Improve employee resilience and performance with EAPs

17.9 million working days were lost due to stress, depression or anxiety in 2019/20.

That’s according to statistics from the Health and Safety Executive.  What is more, 76% of staff struggle with stress at work at some point in their career.

Not only does stress harm the person experiencing it, but it also has a detrimental effect on the workplace. Other colleagues feel the impact, often needing to take on extra work to support the individual suffering. Productivity can suffer, and levels of absenteeism can increase.

Employers have a duty of care to ensure that workers have access to mental health support in the workplace. This is a moral obligation, but also a requirement in order to ensure work being produced continues to meet the required standard.

But, the practice of doing so becomes increasingly difficult as the prevalence of hybrid working increases; employees who are never or rarely physically present can suffer in silence. The same can be said of remote workers.

Although in-house training is possible, it is hard to find convenient slots during busy work schedules. Part-time staff can struggle to access the sessions, meaning they are disproportionately disadvantaged.

So, in the ever-changing complex work landscape, what’s the solution?

Employee Assistance Programmes, or EAPs for short, are designed to combat these problems.

What do we mean by EAPs?

EAPs are digital platforms or online tools that provide mental health and wellbeing support to your employees.

Different platforms have different emphases; some aim to provide educational resources about mental health, and others provide staff with access to mental health professionals should they need them. Some take a preventative approach, and act like digital coaches, building mental resilience through a series of exercises that aim to prevent mental health problems before they occur.

How do EAPs help your staff?

Employee Assistance Programmes allow staff to access round-the-clock mental health support from the comfort of their home. You can be assured that all of your team has access to help when they need it. Whether fully or partially remote, part-time or full-time, all your team can be supported.

Staff who are mentally well, and who are equipped to deal with the pressures they face in work are more likely to work at their best and are less likely to take time off work.

Using an EAP as part of a wellbeing strategy can reduce the number of working days lost to stress, depression and anxiety and make your staff happier. Staff who feel happy will produce better quality work and stick around for longer.

What makes us different from other providers?

With so many different types of products on the market, it can be very difficult to decide which one will be the best for your team.

Our team of Benefits Consultants spend time getting to know you, your team and your circumstances so that we can authoritatively recommend the best selection of EAPs for your employees. We do the hard work for you, seeking out the employee benefits that will reward, support and build your team.

We believe that a comprehensive package of care is essential for every workplace. Employees should not just receive support when they are suffering but should be given the tools necessary to prevent stress and anxiety. We include MyMindPal with our EAP of choice, LifeWorks, providing a unique kit of resources that builds resilience and provides support when your staff need it.

‍Talk to our team

What different types of EAP products do we offer?

1.    LifeWorks

What is it?

LifeWorks is an EAP that offers your team direct access to a wealth of resources and professional help. Staff can access content such as videos, podcasts and virtual events that educate them on a huge range of issues, from trauma to stress, depression to anxiety. Your team can also access qualified mental health professionals directly, in the form of live chat, video conferencing, telesupport and online groups, through the app.

How does it help?

Staff can access professionals at any time, day or night, from the office or home, providing 100% of your staff 24/7 mental health support all over the world. The variety of resource formats allows staff to learn at their own pace and according to their own preferred learning style.Find out more

2.    MyMindPal

What is it?

MyMindPal is a mental resilience training tool. The app presents your employees with a task each day, slowly building up their mental flexibility. The inbuilt algorithm adapts to each individual’s responses, ensuring that they follow a unique and tailored pathway of challenges.

How does it help?

Taking only ten minutes a day, MyMindPal’s responsive training programme helps staff manage the pressures of work and life in a way that can reduce the level of stress and anxiety that they experience. This can reduce the chance of staff developing more complex mental health conditions. The app can be accessed by everyone, anywhere, anytime; fitting in with flexible and hybrid working patterns.Find out more

3.    Wellbeing Coaching

What is it?

Our Wellbeing Coaching programme provides your teams with webinars and workshops on a range of topics. Categorised under the headings “Live Well, Think Well, Work Well”, staff can enjoy training around issues such as nutrition, sleep, exercise, positive thinking, work-life balance and staying healthy on shift. All our sessions are facilitated by wellbeing experts and encourage animated discussion, include thought-provoking teaching and give away printable resources. Sessions can be delivered one-to-one or to a group.

How does it help?

Delivering training in a way that allows for a lively discussion amongst colleagues can facilitate more active learning in your employees. Rather than having to drum up the motivation to digest written content in their own time, staff can enjoy an interactive and engaging learning experience.Find out more

4. Wellbeing Webinars

What are they?

Our Webinars are led by experienced wellbeing coaches and are designed to encourage and support behaviour change. They cover a range of topics and are delivered online, benefiting remote workers as well as those on-site. Each webinar is delivered with a Summary Handout and runs for about an hour in total. This includes a 15-minute Q&A session.

How do they help?

In a workplace that is seeing an increasing trend toward hybrid working, online webinars are an ideal way of delivering high-quality training to your remote staff, ensuring they are included and cared for.Find out more

Happier staff, better quality work

Using an EAP as part of your workplace wellbeing strategy will help your team manage the stress of everyday life, stay more focused on work and produce a better quality outcome for your business.