Discussing the issues.
• Developing the plan of action. • Recording and closing the session.
• Ideally, a counseling session results in a client’s commitment to a plan of action.
Assessment of the plan of action becomes the starting point for follow up
counseling.

32. • Open the Session: In the session opening, the counsellor should state the purpose of the session and
establish a client centered setting. The best way to open a counseling session is to clearly state its
purpose. For example, an appropriate purpose statement might be: “The purpose of this counseling
is to discuss your personal relationship problem with your spouse and then to create a plan to
enhance the relationship so that you can manage your problem without difficulty. If applicable, the
counsellor can start the counseling session by reviewing the status of the previous plan of action.
• Discuss the issue: The counsellor and the client should attempt to develop a mutual understanding
of the issues. The counsellor can best develop this by letting the client do most of the talking. He
can use active listening, respond, and question without dominating the conversation. The aim of the
counsellor is to help the client better understand the subject of counseling.
• Develop a Plan of Action: A plan of action identifies a method for achieving a desired result. It
specifies what the subordinate must do to reach the goals set during the counseling session. The plan
of action must be specific. It should show the client as to how to modify or maintain his behaviour.
It should avoid vague intentions such as “Next month I want you to improve your communication
skills with your children. The plan must use concrete and direct terms. For example, the counsellor
may state that the client will appreciate his wife’s cooking or any room arrangement that she has
made. After coming back the next week for counseling session, the client will give a feed back to
the counsellor and depending on what the feed back is the counsellor may be able to suggest certain
skills that might work better.

33. • Record and Close the Session: Although requirements to record counseling
sessions vary, a counsellor always benefits by documenting the main points of a
counseling session. Documentation serves as a reference to the agreed upon plan
of action and the client’s accomplishments, improvements, personal preferences,
or problems. A complete record is made of counseling aids in making
recommendations for professional development, schools, promotions, and
evaluation reports.
• To close the session, the counsellor should summarise its key points and ask if the
client understands the plan of action. Invite the client to review the plan of action
and what is expected of the counsellor. With the client, the counsellor should
establish follow up measures necessary to support the successful implementation
of the plan of action. These may include providing the client with resources and
time, periodically assessing the plan, and following through on referrals. The
counsellor must schedule any needed future meetings, even if only tentatively,
before terminating the counseling session.

34. Follow Up
• The counseling process does not end with the counseling session. It continues through
implementation of the plan of action and evaluation of results. After counseling, the
counsellor must support the clients as they implement their plans of action. Support may
include teaching, coaching, or providing time and resources. The counsellor must observe
and assess this process and possibly modify the plan to meet its goals. Appropriate
measures after counseling include follow up counseling, making referrals, and taking
corrective measures.

35. Counseling
Environment
• In organizational settings, counseling environments play a crucial role in
supporting employees' mental health and well-being, fostering
professional development, and addressing workplace-related challenges.
Here are some key aspects of counseling environments in organizational
settings:
1. Confidentiality: Confidentiality is paramount in counseling
environments to create a safe space where employees feel comfortable
discussing personal and work-related issues without fear of
repercussions. Counselors must adhere to strict confidentiality guidelines
to build trust with employees.
2. Accessibility: Counseling services should be easily accessible to all
employees. This can include offering in-person counseling sessions,
teletherapy options, or access to employee assistance programs (EAPs)
that provide counseling services remotely or through hotlines.
3. Qualified Counselors: It's essential to have qualified counselors who
are trained to address a range of issues that employees may face in the
workplace, such as stress, burnout, conflict resolution, career
development, and work-life balance. These counselors should have
appropriate certifications and experience in organizational psychology or
counseling.
4. Non-judgmental Environment: Counseling environments should be
non-judgmental and supportive, where employees feel free to express
themselves openly without fear of criticism. Counselors should
demonstrate empathy, active listening, and respect for employees'
perspectives and experiences.

36. • Goal-Oriented Approach: Counseling sessions in organizational settings often adopt
a goal-oriented approach focused on helping employees identify and achieve specific
objectives related to their personal or professional development. This may involve
setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals and
creating action plans to work towards them.
• Integration with Organizational Culture: Counseling environments should be
aligned with the organization's culture and values. Counselors should understand the
unique dynamics of the workplace and tailor their approach to address the
organization's specific challenges and goals.
• Collaborative Relationships: Counselors should collaborate with other stakeholders
within the organization, such as HR professionals, managers, and occupational health
specialists, to ensure a holistic approach to supporting employee well-being. This
collaboration can involve sharing relevant information, coordinating interventions,
and providing ongoing support.
• Evaluation and Feedback: Regular evaluation of counseling services and gathering
feedback from employees can help identify areas for improvement and ensure that the
counseling environment remains effective and responsive to employees' needs.
Feedback mechanisms can include anonymous surveys, focus groups, or individual
feedback session

