EAP: Case Study

Strengthening Employee Mental Health through the Employee Assistance Program

Introduction: Employees are a key asset of any successful organization. Addressing their mental health and personal challenges not only promotes a pleasant working environment but also enhances the resilience and growth of the organization. Recent research highlights the value of employee care, especially in areas such as mental health, financial stability, legal advice, and social support.

Client:

Our client is Albert, Czech Republic a major grocery chain, employing over 20,000 people across various demographic and professional groups, from recent graduates to IT professionals, marketing, sales, HR, and management.

Client Needs:

The client sought a fast, effective, and anonymous solution to support the mental health of their employees while respecting organizational values, emphasizing employee care as much as customer care. Additionally, they needed a solution to address the complex challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Solution:

To meet these needs, we proposed implementing an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with an external assistance hotline. This program not only includes psychological counseling but also legal, financial, and social consultations.

In the context of the pandemic, the hotline also provided consultations on health matters (especially information related to COVID-19 measures) and the client’s internal regulations and processes.

Given the geographic dispersion of the client’s employees across the Czech Republic and the pandemic restrictions, an external hotline proved optimal.

Operational Structure:

We designed a three-level assistance model to ensure efficiency and comprehensive support:

• Level 1: Trained assistants handle basic inquiries and coordinate support processes.
• Level 2: Specialized professionals (e.g., psychologists, lawyers, financial advisors) address specific issues..
• Level 3: For complex cases beyond the hotline’s scope, external partners are available.

Implementation:

Key success parameters included:

• Anonymity and Protection Against Abuse: Authorization verifies that the caller is an employee of the client organization. At the same time, the hotline ensures anonymity by keeping all shared information confidential, fully protecting the employees’ privacy.
• Accessibility: The hotline is available daily from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, including weekends, for easy access.
• Multichannel Access: Employees can contact the hotline via phone, email, or communication apps like WhatsApp, Viber, or Messenger.
• Sustainability: To maintain the program, we collaborated with the client’s internal communication team. Activities included:
  • Online webinars to introduce the service.
  • Regular newsletters covering current topics.
  • Internal social media to raise awareness of the EAP.

Results:

Since the service launch until the end of 2023, nearly 4,000 employees have used the service, receiving assistance with mental health, financial, and legal issues. Positive feedback highlighted the anonymity of the hotline and the breadth of support provided.

Conclusion:

By establishing the EAP hotline, the client not only addresses the immediate needs of employees but also positions itself as an empathetic employer supporting its workforce during challenging times. The client gains a strategic HR tool that allows for the reduction and prevention of undesirable workplace phenomena through employee care. Regular reporting of topics provides ongoing insights into employee needs, ensuring continuous program improvement and effectiveness evaluation.

If you have any questions regarding this case study, please contact us directly. We will be happy to provide more information and facilitate contact with our client:

Name Marek Řápek
Position: Project Manager EAP, We Are For Humans
Phone +420 734 766 554
Website: www.weareforhumans.com

Client Representativee:
Name: Denisa Maternová, Employee Experience & Intern. Comm. Manager, Albert Czech Republic

(contact facilitated upon request)