Can EAPs be game changers for corporate wellness?

Any discussion about corporate mental health and wellbeing is never easy. While employers across industries are becoming increasingly aware about the existing (and growing) challenges around mental health within their workforce, there is little clarity on what the best approach to manage these could be. This gives rise to a tendency to “outsource” the problem. And who better than an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) provider to “take away the pain”?

When the concept of an EAP was first floated in the 1940s in northern America, its main purpose was to curb alcohol and substance abuse at the workplace, which could in turn help reduce absenteeism and boost productivity. Thankfully, we have come a very long way. An EAP today is perceived as a single window solution for all psychological problems. Whether the problem is of a professional or personal nature, a counselor engaged in providing EAP services can be of immense help. In fact, almost 80% of mid to large-sized corporates today have enabled EAP services for their employees.

With that, one would expect that access would enable widespread usage of the service. But according to a survey conducted by a leading counseling firm in India, the average utilization of EAP services hovers at around 5%. The reasons for this could be attributed to the fact that most EAPs are reactive in nature – helping when someone seeks help. The stigma surrounding mental health persists (though the collective pandemic trauma is very gradually helping recognition and acceptance of psychological distress). This leaves employees worried that their counseling sessions may not remain confidential, and data may be shared with their employers.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic drove increased traffic to counseling helplines during the first two waves, many of the calls were for grief counseling. It remains to be seen if this usage trend continues and extends to the longer-term issues that come from sequelae of long COVID-19 (e.g. brain fog). In India, another major issue is the availability of trained resources. As per the WHO, there is one mental health professional for 51,717 Indians. If any corporate mental health and wellbeing initiative is to succeed, a different and more expanded approach may be necessary. More inpiduals need to be empowered to recognise those who are distressed and require help and guide them to receive adequate care.

EAP services need to go beyond counselling-on-demand and aim to enhance awareness, destigmatise mental illnesses, help managers and employees to identify challenges, provide appropriate interventions and then further work with organisational HR teams and families to rehabilitate and reintegrate the affected inpiduals into the mainstream so they can return to work and normal life, without fear of being judged or discriminated against. 

By Dr. Vikram Vora, Medical Director, India Subcontinent, International SOS