Support Services: Why and How

Duration: 3:45

Transcript

Managing employees in an organization is not without its challenges. Crisis management and employee assistance for all aspects of life, professional, personal and family come to mind.

These particular situations often require an employee assistance program, also know as EAP, but they can also be handled by support or coaching services for policyholder managers and unions.

These support services aim to support policyholder clients and market intermediaries. By receiving coaching, managers and unions are better equipped to identify and understand the problems their workers are going through. Then, they can refer an employee in difficulty to psychosocial assistance.

The goal of these services is to improve wellness in the workplace, prevent absenteeism, and support market intermediaries and their customer organizations when disability or specific events occur.

In addition to individual difficulties, organizations may face disruptions that destabilize employees, work teams or even the entire organization.

These crises can be challenging for managers and unions, but support services can help alleviate them.

In less than one hour, the manager or union will receive all the telephone support they need. In situations that require a response in the workplace, a specialized crisis counsellor will be on site in less than 24 hours.

Counsellors are available 24/7 and respond quickly to the needs of beneficiaries whose identity remains confidential.

Therefore, as soon as a problem situation is identified, policyholders can contact their support services or suggest to their colleagues or employees in difficulty that they communicate with them.

Consequently, this service is only offered to the employee upon referral by the manager or union.

For this reason, support services are often called EAP upon referral by the manager or union. This is the main distinction between these services and a traditional EAP.

EAPs are usually open services with the decision to seek help is left up to the employee who can contact counsellors directly. This way, anonymity within the organization is protected even more.

However, in order for employees to call upon their EAP directly, the existence and benefits of this service must be well communicated to them.  Overall, an EAP complements these supports services. An EAP is designed to provide more regular counselling while the supports services are intended for particular situations. For example, when an employee shows initial symptoms, he is at risk of missing work or when a sick leave occurs.

As mentioned above, support services are an excellent coaching ally for policyholders, but also for market intermediaries who will be guided in their interactions with managers and unions experiencing difficulties or specific challenges.

In particular, counsellors will clearly answer questions relating to the prevention of absenteeism and leaves of absence.

In addition to online access to several video clips, support services provide access to reference documents and frequently asked questions about workplace health and wellness.

To learn more about this topic, we suggest that you read the reference document.

In you have any questions or doubts, or a specific support need, feel free to contact the specialized assistance service available to those who are eligible.