Workplace counselling is becoming more commonplace and increasingly seen as a duty of care to your staff. Employers aren’t required to offer counselling services, but there are a number of benefits to both employers and employees.
The relationship between work and mental health is a complicated and intimate one. There may be a variety of reasons why an employee could benefit from counselling, whether that’s directly related to workplace stress or through pressures arising in their personal lives.
When we consider the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and organisations, it can be argued that the need for comprehensive workplace wellbeing programs has become even more acute. Whether an employee faces redundancy or divorce, the non-judgmental and professional support provided through counselling can prove invaluable.
What is workplace counselling?
Workplace counselling refers to the provision of free and confidential counselling services to employees, which they can utilise at their own discretion and that is paid for by the employer. Due to the importance of confidentiality, workplace counselling cannot be used to discipline staff or as a conditional requirement.
While counselling and other forms of therapy are available on the NHS, people often face long waiting times after referral, which can make workplace counselling a more expedient and accessible option. The intervention is usually short-term and will typically take place over eight one-hour sessions.
Workplace counsellors may work for an organisation full-time (usually under the umbrella of occupational health) or on an ad-hoc basis. HR employees may also have counselling qualifications, although it is recommended that they use this experience to act as a “bridge” to fully qualified counsellors unless they have the requisite training.
As members of a wider organisation, workplace counsellors have a specialist viewpoint, skill set and comprehensive understanding of the client’s working environment. Functionally, workplace counsellors always have two clients - the employer and the employee - and they aim to handle any situation in a way which avoids and resolves conflict.
The role of counselling services in reducing absence
A key benefit for employers instituting a workplace counselling service is in lower absence and sickness rates. Employees who are struggling with acute stress or mental health pressures may take extended sickness as they wait for therapy through the NHS, or engage in frequent absenteeism simply because they are finding it hard to cope.
A systematic study from 2010 demonstrated that counselling interventions reduced absence rates in organisations by up to 50%. Similarly, the BACP reports that all published studies strongly suggest that counselling provision will at the least cover its cost, with a significant number of studies finding very favourable cost/benefit ratios.
This benefit also can be found in studies that explore the use of counselling services in individual organisations. When the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology analysed the introduction of workplace counselling at the Post Office in 1990, they observed that the intervention had saved over £100,000 over a six-month period.
Staff retention and performance
Counselling services can also contribute to improving staff retention, reducing costs in employee turnover and training. Employees who may have left their role due to stress or mental health pressures can be guided through counselling to a better solution, learning healthy coping mechanisms and benefiting from the opportunity to have their voice heard.
Workplace counsellors can also act as an important conduit to navigate tensions and grievances between employer and employee, and minimise conflict within an organisation that could otherwise lead to people handing their notice in. While workplace counsellors are not there to give advice, their role can be invaluable in providing an empathetic sounding-board and reducing emotional distress.
These same factors also come together to create a healthier, more productive and happier workplace. A study from the University of Cambridge found that people who used staff counselling saw their well-being rise by more than 10 points on an index used by mental health professionals, leading researchers to conclude even a relatively short burst of counselling can make a positive difference to the lives and productivity of staff.
Offering counselling through redundancy
One of the reasons why counselling services can be useful to employers is that it’s considered best practice to have counsellors on hand to help employees through the process of redundancy, should companies ever have to make the difficult decision to let staff go. Redundancy counselling can involve helping employees plan their next steps and deal with the particular stresses and uncertainties that being made redundant can bring.
Recruitment and employer brand
Attracting good quality employees is often met with tough competition from rival companies, and creating an appealing work environment which secures the best talent is an important consideration for employers. A company’s “employer brand” is a key aspect of this, as it demonstrates what it’s like to work for a company, how well they look after their staff and the support that they provide.
While some candidates are motivated by money, other’s are motivated by the working environment, team dynamics and support they receive. An employer brand isn’t something that’s “defined” and then marketed, but a living, breathing representation of what it’s like to work for a company - and offering counselling services can play a role in helping to positively shape this brand.
Encouragingly, unless offered to furloughed staff, counselling services also have favourable tax benefits. As long as the counselling meets certain conditions (it must relate directly to issues such as stress or harassment, rather than financial or legal advice), the cost of providing counselling services is tax-deductible for the employer.
When tax benefits, employee attendance and productivity and employer brand are all taken into account, it is clear that workplace counselling is likely to prove a cost-effective and beneficial addition to your business.
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