[ 93 ]
Career Development
International
2/2 [1997] 93–98
© MCB University Press
[ISSN 1362-0436]
Counselling employees: an applied communication
skill
Barron Wells
The University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA, and
Nelda Spinks
The University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
Managers spend much time in
counselling employees. Exam-
ines this process, which
demands careful use of a
manager’s performance
counselling, namely, discipli-
nary counselling, grievance
counselling, and performance
appraisal counselling.
Introduction
Managers spend much time counselling
employees. The process of counselling
employees demands careful use of a man-
ager’s communication skills. Some coun-
selling requires advanced training in psy-
chology and clinical behaviour and should
not be attempted by someone without that
training. However, some counselling tasks in
an organizational setting takes on a form of
“helping”. Managers must recognize when
counselling tasks fall within their “helping”
realm and when counselling should be con-
ducted by professionals.
In organizational counselling, managers
cannot make decisions for employees; how-
ever, they can help employees to make their
own decisions. As a “helping” situation from
which both the individual and the organiza-
tion can benefit, counselling in an organiza-
tional setting is a communication tool of
significance.
Some counselling in an organization
involves helping employees with personal
problems that are indirectly related to their
work in the organization. An employee may
need a “sounding board”, that is, someone to
listen, as problems are easier to bear when
someone listens. As problems are alleviated,
an employee’s productivity improves. Addi-
tionally, an indicator of a good organizational
climate is when employees confide in man-
agers by telling them their personal
problems.
Performance counselling
Job performance counselling is a major part
of counselling activities in any company.
Managers counsel employees about proper
job p