Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) are a fantastic way to help staff handle anything that life and work might throw at them, providing proactive support with a range of emotional and psychological issues. But there are many EAPs out there on the market, each with their own set of price points and features.
We’ll explain exactly how they work and look at the services offered by five leading EAP providers in the UK.
Need helping finding the right EAP for your business? Get FREE one-to-one advice from our award-winning friendly team on 01273 974419 or drop us an email at [email protected].
What is an Employee Assistance Programme?
Employee Assistance Programmes are designed to support the general mental health and wellbeing of staff. EAP providers offer a range of services which usually include access to professional counselling sessions, self-help tools and activities, and discount schemes.
EAPs are accessible under one platform, helping employees to manage problems in work and in life in general. An EAP can help with the stresses and strains associated with:
- Financial worries
- Work-related issues
- Family problems
- Legal difficulties
- Housing insecurity
- Substance abuse
- Gambling addiction
- Stress, anxiety, depression
- Bullying and harassment
- Feelings of isolation
- Domestic violence
- General health and lifestyle issues
An EAP is not just designed to help those in serious need and you don’t need to be going through a traumatic event to benefit from it’s services! The resources provided are there to improve general emotional resilience, teaching staff how to reach their own inner calm, and feel equipped to handle anything life throws at them.
Employee Assistance Programmes are accessible for many types of company – big or small – due to its adaptable nature and the wide range of services on offer!
5 EAP providers to check out
#1 TELUS Health (Formerly LifeWorks)
TELUS Health is an EAP provider that covers over 20,000 different businesses, offering support for over 26 million individuals internationally, having joined forces with LifeWorks in 2022. TELUS Health has developed a modern EAP service, with 24/7 counselling and online wellbeing resources to help staff reach their fitness goals and bolster their inner resilience. They also offer savings and discounts on daily essentials and key life events.
On top of the core coverage, TELUS Health also offers some innovative extras to their programme:
- Access to a digital news feed providing resources on general wellbeing and the latest updates
- Discounts on retailers, restaurants, fun activities, daily grocery shop
- Tools for business owners to track analytics, engagement, talent retention, and productivity
- Work-life balance support
#2 Care First
Care First is an international EAP provider experienced in working with small businesses, as well as larger organisations from across different industries varying in size from 25 to 220,000 employees. Care First has a particular focus on its counselling services and people management tools, including all the traditional EAP features.
An incredibly helpful option Care First offers is its service integration, ensuring that there are no overlaps or interference with any pre-existing services, potentially helping businesses save money in the process. Every client is unique and so should their EAP service be! Care First works to fit the services seamlessly with any existing business services such as Occupational Health and Absence Management.
Care First also includes specialist SME solutions to provide the most efficient and affordable cover for small businesses. They have designed a bespoke service for businesses with between 35 to 1,000 employees.
Would you like to speed up your fact-finding mission by talking to an impartial broker? We’ll be happy to field all your questions about EAPs and give our expert verdict. Get in touch at [email protected] or call 01273 974419 for no-obligation advice and support.
#3 Spectrum Life
Spectrum Life provides mental health and wellbeing support to members and staff of over 2,000 organisations across both Ireland and the UK. Its EAP supports over 4 million active users. Spectrum Life provides Total Mental Health (a professionally accredited mental health resource), digital clinics covering everything from parenting to ergonomics and a range of wellbeing support services. Spectrum Life use its digital platform to provide a single connected solution, combining onsite wellness, digital wellbeing, Employee Assistance Programmes, and health screening.
Spectrum Life also provides access to a catalogue of mental health seminars and workshops, as well as a variety of digital wellbeing events. They have more than 6,000 wellbeing events booked each year! These can provide extra support and insight to staff and employers, improving their mental health and wellbeing even more – and learning along the way!
#4 Health Assured
Health Assured is an award-winning EAP service provider, offering support to over 15 million people in over 160 countries, making them the largest independent UK and Ireland provider. Health Assured offer a variety of services, providing support to many organisations across a range of industries from public, private, and non-profit sectors all the way through to student assistance programmes.
Health Assured also includes:
- 24/7 helpline to counsellors, legal, and financial specialists – always answered locally in the UK.
- My Healthy Advantage: smartphone app and personalised wellbeing tools and content; including videos, webinars, health checks, coaching.
- Access to a global network of over 1,500 counsellors, trainers and critical incident responders across different communication platforms.
- Report analytics, management information, organisational benchmarking.
#5 ComPsych
ComPsych is a leading international EAP provider based in the US, with one of the largest customer bases in the world, providing support to over 68,000 businesses and 139 million individuals globally. ComPsych’s ‘GuidanceResources’ platform includes its EAP, alongside behavioural health, wellness, and absence management services.
The company’s global reach and network enables multinational employers and businesses to have a centrally managed EAP to offer to all their staff wherever they may be based. ComPsych, like any good EAP, looks at things from a holistic perspective with a extensive team of in-house specialists on hand to help address a wide variety of needs.
Employees can access their EAP services in different formats and languages, boosting the overall accessibility for businesses for those with a global reach or expansion goals. Training resources are also provided on wellbeing subjects, including mindfulness and management skills to help members address any life challenges they may face.
Which EAP provider is right for your staff?
Finding the right EAP provider can quickly become overwhelming with hundreds of international and UK-based providers all offering different features and price points. However, as an independent benefits and health insurance broker, we can advise on the one which works best for your business and how it interacts with any other benefits you already have in place.
Remember: most health insurance providers also offer a free EAP with their policies. For example, Bupa’s EAP and AXA’s EAP both come included with their Group Health Insurance plan. So if you’re considering buying a health policy, it might be wise to delay making a decision right away.
Our expert team of award-winning brokers at Engage Health Group will take you through your options and gather a variety of quotes from across the whole market. We advise on all things employee benefits and health insurance, ensuring your staff’s wellbeing is protected and their needs fully addressed.
Contact us at [email protected] or call 01273 974419 for no-obligation advice and support.
