Blueroomcare
The majority of Nigerian HR practitioners who investigate the idea of an EAP run into the same roadblock: the idea seems logical, the business case is sound, but the process of implementing an EAP in Nigeria is unclear. What should be done first? Whose approval should be sought? How should employees be introduced to the program? And how do you select the right EAP provider?
This guide answers these questions step by step. If your company has decided to introduce an Employee Assistance Program, here’s what you need to know to implement an EAP in Nigeria successfully.
What Does It Mean to Implement an EAP in Nigeria?
The implementation of an EAP in Nigeria involves the establishment of a comprehensive confidential mental health service which is voluntary in nature and which staff members may utilise in order to cope with problems which are impacting their productivity or well-being. A well-designed EAP will provide a good ROI for the company involved, but creating such an EAP requires that the right choices be made regarding its implementation. In most cases in Nigeria, this will involve using an external third-party organisation.
Step 1: Identify Your Employees’ Actual Needs
Before you contact any provider, begin from within. Employee feedback and HR information can assist in determining the most relevant services needed. This could range from stress and burnout counseling, relationship counseling, money management, grief and bereavement, and substance use concerns. From a Nigerian perspective, the most common needs in the workplace would be workplace-related stress, anxiety, burnout, and conflict, however, using your organization’s data can point out the areas that need the most assistance.
Step 2: Gain Leadership Buy-In
No EAP without clear buy-in from the leadership will ever see use. Getting your leadership to understand how to sell the idea and help your employees feel at ease with the EAP will be an essential part of setting up a successful EAP. In the case of Nigeria, where the culture of workplaces is such that vulnerability is generally discouraged, having a successful EAP will mean having leaders who promote it, not via an email message, but by constantly doing it. Make the case with your leaders using the ROI you showed them through your work force assessment.
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Step 3: Choose the Right EAP Provider in Nigeria
This step will be the most important of all steps. Compare third party EAP providers based on services provided, cost, confidentiality and integration opportunities. In the case of Nigeria specifically, it is critical to choose providers with a Nigerian clinical team. The EAP provider from another country might be more affordable, but it is unlikely that he or she can provide the culturally contextualized service necessary for utilization. Ask every provider the following questions: How many licensed Nigerian therapists do you have? What is your average response time? What languages do you support? What reporting will we receive?
Blueroomcare’s EAP is designed to be exclusively focused on the Nigerian workplace; local clinical team, flexible pricing plans, ability to integrate with HMO and enterprise experience in oil and gas, banking and professional services.
Step 4: Define What the EAP Will Cover
Work with your chosen EAP provider to determine the scope of your program in terms of number of sessions, if family members are covered, format of the support offered (video, voice, or face-to-face support), and management of crises. Employee Assistance Programs typically offer assessments, brief interventions and referrals to employees and their immediate families. Ensure that all of the above are clearly defined and documented before you roll out the program to ensure all parties involved have the same idea of what the program entails.
Step 5: Launch the EAP and Communicate It Clearly
The most common reason why EAP programs fail in Nigerian organizations is not due to lack of quality but lack of communication. If the employees don’t know that the program exists they can’t make use of it. Define the purpose and the objectives of your program in order for your employees to understand the benefits of the program to them as employees.
Guidelines around confidentiality should be established. Roll out your program with a specific internal communications plan: e-mail, town hall, posters, WhatsApp broadcast or any other channel that your employees are likely to respond to. Lead with confidentiality. In Nigeria, the fear of HR finding out about your discussion is the single biggest impediment to EAP utilization. Let it be explicitly clear that individual utilization data is not shared with the employer.
Step 6: Train Managers to Support EAP Use
Your managers are your best EAP advocates. Create awareness: educate your leaders on the value of EAPs, how they operate, and why they’re important for the health and well-being of your employees. Train all of your line managers to identify the early warning signs that an employee is struggling; withdrawal, poor performance, increased absenteeism, and irritability and to make referrals to the EAP in a supportive, non-stigmatising way. There’s nothing better than a manager who says “I noticed you seemed like you were dealing with something. Did you know we have an EAP?”
How Do You Know If Your EAP Is Working?
Utilisation should be measured quarterly; how many people within your organisation are taking advantage of the EAP. Analyse aggregate reporting information from your provider for trends: Which departments are utilising it most frequently? What types of problems are coming up? Are there spikes in utilisation following certain organisational events?
Your EAP in Nigeria should have a minimum initial utilisation rate of at least 10 to 15 percent per year; after that, it’s only going to increase. If utilisation is low, the problem is almost always awareness or stigma, both of which are solvable.
Takeaway
The quickest and easiest way would be to collaborate with an organization that manages the entire process from end to end from conducting a needs assessment to onboarding, communicating with employees, training managers, and even reporting. Blueroomcare’s EAP onboarding process is streamlined in such a way that you can get your program up and running easily and with very little administrative headache for your HR team. All the way from consultation to employee launch, your organization will have an account representative throughout the process.
Schedule a free EAP consultation
- Need support? Start your care journey by booking a confidential therapy session and accessing daily journaling and wellness check-ins through the Blueroomcare App.
- Looking for more guidance? Explore our blog for more mental health tips.
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