Press Release
1 May 2021
The First Survey on EAP’s Effectiveness in HK
Amidst Hong Kong’s economic turmoil and persistent pandemic uncertainties, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) has been proven by a ground-breaking survey to be effective in bolstering employee well-being and workplace efficiency.
Against the backdrop of economic challenges surrounding and compounded by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the labour market in Hong Kong has been facing a downturn, grappling with a nearly two-decade high in unemployment rates. In these trying times, working-class individuals are facing mounting pressures, prompting a first-ever survey conducted by Employee Development Service of Hong Kong Christian Service(EDS)/Four Dimensions Consulting Limited (FDC) to evaluate the efficacy of EAP in the region. Findings revealed that EAP has contributed to improving employees’ physical and mental well-being, their job performance, and their relationships with superiors and colleagues, ultimately enhancing workplace efficiency.
To gauge the effects of EAP interventions, the team of researchers invited 438 service users to participate in a longitudinal questionnaire survey, which adopts the “Workplace Outcome Suite”, the international standard of instrument for measuring changes involved in subjective and environmental working conditions. Over a three-year period, the study tracked the differences in participants’ behavioural and psychological markers before and after receiving EAP services provided by FDC and EDS, HKCS, who have been committed to promoting the holistic development of employees’ physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, unlocking their potential, and fostering a positive corporate culture in an ever-changing world for over 30 years.
Before receiving EAP services, nearly 40% of respondents stated that they were afraid to go to work. Eighty percent believed that their troubles were affecting their ability to concentrate at work. After receiving assistance, the percentages of respondents reporting “fear of going to work” and “difficulty concentrating at work” were significantly reduced to under 20% and around 46.1% respectively. Furthermore, 42% of respondents had previously taken leaves of absence due to facing difficulties, but that of post-EAP intervention decreased to 22%, marking a whopping 20% down scale.
On the other hand, the percentage of respondents who self-rated as “eager to go to work” and ‘having a generally smooth life’ increased significantly from around 50% before receiving EAP services to approximately 68.5% and 77.5%, respectively.
In this survey, the most common reasons for seeking EAP services were emotional or work-related issues, accounting for nearly 29.3% and just over 23.3% of total requests, respectively. Family-related problems also accounted for almost 19% of referrals in. Other types of requests included interpersonal relationships, personal growth and development, and physical health.
Around 40% of respondents self-rated their stress level as “very high”, whereas nearly 32% rated it as “moderate”. When segmented by age, the group aged 31 to 40 had the highest rate of reporting high stress experienced (50.7%), followed by the 41-50 age group (43.6%).
Before receiving EAP services, 55% of respondents reported being troubled by recent physical health issues. After the intervention, this percentage dropped to 25%. Additionally, around 20% of individuals mentioned having thoughts of self-harm or suicide in the past month when seeking help. After receiving services, this percentage significantly lowered to less than 5%.
Ms. Natalie Cheung, General Manager of EDS/FDC, stated that this survey highlights the positive impact of their EAP in addressing the challenges faced by the working-class in their work and life. She recommended making good use of EAP services, which would be conducive to the physical and mental well-being of employees and in turn businesses in general:
- Promoting Employee Mental and Physical Health Leads to Enhanced Workplace Performance
“HERO” stands for Hope, Self-Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism. EAP services effectively enhance employees’ psychological capital, helping them face work and life challenges with a positive and proactive attitude, which, in turn, boosts their workplace performance.
- Comprehensive EAP Helps Businesses Navigate Adversity
In the face of economic volatility and constantly changing work and life environments, providing comprehensive EAP services (including 24-hour counselling and support services, physical and mental health promotion activities, and crisis incident support services) to employees can help businesses at all levels overcome adversity. Having a healthy and productive workforce also enhances a company’s ability to tackle challenges.
- Government Investment in Promoting Positive Workplaces by Employers
This survey also found that EAP services are beneficial to employees of different age groups. Therefore, it is recommended that the government allocate resources to encourage more employers to actively care for the physical and mental health of their employees, creating positive work environments (PRIDE) for employees and businesses to thrive. Positive workplaces encompass Positive Corporate Practice, Relationship Enhanced, Individual Attributes, Dynamic Leadership, and Emotional Well-being.
Survey data and related information can be found at: https://www.fourdimensions.org/zh_hk/event/the-first-survey-on-eaps-effectiveness-in-hk-tc/
Captions of photos:
Photo 1: HKCS and FDC’s first-of-its-kind citywide survey revealed that EAP contributes to improving employees’ physical and mental well-being, their job performance, and their relationships with superiors and colleagues, eventually fortifying workplace efficiency.”
Photo 2: The GM of FDC and EDS, HKCS Ms. Natalie Cheung emphasised that this survey reflects the status of EAP as a vital resource in boosting employees’ workplace performance, ultimately empowering businesses to better confront challenges.
Photos:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19_2Laym9QQByrHmRPMx5GBaVGiYBZho-?usp=sharing
About EDS/FDC:
In 1991, Hong Kong Christian Service pioneered the Employee Development Services, becoming the first organisation in Hong Kong to introduce the “Employee Assistance Programme” (EAP) from the United States. To further expand its services, the organisation established “Four Dimensions Consulting Limited” in 2005, providing comprehensive support for employees to address challenges in both work and life. This initiative aims to cultivate their strengths and potential, increase their dedication to work, and consequently, ignite positive energy within enterprises while sustaining competitive advantages.
