What is Pastoral Care in the Workplace?

Pastoral care in the workplace primarily functions through Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), which are structured services designed to support the overall well-being of staff.

Here's a detailed breakdown of what pastoral care in the workplace entails:

• Core Principles of Pastoral Care

  At its essence, pastoral care is about providing empathy, care, kindness, and a listening ear. It involves "sitting with somebody without necessarily having to fix their problems" and "walking side by side with somebody". This compassionate, heart-centred approach is a fundamental motivation for many counsellors.

• Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) as Workplace Pastoral Care

  In Australia, EAPs are a common offering by workplaces to support their staff's well-being.

  ◦ Purpose and Scope: EAPs address a variety of issues. These can include workplace-related concerns, such as conflict between staff or workplace stress, but they also cover personal difficulties that may not be work-related, such as challenges with children at home.

  ◦ Structure: Workplaces typically contract a third-party organisation, like Life to the Full, to provide a pre-agreed number of psychological sessions for their staff. These sessions can be delivered by psychologists, counsellors, or coaches.

  ◦ Confidentiality: A critical aspect of EAPs is the assurance of confidentiality. The practitioner is ethically bound not to report details of sessions back to management, unless concerns about self-harm or illegal activity arise. This strict adherence to confidentiality helps alleviate staff anxiety about seeking help.

  ◦ Benefits for Employees: EAP sessions aim to help individuals find greater peace, clarity, and direction amidst difficult situations. The objective is to foster "psychological flexibility" and equip staff with strategies to cope with adversity and build resilience, allowing them to effectively respond when challenging situations arise again.

  ◦ Delivery Methods: Sessions can be delivered in-person at the service provider's office or remotely via telehealth. Telehealth is considered very effective, with government Medicare subsidies in Australia indicating its proven efficacy, and research showing it is nearly as effective as in-person sessions. It significantly increases accessibility, especially for individuals in remote Australian areas or those with social anxieties or depression who might otherwise not seek help.

  ◦ Benefits for Workplaces: Beyond genuine concern for staff well-being, a pragmatic benefit for employers is that EAPs have been shown to save money. For every $1 spent on an EAP, approximately $2.20 can be saved through reduced leave not taken. This makes it a "win-win" for both employees and organisations, especially given Australia's generous workplace laws that often favour employees.

  ◦ Session Format and Quantity: An initial EAP session is typically longer (around 80 minutes) to allow the client to comprehensively share their concerns, with subsequent sessions usually lasting 50 minutes. A minimum of three sessions is generally recommended for staff to experience worthwhile benefit. If a staff member exhausts their EAP allocation, they can often access further sessions through government subsidies, such as Medicare rebates in Australia, potentially extending to a total of 10 sessions. The school or organisation pays for the agreed-upon EAP sessions.

• Target Market for Christian EAPs

  Organisations like Life to the Full, which have a Christian identity, primarily target Christian schools and organisations. Christian schools are a rapidly growing industry in Australia and often have more financial capacity to invest in such services compared to other Christian entities like missions agencies. The strategy is to scale through business-to-business (B2B) partnerships, broadening the reach to other faith-based organisations such as World Vision.

• Reducing Stigma

  A key message surrounding workplace pastoral care and EAPs is that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness or an indication of being "crazy". It acknowledges that humans are imperfect and navigating life's complexities often requires external help, and that "bravery means that I'll actually open up with someone about it".

Ready to take this important step?

Contact Life to the Full today to learn more and schedule your sessions.