Not too long ago, working with colleagues Sara Rozin, Ken Burgess, Chestnut EAP, Corp Health and Harris Rothenburg International, we helped create and train 11 psychologists in Moscow about employee assistance. Once marvelous thing about this training is that it was all conducted over the internet using Skype (a videocast) and Webex. These are programs that use video to see each participant, exchange files, and conduct real time presentations. The ability to talk, present and see presenters and participants.
We trained psychologists on the essence of employee assistance, tracking procedures, evaluation and brief therapy concepts. This was innovative and a great way to teach about western methods of psychotherapy and treatment. Here are a few excerpts from the article by David A. Sharar, PhD, and Alexander Shtoulman, MD.
“Until recently, Employee Assistance Programs or EAP in Russia was virtually an unknown concept primarily offered to expatriate workers, not the local national workforce.
However, over the past few years, EAP has become a part of the employee benefits package being offered by just a few U.S. based multinationals in Russia to local hires, or Russian workers. Foreign companies that operate in Russia seem particularly aware of the toll of excessive alcohol consumption and psychosocial stress among workers as they grapple with safety and productivity problems…..Russia’s natural resources are without parallel, but its human capital is at major risk. A debilitated workforce is a barrier to economic success. EAPs and related workplace programs are not a panacea for what ails the Russian workforce, but employers and human resource professionals in Russia must invest in programs that can intervene, and hopefully prevent, the diseases and disorders largely caused by lifestyle risk factors.”
To read the entire article, go to: http://www.globalhrnews.com/story.asp?sid=1215
