Employees are crucial to any organization’s longevity, growth, and success. That said, their overall well-being should be a priority for any employer looking to retain top talent.
Apart from taking care of issues causing distress in the workplace, you should also give them a hand with their personal struggles. But that’s easier said than done, especially if you have offshore and remote workers. As the name suggests, these employees are not physically present in your company’s location, making it difficult for you to oversee their well-being.
That is why you should also offer your remote employees the same Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as your on-site staff and give them access to resources that can help them through difficult times. This article will discuss why an EAP is necessary and what benefits it offers you and your employees.
1. Fosters a healthy work environment
Your employees may become frustrated, uncooperative, and unapproachable if they are experiencing high levels of stress. Unfortunately, it’s not only work that causes stress to many people.
For example, a 2019 survey found that around 70% of employees found their workload excessive and stressful. Moreover, employees nationwide have been dealing with stress from health issues, working from home, or working overtime due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A stress management program can help your company support troubled workers. It will give your employees a platform to discuss their issues and help them find ways to control stress during challenging times.
2. Prevents absenteeism
Work absences and stress are closely related to one another. The American Institute of Stress estimated that around one million workers are absent daily due to stress.
Various issues can keep your offshore employees from working efficiently in a work-from-home setup, making employee absenteeism a severe matter for your organization. An EAP can provide employees with the right resources to help reduce their stress levels and thus reduce absenteeism.
Encouraging employees to sign up for your health and wellness program can help them ward off stress-related illnesses, resulting in fewer sick leaves and health insurance costs for the company in the long run.
3. Increases employee retention
Employees who are comfortable and satisfied with their work tend to stick around longer. Offering EAPs is one of the superb ways to improve job satisfaction and employee retention. It will show them that you are genuinely concerned about their overall well-being.
An EAP will provide an enjoyable work environment by keeping your offshore employees productive, pleased, and comfortable while on the job, resulting in an increased sentiment of loyalty towards your organization.
4. Reduces losses related to poor performance
A seemingly small issue caused by human error can easily balloon into missed timelines, losses, and even lawsuits. And with fatigue and emotional stress being two of the most common causes of human error, it makes sense for companies to find ways to help employees deal with their struggles.
A great EAP usually has free assessments, counseling, and follow-up services for employees who want to work on their stress-inducing personal and work-related problems.
5. Improves workplace safety
Britain’s 2020 health and safety at work statistic found that roughly 6.3 million estimated working days were lost due to non-fatal workplace injuries and 1.6 million employees suffering from work-related ill health in 2019.
Investing in an EAP will help ensure that your employees care for their physical, emotional, and mental health. This is especially important in a remote and offshore work setup where employers can’t oversee the staff’s health and safety. EAP can also reduce accidents and lower workers’ compensation claims by helping them be safe and mindful in the workplace.
6. Boosts employee productivity
Mental health has a significant impact on overall workplace productivity. Thus, your organization’s best interest is to guarantee that workers feel supported in the face of challenges.
A study on the impact of employee absences in the U.S. stated that companies lose 36.6% of their productivity due to unplanned employee absences.
Statistics also indicate that productivity increases after an organization invests in EAPs. It may bring a nearly 70% reduction in absenteeism, 10% reduction in workplace distress, and 24.% improvement in life satisfaction of employees.
A Helping Hand
A robust EAP program will help employees at all levels deal with personal concerns affecting their well-being and work. However, this will also help your company save time and money by reducing healthcare claims and increase profitability by improving the output of your workers, whether on-site or remote.
Investing in employee assistance programs will help your organization foster a healthy work environment that provides job satisfaction, increases employee retention and productivity, decreases absences, and many more!
If your company needs assistance finding offshore and remote talents, contact Manila Recruitment, the leading top recruitment agency in the Philippines!
