Employee assistance programmes

Absenteeism and stress-related illness account for a significant cost to most organisations. The first, preventive step is to minimise the causes of stress and ill health, including attention to both physical safety and psychological health, for instance poor management, bullying and poor work design. Beyond this, occupational psychologists develop employee assistance programmes including activities such as stress management training and the provision of employee counselling services and practical help for those whose function has been affected by stress and related illness.