Define Counseling Guidelines

Counseling Guidelines

Employee Counseling is defined as a discussion between the supervisor and the employee about the real or perceived performance deficiency or job-related behavior, the employee’s perception of the identified behavior, the supervisor’s involvement in helping the employee correct these behaviors, and the employee’s attempt to reduce or eliminate the misconduct or incompetence.

Guidelines for Effective Counseling

First, and most importantly, PLAN the employee counseling session ahead of time and give the employee some advance notice. Schedule the counseling session when you and the employee will have time to discuss the issues. When you are prepared, the employee will recognize that you have invested time and effort in this important matter.

Conduct the counseling session in privacy. Don’t allow outside interruptions.

Focus your attention on the employee’s behaviors and performance indicators that led to this counseling session. Discuss only these behaviors and indicators and not the employee’s character, morality, or personality.

Be direct and honest. After welcoming the employee, go directly to the reason for your meeting.

Remain objective without showing emotion. Even though some employees may be hostile, remain calm, speaking in a measured voice.

Keep an open mind. Look for a solution or set of solutions.

Allow the employee an opportunity to talk. You must be a good listener.

Never characterize the counseling session as “discipline.”

Do not speak in a punitive or derogatory manner to the employee.

Be sure to thank the employee for meeting with you and make it clear you are available for further discussion or help.

Basic Requisites of Employee Counseling

Employee Counseling needs to be tackled carefully, both on the part of the organization and the counselor. The counseling can turn into a sensitive series of events for the employee and the organization; therefore, the counselor should be either a professional or an experienced, mature employee.

The counselor should be flexible in his approach and a patient listener. He should have the warmth required to win the trust of the employee so that he can share his thoughts and problems with him without any inhibitions.

Active and effective listening is one of the most important aspects of the employee counseling.

Time should not be a constraint in the process.

The counselor should be able to identify the problem and offer concrete advice.

The counselor should be able to help the employee to boost the morale and spirit of the employee, create a positive outlook and help him take decisions to deal with the problem.

Benefits of Counseling

Helping the individual to understand and help himself

Understand the situations and look at them with a new perspective and positive outlook

Helping in better decision making

Alternate solutions to problems

Coping with the situation and the stress