Enhance your HR counselling skills to effectively support employees. Learn practical techniques for workplace counselling and conflict resolution.

Introduction

Today's workplace is increasingly complex. Employees may experience work pressure, burnout, interpersonal conflict, performance difficulties, career uncertainty, personal challenges and changing expectations at work. Managers and people leaders are often among the first to notice when an employee is struggling—and frequently the first person an employee approaches for support.

Workplace counselling, therefore, should not be regarded solely as an HR responsibility. The ability to listen effectively, demonstrate empathy, ask appropriate questions, conduct sensitive conversations and help employees identify constructive ways forward is an important people-management and leadership competency.

However, workplace counselling does not mean becoming a professional therapist or solving an employee's personal problems. Managers, team leaders and HR professionals need to understand the appropriate boundaries of their role: how to provide meaningful support, maintain confidentiality, recognise situations beyond their competence, document appropriately and know when an employee should be referred to HR or professional assistance.

This practical one-day workshop equips participants with the essential skills and structured approaches required to conduct effective workplace counselling conversations. Through realistic workplace scenarios, case discussions, role plays and practical exercises, participants will learn how to support employees while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

Participants will also explore how AI tools can support workplace counselling preparation, analysis, questioning, reflection and documentation—while ensuring that empathy, confidentiality, professional judgement and accountability remain firmly human responsibilities.

Course Details: 

Learning Objectives

• Understand the purpose, scope and limitations of workplace counselling.

• Recognise counselling as an important people-management and leadership skill.

• Develop essential counselling competencies including active listening, empathy, questioning, rapport-building and constructive communication.

• Conduct workplace counselling conversations using a practical and structured process.

• Identify common workplace concerns and recognise early warning signs requiring additional support.

• Select an appropriate counselling approach according to the employee and situation.

• Manage difficult, emotional or sensitive counselling conversations professionally.

• Understand confidentiality, ethical responsibilities and professional boundaries.

• Recognise when a matter should be escalated to HR or referred to appropriate professional support.

• Document counselling discussions objectively and appropriately.

• Use AI responsibly to support counselling preparation, analysis, questioning, reflection and documentation without replacing human judgement.

Outline

1. Understanding Workplace Counselling

• Purpose and value of workplace counselling

• Why counselling is not solely an HR responsibility

• Workplace counselling as a people-leadership competency

• Counselling versus coaching, performance management and disciplinary action

• Role and responsibilities of managers, team leaders and HR

• Professional boundaries, confidentiality and duty of care

• Knowing when not to counsel and when to seek further assistance

 

2. The Workplace Counselling Process

• Preparing for a counselling conversation

• Building rapport and psychological safety

• Understanding the employee's situation without making assumptions

• Identifying underlying concerns and possible root causes

• Exploring options rather than immediately providing solutions

• Agreeing on appropriate actions

• Following up and reviewing progress

• Escalating or referring where appropriate

 

3. The Workplace Counsellor's Toolkit

• Active listening and attending behaviour

• Empathy and understanding

• Genuineness and trust-building

• Respect and unconditional positive regard

• Asking effective open-ended questions

• Paraphrasing and clarifying

• Using appropriate non-verbal communication

• Providing information and guidance without taking over

• Helping employees identify options and overcome obstacles

• Summarising and closing conversations appropriately

• Common mistakes workplace counsellors should avoid

 

4. Choosing the Right Counselling Approach

• Directive Approach – where clear guidance or immediate action is necessary

• Non-Directive Approach – helping employees reflect and identify their own solutions

• Collaborative Approach – manager/HR and employee jointly exploring workable solutions

• Referral Approach – recognising when the situation exceeds the workplace counsellor's role or competence

Participants analyse realistic employee situations involving:

• Employee wellbeing and behavioural changes

• Workplace relationships and conflict

• Performance concerns

• Career frustration

• Difficult or emotional employees

Outline

5. Sustaining Effective Workplace Counselling

• What makes workplace counselling successful?

• Building trust while maintaining professional boundaries

• Common counselling challenges and how to manage them

• Maintaining confidentiality and ethical conduct

• Documentation and objective record-keeping

• Appropriate involvement of managers and HR

• Following up agreed actions

• Recognising improvement and continuing support

• Knowing when counselling should transition to performance management, formal processes or professional referral

• Responsible use of AI and protection of sensitive employee information

• Integrated Workplace Counselling Simulation

- Participants undertake realistic workplace counselling conversations and rotate through the roles of:

Workplace Counsellor → Employee → Observer/Coach

- The simulation provides opportunities to practise:

• Building rapport

• Active listening

• Empathy

• Open-ended questioning

• Selecting an appropriate counselling approach

• Maintaining professional boundaries

• Agreeing on actions

• Follow-up

• Constructive peer feedback

Benefits of Attending This Course

At the end of this workshop, participants will be better equipped to conduct workplace conversations with employees who may be experiencing difficulties, concerns or challenges.

Participants will gain greater confidence in listening without judgement, asking appropriate questions, responding with empathy and helping employees explore constructive solutions rather than immediately attempting to solve their problems.

They will also develop a clearer understanding of their professional boundaries—particularly the distinction between providing workplace support and attempting to provide professional therapy or psychological counselling.

