Download or read book A Comparative Study Between Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work in the Gauteng Province South Africa written by Kelebogile Heather Mbuyisa and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of the research report was to contextualise EAP and OSW theoretically. In order to compare EAP and OSW, each field of practice will be described individually and broken down into separate components. Whether the employees¿̐ư issues are work-related, affecting their home-life or home-related affecting their work-life, the employee is experiencing imbalances relating to some form of stress, which ultimately affects their work productivity and job performance, as well as the workplace organisation. Due to the impact that employees¿̐ư stress has on their job performance and productivity, a need arises for workplace programmes that provide personal and social services to employees, also referred to as Employee Assistance Programmes or EAP (Mogorosi, 2009:343). In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Occupational Social Work (OSW) was recognised as one of the core areas of social work intervention, evolving from the principles and background of generic social work practice, into a specialised field, and subsequently forming part of EAPs. Occupational social workers, as part of EAPs, were either employed by the organisation or hired, as part of outsourced services, to render counseling services and interventions to employees and their families. Overtime, EAP dominated the OSW scene, thus EAP and OSW were often used and referred to interchangeably (Mor Barak &Bargal, 2000:3). Due to the increasing interest in both fields, and possibly due to their need to attain recognition and professional status within their respective disciplines and fields of practice, employee assistance professionals and practitioners, and occupational social workers established professional bodies that would ultimately serve the interests of their members and members¿̐ư client systems alike. In 1997, the Employee Assistance Professionals Association of South Africa (EAPA-SA) became an official branch of EAPA Incorporated, while the South African Occupational Social Work Association (SAOSWA), formerly known as the Forum for Occupational Social Workers, was established in 2003 (EAPA-SA, 2016; SAOSWA, 2017). The research report provides the key findings of research which explored the similarities and differences between employee assistance Programmes and occupational social work. Data was collected from two focus groups consisting of members of the EAPA-SA and SAOSWA. The researcher had direct contact with participants through conducting field research, in the form of focus groups, 0́−to gain a sense of subtle non-verbal communication and understanding the interaction in its real context. The study focused on the construction of detailed descriptions of the participants¿̐ư realities and the meanings they attach to their work experience, knowledge and settings. The research study aimed to understand, as opposed to control, the commonalities and differences through comparing EAP and OSW. Data sources was determined and utilised, based on the richness of information participants offered, thus enhancing the researcher understanding of the specific phenomenon. Data was collected verbally from a small sample of participants through focus group discussions to gain an understanding of participants¿̐ư experiences relating to their respective fields. The report further provides the conclusions and recommendations resulting from the key findings.

Download or read book A Comparative Study Between Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work in the Egoli Area Gauteng Province South Africa written by Nozazi Vuyelwa Myeni and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many employer organisations have implemented Employee Health and Wellness Programmes as a result of the increasing recognition that the well-being and health of employees have a direct influence on the overall performance of the employer. Due to this, Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work have had a definite existence and impact in the work community. The health and wellness services made available to employees are commonly provided by employee assistance practitioners or occupational social workers. However, there seems to be perplexities surrounding these two fields on how they may be similar or how they may be distinct from one another. The study that was pursued was in response to the suspected gap in research and practice in comparing Occupational social Work and Employee Assistance programmes. The goal of the study was to explore and compare the literature and practice of Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work. The study pursued to review literature of both the fields and thereafter, pursued a qualitative approach with the exploratory and explanatory methodology to obtain the realities of Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work practice in the Gauteng province. The main selection criteria for participations in the study was valid memberships with the Employee Assistance Professional Association of South Africa (EAPA-SA) and the South African Occupational Social Workers Association (SAOSWA) and could be of any race, gender or age. Eleven participants partook in email interviews. An interview schedule was used to provide the researcher with a set of pre-determined questions which served as an instrument to engage the participants. The completed interviews presented information based on the anticipated themes; Theme one: Qualifications and Requirements of for practice; Theme two: Core technologies and functions; Theme three: Client systems; Theme four: Service delivery and Practice models and theme five: scope of practice. Subsequently, the conclusions that were obtained from the findings were that the respective fields were very similar based on the functions, client systems as well as the requirements for practice. The requirements for practice did also have differences based on the specific criteria of qualifications and memberships with the associations. The service delivery models presented uniqueness in each field whereby OSW focused on the types of interventions and yet EAPs focused on where services would be located. The scope of practice in each of the fields did have similar elements and yet possessed differences based on the extent that they could provide services as well as ethical guidelines provided each of the fields. Several recommendations were made in efforts to prove importance of each of the fields in respect of their similarities and differences.

