Do you have an EAP? Here’s why employee wellbeing is more important than ever.

With work-related stress on the rise, supporting employee wellbeing with an Employee Assistance Programme is critical.

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the workplace over the last 18 months. We’ve seen new challenges and increasing pressure on employees – from dealing with remote working to balancing work and family life, coping with new technology or battling isolation.

It is no surprise that a recent report suggests that there has been a 20 per cent rise in work-related stress. Now, as employees deal with the return to their offices or hybrid working, that issue isn’t going away. The pressure is now on companies to support their employees more than ever before.

However the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) recently suggested that more needs to be done:

“Although more employers are committing to their employees’ health and wellbeing (especially their mental health), there’s significant room for improvement.”

So what should employers do?

Support your people with an EAP

If you don’t already have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), then now is the time to introduce one. Typical EAPs offer external support for employees and their families. This usually includes counselling, health and wellbeing programmes, useful resources and referrals to other professionals if necessary. Think of it as a first port of call for your people if they are struggling.

There are multiple benefits to investing in your employee wellbeing in this way. Happy employees feel more engaged, both in their roles and in the overall journey that your business is on. They will feel that the company is invested in them, and you will see their trust levels rise as a result.

Create a broader culture of support

Of course, simply putting an EAP in place isn’t enough. To really have a positive impact on your employee wellbeing, you need to build a supportive culture too. So, help your managers to have the right kind of open, trusting conversations with their teams about wellbeing with the right training and resources.

Make your wellbeing strategy proactive, not just a service that people can call on if things get really bad. A good EAP service is essential, but it is also important to make sure your people feel that they can talk about their wellbeing openly, as part of their day-to-day role too.

If you would like to find out more about Employee Assistance Programmes, please call us on 01274 515 747 or email us at mail@lwood.co.uk