What is EAP?
An Employee Assistance Program
or EAP for short is a contract between a firm, government agency or any other corporate institution, and its employees that provides a variety of support services. The initiative intends to provide a safe environment and help in strengthening the wellbeing of the personnel be it mental and physical. This support that is provided to the employees is not just limited to their work related issues but rather transcends to their personal issues too, this is to ensure that the support extended to employees is more holistic in nature and seeks to help them perform better in their corporate roles by eliminating complications in their work life resulting from problems faced at work, home or in the society at large.
First introduced in the later half of the 1930s, with initiatives to help deal with occupational drinking which was once upon a time considered a norm and the obstructive effect it had on work performance in addition to its effect on the behavioral front of the employees led to formation of EAPs. Over the years there has been a shift in the scope of programmes which employees are assisted with as part of the EAP, the concept has adapted over the years to be inclusive of issues which are generally not related to work but nevertheless have an impact with an individual’s work and performance like relationships, family, personality, trauma and many more. Employee Assistance Program has evolved to not only benefit the employees themselves but can also be extended to their immediate family members in case the need arises. EAPs can also deal with managers and supervisors directly if the need arises to understand employee behavior better and detect early signs of problems that could potentially become large issues.
EAPs deals with the following kind of issues faced by an employee:
Issues related to an individual's personal life and personality like anxiousness, monetary, low self esteem, trauma, separation etc.
Issues related to concerns, issues and fears with respect to an individual’s external relationships with their partners, parents, children and friends etc.
Problems faced within the office related to performance, promotions, work, colleagues, superiors and other work related stress.
Help needed with physical well being due to health problems, violence, harassment & loss of appetite etc.
Issues pertaining to physical fitness like nutrition, substance abuse, & weight etc.
How does Hibiscus Help?
The adage that happy employees make customers happy holds true in this scenario and providing employees with the right support in the long run leads to behavioral changes due to them understanding and overcoming their issues which leads to a transformation in their day to day working and results in a highly efficient and successful company. Hibiscus
Psychological Counseling:
With an ever growing team of trained counselors catering to various facets of psychological counseling covering issues like marriage, substance abuse, loss & trauma. We also offer help with other psychological issues like anxiety, depression, low - self esteem issues. Counseling helps one to look at problems from a different perspective and instill a positive outlook in solving issues. The idea is to empower individuals with the right tools to overcome their issues and foster growth and development.
Mental Health Checks:
Over the years mental health check ups have been given less significance when compared to physical health check ups, the importance of regular mental health check ups cannot be stressed enough. Through this Individuals obtain a far better knowledge of themselves and others around them by doing a thorough analysis of their life, relationships, and feelings. This, in turn, will help in reducing one’s irritation from numerous sources and managing your emotions much more professionally.
Guided Imagery Sessions:
Guided imagery sessions help in immediately relaxing your body and ease your thoughts with the help of various auditory and visual cues. It can also be a useful method for retaining resilience to stress through challenging times which is a very important need in the corporate world with long hours and interaction with customers and colleagues. The sessions are a group activity which are moderated by a trained expert and last for a period of 40 minutes to an hour.
Career Counseling:
Career counseling assists people with the practical aspects of job decisions, be it switching jobs, exploring a path that one is passionate about, clearing and understanding one’s aspirations, expectations and then helping them make career choices accordingly. Thus helping individuals obtain a sense of satisfaction and purpose.
Yoga Sessions:
Yoga sessions provide benefits such as stress relief, enhance the energy of the workforce, help in building creativity and attention, and convenience and higher productivity for employees. It also acts as a team bonding exercise in a corporate setting.
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Akhil Haridas
M.B.A.
Administrative Intern,
Hibiscus Counselling
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