Download or read book A Comparative Study Between Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work in the Free State Province South Africa written by Thula Gunya and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This research study was conducted to determine the relationship between Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and Occupational Social Work (OSW). EAP and OSW are work-site programmes that target the same clientele in order to promote productivity in the occupational setting. Consequently, uncertainty exists when it comes to differentiating between these two resulting in synonymous use of the terms. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the similarities and differences between EAP and OSW in theory and practice. A qualitative approach was adopted and data was collected by means of telephone interviews, utilising a semi-structured schedule as a guideline for the researcher during the interviews. Seven participants from SAOSWA and seven from EAPA-SA, who were sampled purposively, voluntarily participated in the study. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. This investigation revealed that EAP and OSW are more similar than different. Similarities were noted in their clientele system, setting, models, modes of referral, core technology, problems addressed, length of services, benefits, challenges faced, and adopted legislation. The differences appeared in the therapeutic model adopted, focus, staffing, clinical supervision, and statutory and professional registration. The research has demonstrated that EAP and OSW is more alike than diverse. However, the two are not the same in terms of theory and practice and the relevant terms can therefore not be used interchangeably or synonymously.

Download or read book A Comparative Study Between Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work in a South African Context written by Tsholofelo Catherine Maseko and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work were established to help employees deal with life tasks, thus the disciplines view the employee as a sole client system. Consequently, there is a clear link between the two disciplines. However, a theoretical and practical comparison between them still lacks in literature. For this reason, the researcher saw a need for a research study that would conceptualise Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work in theory and in practice. The current study was carried out to investigate the two disciplines in an attempt to deduce a contrast between them. Similarly, the goal of the study was to compare Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work in order to explore and describe the similarities and differences. A qualitative research approach was utilised in the study to explore and understand the meanings that participants attributed to EAPs and OSW in practice. The researcher used the random sampling method to choose participants from the data base of EAP professionals/practitioners and Occupational Social Workers provided by the Employee Assistance Programmes Association of South Africa and the South African Occupational Social Work Association. The data was collected from a small sample of 13 participants. E-mail interviews were used to gain an understanding of the participants¿̐ư experiences and thoughts on their respective fields. An interview schedule was used as a guide during the interview. The data was then organised, thematically and systematically analysed and interpreted. The empirical findings on Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work indicated distinct similarities and differences between the two disciplines. The similarities between the two disciplines were in relation to the types of employee issues that they deal with, workplace services and programmes, service objectives and therapeutic approaches utilised. The differences, on the other hand, were related to the practice and service delivery models and the notion that the one is seen as more of a profession than the other. The current study demonstrated the necessity of a research study in this specific area. The research successfully identified and described the similarities and differences between the two disciplines and therefore contributes to the body of knowledge and to future research studies.

Download or read book A Comparative Study Between Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work a Quantitative View written by Marisa Pretorius and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world of work has become increasingly competitive, demanding optimal productivity and performance from employees. Concerns regarding job security in a fluctuating social, political and economic climate in South Africa further contribute to pressure being placed on employees and organisations to continuously perform and develop. In viewing the employee as part of a system consisting of both the personal and work domain, it is only natural to assume that difficulties experienced in the individual¿̐ưs personal or occupational settings could influence their work performance and productivity. Occupational Social Work (OSW) and Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) both aim to assist the individual employee as well as the organisation in reaching optimal performance and productivity levels. The development of OSW and EAP, on an international level, can be traced back to work organisations alcohol abuse prevention programmes known as Occupational Alcohol Programmes (OAPS) that were established during the 1930s. Since the inception of these programmes, there have been significant growth and development in both fields of practice. Services offered through the programmes include supportive counselling interventions, financial advice, legal advice, managerial referrals, health assessments and training interventions, to name only a few. The goal of this study was to compare Occupational Social Work and Employee Assistance Programmes and subsequently highlight key differences and similarities between the two fields. Limited literature could be found which focused on the similarities and differences between the practices of OSW and EAP. As a result of this, the type of research that was conducted was basic research, as the study aimed to explore and describe the differences and similarities between EAP and OSW. A quantitative research approach was followed and more specifically, a non-experimental design was applied. An electronic, self-developed questionnaire was used as data collection instrument. The questionnaire was compiled by the researcher after the literature review and respondents were invited. Following the pilot testing phase, a link to the survey was sent via email to all identified respondents. This link provided respondents with access to the on-line survey.

