Bringing our Expertise to Other Organizations
Prologue: Family Services Employee Assistance Programs’ consulting arm, Integrated Workplace Solutions (IWS), works with companies to deliver specialized workplace health services. As more organizations strive to retain effective staff and keep them engaged in a competitive employment market, they are recognizing the value of providing the range of supports available to employees through IWS.
IWS consultants deliver workshops on key workplace issues such as resiliency, balancing work and life, change management, dealing with conflict and stress management. They are also available to customers during times of crisis. While workplace accidents used to make up a significant portion of crisis incidents, IWS consultants are finding that the aging demographic has shifted the need toward grief groups to help colleagues cope with the loss or illness of a peer. IWS certified counsellors are trained to respond to crises, and draw upon their counselling skills to encourage group dialogue about the grieving process, the colleague and about appropriate memorial.
Most of these activities are small and team focused, dealing with the impact of a single staff loss, but IWS consultants are also called to handle significant incidents. When the federal government airlifted many Canadian citizens out of Lebanon after war broke out in July 2006, IWS counsellors were part of the Greater Toronto Airport Authority’s response team. Our staff met the first plane of families—many with children— who had been through a harrowing experience. As the families waited for luggage arriving on a separate plane, IWS counsellors provided them with information, support and the opportunity to tell their story and have someone bear witness to their experience. Similarly, when an Air France plane overshot the runway in Toronto, IWS staff were at the airport to support passengers and concerned family members.
The scope of services offered by IWS is intended to assist companies in managing the broad range of human issues that can arise out of workplace change and the changing employment market. From the Managers Toolkit, which offers online tools to help managers deal with common workplace challenges and strengthen their relationships with employees, to events and learning opportunities to inform clients on the latest workplace trends, IWS is ensuring that its impact is positive for both its organizational clients and the thousands of staff they employ.
Epilogue: FSEAP will continue to research and develop responses to emerging needs for organizations and employees.
Note: If your browser blocks pop-up windows, please press down the "CTRL" key, hold it and click on the "send this page" button.