Ensuring staff are as engaged and productive as possible is a critical factor for all organisations, large and small. At a time when doing more with less is the norm, employers need to create an environment where performance is high, and individual contribution is effective.
It is within this context that we have developed a range of Employee Assistance Programmes to suit specific needs and budgets. Every Right Corecare employee assistance programme (EAP) provides unrivalled professional counselling and consulting support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our aim is to provide insightful, expert advice, enabling individuals to gain access to support and information quickly.
EAP: The Benefits
An EAP delivers a host of benefits to individuals and employers alike. The positive personal outcomes that can be achieved through talking to qualified experts include a proven reduction of stress and absenteeism along with dramatic increases morale, engagement and productivity. These results for an individual are magnified for organisations. Workforces are demonstrably fitter, more agile and resilient when supported effectively.
- Proven track record of reducing absence by up to 60%
- Flexible approach to support small companies through to large employers
- Practical interventions which can integrate easily within existing business procedures and Engagement strategies
- Demonstrable response to Duty of Care requirements
Unique Services
Unique to Right Corecare’s EAP service, is the expertise of Right Management to offer Work-Career advice via dedicated Career Consultants.
Individuals can access this service by simply calling the helpline and booking a telephone appointment. A 50 minute Career ‘Counselling/Coaching’ session will help the employee to explore work career issues, assist them to achieve their short-term goals and perhaps clarify longer term career objectives. This session can include career alignment/assessment, definition of career direction and guidance on interview skills.
Manager Support
We continue to develop our management support offering and are working towards a counselling/coaching model to encourage managers to use the EAP to help them talk freely and express their concerns in a ‘safe environment’. There are several key benefits for the individual and for the organisation, particularly in terms of enhancing confidence in handling human emotions in the workplace, crisis situations etc., and all leading to increased performance and productivity. We have a well established direct support line for managers to access a dedicated management support specialist, and will always look for opportunities to extend this service into the work with every client.
The EAP can also provide your management with a valuable resource when coping with performance issues. We ensure that that managers are:
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Thoroughly briefed in how to engage the support offered
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Able to recognise situations where counselling support may be helpful
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aware of the issue of confidentiality when dealing with team situations
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Able to understand how to engage a member of staff in counselling
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Encouraged to discuss situations with Right Corecare before acting
Future Focused
Traditionally, EAP’s provided help and support to people who were experiencing a high degree of stress or pressure. Increasingly, there is awareness that this only provides a reactive service that does nothing to change the situations that may be causing the stress. Right Corecare has been engaged in developing new strategies that work proactively, providing support and skills training for managers in order to promote healthier workplaces.
By closing the loop in this manner, providing both proactive and reactive support, the aim is to improve performance, attendance, morale and staff wellbeing with tangible impact on the bottom line.
Right Corecare has been at the forefront of promoting health and wellbeing as part of the EAP service and we can demonstrate a number of examples of where we are supporting our customers to introduce health and well-being programmes. Our EAP model has for some time been changing from a clinical emphasis to a focus on workplace productivity and we are seeing some excellent results – we are not throwing out the baby with the bathwater – the counselling component of the EAP scheme is critical but the EAP needs to evolve and broaden out its scope of services and support.
A very positive transition from a clinical orientation to a productivity orientation is occurring and we are at the forefront. Taking a long-term approach, we build lasting and trusting relationships with our customers and in doing so, we can help shape and influence strategies to promote wellbeing, assist managers to identify early signs and symptoms of stress and distress, and to reduce absence and turnover. We are keen to demonstrate and communicate our value to our customers and use CORE and CIPD data to report on clinical effectiveness and financial savings.