Download or read book A Comparative Study Between Employees Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work in the Limpopo Province South Africa written by Kedibone Irene Mojapelo and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction and background: There are two programmes that are both aimed at addressing work related and personal problems in the workplace, namely Employee Assistance Programme(EAP) and Occupational Social Work(OSW). It was not clear what the difference and similarities are between Employee Assistance Programmes and Occupational Social Work. There was very little literature available critically outlining the differences between the two professions. Therefore the study is aimed at comparing the two professions in order to outline both the differences and similarities. Design and Methods: Qualitative exploratory and descriptive research was conducted to determine the differences and similarities between EAP and OSW. Data had been collected through telephonic interviews, through means of a semi-structured interview schedule. Criteria for trustworthiness were adhered to throughout the study. Ethical standards were adhered to in order to ensure quality of the study. Findings: The findings of the study reveals lack of knowledge of core technologies amongst OSWs; they displayed confusion between the core technologies and the OSW practice model.The findings revealed that there is no legislation specific for OSW and EAP; they both rely on the legislation in general. The findings revealed that there are differences between EAP and OSW as well. The differences that were discovered are service delivery, requirements for practice and scope of practice applicable for both professions. Although the two professions differ, there are similarities which are therapeutic services, proactive programmes, core technologies and the fact that they both focus on workplace problems.

Download or read book Employee Assistance Programs in South Africa written by R Paul Maiden and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-04-23 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are a relatively new development in South Africa, having emerged in the 1980s, and this groundbreaking book provides a comprehensive overview of these EAPs in South Africa. It gives readers a first-hand view of the myriad issues encountered by South African practitioners. Employee Assistance Programs in South Africa provides EAP professionals, human resources managers, social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals with startling insight into the significant clinical, cultural, and ethical problems that their South African colleagues face in the workplace. It begins to fill the gap in the literature on professional practice in an apartheid society and can help develop opportunities for dialogue and an exchange of ideas between all EAP workers to help educate them and bring them together. This enlightening and potentially controversial book addresses a variety of pertinent topics, including: the conceptual sophistication of EAPs currently operating in the South African business community an evaluation of the macro model EAP in South Africa in light of the country’s sociopolitical, economic, and social problems cultural concerns facing black and white EAP practitioners and clients ethical conflicts inherent in working in an environment sanctioned by apartheid widespread alcohol and drug problems in South Africa the development of a post-traumatic stress and accident involvement program current educational developments in the EAP field in South Africa Providing a thorough, clear understanding of South Africa’s EAPs, this is an ideal book for all professionals and advanced students interested in the effects of political, societal, and cultural values on the operations of EAPs in a foreign country.

Download or read book Employee Assistance Services in the New South Africa written by R. Paul Maiden and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Employee Assistance Services in the New South Africa discusses the immense changes in employee assistance programs (EAP) in South Africa since the end of Apartheid in the early 1990s. EAP professionals and social workers will gain insight into the challenges of developing new programs in South Africa as this informative book explores solutions and answers for overcoming new challenges of implementing EAP programs in various industries. Employee Assistance Services in the New South Africa provides you with strategies and methods to introduce diversity and new management techniques through EAPs for a now globally active South Africa.Giving you insight into the challenges of finding a niche in the global business arena, this informative book contains interviews and real-life examples of how EAPs are working to solve problems in the workplace. Employee Assistance Services in the New South Africa examines several benefits that EAPs can offer in order to improve company environments and work ethics, including: discussing mental health issues with occupational social workers, such as depression and posttraumatic stress, in order to improve worker performance creating and managing diversity in EAP programs to gain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace helping workers and organizations cope with downsizing dealing with increased social problems, such as drug use, that can eventually infiltrate the workplace achieving the goals of maintaining employee physical and mental health, productivity, and life management and knowledge skillsDiscussing results of successful EAPs, this important book will give you several reasons for justifying the existence of these programs in tough economic times and provides you with methods to help you promote EAP services to smaller businesses and to several different types of industries. Employee Assistance Services in the New South Africa will help you locate a market where EAPs are needed and help workers with various social problems, resulting in a satisfied workplace with increased productivity and performance.

