EAPA UK

More employers are introducing digital tools intended to pick up on mental health crises and provide a rapid, digital solution. The software responds to employees who use their browser at work to search for suicide or self-harm related content. The slide towards quick digital fixes is a dangerous trend, argues EAPA UK chair Karl Bennett. #eapauk #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #mentalhealthawareness #eap #employeewellbeing #mentalwellbeing www.eapa.org.uk

The Institute for Public Policy Research think tank is calling for a whole new role for employers in health: including a duty to ‘do no harm’. The recommendations come in the wake of the IPPR’s new report into presenteeism and its link to low productivity. It’s another reminder of the importance of engagement and creating a sense of belonging among employees, says EAPA UK chair Karl Bennett #eapauk #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #mentalhealthawareness #eap #employeewellbeing #mentalwellbeing www.eapa.org.uk

More than half the UK workforce has faced issues with their mental health. So says the latest research findings from The Global Business Collaboration for Better Workplace Mental Health (GBC). The GBC points to the importance of business leaders in creating an environment where employees feel able to speak up.   Role models are good — but employees will always need the option of confidential conversations with someone outside of their workplace, argues EAPA UK chair Karl Bennett. #eapauk #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #mentalhealthawareness #eap #employeewellbeing #mentalwellbeing www.eapa.org.uk

EAPA UK STATEMENT CONCERNING THE BBC FILE ON 4 ALLEGATIONS – 12 JULY 2024   EAPA UK is extremely saddened to read the allegations brought to the public’s attention by BBC News on 12 July 2024 against one of our accredited provider members. As the representative body for the EAP sector, we set out professional standards which we expect our members to adhere to. We take alleged breaches to our standards seriously.   Each accredited provider is required to undertake a verification audit of our standards which is carried out independently. The audit and accreditation process requires that responses to the confidentiality and data protection questions must be positive, and that the auditors are satisfied that the provider’s confidentiality statements pose no cause for concern.   Confidentiality is the central tenet of an EAP service and creates trust from service users. It is at the heart of what we do, and a critical requirement. As such all EAPs must abide by this. It is imperative that users of EAP services can be confident and certain that all calls are fully confidential.   EAPA UK has commenced an investigation to understand from the provider the facts behind the reported allegations and if true, how this was allowed to happen and to get full clarification on the mitigations being put forward to ensure this does not happen again in the future.   It is important that our service users trust that EAP providers do not operate in the way reported and they should be confident that the only limitations to confidentiality are within the confines of safeguarding and UK Law.   It is essential that all EAPA UK members adhere to our professional standards at all times. Failure to do this may result in the members’ verification and/or membership being suspended or removed.   EAPA UK will report on the findings of our investigation once it has been completed.     If you would like to learn more about the EAPA UK Standards, please follow this link: https://lnkd.in/eaZbKUxG

Employees with cancer and other forms of long-term ill-health don’t always feel listened to. Communications with their workplace fall away, affecting their potential return, according to a new survey.   EAPs are an important way of making sure staff at home don’t feel cut-off and forgotten, says EAPA UK chair Karl Bennett. #eapauk #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #mentalhealthawareness #eap #employeewellbeing #mentalwellbeing www.eapa.org.uk

Mental wellbeing has become a critical factor in upholding good employee relations, says a global Employee Relations Benchmark report. 70% of organisations surveyed said that mental health issues had led to an increase in cases of conflict at work.   HR need to better understand their workplace dynamics, and when and why they can lead to unreasonable levels of stress and anxiety, argues EAPA UK chair Karl Bennett. #eapauk #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #mentalhealthawareness #eap #employeewellbeing #mentalwellbeing www.eapa.org.uk

Employees are becoming more litigious — with 72% of large employers surveyed reporting an increase in cases over the past five years. Another surge is expected.   It’s often an issue of relationships and levels of stress, says EAPA UK chair Karl Bennett. And support for wellbeing plays an important role. #eapauk #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #mentalhealthawareness #eap #employeewellbeing #mentalwellbeing

PM Rishi Sunak has stepped up the pressure on the UK’s “sick note culture”, said to be keeping people with “minor” mental health issues out of the workforce and adding to “unsustainable” increases in the welfare bill.   Any new initiatives need to take into account the implications for employers, the nation’s mental health and EAPs themselves, says EAPA UK chair Karl Bennett. #eapauk #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #mentalhealthawareness #eap #employeewellbeing #mentalwellbeing

New sick note rules are needed to avoid a huge tide of employees leaving the workforce, says the Policy Exchange think-tank. It claims GPs sign 90% of sick notes, often without a diagnosis — an increasing number of them related to stress and mental health.   Employers need to be thinking more about the role of their workplace environment in shaping attitudes to work and health, argues EAPA UK chair Karl Bennett #eapauk #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #mentalhealthawareness #eap #employeewellbeing #mentalwellbeing

The management of mental ill health in England continues to be a challenge with some people being negatively impacted in such a way that it impedes their ability to function at work. A GP is an essential and trusted part of seeking understanding about their condition, negotiating pathways to diagnosis, support, and medication to help with their recovery and return to active employment. There seems to be little credible evidence that people are visiting their GP to be signed off with mental health issues, and that this is taking time away from the GP doing other work; to the point they want to have a separate raft of people (on top of OH, physiotherapists etc) to issue fit notes. For some people it is their GP that they trust in when disclosing their mental health challenges and that creating another barrier of non-qualified people somehow assessing very personal feelings and emotions, will further stigmatise mental health and put more people off seeking vital help. Noone would deny that good work is beneficial to mental health, it would seem to be positioned that those with poor mental health where their functioning is compromised are somehow shirking from work. This further stigmatises genuine poor mental health. It is not explained how the management of an ongoing mental health condition would work especially where the GP is integral to appropriate management of essential medication. There is a much bigger issue that continues to be ignored and it is not about having the capacity to issue 'fit notes', it's having sufficient and timely resources available within the NHS to support those people when they are at their most vulnerable. It takes courage to ask for help if you are struggling with mental health issues. Visiting a GP may be a last resort for some, so investment is needed to support people, rather than increase access to fit notes. When will the government recognise that support is available through EAP services? EAP's offer wide ranging support that is needed to help people to remain at or return to work quickly. All employees should have access to the services offered by an EAP, employers should have funding made available to them to ensure they are not choosing between their employees mental health support and paying a fair wage. It also demonstrates the support needed by employers to help employees recognise when they are feeling low and have in place the tools needed to support mental health issues. This includes regular training for managers around the services available to their teams and focus on organisational culture, which needs to be one of inclusiveness without fear of consequence when asking for help.