Service Spotlight: Managerial Adviceline

If you have an Employee Assistance Programme with CiC, it’s likely that you also have access to our Managerial Adviceline. CiC’s Managerial Adviceline is available to anyone within the organisation with managerial or supervisory responsibilities for others.

This is a service for managers to gain support in what could broadly be defined as ‘people issues’. It provides an opportunity to explore complex and challenging work situations and to devise strategies for managing these.

The Managerial Adviceline service is staffed by counsellors with expert training in human behaviour and relationships, and with management experience.

The service provides support for managers with challenges and problems within their teams. It can help with issues around conflicts at work, work-related stress, team issues, behavioural issues, and many more.


Below, are some examples of how managers might use the line. The scenarios described are fictional but representative.

Case study - bullying/team dynamics

A manager called because a team member had accused another of bullying and the employee had been suspended pending a formal investigation. This was creating much ill feeling within the team who felt the accusations were unfounded.

The employee who had made the allegation was becoming increasingly alienated and these dynamics were having a damaging impact on their work.

Together the manager and the advisor thought about strategies to manage what was a very complex and challenging situation.

They agreed that the manager should meet with the team members on an individual basis. This would give her an opportunity to remind staff that nothing should be prejudged pending the outcome of the formal investigation and to set out her expectations of them and their responsibilities.

It was agreed that the manager could call again at any time to consult further and the option of doing some team building with an outside facilitator could also be considered once the outcome of the investigation was known.

Case study - performance

A manager phoned following a performance review with a member of staff who had been highlighted as underachieving in the workplace.

Furthermore, he reported that the employee is dyslexic. The manager felt that this underperforming member of staff was not only failing to hit targets but also giving more work to his fellow colleagues.

How best could he have dealt with the situation and the employee’s impact on his team?

The Adviceline consultant asked whether the member of staff is registered as disabled? On recruitment was the company aware that the client is dyslexic? Has he spoken with HR?

ACAS contact details given for the manager to discuss employment law regarding a member of staff who is dyslexic. Contact details given for The Dyslexia Association and DWP regarding disability issues.

The Adviceline consultant suggested that the manager speaks with the relevant professional bodies to gain a further understanding of the employee’s position; employment law; and what he might do to help his team as a whole.

Please ask your HR team for the contact number of your Managerial Adviceline if you are interested in using it.