Workplace Counselling in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects

Abstract

The working environment could exact tremendous pressure on the workers with possible negative consequences on productivity. As such, workplace counselling has long been a positive tool for maintenance of sanity in the workplace. While workplace counselling has become a specialized medium for assisting workers in the developed world, its emergence in Nigeria remains relatively new and untapped. On the possibility of witnessing its emergence and practice in Nigeria, this paper highlights the possible problems and prospects that could be considered in the process. Issues discussed included conflict of values, counsellor competency problem, workplace counselling as a victimization tool, management of client information, workplace counselling as an excuse or avoidance route, making workplaces mental-health friendly, display of care, preventive mechanism, a risk management tool, and a medium of organizational change.

Keywords – workplace counselling, counsellor, employee, company, employee-care, Nigeria.