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13/10/2006
ICAS, Europe's leading provider of employee support and well-being services today launched EAPconnect™ - an employee assistance programme (EAP) designed specifically with SMEs in mind.
Traditionally EAP services have been designed for major employers, either in the private or public sector. Small and medium sized businesses are legally bound to provide the same duty of care as large companies, but, with fewer resources, they often assume they cannot afford to provide employees with an assistance programme.
EAPconnect™ differs from normal EAPs by providing a solution that keeps costs down. Materials such as posters and leaflets to promote the service are provided on an interactive CD Rom which the company can print off as and when they need them, rather than having to order in bulk. The CD Rom also incorporates video footage which describes the programme to staff, encouraging them to use the service effectively. The important features of ICAS' regular EAPs are still included, such as telephone and face-to-face counselling; LifeManagement™ to provide practical support around areas such as debt, finance, consumer issues and family care; plus managerial coaching.
"Our research showed that companies valued the new service's ability to minimise the impact of personal or work-related problems on the employer and reduce the onus on them to provide HR support. Whether an issue of stress, bullying, debt or relationships, help is available at the end of the phone." said Colin Whitehead, sales director at ICAS.
Research conducted by GfK NOP on behalf of ICAS revealed that the top three HR issues for SMEs were:
Whilst the price of EAPs is an important consideration for SMEs, the quality of the service is also key. The key questions businesses ask when reviewing their EAP services are "How much will it cost?", "Is it a competitive package?" and "What difference will it make?"
The cost of EAPconnect™ varies according to the size of company; but for those with less than 250 employees, the cost can be as low as £17 per employee per year.
Shuba Khrishnan, research manager at GfK NOP said: "The small and medium sized businesses interviewed for this research study were extremely receptive to the idea of using an EAP in their own business contexts. Many were not already familiar with EAPs but after seeing the ICAS CD Rom they could readily identify the advantages of utilising a facility like EAPconnect™ both from the employer's and the employees' perspectives particularly in terms of enhancing staff retention and performance."
Smaller companies' risks are the same as those for larger businesses, perhaps even greater if there is no resource to manage them. For companies without a strong HR presence it is often difficult to deal with workplace issues. Issues both in and out of the workplace can affect employee performance and attendance and all companies should ideally have processes in place to ensure their staff are supported effectively.
Colin Whitehead added "Businesses need to be proactive in protecting their Duty of Care for employees and prevent losing skilled staff. In an increasingly competitive recruitment market, a business must stand out as a good employer to win and retain the right staff - providing employee assistance marks you out as a forward-thinking and supportive employer."
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