기업 상담자의 기업 내 적응 경험에 대한 내러티브 탐구: 대기업 내 여성 상담자를 중심으로

Abstract

This study aims to understanding employee counselors' experience of adapting to corporations through the counselors' narrative. For this aim, in-depth interviews were conducted with 7 ‘typical counselors’ that had been hired by corporations and that had worked there for over 1 year. Then a qualitative analysis was carried out. As result of the analysis, 3 categories, 8 subcategories, and 27 subjects were derived. In first category, ‘beginning as employee counselor,’ ‘hopes and expectations,’ such as ‘expectations on the introduction of counseling in companies’ and ‘counselors’ personal stability and development’ were identified. At the same time, counselors felt ‘anxiety and pressure’ of ‘misunderstandings and prejudices regarding counseling’ and ‘early close of counseling office.’ In the second category, ‘the reality faced by employee counselors,’ counselors faced the difficulties of ‘different expectations regarding counseling,’ ‘doubts on the use potential of the counseling office,’ and ‘company’s expectations and concerns’ derived from ‘obscure image of workplace counseling.’ Furthermore, counselors experienced difficulties, such as an ‘unfamiliar corporate culture,’ ‘competitive organizational culture,’ ‘vertical human relations,’ and ‘stational anxiety,’ and were confronted with ‘the issues unique to intra-corporate counseling,’ such as ‘ordinary dual relationship,’ ‘conflicts between activity report and confidence,’ ‘lack of colleagues and support system,’ and ‘confusion regarding role and identity as employee counselors.’ In the last category, the counselors’ experiences of ‘achievement and development as employee counselors’ emerge. First, in the process of ‘self-establishment as an employee counselor,’ there were achievements of ‘acquiring superior’s trust and recognition,’ ‘building cooperative relations with relevant divisions,’ ‘spreading an understanding of counseling to the members of the company,’ and ‘securing a support system for counselors.’ In the process of ‘deepening an understanding of corporate and workplace counseling,’ ‘understanding of corporate and office workers,’ ‘understanding of managers’ role and position,’ ‘balance between counselor’s perspective and organization’s perspective,’ and ‘flexibility’ were identified. In the process of ‘developing as experts in workplace counseling’, ‘developing a counseling approach suitable for corporate and office workers,’ ‘expanding their roles to contribute to the organization,’ ‘establishing a systematic counseling office,’ and ‘research activity by workplace counseling consultative body’ emerged. This research may be used as basic data for counselors to adapt to corporation, and to achieve better and more effective workplace counseling.