3 ways to use your EAP to better support employee life events
Employee assistance programmes (EAPs) are fast becoming a must-have employee benefit. They are perhaps most associated with mental health support and counselling, but there’s so much more an EAP can offer employees, including better support during life events.
The term ‘life events’ covers multiple circumstances – exciting and challenging. Here are just a few:
- Promotion
- Marriage
- Divorce or separation
- Bereavement
- Parenthood or adoption
- Buying a first home
You could easily add more to this list since what’s considered a life event will be different for all your employees.
How to make the most of an EAP to better support such events:
1. Manager training
EAPs enhance your organisation’s culture of support, giving access to consultants and counsellors, trained to provide advice and additional support that managers and HR professionals may be unable to offer. Still, for an organisation to create a supportive culture, managers and HR professionals ought to be kept in the loop as much as possible, with employees confident in sharing the details of life events they may need help with.
EAPs should complement the support, providing an extra level of help, but trust in the workplace remains essential. Some EAPs include a portal for managers to find the tools and information to empower them to effectively support others.
It’s vital to remember that the role of EAP isn’t to train managers to become counsellors. EAPs help train managers, giving them the knowledge and confidence they need to have challenging conversations. From there, they must know what support is included within their EAP offering to ensure they can help their colleagues receive the help they need.
2. Changing regulations
The UK Equality and Human Rights Commission has published new guidance recognising menopause as a workplace disability. These changes mean employers could face legal proceedings if they do not make reasonable adjustments.
Menopause may not fall into the ‘life events’ category, but it is life-changing. Ten per cent of women leave work due to menopause, and this new guidance ensures women can continue to thrive at work during and after perimenopause and menopause.
Many EAPs include dedicated menopause support, and this is an essential step employers can make in providing employees experiencing menopause with the crucial support and advice they need to make the workplace more inclusive.
3. Confidential support
How many employers or employees would consider contacting their EAP due to a separation? How many are aware that they can contact their EAP for this reason?
Education and communication are essential to ensure your workforce knows how their EAP can support life events, including those that may not lead to mental ill-health or require counselling.
As well as providing online and app-based resources, many EAP packages allow employees to pick up the phone and discuss all manner of subjects.
A promotion or wedding are positive life events that can leave employees overwhelmed or stressed. An EAP consultant could provide a confidential ear – an impartial sounding board – who will be able to provide guidance and self-help tips.
Bereavement and separation are another matter, hitting employees’ emotional and mental health. In these circumstances, employers should encourage employees to use their EAP service as soon as possible, enabling them to provide essential support and coping mechanisms that will help prevent a worsening state of emotional and mental wellbeing.
Employee Assistance Programmes save businesses money when embedded into an employee benefits offering and communicated as part of wellbeing initiatives.
In partnership with Pluxee UK
Pluxee UK, is a leading employee benefits and engagement partner that opens up a world of opportunities to help people enjoy more of what really matters in their lives.
