EAP’s are playing an important unseen role right now

Eugene Farrell

As chair of EAPA UK, I have been proud by the ways in which providers of EAP services have stepped up, adapting and responding, to play a critical role in supporting employee wellbeing through the Covid-19 crisis.

The UK EAP market continues to play an important largely unseen and crucial role behind the scenes in supporting key staff in their vital work for the health and protection of our nation. Without fuss or attention, services continue to be available 24/7 and employees can be safe in the knowledge that when they need emotional support their EAP will be there for them. It’s been incredibly heartening to see how providers of EAP have really stepped up quickly using their expertise to provide information and materials on adapting to home working, managing remotely and indeed the damaging emotional effects stemming from lockdown, job strain, grief and loss. Many have been very quick to develop and launch webinars and training to help employers and employers adapt to the changing situation.

EAP’s provide support to many types of employer across the country, and whilst key workers require important support to help them deal with the pressure and strain caused by this crisis, we also support employees who too are feeling stress and pressure from working in an unfamiliar way, surviving lockdown and in managing strained relationships. Added to this the uncertainty in future employment when there is so much bad news about our economy and the almost daily loss of big name employers and it is clear that paying attention to the mental wellbeing of employees both now and over the longer term is going to be critical.

EAPs have suffered in the past in being a low-cost underused service, where the true value is just not clearly seen. But in the face of this crisis, I have been impressed at how quickly, and quietly, EAP’s have adapted to ensure employees can get timely access to services when they need it. Many EAP’s are working flat-out, but it’s what we do and we are adapting our services to make sure we can support employees in the best possible way.

The future of EAP services may never be the same again, we have to wait and see, but what we can be sure of is that employers of all types have seen the value that EAP can bring at a time when they have needed it most. I really hope they remember that, and that the expertise of EAP as a profession will be recognised and more so that the essential need for emotional support and ongoing mental health of our nation will see a valuable place for EAP.

I also play tribute to the many counsellors and psychologists within the networks who have been providing support as part of the EAP service delivery.

In the face of this crisis, EAP’s can be justly proud of what they are doing in supporting our workers and employers in the most difficult of times.