Why don’t more men use the EAP?

Why don’t more men use the EAP?

More open conversations and awareness of mental health and changes to workplace culture haven’t yet been converted into more men using EAPs.

Evidence from EAP usage since August 2020 by Towergate Health and Protection suggests that men are only half as likely to look for support with psychological health as women. At the same time we have a situation where men are three times as likely to commit suicide.

The data also showed how the main reasons for reaching out for help from an EAP were dealing with ‘anxiety and low mood’. More women were contacting EAPs about dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts. 56% of all calls to the EAP were made by women and only 29.5% by men (14.5% were an unspecified gender).

Many sizes approach

Towergate is urging HR to take a more tailored approach in order to make sure men in different roles and situations feel comfortable in contacting the EAP. Its suggestions include:

• specifically targeting communications to men regarding mental health support;

• piggyback national awareness days relevant to men, eg Movember, Father’s Day, Men’s Health Week;

• creating a men’s forum and ask them what would encourage them to seek help;

• showing (anonymised) case-studies of men that have accessed help;

• having a male champion at work to encourage accessing help.

“This is a solvable issue,” says Brett Hill, Distribution Director at Towergate. “Many employers will already have the resources to offer support but those who do not should consider putting them in place. It is all about making access visible, easy, and stigma-free.”

Get pro-active

EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell said: “Just because many more people are talking about mental health at work now, there are more open conversations, more resources and tools for support, doesn’t mean the root problems have been dealt with.

“There’s something superficial about the acceptance of mental health as an issue at work – it doesn’t mean that everyone (men or women) are able or willing to admit they are struggling or that they can’t cope with stress, depression and anxiety on their own. The evidence now backs this up.

“HR can’t afford to assume that because they have an EAP in place, and there are regular mental health comms, that services are going to be used when really needed. Using the EAP, for some, is still something that other people use, when there’s a crisis, it’s nothing to do with them.

“More pro-active effort is needed to create a culture when people, and men in particular, feel able to talk to someone early on. As a matter of course, and not just when they’ve reached a serious low.”

Why don’t more men use the EAP? EAPA UK