Is it the end of face-to-face EAP counselling?
Is it the end of face-to-face EAP counselling?
With the introduction of the Covid-19 lockdown, counselling in the UK had to shift almost overnight to a remote approach. How did UK EAP counselling professionals cope with such a dramatic change – and does this mean permanent consequences for how workplace counselling is delivered?
EAPA UK surveyed EAP counsellors about their experiences during the pandemic period and received responses from over 200. Before the crisis, around 80% of their EAP counselling work was delivered face-to-face. From March 2020 this picture changed to a variety of methods in order to continue to meet the demand to maintain counselling services: Counsellors reported undertaking a variety of delivery methods with 92% delivering counselling by telephone; 86% using video; 6% e-mail; 5% via electronic chat; and some 3% using text based counselling.
The critical question is, were these approaches effective? From a counsellors perspective did they feel like a good way of working? 84% of respondents said that telephone counselling was a satisfactory way to work, while video counselling was satisfactory to 79%. Other methods, though, were found to be much less satisfactory (chat and email at 5% and text 4%). 57% of counsellors felt that these other approaches were more demanding than face-to-face work.
We wondered if counsellors had been trained for using remote methods. Our data showed 54% had been trained in telephone counselling, 52% in video counselling. Only 5% were trained in chat or text and 6% in email counselling. Many counsellors flagged their need for further training: video 44%; telephone 31%; email 16%; chat 15% and text 14%.
The evidence from the survey points to long-term changes to the EAP counselling landscape as a result of the pandemic experience – and discovering the practical value and impact of alternative delivery methods. More than half of counsellors (58%) said they will be formalising video counselling as a new offering, and 45% telephone counselling. Text, chat and e-mail were all below 10%.
Individual experiences from counsellors suggest the alternatives were a positive surprise: “I’ve found phone and video counselling to be very effective, with some clients saying they prefer it. It means I can work from home & have more flexibility and to be able to offer this flexibility to clients,” said one counsellor. “After initial apprehension about switching from F2F to online counselling, I have become comfortable with the medium and see its potential in reaching more clients,” added another.
Most responses indicated the need for maintaining a balance. “Lockdown has pushed me into doing more video work, this is something I’ll continue, but I am happy to just incorporate it where needed, and still continue with face to face.”; “I offered face to face and phone prior to lockdown. I’ve just completed training in phone, webcam, email and IM I would like to keep up all methods.”
But there were issues for some, particularly around the unfamiliarity and additional intensity that remote contact can involve: “Video counselling has been harder than I thought it would be. I have found staring at a screen exhausting! I am getting used to it and not as tired as I was, and I think I might keep offering it as a service 1-2 days a week post lockdown.”; “Remote video sessions can be challenging due to technical issues. It feels very two dimensional. I find phone sessions somewhat better, although nothing compares to the immediacy and intimacy of face to face work.”
The survey illustrated substantial concerns over the risks presented by any return to face-to-face sessions. 53% wanted advice on how to safely return to in-the room working. “Until there is a vaccine I doubt that I will return to face to face counselling,” was one response. And another: “My concerns with the easing of lockdown and returning to face to face work is that I don’t know if it will be safe to undertake meetings in a confined room for an hour even with two metre distancing.” The value of returning to in-room meetings under social distancing regulations was also questioned. “I much prefer face to face counselling but would not wish to return to this if it involved face coverings.”
Overall, the EAP counselling community appears to be willing and able to shift toward remote and digital ways of working. There’s a need for training. And there’s also the issue of finding ways to deal with the impact of video fatigue, the need for increased level of concentration and observation. A challenge for the sector might be reaching agreement over the new world of fees. A number of counsellors reported EAP providers paying reduced rates for telephone counselling calls: “I have noticed EAPs have taken the opportunity to drop their rates. This is unacceptable. I have been delivering telephone counselling at the same rate as face to face for a number of years for a number of EAPs. I am now declining all lower rate referrals.”
The crisis has demonstrated the adaptability and professionalism of the EAP industry. It has been critical for counselling to continue, for vulnerable people to keep getting support throughout lockdown and the ongoing challenges. Like in so many areas of post-pandemic life, the future will be about having more flexible and blended offerings, more choice to suit individual customer circumstances – but the industry and its professionals need to do some work together to make smooth progress into that new reality.
Eugene Farrell, chair, EAPA UK