What Factors Lead to Successful Employee Counselling?

There are many different situations that can cause stress in work, from pressing deadlines to workplace bullying, so it’s not a surprise that workplace stress is widespread in employees in the UK. It’s important for efficiency, morale, and productivity that workplace stress is addressed as soon as possible, and that the benefits of doing so are clear for both employers and employees alike.

Employee counselling is just one way of helping employees to work through their stress, but there are a range of factors that go into this process and affect its success.

How can workplace counselling help?

Workplace counselling is a method which allows employees to open up and talk about their problems. Its qualitative effects are varied, with benefits including:

• More focused workers, leading to greater productivity and higher quality work
• Higher happiness rates in the workplace which can directly influence staff morale
• A mental health aware workplace with reduced stigma around common mental health conditions like anxiety and depression

In addition to this, a number of quantitative benefits can be seen from workplace counselling schemes, including reduced sickness absence rates of up to 60% and improved staff retention. These benefits can have a positive effect on the bottom line of an organisation, reducing the costs that are typically associated with lack of employee motivation and absenteeism.

What makes for successful employee counselling?

Employee counselling can have a great effect on businesses, but there are a number of factors that go into a successful programme. Without these factors, it can fall short of its aims and prove to be less effective than is possible.

Successful employee counselling factors include:

• Counsellor experience and knowledge – Understandably, the more experienced a counsellor, the better the results will be produced from their counselling sessions. The approach that the counsellor takes to providing support is also highly important and should vary depending on who they’re working with.
• Counsellor qualifications and accreditations – Counselling is a specialist skill and requires a certain skillset that can be verified through qualifications and accreditations. Counsellors should be qualified with the BACP, UKCP, BABCP, BPS, or IACP and will be insured and indemnified.
• A safe, comfortable environment – Environment is key in counselling, as a relaxed atmosphere can elicit a more open discussion and better results. Choosing a quiet room which isn’t too warm or too cool can influence the success of a session.
• Delivery options – There are several ways employee counselling can be delivered, including face to face counselling, over the telephone, and on live chat or email. Each has its own benefits and which one you choose will depend on what the needs of employees are.
• Open-mindedness – An employee’s attitude when beginning counselling can influence its success. Although this isn’t always under employers’ control, encouraging an open and mental health aware workplace can help to keep employees open-minded, tolerant, and mindful.

Now that you know what the factors that lead into successful workplace counselling are, learn more about how it can help your employees by getting in touch with us. Our counsellors are all BACP certified, have over three years of experience and we make sure our approach to counselling is right for each individual.