Download or read book A Social Work Study on the Impact of Legislation on the Practice of Employee Assistance Programmes in the South African Mining Industry written by Phiwe Thando Vuyo Mbana and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This research project was concerned with the description of the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) mainly in the South African mining industry. The focus was on the impact of legislation on the practice of EAP in the South African mining industry. The researcher used a qualitative approach in this applied research study. The researcher employed a phenomenological strategy within the exploratory study. This was done through the utilization of semi-structured interviews. The researcher first looked at the evolvement of EAP as a field of practice, following by a discussion of the current state of the EAP in the South African mining industry. The researcher continued by discussing relevant pieces of legislation that have a direct influence on the practice of EAP in the mining industry. The second part of the project was the empirical study. Ten respondents were drawn through the process of purposive sampling. The researcher mainly dealt with the views of four Human Resource practitioners and six EAP practitioners in the mining industry. Through this exercise, the researcher looked at what the practitioners' views were on the role of legislation as specifically to two issues. The first was the general provision of EAP services. The second was the stipulation of the legislation according to them, pertaining the practicalities of the provision of the service. The researcher's conclusions regarding impact of legislation on the practice of EAP in the South African mining industry can be presented in the following manner: Legal provisions have played a significant role towards the development of the field of EAP in general: Other implications have been difficult to implement for mostly two main reasons. The first is that they are too general and therefore are seen to mean different things to different people. The second is that the people who matter most do not know them. These are either human resources practitioners, occupational social workers and/or EAP professionals or union and/or employee representatives.

Download or read book Developing an Employee Assistance Programme for the University of the North West written by Eileen Matshedisho Molebatsi and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Critical Analysis of the Prevalence and Nature of Employee Assistance Programmes in the Eastern Cape Buffalo City Municipal Area written by Thiloshni Govender and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The researcher has since 1996 been involved professionally in the field of Employee Assistance and has been witness to its evolution, growing complexity and potential to make a positive impact on the development of individuals and organizations through employer-employee relationship and workplace dynamics. The motivation for this study came from an interest to gain deeper understanding of the concept and implementation of EAPs by organizations in the researcher's immediate environment and circle of potential influence. The development of EAPs in South Africa, influenced by various professions, has evolved as a result of different organizational needs which occur in varying forms and levels of sophistication depending on staffing, availability of resources and capacity within organizations. There is limited information available to EAP as a developing profession in terms of how programmes occur in South Africa. This study sought to analyze the prevalence and nature of EAPs in work organizations within the Buffalo City Municipal Area (BCMA) in the Eastern Cape Province, mainly to obtain reliable information on these programmes so that implementation of employee assistance can be evaluated and improved. This investigation provides a critical description of the implementation of EAPs in the BCMA with a view to establish prevalence, critically analyze the nature of EAPs, and to benchmark against existing Employee Assistance Professional Standards. The literature review includes a detailed examination of the history of EAPs in South Africa, contributions of the different professional disciplines, definitions of EAP, models currently in practice with the advantages, disadvantages and factors that influence the organizations choice of model and core technology of EAPs, as well as a critical examination of the 27 EAPA-SA Standards of 2005. The study is quantitative, exploratory and descriptive in nature as it sought to measure prevalence and provide descriptions of implementation methodologies in terms of form, shape, scope, staffing and services offered. These descriptive elements are benchmarked against the Standards for EAPs in South Africa, developed by the EAPA-SA, the official voice of the EAP profession. Questionnaires were administered to respondents that attended the local EAPA Branch and Occupational Health Nurses Association as well as Provincial Forum for Public Sector EAPs meetings. The respondents that were not reached this way were administered questionnaires personally. The population included organizations from both the private and public sector that employed a minimum staff compliment of two hundred. Since there are only 47 such organizations in the BCMA (both public and private sector), the entire population consisted of respondents and no sample was selected. Univariate analysis was used to assess data collected. The findings of the study indicate that EAPs are prevalent in BCMA organizations but they vary considerably in the way they have been developed and implemented. Benchmarked against the EAPA-SA Standards it is evident that while employee assistance programmes have certain basic elements in common, the overall design and implementation is fortuitous at best. Since the EAPA-SA standards have been developed concurrently with EAPs it is hoped that newly established EAPs will be a product of careful design rather than an inadvertent incident. EAPA-SA, educational institutions and business development forums need to collaborate and partner to provide comprehensive support to organizations and EAP practitioners to strengthen their EAPs. Correctly implemented, capacitated and resourced, EAPs can assist organizations to effectively manage their human resource behavior and health risks, maximize productivity as well as support individual employees to optimally manage personal and work challenges and function at their best. Copyright.

