Counseling Techniques for Employers

Life circumstances, personal issues or conflicts at work can affect an employee's emotional state and have a negative impact on performance. When an otherwise valuable employee starts to behave inconsistently or fall short of expectations, supervisors can use basic employee counseling techniques to resolve the issue without the need for disciplinary action.

When Counseling Can Help

If an employee's behavior and performance suddenly change for the worse, counseling may help the employee and correct the problem. An employee who becomes easily annoyed with coworkers, seems exhausted or cannot pay attention may be suffering from personal problems outside work. Employees who drink too much alcohol or have some other kind of substance abuse issue may require counseling, as may employees caught up in personality conflicts with each other. New supervisors sometimes find themselves confronted with longstanding issues that the previous manager should have addressed but never did, such as tardiness or poor performance.

Directive Counseling Methods

Employers can use either directive or non-directive counseling techniques. The directive approach works best for uncomplicated situations such as consistent tardiness or failure to meet work quotas. Directive counseling sessions don't take up much time. Explain the problem as clearly as possible, point out the negative effects on the group as a whole, describe what the employee needs to do to resolve the problem, and specify the consequences if these expectations are not met. Ideally, the directive counseling session should help the employee by calling attention to the issue before disciplinary action becomes necessary.

Non-Directive Counseling Methods

Non-directive counseling works best for more complicated performance issues such as personal conflicts, communication difficulties or changes in behavior caused by problems outside work. You should set aside a few hours for a non-directive counseling session. Use “active listening” techniques for this type of session. Ask questions that encourage the employee to give her own account of the situation. At any pause in the conversation, you should paraphrase what the employee just said and ask if you have understood her correctly. This shows the employee that you are genuinely listening and trying to understand her situation.

Tips for Effective Counseling

Avoid any kind of personal or moral judgment, and focus strictly on how the issue affects performance and what needs to happen to resolve the problem. For example, if an employee is drinking too much and coming in to work hungover, you should focus on how the hangover affects his performance rather than making comments about the morality of drinking so much. Help the employee distinguish between “practical problems” and “emotional problems.” A practical problem is an objective situation, such as a disagreement with a coworker. An emotional problem is the subjective meaning or interpretation we assign to a practical problem, often making it worse in the process. By helping the employee see the distinction between the two, you can help de-escalate personal conflicts.