As a pioneering advocate of Employee Assistance Program(EAP) in Hong Kong, our Employee Development Service(EDS) has witnessed how EAP technology can be maximized to successfully prepare for and resolve issues in employee functioning and assistance within a human resource context. Since there is a growing demand for EAP knowledge and technologies locally and in Mainland China, as well as in neighboring countries such as Singapore and Taiwan, EDS organized the "Asia Pacific Conference of Employee Assistance Program" on March 5-7, 1998.

The Conference's theme is "Challenges for Excellence - The Asia Pacific Workforce in the 21st Century". Thirteen professionals are invited to give speeches on the strategies of developing a high quality workforce in the Asia Pacific region, salient principles for maximizing EAP and HR-managed programmers, new initiatives and effectiveness in EAP, etc.

Director of the HKCS, Mr Ng Shui Lai, MBE, JP, and Manageress of the EDS, Miss Doris Fong, have delivered 2 speeches respectively: "Providing EAPs to Hong Kong Employees - Experiences and Challenges" and "Workplace Counseling - A Study of its Users and Effectiveness".

Mr Ng stated the two challenges that EAP has to confront. As the recent economic turmoil in the Asia Pacific region has a profound impact on many business and employees, the immediate consequence is a state of cost-cutting measures. Employers are forced to handle issues of how management can assist their staff through this period of volatility, with minimal side effects. EAP has to find out a model which fits the culture, values and needs of the workforce in the region.

Another challenge is that we have to find more observable and measurable ways to evaluate EAP, so as to demonstrate its value to the employers and society.

On the other hand, Miss Fong used a survey to indicate some unique features of workplace counseling. The clientele are of higher educational level and income when compared with the users of the traditional family centres. There is a significant proportion of men. Their concerns are mainly related to work. Moreover, they also recognize EAP as a professional service that can help them handle work-related or personal difficulties.

The brief solution-focused therapy is adopted by EDS as a major counseling method. It capitalizes on clients' strengths and resources, and their preference for "quick-fix" solutions. Its impact on job related aspects is particularly significant when the users' problems are related to work stress or emotional issues.

Miss Fong believed that, there is a strong need for more theoretical knowledge and practice skills which are applicable to the Asian workforce, and studies on its effectiveness in the region, "we hope to find more partners as we travel along".