An Employee Assistance Programme, or EAP for short, is a benefit which employers offer their staff to support them at work. An EAP can provide the following support, most often online, via their app but check and compare, because plans vary:
- 24/7 talking therapies and confidential counselling sessions (usually up to 6)
- 24/7 GP advice and prescription service
- Legal and employment advice, including for property disputes and personal injury cases
- Retail and fitness discounts
- Wellbeing checks
There are many EAP providers out there to choose from, to suit your budget. Do your research and get feedback from other users (maybe someone in your network offers one and can recommend a provider).
If you already offer other benefits such as PMI or a health cash plan, the provider may already offer EAP services as part of the contract. Check with them first.
These days, EAPs are accessible via the provider’s app, on the go, from anywhere and are offered at no cost to the employee. Such benefits are normally non-contractual and at the discretion of the Directors, and can be changed/stopped at any time without the need to consult with employees. You should be able to receive or have access to some form of reporting to gauge how many people use it, what for and measure its ongoing viability (reports will be and should be anonymous to preserve confidentiality for the users).
