Are EAPs important?

The continuing mental health crisis in the UK (and beyond) has pushed the topic of employee wellbeing to the top of HR’s agenda in recent years, meaning that people professionals now consider staff health as a fundamental element in their benefits offering 

Mind’s Big Mental Health Report 2024 revealed that approximately one in four adults in England experience a mental health problem annually, with 7.8% feeling lonely ‘always or often’. The financial ramifications are staggering, with poor mental health estimated to cost England £300 billion each year.

In response to the increasing need for employee emotional wellbeing support, Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) have emerged and are growing in popularity. Not only do they offer confidential support services encompassing mental health counselling, financial guidance, and legal advice, but they can provide an additional sense of psychological safety for staff; knowing employers see that support is needed and resources are available to them. Yes, they help with navigating personal and professional difficulties, but the byproduct is enhanced overall wellbeing and productivity – the Holy Grail of people management.

EAPs are about providing timely interventions that can prevent minor issues from escalating into major crises. This means fewer employees on sick leave, reduced absenteeism, a more resilient and productive workforce.

Yet, despite their benefits, EAP provision is still relatively modest. Data from the Employee Assistance Professionals Association indicates that average usage among UK employers was 12% in 2022, a slight increase from previous years. This suggests that while awareness is growing, many employees may not be fully engaging with the support available. 

This is where HR comes in. People are not going to use something that they are unfamiliar with, perhaps even feeling reluctant to engage for fear of stigma or worry about a lack of confidentiality. HR can encourage ambassadors who have used the company EAP to promote the benefits of receiving support. It might be a simple matter of receiving some parental or financial advice, whatever the usage, letting colleagues know about how helpful they are can really boost the uptake of programmes.

Accessibility is also important: do your people know who to call or how to access the services? Is it a part of staff onboarding? Do you tell prospective employees about it – and not just as an after thought, or lumped in with a general benefits package? Are the benefits of using an EAP clearly communicated? Making your benefits a regular feature in company communications will certainly help spread awareness and reduce anxiety around accessing the services.

Integrating comprehensive EAPs into workplace wellness strategies makes commercial sense as well as helping employers meet their duty of care  for their workforce. To learn more about implementing an effective Employee Assistance Programme in your organisation, please get in touch with us today.

With growing queues for GP appointments and mounting pressure on the NHS, it is no surprise that UK workers are interested in more health-centred benefits. In fact, a People Keep survey found that 92% of surveyed employees ranked health benefits as important.

So what exactly are the types of employee health benefits and why are they worth investing in?

Health Insurance Solutions

UK adults are increasingly turning to Health Insurance options, seeking out quicker appointments and consultations. Because of this, health insurance in the UK is increasingly being offered in the workplace.

Providing employees with the option to access Hospital Cash Plans, Dental and Optical refunds, and Cancer Cover, can ease any concerns about medical costs. All of these can be accessed through My Health Xtras.

Health Discounts

One of the most popular employee benefits that organisations offer their workforce is discounts on or free gym memberships. PureGym found that 17% of UK adults currently have gym memberships, showing that there is a desire for a considerable number of the public to attend the gym. It is also possible that more adults would like to attend the gym, but find finances a barrier.

While gym memberships are a great benefit to offer employees, there are further health discounts that you can offer staff. This includes health screenings, digital health apps, health and beauty retailers, food subscription boxes, spas, optics, and more. Many people use one or more of these anyway, so offering up discounts and cashback just enables your employees to save more.

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Nowadays people are more informed about mental health, and understand how important it is to take care of our wellbeing as well as physical health. However, with 1 in 4 UK adults experiencing a mental health problem at some point in the year, clearly more work is needed to support the public.

One way that you can make a difference in the workplace is by offering an EAP to your staff. Resources and counselling can give your team a place to go when they are struggling, and an outside source of assistance if they do not want to share personal information with management or HR.

If you are interested in investing in the health of your employees, you can learn more about My Staff Shop and My Health Xtras with a demo from our friendly advisors.