“Mental Health is the next frontier of diversity and inclusion”. According to the Mind Share Partners 2019 Mental Health at Work Report (2019)1, more and more employees are seeking access to mental health training, more easily available information about mental health resources and a more open and supportive culture for mental health at work. McKinsey & Company outline in their quarterly report2, that 89% of employees reported psychological safety in the workplace as essential, and research shows that providing access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) is proven to increase performance through increased engagement, decreased worker absence and improved productivity.
What is EAP and why should employers invest?
If you want to create a workplace that promotes diversity, inclusion and safety, you will quickly get left behind if you are not investing in a quality EAP Service Provider. EAP services are confidential, convenient and offer a huge return on investment.
EAP services provide a short-term, solution-focused counselling service to businesses, to assist in the pro-active and preventative approach to mental health in the workplace. Providing access to EAP in your workplace enables early detection and resolution of work and personal problems, as well as increased employee retention and productivity. The range of problems addressed in an EAP session can be varied and include but are not limited to; Job Stress and burn-out, Harassment, Loss and Grief, Relationship and Family issues, Managing the impacts of COVID-19, Alcohol and Drug use, Separation and loss, Financial or legal, Domestic or family violence.
Helping your employees to address their personal problems and over-all wellbeing, has a ripple effect that promotes increased psychological safety in the workplace, which in turn impacts on the overall quality of workers’ and business productivity. The typical ROI for EAP is reported to be $3 for every $1 invested by the employer (Masi, D. 2005) 3, and was shown to provide 5-10 times that of what they originally contributed, just for productivity. (Flanagan & Ots, 2017) 4
How does EAP work at LHS?
Lifeworks Health Services provide confidential face-to-face, Zoom or Telehealth counselling sessions to employees Australia wide, and all sessions are run by qualified and registered Counsellors and Psychologists with extensive clinical experience. Employees have access to three – six free counselling sessions funded by their employer. They can self-refer or have an HR representative refer them to the service. An employer simply needs to get in touch on 1300 350 421 and learn how they can provide and promote the services for their employees. An EAP service is not a 24/7 crisis response service; however, all counsellors are trained in how to manage high risk events and link clients in with longer term mental health supports where necessary.
Read more about Employee Assistance Programs here.
Support Utilisation in your workplace
Often businesses will tack on EAP services as part of their insurances, and then it is forgotten about and under-utilised. In order to reap the rewards of EAP, you need to ensure you support utilisation in your company. Make sure the importance of mental wellbeing and psychological safety are embedded in the values of the company, and added to your business plan to show you believe in it, and are planning for it as a part of your wider employee resources. Choose an EAP provider who can plan and analyse the data for your workplace to show the positive impacts and ongoing benefits of your EAP usage. Lifeworks Health Services can provide annual reports of usage across your company and trending data to help you analyse and plan for your ongoing business strategy.
Make sure you provide training and support for all managers and supervisors in your company. Your leaders are often the first point of contact for employees who are struggling, and it is important they know what services are available and they can support their teams in accessing these services. Lifeworks Health Services also offer “Manager Assist” – a confidential counselling and coaching service specifically for supervisors and managers. Be sure to communicate the presence of EAP to your employees on a regular basis, not only in times of need, but as a standard practice in meetings and when promoting your company values and over-all supports. Prioritise knowing your employees, and promoting a safe, caring, and diverse workforce and workplace culture.
Want to know more? Get in touch and we will show how Lifeworks Health Services can help you to build and support a positive shift in your workplace culture and bring mental health to the forefront for you and your employees. It’s a new era for mental health in the workplace… be a part of the revolution!
References
1. https://www.mindsharepartners.org/mentalhealthatworkreport
2. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/leadership
3. Masi, D. (2005). Employee Assistance Programs in the New Millennium. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 7(3), 157-168J
4. Flanagan, P & Ots, J (2017). EAP Counselling: Outcomes, Impact & Return on Investment
