An employee assistance program, also known as an EAP, is a private support program that companies offer to their employees in order to assist them with issues that arise both in their personal life and at work. Counseling can be helpful for a variety of issues, including mental health, dealing with stress, issues at work, emotional distress, marital issues, and substance misuse or abuse of alcohol.

An employee assistance program (EAP) can assist businesses in reducing the number of absences, increasing productivity, and demonstrating that they are concerned about the health of their workforce. It provides employees with a solution that is both secure and confidential, allowing them to receive assistance without having to pay for it or wait for it, which is typically the case with private mental health services.

Employers have a duty of care to maintain a safe and healthy workplace, even though it is not a legal need for them to establish an employee assistance program (EAP). The regulation of psychological hazards in accordance with Work Health and Safety (WHS) rules is included in this approach. An EAP may be a helpful tool for keeping these promises.

Also, Australian businesses must make sure that any EAP provider they choose follows privacy laws, keeps all sessions private, and hires only certified professionals.

1. Assess Workplace Needs – Identify the types of support your employees might require by conducting surveys, reviewing HR data, and assessing workplace risks.
2. Set a Budget – Determine what you can spend annually on an EAP. Costs may be per-employee, per-session, or based on a fixed package.
3. Research EAP Providers – Compare services, availability (including after-hours support), counsellor qualifications, and reporting options.
4. Customise the Program – Choose whether you’ll offer phone, video, in-person sessions, or a mix. Decide on session limits per employee.
5. Promote the EAP Internally – Clearly communicate to staff how they can access the service, reassure them about confidentiality, and make contact details easy to find.
6. Launch and Monitor – Start the program and regularly review usage and employee feedback to make improvements.

• Allow people to communicate with you in a variety of ways, such as on the phone, video chat, or online chat.
• In the event of an emergency, you should be ready around the clock, seven days a week.
• It is important to provide employers with reports that are both transparent and de-identified in order to assist them in determining the value of the program without violating confidentiality.
• Increase the amount of assistance provided to managers, respond to major incidents, and educate staff on how to maintain their health.

• Evaluations of consumption (without identifying particular individuals)
• Opinion polls regarding the contentment of workers
• absenteeism and employee turnover rates have both fallen substantially.
• Observations made by managers regarding the morale and performance of workers in the workplace