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EAPs
Employer-provided programs help employees deal with problems before they escalate
Could a particularly hard winter, combined with post-holiday blues, lead to more employees seeking support from their employee assistance program (EAP)? Yes, according to one provider based in the United States - ComPsych saw a 19 per cent spike in EAP calls this past January.
''We've had a bit of an anomaly in terms of a larger increase in usage and that could be because of our circumstances this year, this season," says Jonathan Winston, regional vice-president in Canada for ComPsych in Toronto.
"We've nad a harsher winter and an increase in storm activities... we had the ice storm and some flooding and I think people have sheltered themselves indoors and that's sort of impacted things around mood-related issues and relationship issues."
While Canadian EAP providers might not see such a dramatic increase - partly because of a different health-care system - they do see notable spikes during the chillier months when it comes to employees seeking assistance around issues relating to their finances, depression or relationships.
At Aspiria, utilization has almost doubled in January and February compared to December for the past three years, according to Charles Benayon, Markham, Ont.-based founder and CEO.
"As we start getting into spring, it starts to taper off for sure," he says, adding the categories of depression and personal finance are largely responsible for the rises.
When calling in, people give all kinds of reasons, such as the weather, post-holiday blues or concerns about finances, says Benayon. Often they manage to postpone the inevitable in December because they're too busy planning for the holidays, but that wears off with the new year.
Typically, there's a buildup of activities...