Choosing an EAP provider? Compare the model first.
There are dozens of EAP providers in Australia, and most offer a similar core: confidential, short-term counselling, a phone line and a set number of sessions. Comparing them on price and session caps misses the bigger question. What job are you hiring your EAP to do, and how much of it will it actually do?
The types of EAP provider in Australia
- Large national providers. Broad coverage, large clinician networks, usually priced per employee.
- Bundled EAPs. Offered alongside insurance, health services or other employee benefits.
- Specialist providers. Smaller services focused on a sector, such as emergency services or healthcare.
- Proactive EAPs. A newer model built to make every level of the organisation proactive, starting by reaching out to every person instead of waiting to be contacted.
Most providers in the first three groups run the traditional reactive model. That's the real choice in front of you.
Reactive and proactive EAPs compared
| Compared on | Reactive EAP | Proactive EAP |
|---|---|---|
| Who starts the conversation | The employee, when they decide to reach out | The service, on a regular schedule |
| Who it reaches | On average about 5% of people | Every person, and you can show it |
| What you learn | A call rate, if reported at all | What's happening across the whole workforce, and which supports are working |
| Leaders | Optional training, where offered | Enough people trained to respond, and assessed on real skill |
| Individuals | A resource portal and a phone line to a stranger | A practice that builds self-awareness, and someone they trust to turn to |
| Clinical support | Direct counselling sessions | A clear pathway to qualified clinical support, with a warm handover |
| Confidentiality | Confidential to the individual | Confidential to the individual |
Which model fits?
If you want a service in place in case something happens, a reactive EAP does that job, and many do it well. Think of it as insurance. If you want your support to reach everyone, build capability in your leaders, and show you what's working, that's an investment, and it's the job a proactive EAP is designed for.
How to compare any EAP provider
Whichever providers are on your shortlist, including the one you use now, judge them against the nine jobs in the proactive EAP criteria →. Three questions show the gap fastest:
- Can you show that every person knows how to get support?
- What will you tell us about what's happening across our workforce, beyond how many people called?
- How many of our people will be trained to respond, and how will you know they can?