Spill costs less per therapy session than an EAP, because 10x more people use it.
Check our pricesAn Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) will probably be your first port of call if you’re looking to bring in some external mental health support for your team. They’re a useful workplace benefit offering cheap, blanket cover for all employees. Because of this, lots of companies have an EAP. But how many employees actually use them? What kind of impact do they have? And can their return on investment be measured?
We've put together a comprehensive list of EAP data and statistics covering usage, impact and return on investment to provide all the insight you need to make an informed decision.
Top employee assistance programme (EAP) statistics for 2024
- The global Employee Assistance Programme market size was valued at around $6.8 billion in 2021, and is expected to reach around $9.4 billion by 2027. [1]
- Only 5% of employees phone their EAP's call centre, and 42% of callers who need therapy are rejected. [2]
- There are more than 839 external EAP service providers globally. [3]
- Around 13.8 million employees in the UK are covered by an EAP. [4,5]
- Around 88% of UK employers and 73% of US employers use an EAP. [5,6]
- 31% of UK companies have never evaluated the quality or impact of their EAP. [7]
- Only 5% of UK employees have actually accessed their company’s EAP provider. This could mean calling the support switchboard or reading self-help resources – not necessarily taking part in counselling sessions. [7,8]
- UK Employers will get back an average ROI of £8 for every pound they invest in an EAP due to reduced absenteeism and increased productivity. [9]
UK employee assistance programme (EAP) statistics
UK EAP Return on investment (ROI) statistics
- Only 9% of UK employers currently measure the ROI from their EAP service. [7,9]
- Employers get back an average ROI of £8.00 for every pound they invest in an EAP. [9]
UK EAP usage statistics
- During the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, 347,000 more employees turned to support from an EAP compared to previous years. [10]
- The average usage of EAP services by employees in the UK is reported as around 5%. This might mean calling the support switchboard or reading self-help resources – not necessarily receiving any counselling. [7,8]
- 44% of UK companies are considering changing their EAP provider and 16% are looking to cancel their EAP service. [7]
- 60% of calls from an employee to an EAP provider are signposted to self-help resources, 20% of callers are signposted to a national charity (at no cost to the EAP), and a further 20% may need counselling but it is up to them to contact the counsellor. [11]
- The most common way employees contact their EAP is through the telephone (84%), with only 16% of employees using online communication. [7]
- EAPs are often rolled out to address mental health issues employees face at or outside of work [7]:
- 70% of respondents accessed an EAP due to workplace stress
- 57% of respondents accessed an EAP due to depression
- Other reasons for accessing an EAP include family events (56% of respondents), conflict with line managers (20% of respondents), workplace restructure (15% of respondents), and bullying (6% of respondents)
UK EAP usage statistics by identity
- Men are half as likely to look for support with mental health through an EAP than women. [12]
- 1 in 3 men (32%) say they have poor mental health because of their job. They are less likely to reach out for help because of widespread male mental health stigma in the workplace. [13]
- 56% of all calls to an EAP were made by women, and 29.5% by men. 14.% calls made were by an unspecified gender. [12]
- 31-35 year olds are the most frequent users of EAP services. [14]
UK EAP usage statistics by sector
According to a study done by EAPA, these are the statistics for average EAP usage by sector [9]:
- Services: 11.1%
- Finance: 10.2%
- Charity: 11.7%
- Public administration: 10.2%
- Manufacturing: 10.8%
- Retail: 10.3 %
- Agriculture: 4.6%
- Transport/utilities: 11.9%
UK EAP usage statistics by company size
- EAP usage in companies with 5,000 employees and above is 9.95%. [9]
- EAP usage in companies with 1,000-5,000 employees is 8.4%. [9]
- EAP usage in companies with 250-1,000 employees is 9.6%. [9]
- EAP usage in companies with fewer than 250 employees is 11%. [9]
Why UK companies decide to invest in EAPs:
- 67% of UK companies surveyed use EAPs as part of their health and wellbeing plan. [7]
- 49% of UK companies surveyed use EAPs to reduce the rate of organisational sickness absence. [7]
- 48% of UK companies surveyed use EAPs to give staff support with issues like relationship problems or financial stress. [7]
- 33% of UK companies surveyed use EAPs to boost employee productivity. [7]
Why UK companies decide not to invest in EAPs:
- 44% of UK companies surveyed chose not to invest in an EAP due to a lack of information around the services offered. [7]
- 33% of UK companies surveyed chose not to invest in an EAP because they offer alternative wellbeing initiatives to employees. [7]
- 22% of UK companies surveyed chose not to invest in an EAP due to the cost. [7]
EAP service provision statistics in the UK:
- 84% of UK organisations have ‘comprehensive’ EAPs (which include telephone services, online services and face-to face counselling). [7]
- 23% of UK organisations have an EAP telephone helpline and online services in place, with the option to pay for additional face-to-face counselling, if required. [7]
- 14% of UK organisations have only telephone counselling via their EAP. [7]
- 6% of UK organisations have an EAP as part of their insurance policy. [7]
- 31% of UK organisations have never evaluated the quality or impact of their EAP. [7]
Spill gives your team instant access to qualified therapists in just a few clicks.
US employee assistance programme (EAP) statistics
- The US has the most saturated market for EAPs in the world:
- 97% of US companies with more than 5000 workers use an EAP. [15]
- 80% of US companies with 1001-5000 workers use an EAP. [15]
- 75% of US companies with 251-1000 workers use an EAP. [15]
- Around 74.1 million employees in the US have access to an EAP. [16]
- Average EAP usage in the US is less than 10%. [17]
- The return on investment for EAPs in the US is $3-$10 for every $1 invested. [17]
- Around 78% of US union employees have access to EAPs compared to their non-union counterparts (52%). [18]
Spill's take on employee assistance programmes
When comparing mental health support systems for your team, remember that EAPs aren’t the only solution out there. It’s important to consider how you’d like your team to interact with the help on offer, the type of support they might need, and how you can measure the impact this service is having on your business.
If you’re looking to provide a more proactive service that spots employees who might be struggling and offers fast and effective support, then you might be in the market for an altogether different kind of care.
Spill’s mental health detection system checks in on your team's mood and mental health every week, and a qualified therapist will reach out automatically to anyone who's feeling low. Typically, Spill will be used by 50% of your team, too – that’s 10 times more employees than an EAP.
EAP guides and resources
For a closer look at the pros and cons of an employee assistance programme, check out our EAP resources for employers 👇
- EAPs for start ups and small businesses
- EAP benefits and considerations for employers
- Understanding EAP usage and ROI
- EAP cost per employee
- How to evaluate your EAP
- 7 ways to promote your EAP to employees
- The best UK EAP providers for 2024
- EAP services: what is (and isn’t) included
- How to choose the right EAP
- Are EAPs confidential?
- Is EAP counselling the same as therapy?
- How to build a business case for an EAP
- Types of employee assistance programmes (EAPs)
- How to launch your EAP effectively
Get our free EAP evaluation checklist
Make sure you're asking the right questions when buying an EAP (or weighing up the one you already have)
Spill is typically used by 50% of employees in a year. That means up to 10 times as many people get support vs. an EAP.
