“Poor mental health is poor business: it's just a fact” - Dame Carol Black, the National Director for Work and Health

Why Would Your Organisation Need an EAP?
EAPs are designed to offer 24hr support to assist in the identification and early resolution of employee concerns before they affect performance or lead to absence.

An EAP offers counselling, advice, support and information services to organisations and their employees on a range of personal and work related issues.  Services are delivered primarily over the telephone, and face to face counselling appointments can also be arranged for counselling.

EAPs have developed substantially over more than 25 years in the UK, with counselling now being offered by 56% of employers to staff.

EAPs and Stress
Organisations can offer a range of policies to help their workforce reduce stress. The most commonly used are counselling, occupational health support and flexible working.

Stress affects business performance through increased short and long term absence, reduced productivity, poor timekeeping, poor concentration and quality of work, and poor interpersonal relations.

The services available to employees through an EAP offer an early source of support for individuals and with the ultimate benefit passed through to the organisations in the form of boosted performance and cost savings in addition to a safer work environment and reduced risk of litigation.

The Benefits of an EAP
Health and Safety

• Demonstrates a commitment to employee wellbeing
• Provides an indication of overall stress levels within the business
• Provides early warning of areas for concern within business (stress hot spots)
• Prevents work-related stress
• Integrates with occupational health and safety strategies

Performance

• Provides skills to cope more effectively at work
• Improves staff morale and motivation
• Reduces mistakes, reworking, costs and time
• Provides advice and support for line managers and supervisors
• Reduces long and short term absence levels (e.g. stress), lowering work pressure that arises on other staff members from absence of colleagues

Cost

• Impacts on short and long term sickness and absence
• Highlights trends and issues such as bullying and harassment or training needs so they can be contained them before they erupt into litigation
• Protects against litigation/compensation claims
• Provides cost effective 24hr access to qualified professionals in counselling, law and medicine for staff
• Essential component for risk management