Employers are increasingly rethinking how they use employee counselling and assistance programmes (EAPs) in a bid to better manage workplace absence.
According to provider PPC, the traditional view – that EAPs are primarily there for when things go wrong – is changing.
EAPs are beginning to be used in a more proactive, preventive way to help people cope with the ongoing stresses and strains of modern life and employment.
“Employers are recognising that they can think more creatively about how they manage absence,” said Barry Winbolt, head of clinical practice and training.
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“They are realising there can be benefits from taking more responsibility for the general health and well-being of their employees,” he added.
There is now much less stigma surrounding the use of counselling services than there once was, meaning that using an EAP as a preventative tool to help resolve problems at an early stage can be an attractive option.