Most importantly, participants will leave with a practical counselling framework and toolkit that can be applied immediately when managing employees, supporting colleagues and conducting sensitive workplace conversations.

 

Who Should Attend

This programme is suitable for anyone with responsibility for managing, supervising, supporting or developing employees, including:

• Managers and Department Heads

• Team Leaders and Supervisors

• People Managers

• Project and Functional Leaders with staff responsibilities

• HR Professionals and HR Business Partners

• Employee Relations Professionals

• Learning, Talent and Organisational Development Professionals

• Newly appointed managers preparing to take on people-management responsibilities

• Other professionals who may be required to conduct sensitive employee conversations or provide workplace support

 

Training Methodology

The programme adopts a highly practical and interactive learning approach comprising:

• Interactive facilitator presentations

• Real workplace examples

• Guided discussions and reflection

• Case studies

• Practical counselling exercises

• Counselling decision challenges

• Role plays and coaching simulations

• Peer observation and feedback

• AI-assisted workplace counselling exercises

• Personal action planning

The emphasis is on practice, application and reflection rather than counselling theory alone.

Trainer

Michael Giam is an international business professional with decades of senior management experience working in highly complex and cross-cultural business environments. Michael’s international breadth of experience spans both public institutions and private corporations focusing mainly on business fundamentals and human capital to establish clear and achievable strategic business goals.

From a Senior HR Business Partner to Senior Vice President, Michael has worked for several MNCs including CWT Distribution Limited (Singapore), International Data Corporation (USA), the Millennium & Copthorne International Hotels Group (Singapore), Marriott International (in China) and Melco China Resorts (Holding) Limited (Macau). In his tenure at CWT, Michael was appointed by the CEO as the Management Representative to lead in corporate culture development and change. He has developed, implemented, and coached several action programs that were necessary in the development of a learning culture within the organization and beyond. In 2003, Michael was selected by the industry to become one of the Executive Committee Members representing the Singapore hospitality industry to provide value-added initiatives and plans to the local government in enhancing the skills and value of the local workforce. He is active in helping the community, especially those unemployed and in poverty to reskill them and bring them back to the workforce.

In recent years Michael worked in China for Marriott to open new properties and some of its flagship hotels. Michael also worked for the Society of Petroleum Engineers in Malaysia as their Asia Pacific Director of Operations responsible for organizing and managing industry-related MICE activities. During his tenure, he has also developed good relationships with key stakeholders and decision-makers in many national oil companies and international oil and gas corporations. Michael also worked as an independent consultant handling several pre-opening and restructuring projects. This includes assisting the GM in opening the first Wyndham flagship hotel in Singapore; working as an interim General Manager to open an exclusive club for arts & culture professionals in Guangzhou; developing and implement a comprehensive strategic Customer Service Excellence Program for United Overseas Bank in China as well as providing professional HR service & consultation to the new rebranded Hotel Jen in Singapore.

Michael has always been interested to develop the next generation of talents and leaders. Since 1995, Michael has served as an adjunct faculty for several local and foreign universities as well as some adult learning institutions on topics including Human Resource Management, Coaching & Counselling, Business Contract & Maritime Law, Organizational Behavior, Customer Service Training and many others.

Michael received his MBA from an Australian University and holds an Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (Facilitated Learning). He is a registered Practicing Management Consultant (PMC), a recognized SkillsFuture Mentor for SMEs in Singapore and also a Certified Senior Professional with IHRP Singapore.

Administrative Details:

Scheduled Dates

• 3 December 2026  (Face-to-Face)  (6th Run) - Confirmed

• 30 April 2027  (Face-to-Face)  (7th Run)

Online/Virtual

• Available for in-company customised training

Duration / Venue

• One day

• 9.00 am to 5.00 pm

• Hotel Grand Pacific Singapore  (6th Run)

Certification

A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded at the end of the course.

Cost

• S$ 675.80 w/GST (S$620.00) for Community/Corporate Subscriber

• S$ 708.50 w/GST (S$650.00) for Non-Subscriber

Funding

• Grants/Subsidies/SkillsFuture Credit are not applicable.

IHRP CPD Hours 

• 7

(Please refer to the IHRP website)

Refreshment

• Coffee & tea with snacks during the morning and afternoon breaks

• Lunch will be provided

Past Participants:

Past Participants' Comments

• "Trainer used real life experiences!" - Nurasyikin Shalleh

Past Participant Organisations

• Audi Singapore Pte Ltd

• Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore

• Heraeus Shin-Etsu Quartz Singapore Pte Ltd, Hitachi Rail GTS Singapore Pte Ltd, Home Nursing Foundation

• Liebherr-Singapore Pte Ltd

• Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry HQ DMHA1

• NTUC Health Co-operative Limited

• OOCL Singapore Pte Ltd

• Phoenix Contact (SEA) Pte Ltd

• Samudera Shipping Line Ltd, Singapore Indian Development Association, Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution, Sumitomo Chemical Asia Pte Ltd, SEW-Eurodrive Pte Ltd

• Universitas Islam Indonesia

• Vance Bioenergy Sdn Bhd

• Winova Pte Ltd

• YTL PowerSeraya