The Standard Components
What the program provides.
Covering all of the requirements of a forward-thinking proactive support program.
Our service is available 24/7. Master’s level counselors (or the local equivalent) answer calls live and are able to offer information, assessment, action planning, crisis intervention assistance, and/or short-term problem resolution and referrals.
In addition to accessing the program by phone, employees also have the option of using:
Instant messaging via custom website support portal branded to your business, community, or organization.
Contact a Counselor – send an email directly via the website
iConnectYou app with options for phone, video, instant messaging, and SMS text.
iConnectYou
iConnectYou is an innovative app that allows users to engage with their benefit via phone, video, instant messaging, or SMS text. The app not only allows users to initiate contact with the program, but can also be used to deliver structured telephone or video counseling. Informational resources are also available.
iConnectYou is available in any country that has a Google Play or App Store which provides apps for smartphones. We will provide employees with a code specific to their employer to access the app’s full features. Upon registering, users can select from the following languages for the app interface: English (US and UK versions), French, Hindi, Portuguese, Spanish, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Dutch, Indonesian, German, and Polish.
Support is available via the app 24/7. Call, instant messaging, and text are available in all app languages, while video access is staffed in English.
Short-Term Counseling
The emotional support services assist participants with a range of personal and professional issues for which short-term counseling is appropriate. The primary counseling model we use is short-term solution-focused therapy. This involves a move away from the analysis of problems to the discovery of solutions that are already at work in one’s life. The therapy concentrates on helping participants identify the skills, strengths, and resources that are already present and moves them towards a solution.
All clinical calls begin with an assessment, which determines the appropriate intervention. The assessment covers the presenting issue, support systems, coping strategies, background information, and a risk assessment. The outcome is a plan that covers the short-term focus including goals agreed upon with the participant.
Timeframes
For routine counseling needs, we provide the employee with the selected provider’s contact information within two business days of their initial contact with the program. The counselor will have availability for the first session within five days of the initial assessment. The employee works with the counselor to schedule each session.
For urgent counseling needs, we will provide a referral within six business hours to a face-to-face counselor available for an appointment within 24 to 48 hours of the initial assessment.
In the case of an emergency counseling need, we deliver immediate telephonic intervention with risk assessment, as well as connection to a referral resource (e.g., emergency services) where appropriate.
Aware
Our unique research-based mindfulness program, Aware, is an alternate modality of support for participants experiencing life stress, pain, and challenges with focus and concentration, as well as those who want to increase their awareness of and commitment to intentional living.
With a personalized approach to applying mindful practices to life, Aware teaches participants how to be engaged, diminish distractions, and counteract stress. The program cultivates focused and resilient employees, who are more engaged and productive in the workplace. Through six weekly sessions, mindfulness-trained health and wellness professionals provide one-on-one support and supply electronic resources for self-guided individual practice. Assessments conducted at the start of the program and upon completion provide measurable outcomes to demonstrate personal progress.
Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (cCBT)
In My Hands is our case manager-assisted self-help program that addresses mild to moderate anxiety, stress, and depression. The online program educates users and suggests techniques and tasks designed to guide participant progress for positive therapeutic outcomes. Several modules are available, including Introduction to CBT; Self-Esteem and Thinking Styles; Low Mood and Depression; Stress and Anxiety; and Coping and Resilience.
The self-paced program encourages participants to interact with the application weekly, and to monitor their own perception of how they are functioning in terms of personal wellbeing, close family relationships, work, and social roles. The course is comprised of seven online CBT sessions and includes email and/or telephone support from qualified counselors.
Participants who engage in cCBT have unlimited access to the program for six months and may complete the sessions as many times as desired within that period. A cCBT case manager follows up with participants to ensure the program is addressing their needs, answer any queries, and review progress toward their goal. Users can also contact their case manager at any time to discuss their progress. In My Hands is available in English only.
Life Coaching
Certified telephonic coaches partner with participants in a thought-provoking, creative process for navigating life transitions and maximizing personal and professional potential. Areas covered include career development, performance improvement, mentoring, work-life balance skills, managing change/transitions, managing stress, and time management skills.
Life coaching is offered in a six-session model that generally lasts three to four months. In the initial 45-minute session, the participant works with the coach to establish a vision, determine goals, and create an action plan. Subsequent 20-minute follow-up coaching sessions ensure the participant is on track to achieve the desired goals. Calls are scheduled at a time that is convenient for the participant and coaches also provide supportive email communication for sharing of resources and progress check-ins.
ManagerAssist
Specialized support for managers is available through the telephonic ManagerAssist program. Through ManagerAssist, a manager can learn how to encourage employees to seek help with whatever challenges they may face. Counselors commonly offer assistance on topics such as:
- Employee attendance/absences
- Employee performance issues
- Mediating conflict
- Referring an employee to services
- Building team morale
Work-Life Services
Work-life services are fully integrated into our solution. We provide participants with consultation, educational information, and qualified resources to support their more practical work-life balance challenges.
There are vast differences from country to country with respect to the social service infrastructure, government supports, and local practices that shape the delivery of work-life services. Yet, when an employee accesses the service, no matter where he lives, the experience is fundamentally consistent—the employee works with a consultant who assists in identifying the presenting issues and finding a solution.
Around the globe, our work-life services cover a range of topics including but not limited to:
- Dependent Care – child care and parenting; adult care and aging; and care for those with a special need or disability
- Information Services – a variety of day-to-day concerns such as home maintenance, travel, housing, or relocation
- Wellness Services – fitness centers, alternative medicine, tobacco cessation
- Financial Services – credit and debt, budgeting, taxation, benefits, mortgages, insurance
- Legal Services – consumer rights, matrimonial law, traffic issues, civil litigation, tenancy, wills, and probate
When an employee contacts the service, we conduct an assessment to understand the support required. Within three business days, the specialist provides the contact information for three to five confirmed, matched providers that meet the requested criteria, and who are licensed and registered with the appropriate bodies relevant to their line of work, as applicable.
Wellbeing Website
Our global wellbeing website complements the telephonic and face-to-face services available through the employee support program. Available in 27 dialects, each version includes culturally appropriate content arranged in the following categories: Parenting, Aging, Balancing, Thriving, Working, Living, and International.
A valuable site feature is the News For You section. Not only does this section allow for clients to post company-specific details, it is also a resource for in-the-moment information in the wake of a crisis. When a major incident occurs (natural disaster, terrorist attack, violence, etc.), we post a News for You update. This includes information on what happened, links to informative resources, and articles about relevant mental health topics.
The Wellbeing Website also serves as an information resource and a way to encourage utilization of the employee support program. Detailed instructions on how to access the service are included at the top of every page. Employees can also use the “Contact a Counselor” feature to send an email to request a call back from a counselor. The site also includes the option for instant messaging with our staff via our LiveCONNECT chat, featuring simultaneous translations, allowing us to communicate with participants in over 100 languages.
We also offer quarterly global webinars on our website that are available in: Arabic, Dutch, English (US and UK), French (France and Canada), German, Hindi, Mandarin – Simplified Chinese, and Portuguese. Seminars cover a range of wellbeing topics and are available on-demand. Registration is not required and seminars are pre-recorded and uploaded on a set date, at which time participants can access the audiovisual presentation and download all accompanying materials. Participants also have the option to ask questions by typing them into the ‘Ask a question’ box and receiving an emailed answer within five business days.