LifeWorks: Firms treat EAPs as 'cheap, box-ticking' investment

Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) have been around in some form for nearly thirty years in the UK.

Originally a counselling service, EAPs have transitioned into a valuable work-life support service that can help employees with practical everyday concerns such as child or eldercare issues, debt management, legal support to career development as well as psychological help.

Whilst research says 97% of employers now provide an EAP, utilisation figures remain shockingly low, averaging at around two-three per cent.

David Shearman, Senior EAP Advisor at LifeWorks, spoke to us about the issue and what companies should do. “All too often companies want an EAP because they feel they 'ought' to as a tick-box exercise and want it as cheaply as possible,” he said.