The growth in Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providers over the past decade has meant that employees are able to access short term counselling support which is free, confidential and immediate.
Research shows that this service, when available, is well used. 70% of employee have made contact with this service for help with mental health problems in 2016/17. Most of the issues related to anxiety and depression (66%).*
Studies have shown that the emotional wellbeing of employees is an essential part of running a successful business and can lead to reduced levels of sickness and stress amongst employees. Days lost to stress, anxiety or depression are a real issue and accounted for the majority of days lost due to work-related ill health (17.9 million) in 2019-2020.**
Time limited counselling for work related or personal issues (normally 4 to 12 sessions) can prove beneficial for employees and can facilitate an earlier return to work if the employee is off sick, as well as providing the vital emotional support and coping strategies needed to help them on their way to improving their psychological wellbeing.
If you are a small to medium sized company within Northumberland and the Newcastle area and would like to make counselling sessions available to your employees without the full commitment of working with a national Employee Assistance Provider (EAP), I would be happy to discuss your needs on an individual basis.
I offer confidential and short term counselling either in my practice in Stannington or on the telephone. During the pandemic, I only offer counselling via video link (Zoom, Skype or WhatsApp) or on the telephone.
Please note that all sessions with the employee would be deemed confidential and I would not be able to disclose content. Confidentiality would only be broken if there was a risk of harm or danger within the workplace or to the employee themselves.
Please get in touch to discuss your requirements.
*Unum data 2016/2017
** https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/dayslost.htm
