Do the terms ‘confidential adviser’, ‘training to become a confidential adviser’ or ‘supervision for confidential advisers’ raise questions for you? Here is some information about the appointment, responsibilities and basic training. Confidential adviser, a challenging and very valuable role!
Who can be appointed?
The appointment of a confidential adviser is not legally mandatory, but is strongly recommended. The threshold to a confidential adviser is often lower than to a manager. This way, problems come to light faster, do not escalate, and are better resolved.
Please note: the role of confidential adviser is incompatible with a number of functions. For example, you cannot be appointed as a confidential adviser if you:
- are the employer yourself or belong to the management staff
- are an employer's or employee's representative (and are a member of the works council or the committee for prevention and protection at work)
- wish to stand or have stood as a candidate for the social elections
- are part of the trade union delegation
Confidential adviser role in a nutshell
A confidential adviser can be seen as a first point of contact for employees who experience a (psychosocial) problem at work. Stress, burnout, bullying, sexually undesirable behaviour, conflicts, alcohol, drugs,… a whole range of topics that pose a growing problem for businesses. A confidential adviser can help prevent or quickly address these risks.
Ideally, the confidential adviser is someone with a solid sense of responsibility and an open, empathetic, listening attitude. Someone who is easily approachable and has the trust of colleagues. The organisation should therefore ensure that the function and identity of the confidential adviser are clearly communicated to employees via posters, the intranet, etc.
The duties of a confidential adviser primarily consist of offering a listening ear and support. Often, employees only need a good conversation to find a solution themselves. If necessary, the confidential adviser can, of course, also provide advice, address colleagues or managers, or even mediate. However, the requester is always the requesting party and retains control and responsibility.
Foundation course: confidential counsellors
When you are appointed as a confidential adviser, it is legally mandatory to follow a training course within 2 years. In this five-day basic training, you will be introduced to:
- the legal framework regarding the role and status of the confidential adviser
- insights into the origin/management of psychosocial risks at work
- psychosocial intervention and managing problematic situations such as violence, bullying, unwanted sexual behaviour at work, as well as stress and burnout.
Additionally, an interactive, practical training in conversation techniques (asking the right questions, maintaining an empathetic attitude, body language,...) and intervention skills (practically preparing and conducting a support conversation, addressing cognitive biases, setting up a mediation,...) is provided. All of this to prepare you for your role as a confidential adviser!
Supervision session
After completing the training for confidential adviser, supervision sessions are provided. Every confidential adviser is obliged to participate in these at least once a year.
During these meetings, experiences are exchanged with other confidential advisers and answers are given to questions you are struggling with. The goal is to share thoughts and good practices and to learn from each other's experiences. This, of course, under expert guidance from a psychosocial prevention adviser. He/she will also offer additional tips, tricks, advice, and information.
Additional information?
For more information, we kindly refer you to our service offering concerning confidential advisers on our website www.premed.be or the documents on the extranet.