37. Referral procedures
• Referral procedures encompass a systematic approach employed by organizational counselors to direct clients towards external
resources or specialized professionals when their needs transcend the scope of in-house counseling services. These procedures
are grounded in ethical principles, client-centered care, and a commitment to delivering optimal support. By adhering to a
structured referral process, counselors uphold their duty to provide the highest standard of care while acknowledging the
limitations of internal resources.
• In an organizational counseling setting, the referral procedure is a systematic process designed to guide counselors in directing
employees to appropriate resources or professionals when their needs extend beyond the scope of organizational counseling
services. Here's a detailed outline of the referral procedure in an organizational counseling context:
• Initial Assessment: The counselor conducts an initial assessment with the employee to understand their concerns, challenges,
and goals within the organizational context. This assessment helps determine the suitability of organizational counseling
services and identifies any potential need for referral.
• Identification of Limitations: The counselor identifies any limitations within the organizational counseling framework that
may prevent them from effectively addressing the employee's needs. This may include issues such as the severity of the
problem, specialized expertise required, or legal and ethical constraints.
• Discussion with the Employee: The counselor engages in open communication with the employee to discuss the reasons for
considering a referral. It's essential to involve the employee in the decision-making process and ensure they understand the
rationale behind the referral.

38. • Exploration of Alternatives: The counselor explores alternative options within the
organization, such as additional support services, employee assistance programs (EAPs),
training programs, or internal resources that may better suit the employee's needs.
• Consent and Confidentiality: Before making any referrals, the counselor obtains the
employee's informed consent and discusses confidentiality implications. Employees should
understand what information will be shared with the referral provider and how their privacy
will be protected.
• Referral Source Identification: The counselor identifies appropriate external resources or
professionals that can address the employee's specific needs. This may include mental health
professionals, career counselors, legal advisors, or other specialists outside the organization.
• Facilitating the Referral: The counselor assists the employee in accessing the referral
resources by providing necessary information, making referrals, and coordinating
appointments if applicable. This may involve communicating with external providers or
organizations to ensure a smooth transition for the employee.
• Follow-Up and Monitoring: After the referral, the counselor maintains communication with
the employee to monitor their progress and ensure they are receiving appropriate support.
Follow-up sessions may be scheduled to assess the effectiveness of the referral and address
any concerns or barriers that arise.

39. Guidelines for
effective
counseling
• Effective counseling in organizational behavior involves several key
principles and guidelines to ensure that it is beneficial for both the
organization and the individuals involved. Here are some guidelines:
• Establish Trust and Rapport: Build a trusting relationship with the
individual seeking counseling. This helps create an environment
where they feel comfortable sharing their concerns openly.
• Active Listening: Practice active listening to understand the
employee’s concerns, thoughts, and emotions fully. This involves
giving them your full attention, maintaining eye contact, and
providing verbal and nonverbal cues to show that you are engaged in
the conversation.
• Empathy and Understanding: Show empathy and understanding
towards the employee’s experiences and emotions. Acknowledge
their feelings and perspectives without judgment.
• Clarification and Reflection: Clarify the employee’s concerns and
reflect their thoughts and feelings back to them to ensure mutual
understanding and validation.
• Goal Setting: Collaboratively set clear and achievable goals for the
counseling sessions. Help the employee identify what they want to
achieve and develop a plan to work towards those goals.

40. • Feedback and Advice: Provide constructive feedback and practical advice
based on your expertise in organizational behavior. Offer insights and
suggestions for addressing the employee’s concerns and improving their
performance or well-being.
• Confidentiality: Maintain strict confidentiality to build trust and ensure that the
employee feels safe sharing sensitive information during counseling sessions.
• Respect and Non-Directiveness: Respect the employee’s autonomy and
avoid imposing your own values or decisions on them. Instead, help them
explore their options and make informed choices.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Be culturally sensitive and aware of diversity issues that
may influence the employee’s experiences and perceptions. Adapt your
counseling approach to accommodate different cultural backgrounds and
values.
• Follow-up and Support: Follow up with the employee to monitor their
progress and provide ongoing support as needed. Be available to address any
further concerns or challenges that may arise.
• Continuous Improvement: Reflect on your counseling sessions and seek
feedback to continuously improve your counseling skills and effectiveness.