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

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The work environment in South Africa is currently undergoing dramatic changes thatare caused by a variety of factors and increasing pressure is placed on industries to takemore responsibilities for the wellbeing of their employees. The structure and philosophyof employee assistance programmes provide an unique opportunity to organizations toaddress the changing workplace and the needs of employees in a potential growthproductive way. From an employers viewpoint employee assistance programmes arebecoming essential for the success of present day companies and the employeeassistance programme practitioner is steadily becoming part of the corporative policyformulating team.Due to the fact that there are no guidelines or much literature in the South Africancontext regarding the application of employee assistance programmes in organizations,and in the absence of any specific practice approach for a social worker in privatepractice that delivers services within employee assistance programmes, the goal of thisstudy is to provide guidelines that can serve to provide a social worker in privatepractice who is involved with employee assistance programmes, or that considersentering this field, with accurate and relevant information of such programmes.Guidelines won't only contribute to the application of employee assistance programmesto its full potential, but will also assist a social worker in private practice duringnegotiations to implement and determine an appropriate model for service delivery in aspecific organization.In order to achieve the goal of this study, a literature as well as an empirical study wasundertaken. The literature study had a dual purpose. Firstly it was conducted in order todescribe the value of the utilization of employee assistance programmes inorganizations and included the relevant concepts and elements of employee assistanceprogrammes. Secondly, the literature study has been utilized in order to provide a usefulconceptual framework for social workers in private practice by placing employeeassistance programmes within the framework of the generic perspective.The findings of the literature study emphasize the re-focusing of employee assistanceprogrammes on the dual client system with alliance to micro- as well as macroactivities, as well as the fact that more specialized abilities are required from a socialworker in private practice. Further, it emphasizes that employee assistance programmesprovides structure to the professional activities of a social worker in private practiceand as such contributes to these activities having a more effective impact inorganizations.The empirical study was undertaken in order to determine the knowledge and opinionof the key personnel in organizations that are involved in the decision-making whetheror not to invest in a program of this kind, and the nature of the employee assistanceprogramme. This step has been taken, not only to make a social worker in privatepractice aware of the viewpoints of these people, but also to determine the possibilitiesfor introducing an employee assistance programme in an organization and at the sametime 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 caringphilosophy towards their employees that is linked to productivity. Their expectations ofan employee assistance programme is linked closely to this, and is only associated withmicro level activities. Further more, the findings points to a lack of knowledge as far asthe true nature, purpose and function of an employee assistance programme isconcerned.In conclusion, recommendations were made based on the deductions and findings of theliterature as well as the empirical study. These recommendations also serve asguidelines for a social worker in private practice who is involved with employeeassistance programmes.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University