EAPs play vital role beyond mental health counselling

Towergate Health & Protection has unveiled findings from one of its prominent employee assistance program (EAP) providers, highlighting a growing need for comprehensive information and guidance beyond just mental health counselling to bolster overall employee wellness. This shift underscores the importance of employers ensuring that their workforce gains access to advice and information spanning areas like legal matters, divorce, childcare, housing, neighbourly conflicts, and wills.

Over the past year, requests for guidance from employees through the EAP surged by 25%. Among these requests, the foremost reason for EAP engagement was for counsel on employment-related matters, constituting 27%. This encompassed inquiries concerning employment rights, compensation disputes, human resources concerns, sources of workplace stress, and employment law matters. The subsequent prominent demand for advice was regarding divorce and separation, constituting 22% of the advisory calls. Other queries encompassed seeking assistance on childcare, housing, and legal actions.

David Williams, Towergate Health & Wellbeing’s Head of Group Risk, remarked, “While many employers may traditionally associate EAPs with providing therapy for mental health challenges such as melancholy and anxiety, counselling represents just a facet of the assistance an EAP can extend. The requirement for counsel and insights in diverse spheres is expanding, notably in realms like divorce, separation, and housing.”

Towergate Health & Protection is firmly committed to ensuring that employers are well informed about the full spectrum of support offered by EAPs and that this is effectively conveyed to employees.

While employees and their employers may be cognizant of the therapeutic services afforded by EAPs, the breadth of support available as part of this benefit may not be entirely clear. The array of subjects on which employees can solicit guidance via an EAP includes consumer disputes, landlord-tenant issues, wills and estate matters, automotive concerns, immigration, elder care, personal injury, and more. This support encompasses advice and insights from trained legal professionals who can also facilitate connections between employees and solicitors or relevant specialists.

By providing access to such comprehensive assistance, employers can empower employees to address challenges both in their professional and personal lives. Additionally, providers are progressively integrating EAPs into broader well-being applications, enhancing employee accessibility.

David Williams emphasized, “When companies uphold the well-being of their workforce across all dimensions—mental, physical, social, and financial—they cultivate a content, healthier, and more engaged workforce that feels esteemed. Relieving employees of burdens through the specialized support accessible via an EAP is an effective means to achieve this.”