Two EAP leaders, Don Jorgensen PhD of Human Factor Consulting based in Tucson Arizona in the US and Maurice Quinlan Director of the EAP Institute based Waterford Ireland will be joined by Finbarr Stapleton of Antaris Consulting Limerick Ireland to present a 3 hour online expert group meeting on Employee Support Services – Developing a Vision for Change on Tuesday 22nd of June 2021.
Commenting on the announcement Dr Jorgensen said “EAPs in the US have suffered from a perception as a cheap, short-term counseling benefit featuring mental health providers with little focus on workplace safety issues.”
He went on.
“Too many EAPs have failed to maintain effective linkages to the workplace to address safety, management support, or onsite needs. To stay relevant, successful organizations must re-focus current EAP services toward an Employee Support Service/Employee Support Therapy model designed to meet the specific requirements of legislative compliance with workplace safety, mental health disabilities, and Equality Legislation to meet the needs of a post Covid workplace environment reeling from the most disruptive challenge of the 21st century workforce.”
Dr. Jorgensen’s views in the US were echoed in the UK when the effectiveness of EAPs was also raised by Peter Kelly, Senior Psychologist at the UK Health and Safety Executive when he called on EAP Providers to move from casualty orientated supports to individuals to a more proactive and preventative approach to promoting mental health.
According to Maurice Quinlan, Director of the EAP Institute, many institutions in Europe and the EU including the European Commission, The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the new ISO 45003 International Standard on Psychological and Psychosocial Hazards due for release in July 2021 will exert a major influence on how employers will deal with workplace mental health disabilities.
With 46, 000 members worldwide The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has taken the lead and is declaring that workplace mental health is now a safety issue and that its members are well placed to respond. IOSH is urging its members to think safety, compliance, risk assessments, and employee support therapy to address the mental health issues that are now impacting the workplace.
