2020
2020
It’s been an extraordinary year, one of a kind which very few people would have predicted. With approval and administration of a vaccine there is a light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic – but the impact from the crisis on businesses and the workforce will stay with us. What matters is how HR help their people cope with the legacy of stress, uncertainty and change.
Throughout this difficult year I’ve been so proud of how EAP services and providers have reacted with such speed and diligence to each emergency. Right from the very beginning adaptations were made in how services were accessed and delivered. Although largely unnoticed by the wider world, professional support services were kept going throughout the most difficult times – the product of hard work and a real commitment to providing support to others in need.
When people lost their loved ones, when people struggled with the stresses from new work routines and the impact on home life, when finances were under threat and relationships were strained, EAPs were always there to listen and provide support. Professionals have been available at every hour of the day, taking on extra workload to provide that friendly voice and reassurance in times of distress and crisis.
Quickly, services and content were adapted to make sure workforces had the latest advice on coping with WFH, with loss and change, and maintaining good mental health in general. A wealth of webinars, interviews, tips and guides have been made available as part of the EAP added value offering.
I feel strongly that EAP services have come into their own. They have proven their worth in supporting businesses and employees across the whole of the UK. We, as an industry, have played a fundamental part in supporting the mental health of the nation, taking some of strain away from NHS services, and will continue to do so.
What EAPs did during the pandemic – and will continue to do – hasn’t be recognised adequately. I hope this will change. Maybe if you personally used an EAP this year you could say thank you to them. Drop them a line. If your business made use of an EAP (or just had one on stand-by), pop a note of thanks to them for being there.
To all the providers of EAPs and allied services, to the counselling community we really so much on, the psychologists, service managers, support and admin staff, I say thank you. You have been amazing.
No doubt 2021 will bring its own host of new challenges. The mental health of the nation will continue to be an issue, that’s for sure. At least we know EAPs will continue to be there, all day every day, ready to adapt and take on the challenges.
Wishing you all the best,
Eugene Farrell, Chair, EAPA UK, writing about 2020.