Abstract
OrientationThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to an increased focus on the effectiveness of employee assistance programmes (EAPs).Research purposeTo evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the value, utilisation and scope of an EAP within the South African insurance sector.Motivation for the studyHigher levels of stress and anxiety experienced by employees because of COVID-19 has necessitated the need to better understand the reasons for EAPs utilisation and its effectiveness within organisations.Research approach/design and methodThe study provided an overview of employee well-being and an overview of the origins and evolution of EAPs. The study utilised thematic analysis to analyse 1002 cases with a sample of n = 907, pre-and post-onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.Main findingsThe utilisation of EAPs increased because of COVID-19, yet the reasons for accessing these programmes remained largely consistent before and during COVID-19. At a sub-theme level, the priority of themes differed across the time periods influenced by external context and circumstance.Practical/managerial implicationsThe study found a need to clearly define employee well-being and reposition the role of EAPs within the organisation. Organisations need to broaden the scope of EAPs and through continuous education and awareness create an environment where employees feel like they can safely access these services.Contribution/value-addThe study contributes towards the current literature on employee well-being and providing a perspective on the relevance, value and utilisation of EAPs before and during a pandemic.
Highlights
The year 2020 will be remembered as the year that changed the world
Thematic analysis was used in the study to review the utilisation of an employee assistance programmes (EAPs) within the context of a South African insurance organisation with specific focus on utilisation before and during COVID-19
The data were grouped into clusters of themes that related to the specific reason why employees sought support through the EAP
Summary
The year 2020 will be remembered as the year that changed the world. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic fast-tracked digital transformation and led to a re-evaluation of the relevance of people management priorities and practices (Iida 2020). Employee well-being and employee assistance programmes (EAPs) came under scrutiny as organisations battled to remain productive whilst supporting employees in dealing with unprecedented change. The focus on employee well-being had been gathering traction before COVID-19 because of the changing employee value proposition landscape (De Villiers, 2009; Nangoy, Mursitama, Setiadi, & Pradipto, 2020), yet COVID-19 re-emphasised the importance of employee well-being and the relationship to organisational productivity. Thematic analysis was used in the study to review the utilisation of an EAP within the context of a South African insurance organisation with specific focus on utilisation before and during COVID-19. The article provides an overview of the literature regarding employee well-being and the origins of EAPs and an overview of the development of the concept and its application in the modern-day organisation
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