As a component of the work I do, I’m engaged in counselling and crisis support services through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). I tend enjoy this work and feel that providing employees with access to counselling services is immensely helpful. With the often-discussed mental health crisis facing Australians, it’s more important than ever to help people out with access to timely and affordable support.
But I am going to share my thoughts around the regular criticism I see of EAPs and how this connects with some broader issues regarding the management of mental health at work. We have to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater – EAPs can form part of an effective strategy to manage mental health at work.
What is the problem?
Let me start by saying that generally it is not the actual EAP services delivered that are the problem (well EAP counselling doesn’t always work out, but that can be said of any therapeutic service). It is the way that EAPs are used by employers that is the concern.
It is common for employees to reach out for counselling due to work stress. I usually start sessions by asking people what brought them to counselling and what they hope to get out of their session/s. But lately, employees commonly tell me they made an appointment at the suggestion of their manager because they reported excessive workloads, unreasonable pressure, difficulties coping with job demands, or something of that nature, and their manager thought counselling would be the best solution.
As much as I would like to, I really don’t have any special powers or cool magic tricks to cure stress and burnout without the root cause being effectively attended to.
Herein lies the problem… no amount of stress reduction, relaxation, sleep-inducing, and coping strategies will ‘fix’ you if you are subject to excessive workloads, unrelenting demands, and expectations that far outweigh your capacity and/or capability on the job.
Does referring an employee to EAP for work stress demonstrate adequate compliance with work health and safety requirements? Quite simply: no. Not in the absence of any action to assess and control risks. Hence the criticism, frustration, and resentment of EAPs lies in the fact that for many workplace issues, they are not the practical solution. But does that mean they serve no useful purpose? No. So let's not get too swept up in some of the negative commentary about them.
Ineffective management of psychosocial hazards
The referral to EAP is symbolic of a philosophy that when someone is stressed/depressed/anxious etc it is a personal problem and the individual needs to be fixed, to be supported to be more resilient, to be assisted to cope better. This is all part of a pattern I see (beyond just my counselling work) in the problematic ways businesses deal with mental health issues at work – here are a few examples:
Quite a common one, asking employees to put up with workloads and pressure because they can’t recruit due to a) lack of budget and/or b) labour shortages, or because they just have to get though a ‘rough patch’.
Insisting a worker get medical evidence to confirm whether they are at risk of mental harm if they continue to work, when they’ve raised exposure to psychosocial hazards that haven’t been appropriately assessed by the employer.
Placing the responsibility back on a worker to resolve workplace bullying issues on their own if they don’t want to make a formal complaint.
Putting pressure on harassment victims to decide if the resignation of the perpetrator should be accepted or not, given their departure from the business would be problematic.
Shifting responsibility to an individual worker for stressors that arise in the course of their employment is not good enough. More needs to be done.
How can we do better?
Workplace health and safety is a shared responsibility at work, so there are things that both employees and employers can do to drive better mental health at work outcomes.
Tips for employees
Raise issues often and early. Ensure you are educated on factors at work that cause stress – ask your employer for training and/or read up yourself. When you identify issues, speak with a manager or other person that can help at your workplace as soon as possible, and be sure to express any practical solutions you can see.
Use EAP proactively. EAP counselling isn’t just there for when things are already bad. Perhaps you’ve noticed an issue at your workplace and you aren’t sure how to raise it, or you need help with ideas on how to resolve issues that keep popping up – a counsellor will be able to help you unpack your options whilst also helping you plan for your own self-care.
Give feedback. If you are confused about why someone has made a certain suggestion or request (like getting medical clearance, or asking you to resolve your own issues) then plan to address this through a conversation. Give feedback on how this situation has made you feel and look to agree on a better way forward.
Tips for employers
Actively listen to issues raised by employees. Particularly for managers who tend to be very busy, when an employee raises concerns about stress and we aren’t clear what to do, it’s easy to refer them to EAP. If you are going to do so, also consider what you can do to investigate the issues raised and determine what actions can be taken to mitigate the risks to their mental health.
Ensure you have an effective risk management framework in place. Employers need to take active steps to identify, assess, control, and monitor hazards to the mental health of employees. EAP is just one control measure that may form part of a strategy. EAPs cannot remove hazards though, only address the employee’s response to them, so be mindful to plan out reasonably practicable steps to address the risks.
Get expert advice. Many businesses do not have the internal capability or capacity to set up the right systems and train managers and employees on mental health at work – if that’s your business, consider hiring someone to consult and advise you. There is an increasing amount of support and information available for free also; avoid defaulting to your EAP and look to put more comprehensive practices in place.
Need support?
We can assist you. If you aren’t sure if your business has the right practices in place, reach out for a free consultation to see how we might be able to assist.