OUR SERVICES
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)
What is an Employee Assistance Program?
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a workplace initiative aimed at helping employees address personal issues that could be impacting their job performance negatively. By offering services that address both workplace and personal stresses, the program demonstrates a commitment to the holistic well-being of employees. This approach recognises that issues at home can impact job performance and vice versa.
Work related stress is the most common reason for contacting an EAP. Difficulties with mental health and well-being can harm both personal and work life. When employees face additional stressful situations at work this can be compounded. Stressful work situations could include work overload, bullying, relational conflicts, perceived lack of control, work/life balance difficulties and poor work environment. Poor work well-being can in turn influence work motivation, job satisfaction, product quality and productivity (3,5).
Accessing an EAP can reduce sickness absence rates, alleviating symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression. Employees using an EAP have shown improvements and benefits in emotional wellbeing after accessing their EAP intervention (2,5).
“In Australia, approximately 7230 workers’ compensation claims are paid per year for work-related severe mental health conditions and most (93%) are caused by psychological distress. The calculated cost of work-related mental health conditions to the Australian economy per year is estimated to be around AU $476 million” (5).
What EAP services do we offer?
Employees will have different preferences when it comes to expressing and dealing with their emotions. While some may find solace in verbal communication during counselling sessions, others might benefit more from non-verbal outlets like art therapy. Some employees may be hesitant to seek support for their mental health. Providing alternative services like art therapy can encourage employees who might be hesitant to engage in more conventional forms of therapy to actively participate in programs that align with their comfort levels. By offering a variety of services, we acknowledge and respect these differences, allowing employees to choose the method that resonates best with them.
Counselling
Counselling is a style of talk therapy that involves a therapist helping an individual to explore and resolve their personal, emotional, and psychological challenges. The aim of counselling is to help individuals gain insight into their problems, develop coping skills, and improve their overall well-being.
Art Therapy
Art therapy is a form of therapy that uses the creative process of art-making to improve mental health and well-being. During the art therapy session, the art process can serve as a medium for self-expression, allowing individuals to communicate and explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a non-verbal and less intimidating way.
Critical incident and significant events support
Critical incident support takes place at your workplace after an incident has occurred. Early intervention can assist affected employees with recovering and returning to normal functioning. Our focus is on normalisation of distress, risk assessment and providing practical coping strategies. This support can be either in a group format and/or individual sessions.
Professional Supervision
The purpose of professional supervision is ensuring the well-being of clients under the care of the Supervisee. This is done through emphasising a commitment to ethical and professional practice and promoting the well-being of the client. Additionally, the supervisory process provides an objective lens and seeks to foster the growth of the Supervisee’s professional identity and competence, observing the Supervisee’s mental health, encouraging continuous professional development and refinement of their skills.
Regular professional supervision can assist in early identification of areas of concern for the employee. Professional supervision provides a pro-active approach towards employee wellbeing with the aim to reduce the need to access ongoing therapy.
Besides one-on-one sessions, professional supervision can also be provided as an onsite whole day service. Employees can access individual sessions or small group sessions can be organised.
Workplace Well-being Workshops
Through our Workplace Well-being workshop, we focus on the meaning of well-being in the workplace and help participants understand their individual role and contribution to it. We assist them in identifying areas of well-being that can be improved
and explore strategies to increase their overall wellness. Our
team-oriented approach helps participants create an
understanding of the whole team’s well-being needs, leading
to a more supportive and inclusive work environment.
Register your interest?
Please fill out our contact form or give us a call.
References:
1. Employer choices in EAP design and worksite services. J Workplace Behav Health. 2010 ; 25(2): 89–106
2. Counselling in the workplace: a comprehensive review of the research evidence. 2nd edition, BACP 2008, John McLeod
3. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) Supporting good work for UK employers? Dr Zofia Bajorek, December 2016, The Work Foundation (Lancaster University).
4. Factors affecting self-referral to counselling services in the workplace: a qualitative study. C. Athanasiades et al., British Journal of Guidance & Counselling Vol. 36, No. 3, August 2008, 257-276
5. Contextualising the Effectiveness of an Employee Assistance Program Intervention on Psychological Health: The Role of Corporate Climate. Sophia Bouzikos et al., Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 5067.