The wealth of any organization lies in the hands and minds of its employees. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are designed to look after the wellbeing of the `human assets' of an organization, and are powerful tools to galvanize these `assets'. They have been a frequent source of support for employees in personal and organizational crises. This article highlights three major aspects of EAPs in an organization: workforce development and quality of work life; the importance of holistic approach towards EAPs; and the focus on the total wellbeing of the employees in the organization. It uses the Value System Design (VSD) and attempts to explain the entire structure of EAPs in an organization with the objective of striking a perfect balance between the employees' personal and professional lives. An organizational development perspective, which is a planned and organization wide topdown approach, has been used to highlight the implications of EAPs in an organization.
The
very first and foremost question that every practicing manager should seek to
address is whether employees, who walkin through the office doors each morning,
are in their best `frameofmind', intending to give their best performance on
the job. This should suitably become the `onepoint' test for determining the
need for Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
In
this regard, it would be right to quote a Senior Vice President from a technology related
services company from India, "I believe that when a worker comes out of his
house dressed in his uniform and carrying his tiffin box (food), he has a mindset
that he wants to work that day. How can he be thinking anything other than this?
I used to tell my managers this in response to their complains that the people
did not want to work. I believe, we are the ones that have created an environment
that has given him the feeling that he does not want to work. Let us create an
environment for him to work ." |
