Research has highlighted the benefits of counselling sessions offered via employee assistance programmes (EAPs), particularly helping to reduce absence levels.
More than half (52%) of employees who had been on one of the schemes and took part in the poll said they would have been forced off work without the help of the counselling services.
The study involved 4,213 workers who receive such services as part of an EAP from FirstAssist.
Just 17% of those surveyed believed that their ability to meet the demands of their job was ‘good’ or ‘very good’ ahead of having access to the counselling services, compared with 64% afterwards.
According to the study, counselling has also helped to improve employees’ personal lives.
Only 9% said that satisfaction with their personal life was ‘good’ or ‘very good’ before counselling, as opposed to 57%.
Furthermore EAPs have boosted relationships with colleagues, with 23% saying they were either ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ before, in comparison with just 2% afterwards.
Copyright © Press Association 2011
