Your how-to: Training employees on how to access support and counselling
Training employees on how to access support and counselling within your work environment involves creating a structured and clear pathway for staff to seek assistance when they feel the need. This support could be for mental health concerns, personal issues affecting their wellbeing, or any stressors negatively affecting their work performance.
The primary goal is to ensure that employees are aware of the assistance available to them within the organisation. These could include access to an onsite psychologist or counsellor, utilisation of Employee Assistance Program (EAP), mental health and wellbeing seminars, or supportive resources like helplines and peer support networks.
As per Australian law, companies have a duty of care towards their staff, which includes their mental health too. Thus, it is crucial to develop a robust support system that upholds this commitment to employee wellbeing. Beyond offering resources, such training would also involve imparting the requisite knowledge about good mental health, defeating stigma around seeking help, and fostering an environment where mental wellbeing is prioritised and respected.
In essence, it is a proactive approach to managing workplace mental health, encouraging staff to utilise support structures, and ensuring that they do so effectively and responsibly. It's about fostering an open and supportive work culture where employees feel comfortable to seek help when needed, without the fear of judgement or repercussion.
Step by step instructions
Identify Support Structures and Resources: Your first task is to determine what support options are available within the company. These can range from onsite psychologists or counsellors, through to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) and external mental health resources. It may also be beneficial to tap into community support groups, online resources, and mental health hotlines.
Set Clear Guidelines: Formulate a clear procedure on how employees can request for and access these resources. This could involve - who to approach, what forms to fill, timings, restrictions on number of sessions, among others. Make sure these instructions are laid out explicitly so as not to confuse or discourage potential users.
Communicate the Initiative: Communicate the roll-out of this initiative company-wide through various channels such as email, team meetings or newsletters. It might also be beneficial to use simple language that is easily understandable by all employees.
Review and Update the Programme: On an ongoing basis, review the effectiveness of your process and react accordingly. Continue to evolve your initiative to best suit the ongoing changing needs of your employees.
Develop a Comprehensive Training Programme: Developing a robust training programme is necessary for educating staff on the mental health resources provided by the business. This programme should ideally involve interactive seminars, workshops, role play scenarios, and even guest speakers from established mental health organisations.
Foster an Inclusive Environment: Encourage your management team to foster an inclusive environment. This includes spreading awareness, maintaining an open dialogue about mental health, and removing the stigma associated with accessing support and counselling. This step can help employees feel comfortable seeking help when needed.
Implement Regular Check-Ins: After rolling out the training programme, have managers implement regular check-ins with their teams to assess if any employee requires assistance, further reinforcing the endeavours of the company towards employee wellbeing.
Remember to continually have a time in the diary for reviewing this whether it be every 12 months or longer.
Use this template to implement
To ensure you can execute seamlessly, download the implementation template.
Pitfalls to avoid
Confidentiality is an essential aspect of counselling and support services. Any breach could cause distress and a lack of trust amongst employees. Ensure that confidentiality is emphasised in all training sessions, and all procedures uphold this principle.
Partial or subpar training can lead to misinformation, confusion and even the misuse of the services available. Ensure comprehensive training is provided to each employee, covering all aspects of the support and counselling system.
In Australia, you must adhere to specific legal obligations, such as workplace Health & Safety laws and Privacy Laws. Ignoring these can lead to significant legal consequences, undermine trust and harm your company's reputation.
Identifying, accessing and utilising support and counselling services can be challenging for some employees. Unclear communication about the procedures or benefits could obstruct the process, and employees might miss the aid they need.
As Australia is culturally diverse, practices and protocols must be sensitive to various cultures. If not, employees might feel uncomfortable or misunderstood. This must be considered in training materials, and the delivery mode should respect every employee's background.
Support and counselling services should cater to the specific needs of each employee. A one-size-fits-all approach might limit the efficacy of these services, leading to staff feeling unsupported or unheard.