Employee Assistance Programme Launched for Smaller Businesses

Croner Announces Partnership with Right Management London, 10 January 2012 – Employee Assistance Programmes, valuable support services usually reserved for large companies , are now available to SMEs. This follows the announcement that Right Management, a global leader in talent and career management workforce solutions within ManpowerGroup, has become the preferred partner of Croner. The Employee Assistance Programme service will be provided by Right Management through Croner Simplify, a unique proactive HR solution aimed at the SME market. Users of the service will have access to:

• 24/7, 365-day helpline which gives immediate emotional support, debt management services and general advice and information.
• Unlimited access to online information including podcasts and downloads covering a wide variety of topics.
• Individual counselling sessions, either face-to-face or by telephone depending on the preference of the individual.
• Day 1 intervention for stress – a proactive service which aims to assist and support employees suffering from stress-related issues to return to work, or stay in work.
• Occupational health telephone line.
• Management support to assist with the softer skills of managing teams and people issues.

Andrew Walker, Head of Business Development at Croner, says: "EAP programmes have long-been viewed by corporate businesses as a benefit to employees that are suffering from personal and work-related issues, but are now a key strategic intervention for organisations who wish to improve productivity and reduce absenteeism. "By partnering with Right Management we can offer our Croner Simplify customers with a solution that would not otherwise be available to them. Access to this service will help to improve the wellbeing, motivation and productivity levels of their workforceand in turn save them precious time, money and resources." David Elliott, Business Development Director at Right Management, adds: "According to the CBI, the average cost of absence is £760 per employee . Even reducing one person's absence and improving productivity will pay for the cost of the service. Croner customers will not only benefit from this cost saving, they will also have the added benefit of an independent company of wellbeing experts who complement nicely the existing HR services on offer."