Download or read book The Social Needs of Farm Workers in the Koup written by Jacolise Botes and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Attitudes to Work and Social Security in South Africa written by Michael Noble and published by HSRC Publishers. This book was released on 2008 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper presents findings from a module in the HSRC's 2006 South African Social Attitudes Survey that was designed by the Centre for the Analysis of South African Social Policy at the University of Oxford. Respondents were asked for their views on issues relating to the importance of work and the relationship between social grants and employment. The findings demonstrate a strong attachment to the labour market among the unemployed, support for more financial assistance for poor people including those who are unable to find work, and no evidence that social grants in South Africa foster a 'dependency culture'. The analysis presented in this monograph is part of an ongoing collaboration between URED and the Centre for the Analysis of South African Social Policy at the University of Oxford in relation to poverty and social policy in contemporary South Africa. The Human Sciences Research Council's Urban, Rural and Economic Development Research Programme (URED) uses a multi-disciplinary approach to promote integrated urban and rural development in southern Africa and across the continent. Poverty reduction is the unifying, overarching theme and purpose of URED's work, and the programme's activities coalesce around the themes of: poverty and rural development; infrastructure and service delivery; urban change and migration; and human development, tourism, and climate change.

Download or read book Factors that Hinder the Utilization of the Employee Assistance Programme in the Department of Labour written by Kelly Phumzile Manzini and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The utilisation rates of Employment Assistance Programmes (EAP) are influenced by various factors cited in literature. The existence of written policy and its broad distribution, adequate staffing levels, and provision of training for supervisors predicts higher levels of programme utilisation (Weiss, 2003:61). Other recommended features, including maintenance of client confidentiality, accessibility may also be related to utilisation. This quantitative study was conducted with employees from the Department of Labour, in Pretoria. Fifty-five employees from all levels in the Department formed the research sample. The purpose was to investigate factors that hinder the utilisation of Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) within the Department of Labour. The investigation focused on awareness, attitudes, accessibility and purpose of the EAP services. Questionnaires were hand delivered to respondents and this minimised cost despite the extension of the geographical areas covered by the researcher. This technique was appropriate for this study since the researcher intended to include 55 employees of the Department of Labour in various labour offices across Gauteng North, Pretoria. Findings indicate that there are various factors influencing employees not to consult the EAP, ranging from concerns about confidentiality, accessibility and reporting protocols of the programme. The limitation of the study is that the sample was drawn from a population which is presented with a variety of health care solutions within their environment. This is argued in light of the fact that other employees of the Department of Labour are situated in areas with minimal environmental health care facilities due to their remote locations.

Download or read book An Evaluation of Employee Assistance Programmes and the Impact of Workplace Wellness on Employee Productivity written by Nomzamo Mazantsana and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Need Assessment for an Employee Assistance Programme at the Johannesburg Hospital written by Margaret P. Kamko and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Employee Assistance Programme is a work-site based programme design to assist in the identification and resolution of productivity problems associated with employees impaired by personal, legal, emotional, stress, or other personal concerns, which may adversely affect employee job performance (Terblanche, 1999:4). The researcher was motivated to conduct this study by her observation of social problems at the hospital as well as and the hospital's CEO's interest in the EAP. The literature review had little on the concept of EAP in hospitals. The majority of information used in this study is on the rationale, goal and the functions of EAP. Secondly, the researcher consulted the experts and pilot tested the questionnaire. This study was aimed at exploring a need for the employee Assistance Programme at Johannesburg Hospital. The sample comprised of 74 staff members chosen from different disciplines in the hospital. The approach of this study is a quantitative approach, the type of research is applied research and the research design is exploratory research. Research procedures and strategy used is a hand delivered questionnaire. The information gathered was presented through tables and figures. The researcher found that there is a need for an Employee Assistance Programme for the employees of the Johannesburg Hospital. The form and type of service required were that of internal or indigenous EAP, with offices in the social work department and should be run by the social work department. Based on the researcher's opinion, a combination of the internal and external EAP is more beneficial in that the two have the scope of practice that is advantageous when blended together. For instance internal EAP will provide resources such as counselling while external EAP will provide rehabilitation resources.

Download or read book Employee Assistance Program EAP as a Context for Social Work Practice Placement written by Nicki Cummings and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: