Employee assistance programmes: Their rationale, basic principles and essential elements

Abstract

The paper began by defining and explaining the relationship of workplace programmes and social work through the route of occupational social work. General reasons for the establishment of programmes are presented, though each organisation would have its own reasons. These reasons undoubtedly affect the approaches and eventually the activities within each programme. The twelve programme elements as presented in the paper are practical and crucial ingredients that help to ensure a successful implementation of an EAP. They serve to help guide research in the field of workplace programmes. To give practical examples, tabular presentations of how such programmes work are given in the form of EAP functions and services, as well as programme structure.