Unum Expands Partnership with Ceridian to Launch an Enhanced Free EAP for its Group Disability Clients in U.K.
New research indicates personal and work related issues are impacting work performance of over half the U.K. workforce
MINNEAPOLIS (October 22, 2008) – Unum (NYSE: UNM) , the leading disability insurer in the U.S. and U.K., has expanded its partnership with Ceridian, one of the world’s largest providers of human resource services, to launch an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) in the United Kingdom. The new service will be offered under the name Unum LifeWorks and cover all employers and employees insured by Unum Group Income Protection (GIP) policies
Importantly for employers, the program raises the bar in the provision of EAPs in the U.K. by providing access for employers to online and telephone legal and employment help lines for managers and supervisors.
The program is based on a best practice EAP service design which has worked extremely well for Unum and Ceridian in the United States. Unum US and Ceridian have been partnering since 1992 and offer a similar integrated EAP and work-life service to over 39,000 customers. Unum’s work-life balance EAP in the U.S. offers many modes of access to the service including online, face-to-face and telephonic to accommodate generational preferences and convenience. Employees can receive consultation and assistance with issues such as selecting a child care agency, parenting skills, elder concerns, financial worries, interpersonal problems at work, grief and relationship concerns just to name a few.
The U.K. program, which will begin in November 2008, has been specifically designed to provide a unique range of services that will benefit both employees and employers by aiding them with potentially stressful situations and issues. Stress-related illness is becoming increasingly prevalent amongst workers in the U.K. and offering an EAP will allow employees to seek advice at an early stage, before issues may start to impact on their health and work performance.
The launch comes on the heels of new research1 from Unum, which reveals that over half (51%) of all U.K. workers believe that their work has been impacted over the past two years due to stresses and worries.
The most common stresses cited by workers were worrying about personal health issues (38% of respondents) or other personal issues (37%), followed by stress due to the cost of living or not being able to pay off debts (32% and 25% respectively).
The research also revealed that work issues and personal issues are likely to have the greatest impact on an employee’s work performance; 72% and 71%, respectively of respondents who admitted that their work had been greatly affected by stresses and worries in the past two years cited these problems. These are followed by stress due to personal health issues (66%) and the cost of living (57%).
“As our research shows, personal and work issues can have a significant impact on an employee’s ability to perform their role at work,” said Wojciech Dochan, Head of Commercial Marketing at Unum UK, “This can result in unnecessary levels of stress, which in turn can impact upon an employee’s health.
“Unum LifeWorks will add value to our current GIP offering by not only helping both employees and employers to resolve potentially stressful and complicated personal and work-related situations at the earliest stage possible, but also supporting organizational management in the areas of legal and employment information. We are committed at Unum to supporting U.K. businesses as much as possible through the introduction of this new service.”
Jeremy Campbell, director of Ceridian HRO sales, said: “We are delighted to be working with Unum to provide well-being services to their policy holders. It is unrealistic to expect employees to leave personal issues at home, but by the same standard, with today’s PDA and Blackberry culture work rarely stops when you leave the office. Unum LifeWorks provides guidance to individuals on a range of life issues, whilst also advising businesses on how best to support their employees with balancing work and life.
“As well as providing emotional support from qualified counselors and support for everyday issues, users can benefit from access to a range of health, educational/career development and debt/financial specialists. In addition, the Unum LifeWorks Online website offers practical resources to enable users to be proactive and tackle their concerns before they impact on work and personal life.”
Further services available for U.K. employees include access to telephone and face-to-face counseling, matched referrals for child and elder care and tips and advice online on a wide range of subjects. This is reinforced with printed materials and CDs which can be sent to employees’ homes, at their request, on topics that are relevant to them.
(1) Independent research agency ICM interviewed a random sample of 2092 U.K. adults aged 18+ from its online panel between 22nd-25th August 2008. Surveys were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all U. K. adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk.
Source: Ceridian
