Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / 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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52200 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Davies, Priscilla Sylvia |
| Contributors | Cronjé, J. I., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 98 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
Page generated in 0.0027 seconds