Die funksie van werknemershulpprogramme in bedryfsondernemings : riglyne vir maatskaplik werkers in privaat praktyk

Date
2001-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The work environment in South Africa is currently undergoing dramatic changes that are caused by a variety of factors and increasing pressure is placed on industries to take more responsibilities for the wellbeing of their employees. The structure and philosophy of employee assistance programmes provide an unique opportunity to organizations to address the changing workplace and the needs of employees in a potential growth productive way. From an employers viewpoint employee assistance programmes are becoming essential for the success of present day companies and the employee assistance programme practitioner is steadily becoming part of the corporative policy formulating team. Due to the fact that there are no guidelines or much literature in the South African context regarding the application of employee assistance programmes in organizations, and in the absence of any specific practice approach for a social worker in private practice that delivers services within employee assistance programmes, the goal of this study is to provide guidelines that can serve to provide a social worker in private practice who is involved with employee assistance programmes, or that considers entering this field, with accurate and relevant information of such programmes. Guidelines won't only contribute to the application of employee assistance programmes to its full potential, but will also assist a social worker in private practice during negotiations to implement and determine an appropriate model for service delivery in a specific organization. In order to achieve the goal of this study, a literature as well as an empirical study was undertaken. The literature study had a dual purpose. Firstly it was conducted in order to describe the value of the utilization of employee assistance programmes in organizations and included the relevant concepts and elements of employee assistance programmes. Secondly, the literature study has been utilized in order to provide a useful conceptual framework for social workers in private practice by placing employee assistance programmes within the framework of the generic perspective. The findings of the literature study emphasize the re-focusing of employee assistance programmes on the dual client system with alliance to micro- as well as macro activities, as well as the fact that more specialized abilities are required from a social worker in private practice. Further, it emphasizes that employee assistance programmes provides structure to the professional activities of a social worker in private practice and as such contributes to these activities having a more effective impact in organizations. The empirical study was undertaken in order to determine the knowledge and opinion of the key personnel in organizations that are involved in the decision-making whether or not to invest in a program of this kind, and the nature of the employee assistance programme. This step has been taken, not only to make a social worker in private practice aware of the viewpoints of these people, but also to determine the possibilities for introducing an employee assistance programme in an organization and at the same time identify aspects that might be against the adoption of such a programme. The findings of the empirical study indicated that the key personnel maintain a caring philosophy towards their employees that is linked to productivity. Their expectations of an employee assistance programme is linked closely to this, and is only associated with micro level activities. Further more, the findings points to a lack of knowledge as far as the true nature, purpose and function of an employee assistance programme is concerned. In conclusion, recommendations were made based on the deductions and findings of the literature as well as the empirical study. These recommendations also serve as guidelines for a social worker in private practice who is involved with employee assistance programmes.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dramatiese veranderinge vind tans plaas in die Suid-Afrikaanse werksmilieu wat te weeg gebring word deur 'n verskeidenheid van faktore en daar word meer druk op bedryfsondernemings geplaas om toenemend groter verantwoordelikheid te neem vir die welstand van hul werknemers. Die struktuur en filosofie van werknemershulpprogramme bied 'n unieke geleentheid aan bedryfsondernemings om die veranderde werksmilieu en behoeftes van werknemers aan te spreek op 'n potensieel groei produktiewe wyse. Van werkgewers oogpunt, raak werknemershulpprogramme essensieel vir die sukses van hedendaagse ondernemings en vorm die werknemershulpprogram-praktisyn algaande 'n deel van die korporatiewe beleidsformulering span. Vanweë die feit dat daar nie in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks riglyne of selfs veel literatuur ten opsigte van die benutting van werknemershulpprogramme in bedryfsondernemings is nie, asook 'n afwesigheid in die literatuur van enige spesifieke praktykbenadering vir 'n maatskaplike werker in privaat praktyk wat binne werknemershulpprogramme dienste lewer, is die doel van hierdie studie om riglyne daar te stel wat kan dien om 'n maatskaplike werker in privaat praktyk wat gemoeid is met werknemershulpprogramme, of wat dit oorweeg om op hierdie gebied toe te tree, toe te rus met akkurate en toepaslike inligting van sodanige programme. Riglyne, wat nie net daartoe sal bydra dat werknemershulpprogramme tot sy volle reg toegepas word nie, maar ook kan dien as hulpmiddel vir 'n maatskaplike werker in privaat praktyk tydens onderhandelinge ten opsigte van die instel, en bepaling van 'n geskikte model vir dienslewering in'n bepaalde bedryfsonderneming. Ten einde die doel van hierdie studie te bereik is 'n literatuurstudie, sowel as empiriese ondersoek gedoen. Die literatuurstudie is tweërlei van aard, eerstens is dit aangewend om die benuttingswaarde van werknemershulpprogramme in bedryfsondernemings te beskryf en is die relevante konsepte en elemente in die verband uitgelig. Tweedens is die literatuurstudie aangewend om 'n nuttige konseptuele raamwerk vir 'n maatskaplike werker in privaat praktyk te skep deur werknemershulpprogramme te bespreek binne die raamwerk van die generiese perspektief. Die bevindinge van die literatuurstudie beklemtoon die herfokussering van werknemershulpprogramme op die tweeledige kliëntsisteem met 'n verbintenis tot mikro sowel as makrovlak aktiwiteite en ook die feit dat daar as sulks 'n meer gespesialiseerde kundigheid van 'n maatskaplike werker in privaat praktyk vereis word. Verder dui dit ook daarop dat werknemershulpprogramme struktuur aan die professionele werksaamhede van 'n maatskaplike werker in privaat praktyk bied wat bydra daartoe dat dit doeltreffender inslag in bedryfsondernemings vind. Die empiriese ondersoek is gedoen ten einde die kennis en opinie van sleutelpersone betrokke in besluitneming oor die instel en aard van werknemershulpprogramme in bedryfsondernemings te bepaal. Die stap is geneem nie net om 'n maatskaplike werker in privaat praktyk bewus te maak van die sienings van die persone nie, maar ook om die moontlikhede vir die instelling van werknemershulpprogramme in bedryfsondernemings bloot te lê en terselfdertyd aspekte wat dit weerlê te identifiseer. Die bevindinge van die empiriese studie dui daarop dat die sleutelpersone 'n filosofie van besorgdheid teenoor hul werknemers openbaar wat verband hou met produktiwiteit, en dat hul verwagtinge van 'n werknemershulpprogram nou hiermee saamhang en slegs met mikrovlak aktiwiteite geassosieer word. Verder is bevindinge aanduidend van'n positiewe ingesteldheid teenoor werknemershulpprogramme, maar 'n gebrek aan kennis oor die werklike aard, doel en funksie van 'n effektiewe werknemershulpprogram. Ten slotte is aanbevelings gemaak op grond van die gevolgtrekkings soos verkry vanuit die bevindinge van die literatuur sowel as empiriese studie. Die aanbevelings dien terselfdertyd ook as riglyne vir 'n maatskaplike werker in privaat praktyk wat gemoeid is met werknemershulpprogramme.
Description
Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2001.
Keywords
Social workers -- Practice -- South Africa, Industrial welfare -- South Africa, Employee assistance programs -- South Africa -- Evaluation, Dissertations -- Social work, Theses -- Social work
Citation