Lending an ear to employees
AN employee assistance programme (EAP) is an employee benefit programme that assists employees with personal problems and/or work-related problems that may impact their job performance, health, mental and emotional well-being. EAPS generally offer free and confidential assessments, shortterm counselling, wellness coaching, referrals, and follow-up services for employees.
Increased productivity and other benefits of EAP
Numerous studies indicate that offering EAPS may result in various benefits for employers, including lower medical costs, reduced turnover and absenteeism, and higher employee productivity. EAPS may also provide other services to employers, such as supervisory consultations, support to troubled work teams, training and education programmes, and critical incident services.
Small businesses can especially benefit from EAP programmes. Even though they may have fewer employees and may not see the need to implement an EAP programme, small business owner’s bottom line can suffer quicker due to decreased performance and productivity and workplace negativity. Benefits of EAP are:
• Direct access: Employees call the psychologist’s office directly.
• Quick response: The first counselling session occurs within a few days, and a crisis is dealt with immediately.
• Professional: Counsellors are typically qualified psychologists, and are experts in human behaviour.
• Confidentiality: The employer never knows who uses the service.
• Off-site: Counselling takes place at the psychologist’s office.
• Direct treatment: Referrals are made only when the patient requires another specialist or long-term care.
• Appropriate coverage: 24 hours a day hotline with offices in towns and cities in which employees are located.
EAP in Malaysia
In Malaysia, many multinational companies (MNCS) have EAPS as part of its SOPS. As Malaysian companies start to compete in the global market, they too start to adopt EAP. Local EAP providers such as the International Psychology Centre (www. Psychology.com.my) who has pioneered the provision of EAP in Malaysia have also equipped themselves with comprehensive EAP provisions including wellness coaching, workplace counselling, 24/7 hotline service, critical incident briefing, assessment and development set-ups and attitudinal and behavioural change training programmes.
The banking industry, led by Bank Negara Malaysia who has engaged the International Psychology Centre as an EAP provider has for example, adopted EAP in its quest to be globally competitive.
This year sees the first Asia EAP International conference (www. Eapmalaysia.com) to be held in Malaysia from April 27 to 28.
For companies wishing to know more about EAP and how their companies can benefit from this programme, it is an ideal opportunity to do so.
Further details of this conference can be found at www.eapmalaysia.com
This article is provided by psychologists from Psycorp, Centre for Corporate Psychology of the International Psychology Centre.
■ For more information, contact www. Psychology.com.my; email Info@psychology.com.my; call 03-2727 7434 or visit https://www.facebook.com/malaysiaeap/