Scheme slashes sick days
May 3rd 2007

Statistics show that employees sick leave has been slashed by a third thanks to a restructured sickness absence policy at Westminster City Council.

The successful initiative includes an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) managed by specialist providers Focus EAP Limited. The combined package was originally launched for the Council’s 4,000 employees and their immediate families/households in April 2006.

The latest figures show that sickness absence rates have fallen from 10.5 days per employee per year at scheme commencement to a current level of under 8 days per year. The EAP has been widely welcomed by staff, who can access the service through the 24-hour telephone helpline, operated by qualified counsellors and information specialists.

Employees across the range of Council departments have contacted the EAP via a freephone number and some family members have also used the service. About two thirds of the calls have been about personal issues, while the remaining third were work related. The option of face-to-face counselling sessions is also available within this EAP.

Trevor Webster, Westminster City Council’s Strategic Human Resources Manager (Health & Safety), explained that the EAP plays an important role in the absence management strategy, which is based on careful monitoring and early intervention. Referrals to the EAP frequently come via the Council’s occupational health facility, extending support for the employee to independent professionals outside the workplace whose confidentiality is guaranteed.

“The EAP has helped us to build a profile of the needs of the Council and its people and subsequently we are able to target resources to areas of need,” Trevor said. “Managers have found the programme helpful, because they are not trained counsellors themselves and frequently prefer to be supported with personal issues by those that are professionally qualified to deal with them. The EAP facilitates early resolution of issues, which allows managers more time to concentrate on management areas such as departmental performance. Focus EAP has been very proactive in delivering their service, which has had a positive impact right across the board.”

Focus EAP recently became the first EAP provider in the UK and Europe to achieve accreditation through the US based Council on Accreditation (COA). Gaining this qualification required Focus EAP to undergo a rigorous process of self-study and peer review to confirm that they met the highest professional standards in the EAP field. COA accreditation is maintained through regular auditing.

Since the 1980s, Focus EAP has specialised in the provision of EAPs and related services, working in partnership with clients in the public and private sectors. The list includes central and local government, higher and further education establishments, charity organisations, the NHS and companies ranging from multinationals to SMEs.

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