Learning in anOrganizational System

ROLE OF COUNSELLING IN

MANAGING STRESS

What Stress Is??

Stress is the general termapplied to the pressurespeople feel in life. Thepresence of stress at workis almost inevitable inmany jobs. However,individual differencesaccount for a wide rangeof reaction to stress.

Stress

When it becomes excessive, employees develope various syptoms of strees that can harm their job performance and health;-Physiological: Ulcers, Digestive problems, Headaches, High blood pressure, Sleep disruption.-Psychological: Emotional instability, Moodiness, Nervousness and tension, Chronic worry, Depression, Burnout.-Behavioral: Excessive smoking,Abuse of alchol or

drugs, Absenteeism, Aggression, Safety problems, Performance problems.

What is Counselling ?

•-The provision of professional assistance and guidance in resolving personal or psychological problems.-Professional relationship to help with personal problems

•-The process that occurs when a client and counsellor set aside time in order to explore difficulties which may include the stressful or emotional feelings of the client.-Not like usual physician help model - trap for medico’s: to pronounce ‘cure’ after Q. & A.’s of ‘diagnosis’. Counseling is usually less directive

What do the Counsellor do ?

Rather than just informing or giving specific advice, counselors serve as skilled listeners (“the best counselors are dumb”)Help person

-explore feelings, thoughts, experiences -see things more objectively - can help person deal with problems more calmly / less anxiously-clarify issues, generate options - based on shared understanding of issues - so person can solve problems on their own &make own decisions from available choices, so more self-sufficient (not dependent on counselor)

Stages of Counselling

•1. Explore•2. Understand

•3. Act

1. Explore

2. Understand

3. Act

Need for Counseling

-The need for counseling arises from a variety of employee problems,including stress. When these problems exist, employees benefit from theunderstanding and guidance that counseling can provide.-Most problems that require counseling have some emotional content.Emotions are a normal part of life. Nature gave people their emotions andthese feeling make people human. On the other hand, emotions can get outof control and cause workers to do things that are harmful to their ownbest interests and those of the firm. They may leave their jobs because ofconflicts that seem large to them or they may implement morale in theirdepartments. Managers want their employees to maintain good mentalhealth and to channel their emotions so that they will work togethereffectively.

6 Activities of Counselling

-The general objectives of counseling are to help employees grow in self-confidence, understanding, self control and ability to work effectively.-The counseling objective is achieved through one or more of the following counseling functions. The six activities performed by counseling

1-Advice 2-Reassurance

-Many people viewcounseling as primarilyan advise-giving activitybut in reality this is onlyone of several functionsthat counseling canperform.-The giving of adviserequires a counselor tomake judgments about acounselee’s problems andto lay out a course ofaction.

-Counseling can provideemployees with reassurance,which is a way of giving themcourage to face a problem or afeeling of confidence that theyare pursuing a suitable courseof action.-One trouble withreassurance is that thecounselees do not alwaysaccept it. They are smartenough to know that thecounselor can’t know that theproblem will come out allright.

3-Communication4-Release of

Emotional Tension

-Counseling can improveboth upward and downwardcommunication. In anupward direction, it is a keyfor employees to express theirfeeling to management.-Counseling also achievesdownward communicationbecause counselors helpinterpret company activitiesto employees as they discussproblems related to them.

An important function ofnearly all counseling is releaseof emotional tension; thisrelease is sometimes calledemotional catharsis. Peopletend to get an emotional releasefrom their frustrations andother problems whenever theyhave an opportunity to tellsomeone about them They are more relaxed andtheir speech is more coherentand rational.

The case of Irwin also illustratesanother function of counseling,that of clarified thinking.Clarified thinking tends to be anormal result of emotionalrelease but a skilled counselorcan aid this prosess. In order toclarify he counselee what is right.The result of any clarifiedthinking is that a person isencouraged to acceptresponsibility for emotionalproblems and to be more realisticin solving them.

6-Reorientation

Another function of counselingis reorientation of the counselee.This is more than mereemotional release or clearthinking about problem.Reorientation involves a changein the employee’s psychic selfthrough a change in basic goalsand values.The manager’s job is torecognize those in need ofreorientation before their needbecomes severe so that they canbe referred to proffissional helpin time for successful treatment.

5-Clarified Thinking

Benefits of Stress Management

-Physical health gets better-more energy and stamina

-Emotions stabilized-positive attitude-hopeful/happier

-Ability to focus improved-able to learn and achieve